Page 179 of The Alpha's Second Chance Mate

Cole glanced outside. “Sure, that sounds like a good way to get your mind off things. I’m sure Zayde can take you. He needs to stay nearby anyway in case Kyle calls.”

I let out a little sigh of relief. Part of me had been worried Cole would be too scared to let me out of his sight. Apparently, Langston and his friends had impressed Cole enough that he trusted them with my life now.

“Anything special you’d like?” I asked, grabbing my purse.

He smirked. “I would never turn down mint chocolate chip ice cream.”

Chuckling, I jammed my fist onto my hip. “You freaking shifters. You can eat like ten-year-old boys and still have six-pack abs. How on earth is that fair?”

Cole shrugged. “Sorry. Not my call.”

“Whatever. Okay, Mint chocolate chip. Got it.”

Cole left a few minutes later, and I got into the car with Zayde. He tucked his laptop away and started the car.

“Where to?” Zayde asked. “I saw your little hamlet has a bakery and a butcher shop. It’s like I was transported back to the 1950s down here.”

“Just the grocery store,” I said.

At the store, Zayde walked along beside me, perusing the shelves as I grabbed items.

“Get yourself a snack or something,” I said. “My treat.”

He grinned at me, winking and pointing a finger. “I always knew I liked you for a reason.”

He hurried away, returning a few seconds later with a big tub of hummus, a sleeve of fancy crackers, and a box of oatmeal cream pies. I eyed the box of pies and wrinkled my nose.

“What? You don’t like those?” he asked.

“No, it’s not that. I love the things. It’s something I said to Cole right before he left. How often do you work out, Zayde?”

“Not as much as I should. Maybe once or twice a week,” he said with a look of nonchalance.

I glanced at his lean, muscular arms and torso and rolled my eyes. “Unbelievable.”

My phone buzzed. Thinking it was Cole, I slipped it out and checked the screen. Bile crept up my throat.

“It’s him,” I croaked.

“Crap, hang on,” Zayde said, tossing his items in the cart and stripping his backpack off.

By the fourth ring, he’d already shoved the cable into the phone and was on his knees, opening his laptop. I answered the call as he shoved the other end of the cord into his computer.

I wanted to swallow, but my mouth was too dry. With a hoarse voice, I said, “This is Avery.”

“Hello, my dear. How are we today?” Kyle’s oily voice crooned.

Choking back my disgust, I remembered the plan and did my best to play along.

“Honestly, Kyle? I’ve been better.”

“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Anything I can do to help?”

The concern in his voice did nothing to quell my unease.

“Cole’s been a little, uh, difficult. That’s all,” I said.

Zayde gave me a thumbs-up.

---