16. Lily

Chapter 16

Lily

I stare at the front door of the shop. I haven't taken my eyes off it since I locked it behind Jack, telling him he had to go to see what this pack meeting was about with Sam. George is hanging around under protest, I think, after Sam told him he had to. Not that I think he has a problem with staying. More than he has a problem with Emily not being down here to throw sneaky glances at.

"This is ridiculous," I mutter.

"Hmm?" George asks, looking up from his phone. He is sitting on a stool at the edge of the counter, absorbed in whatever he is looking at.

"This is ridiculous!" I snap, but not at him. I bustle past him and march over to the front door to unlock it.

"Whoa, hang on," George says. "Sam and Jack said that had to stay locked."

"Well, that's all very well for them, but I can't lock up my shop so the customers can't get inside."

"That's what the intercom is for."

"No. That's not how I work. Some people come here under the radar. They don't want to be waiting around outside, jabbing at a button while I check them out." If this had been the case with Emily, I would never have seen her again.

"Erm," he says, looking unsure.

"My shop, my rules," I say. "Now sit your arse down and shut the fuck up."

He snorts and gives me a salute. "Yes, Ma'am."

I unlock the door and take a deep breath. George is watching me with an amused smirk, but I can see a hint of concern in his eyes. Bless him. He's trying to follow orders without pissing me off too much.

"Don't worry, George," I say, going back to the counter and slapping him on the shoulder. "I'm not going to do anything stupid."

"That's debatable," he mutters.

I shoot him a glare, but it quickly melts into a grin. He's super cute. He and Emily would be adorable together. "Did Jack, uhm, speak to you earlier about, you know?"

George gives me a frown and then nods. "Emily? Yeah. It's a tough situation."

"Do you think your family would mind?"

He shrugs. "I'll have to talk to them, but Mum is a bit of a mother hen, and she always wanted a daughter, an omega, no less."

I nod slowly, trying not to push because he hasn't really given me much. But it's a lot to ask, so I have to be patient.

The bell above the door chimes as Mrs Thompson, one of my regulars, walks in. She's got her usual bright smile on her face and a basket ready for her weekly selection of essential oils to enhance her scent, fading with age. It's cute how she keeps the magic alive in her and her mate's romantic life.

"Good afternoon, Lily!" she chirps.

"Afternoon, Mrs Thompson," I reply, giving her a small wave.

George raises an eyebrow at me from his perch on the stool, clearly impressed by how quickly the shop springs back to life. More customers trickle in after Mrs Thompson, and soon enough, the place feels like normal.

Am I worried Nigel will show up? Yeah, but if he's watching, he'll know George is here, so I'm hoping that will be enough to keep him at bay.

By the time the shop has had a few customers, I can feel some of the tension easing away. Emily's upstairs, safe for now, and I can keep an eye on things down here. George is trying his best to be helpful, though he still looks like a fish out of water in my little flower shop haven.

"Hey, Lily, where do you want these?" George asks, holding up a box of lavender candles.

"Over in the corner, please," I say, nodding towards the display shelf. "And try not to drop them."

He rolls his eyes, but does as I ask. Watching George try to navigate through my shop is like watching a lion tiptoe through a field of daisies. The thought makes me giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asks, glancing back at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Just you, trying to look all tough in a flower shop. It's cute."

He huffs but can't hide his smile. "Don't let the others hear you say that."

I giggle. "Your secret's safe with me."

I let my mind wander to Jack and Sam and what this pack meeting could possibly be about. Jack said he would be back afterwards, but if it's something urgent, he might not be. I have to start thinking ahead, of it just being me and Emily tonight and what we're going to do.

Checking my phone again, I'm hoping for a message from Jack. A busy stream of customers keeps me distracted, but I can't shake the nagging worry in the back of my mind.

"Any word from Jack?" George asks, noticing my frequent glances at my phone.

I shake my head. "Nothing yet. I hope everything's okay."

George nods, his expression serious. "Max wouldn't have called a meeting unless it was important. But try not to worry too much. They can handle themselves."

I appreciate his attempt to reassure me, but it doesn't do much to ease my anxiety, and it's not them I'm overly worried about.

When my phone finally buzzes with a message, I snatch it up and glance at it. "It's Jack. He'll be back soon."

"Okay, cool," George says, sitting back down with his phone now that the after-lunch lull is setting in.

Hopefully, all will be well, and he will agree to stay the night again. We haven't really talked about it, but that seems to be our thing, doesn't it? Maybe it's time to change that for good.

Maybe.

Tomorrow.