In every way, I wasn’t interested in dating, but if Hailey asked me out, if she so much as hinted at it, I would be there in a heartbeat with the biggest bunch of flowers I could find.
Only, dating really wasn’t on the table, so I contented myself just watching, since it was impossiblenotto.
Except, today, she walked right up to me.
“Hey, Merrick.” She smiled sleepily, holding a folder up in the air. “I need some signatures from your boss regarding the Amhurst fire. Is he around?”
Her eyes had dark bags and were puffier than normal, like she’d been crying.
My stomach lurched, all my thoughts surrounding whatever was distressing her. Omegas tended to be pampered, but Hailey seemed more independent.
Everything in me itched to grab a blanket and wrap it around her, to ask her what was wrong and fix it. But that wasn’t my place.
“He’s in his office,” I said, stepping out from behind the front desk where I’d been sitting, pulling receptionist duty.
“I know the way.” She smiled again, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Waving the folder, she strode off in the direction of Walker’s office, her steps more hesitant than usual, like she was tired or sluggish.
I didn’t like it.
My feet acted of their own accord, following her to the office where Walker was sitting behind his desk.
“Hey, boss man,” Hailey greeted. “I need an autograph from you.”
Walker looked up from his desk, noticing me hovering behind the small omega.
“Sure thing. We really need to get fax machines or something, so you don’t have to keep doing this,” he said, getting up and taking the papers from Hailey.
The alluring woman snorted lightly, and the sound made my nerves sing. “Fax machines? We need to enter the twenty-first century and do digital signatures. Then we can do everything via email.”
Walker nodded. “Well, alright, then. Hmm… Okay, I need to pester someone up the chain of command to do that, but—Hailey…are you okay?”
“Fine!” she blurted, but her voice was overly cheery and cracked.
“You’re clearly exhausted,” I rumbled behind her, startling her a bit and making her look over her shoulder.
“Well, thank you for telling me I look bad,” she growled in that sweet, Southern accent, turning to me with a glower.
“That’snotwhat I said,” I insisted.
Hailey was beautiful; there was zero question about that. It was the fact that she was unwell that unsettled me.
“Hailey.” Walker glowered playfully at the omega, who softened under his gaze.
They were old friends, so she turned to me with a practiced smile again. “Sorry. I didn’t get enough beauty sleep. I’m a little rough around the edges. I promise I will go to bed early.”
She tried her best to speak confidently, with that bright, charming smile, but it fell flat. Her stare was a bit distant, even, her cheeks red.
Something was wrong.
Stepping forward, I plucked the file out of her hand and reached out to touch her face.
Warm and clammy.
“You’re burning up,” I said, my brows knitting together.
Hailey was a paramedic. She knew how to take care of herself. What was she doing coming into work when she was sick?
“It’s notthatbad.” She waved off my concern, but was unsteady on her feet.