Chapter Sixteen

Jamie

Not knowing how to act around your mate is the absolute worst.

Van was the soul the gods made to match mine. And here I was, skittish around him.

Pretending everything is normal wasn’t my forte.

“Okay, you two. Here is lunch for the trip. You know where the stream is?” Franklin’s plan for us today was a hike to some hidden waterfall and then lunch there. It sounded incredibly romantic.

I wished I could get over what I’d found out about my mate.

And we’d mated, so, at the same time, I couldn’t tell him my secret…he hadn’t exactly offered up the truth himself.

“Yes,” I answered. Eddie had stared at me all through breakfast. Contrary to what my wolf wanted, I’d also ignored his tries at holding my hand or kissing me.

What Eddie did for a living had nothing to do with what I felt about him. Tell that to my stupid human mind.

“Oh, yes,” Eddie added. “I recall passing one while we were running.”

Franklin beamed. “Cross over that stream and go in between the two apple trees. Pick some if you like. They’re my favorite. Rocket apples. I really need to go up there and get some, actually.”

“Do you want us to pick you a few?” I asked.

Franklin waved his hands. “No. No. I’ll get to it. Anyway, once you go between the two trees, the trail will be obvious. It’s a bit of an uphill walk to the waterfall, but the trip will be worth it.”

“Thank you, Franklin. It sounds like a great day.”

We took our lunches from Franklin’s outstretched arms and made our way to the back door. Eddie held it open for me and, while I wanted nothing more than to rise on tiptoe and kiss his full lips, there was now a secret between us.

My thoughts this morning had gone beyond the typical new mating variety to more heartbreaking ones.

Was he the type of rock star who had omegas all over the place, all around the world, waiting for him to pass through? Boyfriends? Groupies? Was groupies a word anymore? Was this weekend one fling of many and in the end, I would have my heart shattered, and he would go back on tour and make songs about that whirlwind weekend romance?

“This place is fantastic. I love the country.” Eddie lifted his gaze while we walked, taking in the sights.

“Do you?” I asked. He didn’t really seem like the country type. I was being judgmental, of course. Probably why he wasn’t divulging who he was. People like me.

Great.

“I do. I actually have a great cabin in the mountains, near a lake. It’s where I spend all my time when I’m not working.”

Working. When he wasn’t on stage, being the focus of who knew how many omegas’ fantasies.

Of course, what he did was work. It had to be taxing, being on stage, always on the go, recording songs. I wished he would talk to me about it so I could understand him better.

I nudged him with my elbow. “You don’t seem the type to start a fire and catch dinner in the local river. Just saying.”

“That’s not nice, sweet omega. Everyone has different facets of themselves.”

I chuckled. “Not me. I’m straightforward. I’m a barista. I live with my brother. I work. I go home. I take Sylvia her treats. End of story. No multifaceted omegas here.”

Eddie made a humming sound. “That’s a great way to live. And who is Sylvia?”

We jumped across the stream, and I spotted the two apple trees a few minutes later. Of all the things I told him, Sylvia was the one thing he honed in on. “Sylvia is our elderly neighbor who loves an afternoon latte. I made some special ones for her. Her children don’t visit her, and her husband passed a long time ago. Were you jealous?” I teased.

“No. Yes. A twinge.”

We picked a few apples and hiked to the waterfall. The splashing clear water and beautiful rocks made me want to jump right in, especially after hiking in the warmth of the day.

But I had no swimsuit and no damned clue how to skinny-dip in front of a rock star. He’d seen me naked, but that was in bed. In bright sunshine? Seemed more difficult.

Gods, I was a mess.

“The water is cool, Jamie.” Eddie took off his shoes and dipped his toe in.

“I bet it is.”

I removed my shoes and sat on the edge of the pool. My wolf clawed inside me, wanting to be near my alpha, but there was one big thing in the way. He was a star, and I was only a cloud in the sky.

“Should we eat?” I said, trying to change the subject and get my mind off of my fantasy of Eddie’s body in this cool water. My legs wrapped around his waist as he plunged his…

It was no use. My mate was too damned sexy for his own good.

“Oh, sure.”

The disappointment on his face killed me.

But at the same time, my disappointment in him grew.

I was his mate. The last person he should be hiding from was me.