Page 81 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

Rachel nodded once as if I’d answered and marched to the front door to flip the sign to ‘closed.’

“Alright, ladies. Divide and conquer. I’ll handle pillows and blankets. Deb, you take lighting and accessories. Allie, you gather décor.”

“No budget,” I added. “I just don’t want it to feel over the top.”

“We can work with that,” Deb grinned.

Allie pulled out her phone. “I’ll text the other stores so they know you’re coming after we’re done with you. I’m assuming you’re hitting all of them.”

She glanced up and I nodded quickly, already feeling out of my depth but grateful for the olive branch they were extending.

“Don’t worry,” she reassured me. “We’ve got it handled.”

“It’s slow enough today and I have a feeling you’re about to spend enough money to make up for closing for an hour,” Rachel said bluntly.

I liked how matter-of-fact they were. There was no awkward pity or sympathy, just solutions.

While they scattered around the store, I grabbed a shopping basket and wandered the aisles myself. Everything I knew about omega nests could fit on a sticky note. They liked them dark, cozy, and safe.

Kind of like a den, just more comfortable and girly. I hadn’t thought about my own den in years. Traveling and hockey meant constant blockers. My delta had been all but dormant for years until she walked into our lives.

We had the space in the packhouse now for both August and I to have one, but neither of us had touched them. Once we spent time with our omega and settled into pack life, I had a feeling we’d reconnect with our deltas and our instincts.

But all of that came second to her.

Every few minutes one of the omegas rushed past carrying armfuls of blankets or pillows. I was just grateful they knew what they were doing.

Eventually, I found three oversized throw pillows in our team colors. Deep red, black, and silver. We could each claim one and scent mark it, maybe even sleep with it tonight.

A little piece of us to put in her nest.

Not wanting to interfere with whatever masterpiece the others were building, I carried my finds back to the front.

Rachel nodded approvingly as she continued sorting through the growing mountain of supplies she’d snagged. Deb added boxes of warm fairy lights and an elegant lamp that added a bit of class to the assortment.

Allie arrived last with her arms full of sheer fabrics, framed artwork, and a few little decorative pieces. Each of the tiny figurines and little decorative pieces was different and I had a feeling Dhara would love them.

She sat her things down and looked around at the pile, looking pleased. “This is perfect.”

Deb nodded as she also assessed the pile. “The paint store is next door,” she said pointedly. “You need darker walls.”

Rachel nodded. “I agree. The paint can always change later when she decides what her vibe is.”

“Exactly. And if the room is as plain as I’m imagining...” Deb trailed off, looking at me to confirm. I winced and agreed quickly.

“It’s definitely all white everything.”

“The walls will ruin the whole vibe,” she declared.

“Noted.” I found myself scribbling mental notes as fast as she talked.

“The little décor shop down the street has vines you can wrap around windows and doorways,” Allie tacked on.

“And don’t forget the omega boutique. If you know her size then you should snag her some comfy things,” Rachel said.

I slowly shook my head. “I have no idea. She’s petite, comes up to about here.” They bit back laughter as I gestured where she hit on my chest.

“You can never go wrong with cozy. If it’s a little big it’ll be more comfortable anyway. Stick to things like soft sleep shirts, though she’ll steal yours. Cute pajamas. Oversized sweaters,” Allie listed them off while she jotted notes on a paper.