Page 40 of His Rejected Fated Mate

He chuckled. “How so?”

I shrugged. “Just a feeling. It’s welcoming when you come. I mean, sure, I get looks, but not as many as you would expect. And I hear people talk. I’ve heard lots of compliments about the pack and how you handle it. Even with the guys that were attacking you, you didn’t want to hurt them.”

He frowned. “People look at you? Is that still a thing?”

I shrugged. “Comes with the territory of being a witch. I’ve gotten used to it.”

He shook his head. “I’ve always hated that. I didn’t understand why people couldn’t just… accept.”

I felt my heart leap. “I know… It was one of the things I liked about you.”

He smiled. “Well, I’m glad I wasn’t all terrible.”

“You weren’t terrible, Troy. You were a decent guy.” I poked at my lasagna. “You were actually great.”

I couldn’t help but feel an ache deep in my chest. Every time he smiled, I saw a glimpse of his past self. As he talked, I could tell Troy was the same guy he was before. He was respectful and polite.

“Would you guys want any dessert?” The waitress stopped at the table.

I cleared my head and shook my head. “No, I’m good. Troy?”

He shook his head. “No, just the check, please.” She walked away, and he looked back at me. “I actually had plans to stop somewhere else for dessert.”

My eyebrows went up. “Oh? Where?”

He softly smiled. “There is an ice cream place just down the block.”

After Troy paid, we walked down the block. The sun had set, and the light post left the sidewalks in a dim hue. It was quiet, with few cars on the road.

“It’s peaceful out here.”

Troy nodded. “I know. I thought you’d like it. It kind of reminds me of the convent.”

We paused at a small building, and inside was the ice cream store. There was another couple inside sitting at a smalltable. We stepped inside, and the cold hit me. I shivered and moved closer to Troy unconsciously.

He grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the counter. “They have lots of flavor options.”

I scanned the menu and decided on strawberry cheesecake while Troy ordered turtle mocha. We ate the ice cream as we walked back to the car.

“I’m so cold, but it’s so good,” I murmured between bites. “Like, my hands and my entire body are freezing, but I don’t want to waste this.”

Troy laughed as he took another bite of his. “I know. They make amazing ice cream.”

We paused at the crosswalk, and I looked up at the sky. It was covered in hues of pink and yellow. Troy’s shoulder bumped against me. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

I nodded as I smiled. We stood there in silence, just watching the sky shift into black, and the stars started to shine. Troy tugged on my arm, and we moved across the street.

I took the last bite before tossing the container into the trash. I stuffed my hands into my pockets, hoping to warm my fingers. They felt like they were frozen stiff.

Troy finished tossing it into the trash. I glanced at him, taking in the young man he’d become. I saw so much of his old self tonight. He was still that sweet, considerate guy. Yet, he believed in so much more.

I looked away, reminding myself I couldn’t go down the road again. I couldn’t open myself up and have him shatter it all apart. He never even gave me a reason last time, so I knew better than to just forgive and forget.

Tonight was fun, and what we did next was just a part of it. But that was it. It didn’t have to mean anything else.

As we got closer to the house, I could feel my heart beat quicken. I felt nervous again, thinking about the next steps. I’d almost forgotten what the entire point of tonight was for.

Troy walked closer, pausing when we reached the doorway. He gave me a soft smile. “Tonight was really fun. I’m glad we did this.”