Page 48 of Knot So Social

Mr Shares whines and spins in a circle, letting me know he wants to go out. The back fence hasn’t been raised yet, so I let him go out the front, but the hedges in the driveway tell me just what I’m missing.

Something living.

I limp to the back patio and collect two ferns. One of the orchids is flowering with a massive magenta stem, so I bring that in too. For the final touch, I tie the curtains back from the front side, leaving pretty arches of fabric that invite a person to explore. The nest transforms from a little girl’s pink cloud into an elegant, relaxing space.

Pressing one hand to my chest, I breathe deeply.

My exes never cared for pretty things. They said they got in the way of the real business. To be fair, one year we did start a fire, but I’m never in the mood to be fair to those scumbags.

I did avoid all live flames in my purchases this time, though.

Next stop, the bathroom.

Honestly, the amenities here are nicer than my bedroom ensuite. The spa tub fits four easily, and it’s divided from the room only by a half, semi-circle wall. I set out another basket with bath salts and rose petals, plus a kit of cleansing products for whomever my guest alpha will be.

The thought of sharing this tub with a naked man has me equal parts anxious and horny. I wish I’d thought to ask for the man’s name, but Heat Wave did say they’d send me an information packet. Which is probably burning a hole in my inbox right now, but I’m so exhausted I can’t bear the thought of reading text-heavy details.

Leaving the nest, I heat up a frozen dinner of chicken Kieve and vegetables, paired with a piece of left over toasted baguette. With a tired sigh, I settle onto the couch and put my feet up. Tomorrow I’ll need to film several clips for my social media and run through all of my business happenings so things tick away while I’m locked in my nest.

I lean my head back on the couch, closing my eyes for just a minute while the heated food cools enough to not burn my tongue.

The house is quiet, like it’s holding its breath. Even the breeze outside died down. I had fun preparing my nest, but the reality is, an omega never uses her nest alone. So, the solo preparation also makes for a lonely day.

That’s my life now. Everything else got torn away, until all that’s left is wealthy loneliness, and contracted help from strangers.

I can’t see that ever changing.

Because no matter how much my heart aches for it, I’m not the kind of girl who gets to be happy.

Chapter fifteen

Joel

The air in the house clings to me as I walk in the door. Thick with mist from the diffuser, I catch several scents, as if Tracey couldn’t decide which one to use. Maybe because she missed me. It must’ve been lonely, spending the night here all by herself after our fight.

“Tracey?” I call, peeling off my boots.

I’ve missed her. The sleepover with Jeremy refreshed me but also made me remember why I fell in love. That’s why I knocked off work early, because I couldn’t wait any longer to reunite.

Tracey brings fun to my life. Set in my ways as I am, I wouldn’t get out much without her coaxing. Yeah, I gave up a few of my hobbies in the process, but relationships are about give and take.

Maybe she wasn’t the kindest in giving me the ultimatum but look at us about to reconcile now. She never meant what she said, those were simply words spoken in anger—because she’s stressed, and I didn’t put her needs first.

After my trip to the garden center yesterday, I spent hours thinking about plants, and I concluded we could remodel the backyard. It’d be a joint project, to spend more time together. And then we could get married there, under a flower-filled arch.

Or at least have the reception out the back, if Tracey wants a church wedding. I guess we still have a lot to plan, and maybe that’s why she’s getting jitters.

I stretch out my back and look around. Strange. Her car is in the garage, but she’s not here.

Buzzing sounds from our bedroom, so I push the door open. “You here?” I call. The mixed scents grow even more pungent in this space.

“Yeah, in here.”

I walk through to the bathroom where she has one foot up on the toilet lid, shaving her leg. Freshly showered, her semi-sheer robe leaves little of her sculpted ass to the imagination and I salivate thinking about what might be ahead for us.

“Hi,” I say, leaning on the doorframe.

She throws me a coy smile. “Hi yourself. You’re home early.”