Page 10 of Scheme
“Yes, there are actually boxes here. Why would there not be?”
“I thought you were just making up an excuse to, you know.”
“To… give you a breather?” I suggested, shuffling around him to pick up two of the lighter packs of sugary vodka that Violet’s little sister favoured.
“To get me alone,” Kit amended, his expression perfectly serious. Like it was a completely normal, rational thing to stay.
I burst out laughing before I could help myself. Oh, to be an alpha. I couldn’t even imagine wandering through life with such unfettered confidence. No wonder my brother had turned into a psychopath.
Chapter 3
“Youarean unmated omega, right?” Kit asked, sounding less certain now. “Your scent isn’t very strong.”
“I am,” I gasped, still shaking with silent laughter. “Ergo, the only reason I could possibly ask for assistance was to try to get you alone? Why did you even follow me out here?”
Kit squirmed, a very un-alpha response. It was kind of charming. “Well, I figured it’d be easier to shake off one of you than six.”
I set down one pack of drinks, swiping beneath my eyes with my knuckle in the hopes that the tears of laughter hadn’t done too much damage to my mascara. It wouldn’t—I splurged on the good stuff these days. I could go deep sea diving in this mascara and it wouldn’t budge.
“Well, there’s certainly good logic in that. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. I don’t think it’s funny that you’re relentlessly pursued by single omegas—that must be exhausting—just that you assumedIwas pursuing you.” I shook my head, bewildered at this whole conversation. “I didn’t drag you out here with nefarious intent—the boxes are genuinely heavy, and you looked like you needed a break.”
Maybe it was just that the past few days had felt so bleak that I found the idea that Kit thought I was going to jump his bones in my best friend’s back garden so ludicrously hilarious. Did I seem that desperate? Was that why Dad had sicced Jimmy on me? That idea was a little grim, but I was plenty used to disregarding alphas opinions of me.
“Anyway, if you could just put that box down on the counter so I could refill the fridge, that’d be great.”
“I shouldn’t have assumed,” he mumbled, picking up two boxes—show off—and heading for the back door. I grabbed the vodkas again, following. “I’m guessing you know Violet and Nico pretty well, since you’re so comfortable in their kitchen.”
He started so suddenly that I almost ran into his back, twisting to look at me. “You’re Margot. Violet’s new friend.”
“Not that new. You’ve been gone a while,” I pointed out softly.
“Right. Yeah. It’s been a while.”
Kit wasn’t much of a talker either. Did he and Nico just sit together in silence when they hung out?
He took a deep, steadying breath right before he got to the door, as though he was about to march into battle rather than a birthday party hosted by one of his oldest friends.
For all my late nights in my early twenties wishing I was more desirable, I’d never really considered the downsides of being a babe magnet. There was something to be said for being forgettable.
“You know, you could help restock the bottles if you need another minute. People tend to give you more space if you look busy.”
Kit glanced back at me over his shoulder. Were those boxes even heavy to him? He didn’t look like he was struggling at all. “Is that what you were doing?”
“Thatiswhat I’m doing, yes. If you want to hang out here a little longer on your own, I won’t bother you, but I’m a few seconds away from getting hypothermia, so I might need to squeeze past you if that’s—”
Kit yanked open the door before I could finish speaking, stepping back for me to pass him, and I wasted no time in heading back into the cosy house. I’d been exaggerating slightly, it wasn’tthatcold, but I must have accidentally prodded an alpha instinct.
Kit took me up on my offer, occupying himself with opening a box of beers and loading the empty shelves in the fridge before heading outside to grab a third box that I was pretty confident wouldn’t fit.
I left him to it, mixing a new jar of the blackcurrant cocktail Violet had come up with especially for tonight and chatting to a few familiar faces as they passed through the kitchen. I’d assumed that Kit would know Violet’s family too, but perhaps he’d only spent time with Nico’s.
By the time I finished discussing the change in ownership of the local pub with Violet’s uncle—bad, we both agreed—Kit was leaning against the counter, staring at me like I’d just kicked his puppy.
“What?”
“Youlikepeople. People likeyou.”
“I can’t decide if you’re complimenting me or insulting me. Maybe both?”
