The Alpha's True Love

Netflix and Chill

The incident with Mr. Macciato kept replaying in my brain for the rest of the week. Every time I'd gone into the office to talk to Gloria, she was either in a meeting, out seeing her own clients, or, as it happened on Thursday and Friday, out sick. Her secretary told me she was staying home to recuperate in time for the fundraiser gala I was told we all had to attend. In truth, I was more than a little excited to be wined and dined. The gala was being thrown at an upscale venue in Portland courtesy of one of the wealthiest families in the area. 

"Green. Green is definitely your color," Sabrina chirped behind me. I turned slightly, letting go of the chiffon skirted gown I had been looking at.

I gave her a look. "Absolutely not. I look better in royal blue or a deep red."

"Nonsense. Everyone in our pa- part of town looks good in green. If you want to be a true member of Grimfur you absolutely must wear green."

When Sabrina overheard me telling Mrs. Walker I would not be at dinner tonight because I was going shopping for a dress, she'd begged me to bring her along. I'd agreed, a little excited that she wanted to come with me. Other than the connections I had made at work, I didn't have any girlfriends to do things with here on the weekends. If we got along, I could see myself hanging out with Sabrina more often. When Julian saw us making our shopping plans, a wistful look filled his eye, a ghost of a smile coming to his lips. I was almost thankful for it. It was a healthy change from his sluggish attitude this week. He and his teammates were getting up earlier for practices and he was unusually quiet at dinner, the only indication that he was even aware of anyone being around him was his gaze upon me. It barely wavered except for when he took a bite of food or when I caught him staring. Even then he would only avert his eyes to my hands. Part of me wanted to ask him what was wrong. I didn't like seeing him like this. But I was afraid any interaction that remotely seemed affectionate might rekindle his earlier intentions. 

"Julian will love it if you wear green," Sabrina whined.

"In that case, absolutely not," I snarked. We'd been to three shops so far and I was beginning to get cranky. I was hungry, thirsty, and preoccupied with work stuff. Mr. Macciata and Amanda were at the forefront of most of my thoughts. When I'd gone back to visit Amanda on Thursday, we'd practiced injury-friendly house cleaning practices. During one particular chore, she'd reached up to dust a high corner. The sleeve of her sweatshirt slid down, revealing bruises on her wrist and along her forearm. Amanda had quickly pulled down her sleeves. Our session came to a quick close when she asked me to leave and refused to answer my questions regarding the bruising. She dismissed it as bruising from her healing wrist. But it was the wrong wrist.

Beside me, Sabrina let out a frustrated huff. "Listen, if you don't want to do this anymore, just tell me and we'll go home. You aren't even looking at any of the dresses in this place."

I snapped out of my thoughts, feeling guilty for not being present during my time with Sabrina.

"I'm sorry, Sab. I just have a lot going on with work."

She sighed, pulling one of her dreaded choice green dresses off the rack. "You always are. You never have time for fun, or even just hanging out."

I gulped. She wasn't wrong. But I wasn't staying at the Walker's to take advantage of their luxuries. I was there to do my job and stay out of their way.

"Look, you're going to try on these dresses," Sabrina gestured to the three dresses hanging over her arm, "Then we are going to go home and have a movie night. You, me, and the rest of my family. They want to get to know you." Sabrina snorted. "They're starting to think you don't like them."

"No," I breathed. "That's not it at all! I-" I swallowed hard. "I'm just not that good with people when it's not related to my job. And your brother...things are weird." I didn't want to disclose to her what happened if Julian hadn't shared it with her yet.