Page 56 of Scheme
“Well… yes,” I conceded. “I mean, I’m not giving up. It’s important to Asher.”
“Of course. I get the impression that you’re very determined when you want something.”
We took our seats at the table opposite each other, my mouth almost watering at the scent of the meal.
“What makes you think that?”
“All of this.” Kit gestured at my tiny flat with its now-unusable sofa “I definitely didn’t appreciate it at first, but there’s a lot of odds to go up against to make this life happen as a single omega. You’re quite remarkable, Margot.”
Kit gave me more compliments than anyone I’d ever met in my life, and they threw me off-balance every single time.
“Thank you,” I murmured, awkwardly shoving a spoonful of rice in my mouth to avoid having to say anything else. And then pausing mid-chew becausewhat. The. Hell.
Was this rice made by angels?
I didn’t even know ricecouldtaste like this. I mean, I cooked it all the time, but it was a rather bland accompaniment to go with the rest of my bland meal prep.
This rice was so flavourful, it tasted like a whole meal all on its own.
“This is so good, Kit. I hope you’re not expecting me to reciprocate with a comfort meal from my childhood. Beans on toast with a side of fish fingers doesn’t hold a candle to this.”
I could have sworn he looked a little embarrassed. “I’m glad you like it.”
I tried the super soft, perfectly cooked chicken next, hyper aware of Kit watching my every bite.
He watched a lot too. Lots of watching, lots of compliments. Both of which were disconcerting in the amount of pleasure they gave me.
“Tell me about your other siblings,” Kit said suddenly, surprising me with his interest. “You don’t talk about them much, except Asher.”
“I don’t have much to do with any of them except for Chelsea and Asher. Not just my siblings—my entire family, though I’m very fond of my Nana—she was quite the rebellious omega back in her heyday, and she seemed to relate to me more than her other grandchildren.”
“Does that bother you that you’re not close with them?”
I liked the non-judgemental way he’d asked. Sometimes people didn’tgetit. They put theconceptof family above everything, but the reality of family wasn’t always so straightforward.
“I’ve made my own family. When I had the flu, Mrs Clarkson downstairs made me soup and homemade bread for a week straight—far more nurturing than my own mother ever was for me. Violet and Nico are everything to me. I’m closer to my friend Michelle’s kids than I am to my biological nieces and nephews.”
Not to mention all the friends I’d made at uni and through the various firms I’d worked at over the years. As we all got older and their lives got busier with kids, we didn’t see each other as much, but I knew they were lifelong friendships.
Kit glanced at me, shooting me a half-smile. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. You’re very good at making yourself important to people.”
“Am I?” No one had ever said that to me before. “That’s surprising, considering what a shark I am.”
Kit snorted. “You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met, Margot. That’s why it’s so surprising that you’re unmated. I’m not sure we’ve ever discussed why you’re so averse to it?”
His tone was light and conversational, and I didn’t buy it for a second.
“My, my, Kit. Are you prying?”
He had the good grace to blush. “A little.”
I let him sweat for a moment, taking a bite of the impossibly tender chicken. It was plain white and looked like itshouldbe bland. What was this magical dish?
“It’s sort of a snowballing collection of reasons,” I told Kit eventually, finding it easier to look at my plate than make eye contact with him for this conversation. “It just… didn’t happen. And so I threw myself into my education, and then into my career, and before I met Bryce and Kane, I used to go to the paid clubs whenever I needed an alpha fix.”
Kit scooped some chilli onto his plate with a little more force than necessary, and I hurriedly moved the subject along.
“The longer I was alone, the more comfortable I got with it, I suppose. I liked that I could work late and didn’t have to apologise for it. I liked that I could prioritise my friends and my younger siblings without feeling like I was letting someone down. I liked that I could choose the flat I wanted to buy and I could decorate it the way I wanted, and there was no one to tell me otherwise.”
