Page 16 of Choosing the Rejected Mate

Maisie:Soooooo.

I stare at the message.Nothing good has ever followed that many o’s.

Me:No.

Maisie:I didn’t ask anything.

Me:Your punctuation did.

Maisie:He called the bakery after you went upstairs.

I sit up so fast my blanket falls to my waist, and my heart does something embarrassing I’m not willing to think about right now.

Me:Why?

Maisie:To give you an update on mixer parts.

Me:That is normal business communication.

Maisie:He also asked what time you take lunch tomorrow.

I stare at the screen while my wolf sits up inside me like someone just rang a dinner bell.Absolutely.Fucking.Not.

Me:Why?

Maisie:I believe this is what scholars refer to as “asking you out.”

Me:Gross.

I don’t care.I’m indifferent.Unmoved.A stone wall wearing pajamas and moisturizing lip balm.

My phone buzzes again.

Maisie:He said he can bring the estimate and lunch.He asked what you like.

Me:Poison.

Maisie:I told him chicken salad.

Me:You’re fired.

Maisie:You can’t fire me.I know where you hide the good chocolate.

Me:That is blackmail.

Maisie:That is friendship.

I toss the phone onto the bed and fall backward.My ceiling remains unhelpful.

The problem is not that Daniel asked what I like.The problem is that he asked Maisie.He did not corner me.Did not assume.Did not push his number into my hand and grin as if I owed him attention.He went through the safest person near me and asked a question that gave me room to say no.

Thoughtful bastard.

That is much harder to hate than arrogance.

I cover my face with both hands and groan.

Mate.