Page 14 of Pucking With My Head

Thankfully, she didn’t check how much it was until she got out of the car.

Chapter 5

Beth

Ireally shouldn’t have taken the babysitting job the night before I had to travel back home, but I hadn’t wanted to leave Joey’s family in the lurch.

Also, the cake was hands down some of the creamiest, most decadent dessert I had ever tasted. I ate two slices before I went to bed.

The tummy ache was worth it.

Joey was a sweet kid, and I’d enjoyed my evening with her. If I didn’t have to be up at the ass crack of dawn to catch a flight to Nebraska, I probably wouldn’t have any regrets.

While I waited for my flight, I nursed my cup of iced coffee filled with so much syrup it was practically a milkshake. I needed all the sugar and caffeine to get me through the day. My mind kept drifting back to the intense look Cullen had given me when I tried to leave at the end of the night, and his rather complimentary anger.

He definitely had too much faith in his designation, though. I had come across plenty of alphas who were happy for me to walk home after a date. Part of me wondered what it would be like todate a man like him, one who cared and wanted to make sure I was safe.

It wasn’t a long flight, by any means—usually three to four hours—but between getting there early for security and the flight itself, going to see my family usually took the better part of a day.

My fathers had also insisted I get the earliest flight because they were desperate to see me. Apparently, living in California was like living a million miles away.

During the flight, I managed to read a few chapters of one of my textbooks I had downloaded to my e-reader so I wasn’t wasting any time in the air.

I had packed light, considering I was only staying with my family for a few days. I needed to be back Tuesday for work. I would have Saturday night until Monday evening to spend with them.

“Bethy!” My dad Richard greeted me excitedly, pulling me into a bear hug when he saw me at the arrivals gate.

“Hey, Dad.” I smiled, leaning into the embrace. His familiar spiced fruit scent was comforting and familiar.

“I’m so happy you’re home,” he said, pulling back and looking me over.

“It’s just for a few days,” I reminded him.

“I know.” He waved me off. “Your brothers have missed you!” he said as he took my bag and we started walking toward his truck.

“Are they all home?” I asked, my stomach twisting with unease at that prospect.

“Yeah, Jake and Danny are living with us again, and Hayden comes over every night.”

I loved my family; they were just…a lot.

“And Pa?” I asked.

“Will be home from work by the time we get back. It’s going to be a full house!” he declared excitedly.

Our family home had been in my mother’s family for decades before she passed. I had spent my entire childhood in the idyllic farmhouse with a wraparound porch and blue window trim.

“You know, your brothers are doing really well for themselves,” Dad said happily as we pulled into the long, long driveway.

“Really?” I asked, cocking a brow. “They still live at home.”

“Hayden doesn’t!” my dad said, shaking his head emphatically. “And there’s this omega he’s dating. Heather. Sweet girl. I really hope he can convince her to settle down with him. It would be nice to see him happy with a family.”

My brother couldn’t look after a Chia Pet, let alone himself. I was already feeling sorry for Heather, and I hadn’t even met her.

“Are they managing to hold down jobs?” I asked.

“Hayden has been at the car shop for almost six months now. Danny is between jobs right now, and Jake just started at the local butcher’s shop.”

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