Page 65 of Pin My Alpha
“It’s a sparrow,” Soren breathes, turning it over in his hands.
“Okay, Audubon,” Benji says. “Who left it?”
Jude cranes his neck to see. “Wait, did one of you do that? That’s actually cute.”
Soren looks around at all of them, his eyes wide. “There wasn’t anyone here.”
Knox, who’s been quiet, studies the carving. “That’s done by hand. The knife work is good.”
Soren runs a thumb over a smooth wing, and his whole scent seems to soften, a hint of lavender cutting through the smell of beer and lime.
“Secret admirer,” Jude declares.
“Or a stalker with a whittling hobby,” Shay says, finally moving closer to the booth. The words are dry, but his voice has an easy warmth in it that I haven’t heard all night. It’s not for me.
Soren looks up at him, his cheeks turning pink. “It’s beautiful.”
“It is,” Shay agrees, and for a second, he almost smiles.
The whole group closes ranks around the little bird, talking over each other. Jude wants to know if there was a note. Benji thinks a note is creepier. Milo says it depends on the handwriting. Callum just watches them all with a quiet smile. I watch Shay lean against the booth, his shoulder brushing Knox’s, looking like he belongs there. He’s part of it. I’m just behind the bar.
He stands apart from them all. He’s watching his friends, wearing that careful mask he uses on customers, but I know him now. I see the tightness in his shoulders. The way his eyes track Jude’s laugh. He wants to be in the middle of it. He’s just terrified of what it costs.
He feels me looking. His head turns, and his gaze locks with mine across the room. This time, he doesn’t break away. It’s a challenge, or a question, or maybe just exhaustion.
Then Diego yells something from the door, and the connection snaps. Shay’s face goes blank again. He’s gone.
The rest of the night is a blur of pulling pints and taking credit for things Shay did. It’s a good night. A great one. The numbers will be solid. The rent is just a number again, not a death sentence. He gave me that. He’s propping the whole thing up, and the second he’s sure I can stand on my own, he’s going to walk.
By the time the last stragglers wander out, my bones ache. Diego shoots the deadbolt home with a triumphant thunk. “That’s a wrap.”
A ragged cheer goes up from the staff.
Tessa lobs a bar towel at his head. “Chairs, asshole.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He just grins and starts flipping stools onto tables.
The squad lingers, buzzing with that happy, wired exhaustion that comes from showing up for a friend. Milo gives me a quick, fierce hug. “You did it, Declan.”
“We did it,” I say.
He smiles and looks over my shoulder. “You both did.”
Shay is by the register, sliding papers into a thin black folder. He doesn’t look up.
Callum claps my shoulder. “Good night, man.”
“Thanks for everything.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it.”
On his way out, Benji points at the wall of framed coasters. “You take down my art, I’m sending a lawyer.”
“You told me it was stupid.”
“It is stupid. It’s also a priceless collection.” Knox just hooks an arm around his waist and steers him out. “Night, Declan.”
Jude is the last one left, which is never a good sign. Rhys has a hand on the small of his back, ready to extract him.
