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Kelsey comes out from the back before I can pretend I didn’t hear her, smile already too wide, blonde hair curled around her shoulders like she got dressed for something other than selling mineral blocks and cattle wormer. She’s harmless on a good day, annoying on most. Today, with Autumn already one bad breath away from going feral, she feels like a lit match tossed into dry grass.
“You finally come back to visit?” Kelsey asks, leaning against the counter.
“We buy feed here every week.”
“Yeah, but you don’t usually do the buying, you send one of those cousins.”
“I’m usually busy.”
Her hand lands on my arm. It makes me want to step back, but I don’t get the chance to because Autumn sucks in a sharp breath as she heads my way.
She’s still holding the bag of horse treats, fingers curled around it tight enough to crinkle the plastic. Her eyes are on Kelsey’s hand, mouth pressed into a line that says she’s thinking real hard about doing something stupid.
Kelsey either doesn’t notice, or doesn’t care…probably the second one.
“You still owe me that drink,” she purrs, sliding her hand a little higher.
“I don’t recall ever saying that.”
“You never said no when I mentioned you should buy me a drink sometime.”
“I also never said yes.”
Autumn makes a sound under her breath that could’ve been a laugh if it had any humor in it.
I glance at her again, a warning sitting on the tip of my tongue, but she doesn’t look at me. Her scent sharpens instead, black cherry going sour under the almond, and the back of my neck prickles.
Kelsey finally looks at her.
“Oh,” she says, smile thinning just enough to make me regret walking in here. “Didn’t know you started bringing strays around.”
Autumn sets the treats down on the shelf and moves toward me.
“Say that again.”
The store gets quieter around us, or maybe I just notice it more. The feed boy by the register heads to the back without a second glance. Some guy in the boot aisle turns his head.
Kelsey laughs, airy and fake. “Relax. I’m joking.”
“No, you’re not.”
I turn fully toward Autumn now, because I know that tone. I heard it at the bar.
“Autumn.”
She holds up one finger without looking at me.
One damn finger, like she’s putting me on pause.
Kelsey’s gaze flicks between us and lands right back on me. “She always this mouthy?”
“Only when people are stupid,” Autumn quips.
My jaw tightens.
Kelsey’s hand lands on my chest. “You jealous, honey? Briggs here is a little mature for some trashy young omega.”
Autumn punches her. No windup or warning, just her fist connecting with Kelsey’s face hard enough to make the entire store go silent for one clean second.
