Page 13 of Naughty Elf: Alfie
He gives me a knowing smile and waves me over. “Alfie, this is Yolanda. She’s been coming here since the day I opened. Yolanda, this is Alfie, my fated.”
“Lovely to meet you,” she says as I take her tiny hand in mine.
“Likewise. I look forward to meeting more friends of Pisces.”
She nods. “I look forward to seeing more of you.” She squeezes Pisces’s shoulder. “I’ll be browsing, but one day I want your meet cute story, when you’re ready to tell it.”
I start to open my mouth, but she shakes her head. “When both of you are ready to tell it.” She tips her head to Pisces, who is as red as a strawberry. Yolanda twirls away to shop.
The day goes on like this. With people so excited to see Pisces and him not realizing he has dozens of friends, or at least people that want to be his friend. By the time we close up shop, he’s dragging, so exhausted.
“Let me buy you dinner,” I say. “I’m not a skilled cook. I burned way too many cookies during bakery training, and that’s why I was trained in calligraphy.”
“No, I can’t let you buy me dinner.” He throws his head back. “Gah! I can’t believe I let you do all that promo for me without offering to pay you. I can pay you.” His cheeks are so red again. “Iwillpay you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I enjoyed myself.”
“No. No. You’re getting paid for the day. Then we probably need to negotiate a rate of pay or something, or I don’t know.” His eyes plead with me. “I can’t have you working for free, even if you had fun.”
“I had a load of fun and I’d love to learn how to run the register so you can take a break tomorrow.”
He stares at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “You want to learn the register?”
“I want to help in all ways I can.” I want Pisces to be the happiest omega in the world.
“You wouldn’t mind taking orders from an omega? Because this ismyshop.”
“Not one bit. You’re amazing, Pisces. I’d never dream of trying to take over.”
He lets out a soft breath. “Okay. We can work together.”
Chapter 6
Pisces
I lockup the shop with Alfie trailing behind me. He’s got a bounce in his step that I envy. He looks to me, bright eyed. “Let me drive. You’re exhausted.”
After unlocking my car, I toss him my keys, then settle into the passenger seat, hoping I don’t regret my decision. “You’re really good with the customers.”
“I’m a people person. I love talking about anything and everything.” Alfie starts the car and gets the heat going. It’s not insufferably cold yet, thankfully. That’ll come in January, then it’ll be spring, as if winter never even showed up.
“I really liked having you at the shop today. It was like a weight lifted off my chest, having someone there to help. I get anxious when it’s just me, but I’ve been too scared to budget for an employee. I think I will, though.”
His shoulders drop. “I’d love to be with you every day. Elves are used to daily work. If I’m not busy, I get anxious and an anxious Alfie gets into mischief.” He winks then pays attention to the road. He’s a smooth driver, and it doesn’t seem like he’s stressed about it at all. “I saw a cute little restaurant on our way here this morning.”
Our stomachs rumble at the same time.
Alfie chuckles. “And please don’t argue with me. I’m buying us dinner.”
“Okay.” I sink deeper into my seat. If my alpha wants to take care of me, I’ll let him. At least this once.
His posture straightens, and his shoulders give a little shake. “I’m going to spoil you, my omega. Just you wait.”
“I don’t need spoiling.”
“It doesn’t matter if youneedspoiling. I want to do it. Take away your cares. You’re stressed, and I want to take some away from you.”
“I’ve never had anything like that, so you’ll probably experiencesomeresistance.” Honesty is the best policy in my book.
