Two days later, Josie walked into the pack house, pulling her hair up into a messy knot on top of her head and twisting it into a scrunchie. She was distracted as she walked toward the offices.
The car was all packed. She and Eddie were leaving in about fifteen minutes. She wondered if she was finally going to meet her mate this week.
She also wondered how it would feel to come back home if she still hadn’t found him.
“Josie?”
She turned to see Gideon standing behind her.
“Oh, hey!” Her heart skipped in surprise, almost like he’d jumped out at her. She smiled at him, confused. “I thought you left already.”
“No, Julia convinced me to stay another week.” He shrugged.
“That’s great.” She smiled again. There was a pause.
“Are you busy?” he asked. He held eye contact. She saw he was trying not to be distracted by her tight leggings. They were new and fit her well. Apparently, he noticed.
“I—” She hesitated, staring at the alpha’s office door for a second before turning back to him.
“My brother and I are heading out today.”
“Oh, that’s right!” he said, his eyes widening. “I forgot all about your trip. That’s too bad—I was hoping to hang out with you before I left.”
“Well, Eddie’s not ready yet, apparently.” She rested against the wall outside the office.
“Mind if I keep you company, then?”
“Please do.” She smiled, still a little surprised to see him. Well, he’d said goodbye before, but she hadn’t had the chance to say it back. They probably wouldn’t meet again.
They waited and leaned against the wall side by side, his arm brushing against hers.
“It was really nice getting to know you a little,” he said, leaning a bit closer. “Your optimism gave me new hope.”
“I’m glad I could help. It was nice meeting you too,” she echoed.
He looked increasingly nervous, running a hand through his perfect, dark hair before looking down at her.
“Josie…”
“Hmm?” she hummed in reply, meeting his eyes. He looked strangely intense. She hadn’t seen him look like that before. It made her nervous.
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but I feel like fate gave me this chance and I’d better not screw it up.”
Josie furrowed her brow at him.
“Okay,” she said, not sure what he was talking about.
“I hope you do find your mate…but if you don’t…” He paused. “What would you say to us—”
“You—” she interrupted, realizing what he was asking. “You want me to choose you as my mate?”
“No,” he replied hastily, “not that…but maybe we can…”
He didn’t say it but let her finish the thought in her mind.
She gave him a sideways stare, knowing exactly where he was going. “You want us to have a…mutually beneficial friendship.”
“That’s a very diplomatic way of putting it,” he replied with a shrug. “We would just…spend time together…while we’re still searching for our mates.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said hesitantly. “It sounds pretty messy.”
“Just think of it as a way to not be miserable and lonely,” he whispered.
Josie bit her lip and looked away. She knew she shouldn’t risk getting close to someone who wasn’t her mate. She barely even knew Gideon.
But his brown eyes looked warm. His kiss on her cheek had felt nice. Why did she have to keep being lonely?
“I’ll think about it,” she said softly.
He gave her a bright smile.
“Just think about it, Josie. We can keep each other company while we’re waiting. And if the time ever comes when we feel like giving up on finding our mates, then we’d already have someone…”
Josie tried to process that. She didn’t know what to say.
“How long will you be gone?” he asked. His voice was suddenly casual, as if he hadn’t just shocked her into silence.
“A week,” she murmured, still distracted by his proposal.
“Then I’ll see you when you get back,” he said, winking. “Good luck!”
He shoved off the wall and headed back the way he came. Josie kept standing there, confused and overwhelmed. Her cheeks were warm.
“Josie!”
Eddie had walked out of the alpha’s office.
“You ready?” he asked.
She looked at him for a moment with a distant stare, then took a deep breath. “Yep!” she said, forcing herself to sound cheerful.
“Let’s go, then.” He smiled. “What is it? Are you nervous?” he joked.
“No,” she scoffed.
“Better hurry up before I leave without you!” He started to run outside.
“Hey!”
Josie shook her head and crossed her arms as she followed her brother out into the cool air, where the car was parked.
Josie buckled her seatbelt and took a deep breath to calm her nerves and excitement. She wondered what the journey ahead had in store.
