I couldn’t take the tension between us. Jack was always the sweetest with me, the one who I’d instantly felt a fast friendship with that had grown into something more. He was one of the first friendly faces I’d met in Holiday Hollow and seeing him now without that ever present smile I’d grown accustomed to, was killing me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt any of them.
“Jack…”
He turned to me then, tears gathered in his own eyes that tore at my heart.
Shaking his head, he started towards me. “No, don’t say my name like that please. I’ll get over it, whatever you need, Autumn. I’m just—”
“Scared,” I finished for him, wrapping my arms around him and tucking my chin into his neck. “I’m scared too, Jack. I never expected this. Not here, not now.”
“Is it really the worst thing?”
“No, no it’s not Jack. But as much as you guys talk about what I deserve, y’all deserve the same thing. You deserve someone that is going to put the pack first, and I need to figure out with everything going on, how I can be that person and still be true to myself.”
“You already are that person, pumpkin. But, if you need time to organize your thoughts and realize it yourself, I respect that. We’ll be here when you’re ready,” he said.
“It’s not like I’m disappearing for a week or anything,” I said, nudging him.
“I’d hope not,” Jack laughed. “The Fall Festival is in two days.”
“For Hollows Sake!” I said, pulling back to look at him. “Did we really burn a whole week?”
“Totally worth it,” he said, his smile now back on his face. “I hope it was just as good for you.”
“You know it was,” I said, stealing another kiss from his lips. “Thanks for taking such good care of me.”
“Always,” Jack promised. “So Boone’s apartment…any chance you want a ride? I could get together some of that food for you.”
“I was actually thinking of going to Claire’s for the night,” I said, knowing I wanted to talk out the situation with someone.
Claire, being a great friend and an omega herself, was my first choice. She knew the situation I’d found myself in, knew what it took to get ahead in business, and I trusted her to be upfront and honest with me.
I hadn’t talked to my dad since my birthday, and this wasn’t the kind of thing I’d ever feel comfortable talking with him about, especially since he’d never chosen the pack life. I wished like hell my grams were here, and while I knew I could talk to Janet, it didn’t feel right since the decision would ultimately affect her boys. Claire was the perfect choice.
“Just let us know if we need to come save you ladies from any bottles of wandering tequila,” Jack said.
“None of the hard stuff for me tonight,” I promised. “I have a pie baking date tomorrow with this beta I know.”
“Oh, do you now?” he questioned back with a knowing grin, the tension between us dissipated.
An hour or so later, after multiple kisses and promises to text, I was on my way to Claire’s with my laptop and a change of clothes.
Claire welcomed me into her little cottage, the place teaming with little bits and bobs everywhere that were as colorful as the omega herself. She’d taken it easy on me the first part of the day, letting me work on my laptop as she did some ordering for her inventory, a mindless television show playing in the background.
“Alright, out with it,” she said, closing her laptop in a huff. “You come over here smelling like you just had the dicking down of your life and yet here you sit, with me, on your computer. Not that I don’t love your company, Autumn, but what the fuck?”
“I’m just trying to make sure I make the right decision,” I said with a groan.
The last thing I wanted to do was tell the pack I wanted them forever only to later regret giving up the opportunities I had back in the city.
“Well you sure as hell aren’t going to—” she paused, looking at my spreadsheet, before giving me a what the fuck look, “find it in this.”
“I know! I just worked so hard to get to this point, Claire. You know how it can be for us. If I give all of that up will I still be happy? Or will I turn into some miserable version of myself and in turn just bring them down?”
“There’s a logical answer to all of this, that you pretty much have all figured out.”
Claire crossed her arms, staring at me expectantly, like she was just waiting for me to connect the dots.
“You’re going to have to help me out here, Claire. I don’t exactly have all the time in the world right now with the festival coming up.”