Page 8 of Knot Convenient

“Oh!” My brows shot up as Milo sat up, grabbing for the rice biscuit and gnawing away on it. “Well, if I’m in the market, I'll let you know.”

Hattie winked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Milo was happier now with something to distract him from his teeth, and he looked through the windows, eyes wide. I pointed with a smile, saying, “Look at all the pretty trees. Green, green trees.”

He flapped his arms, letting out a happy squeak, and Hattie and I both giggled.

The bus pulled into the town square, and we all started making our way off.

“Do you happen to know the way to town hall?” I asked Hattie as I adjusted Milo in my arms.

“Oh, yes! It’s that building right there.” She pointed to an old building with red bricks and stone-framed windows.

“Thank you so much. It was lovely meeting you, Hattie.”

“Hopefully I’ll be seeing you two around!”

I waved back, echoing her sentiment, then hoisted Milo farther up onto my hip as I gathered my roller bag, balancing the diaper bag on top. I had a baby wrap, so I awkwardly put it on, strapping him in. It would be easier to get around with my hands free, and then walked toward the town hall. My heart was in my throat, and the beating of it was way too loud in my ears.

“Hello,” I greeted the tiny woman manning the reception. “I have an appointment with Emma. I was told to come here.”

Unfortunately, Callie couldn’t make it, so another worker from the agency was going to oversee the meeting. Callie had assured me she was nice.

“Hey there! Well, you’re in luck. She got here not that long ago. She’s in the Sycamore Room. It’s just down the hall and to the left,” she told me, pointing in the direction I needed to go. “You can leave your suitcase behind the desk, my dear.”

After taking her up on her offer, I gently rested my hand on Milo and made my way toward the room.

“Hi, Emma?” I spoke softly, poking my head around the open door.

Emma was much younger than Callie, probably only a year or two older than me. Her brunette hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail, and she wore an immaculate pantsuit. Judging by her scent, she was a beta. Unlike Callie’s pleasant scent, Emma’s had a slight acidic edge that I couldn’t put my finger on.

“Summer?” I nodded. “It’s so nice to meet you!” Emma shook my hand. “How was the journey? And hello, little man.” She turned to the baby in the carrier and started cooing over him.

“It went well, all things considered,” I told her.

She ushered me over to a couch. “Good, good! Now, I will jump right into it because you must be tired. We’ve managed to snag you a room at a local bed-and-breakfast. It’s called Edie’s and has excellent reviews. I’ll drive you over there once we sign some of the paperwork. Then you can take tonight to rest and recover from your travels, and tomorrow, you can meet Pack Winters!”

I nodded, listening intently. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I didn’t want to miss a thing she said.

We sat on the couch as Emma spread paperwork over the small coffee table. “Now, these are the waivers, contracts, and information we sent you when you first agreed to the match. Feel free to read and triple-check them, and after you’re done signing, we’ll get you to the bed-and-breakfast.”

I looked everything over, and it was the same as I remembered. With it all in order, I signed the documents. The weight of the pen felt enormous, and the future looming in front of me really hit home.

You’re doing this for Milo. Just be cool.

“All right, great. Let’s get you two to Edie’s. Does this little guy have a car seat?” she asked with a frown.

“N-no.”

Emma frowned. “Once you meet with Pack Winters, we will let them know that a car seat is a priority.”

“Oh, they don’t⁠—”

“They do,” she insisted. “Keeping their pack safe should be their number-one priority. They’re good men, so I doubt they’ll even say a word.”

And with that, she led me to her car to make the five-minute drive to the bed-and-breakfast.

“Well, hello there! Welcome to Edie’s! I’m Edie. Oh, look at this little cherub!” A sweet older lady stood at the reception desk, wearing a bright sundress, her dark hair pulled back in a braid that hung over her shoulder.