I cocked my head, content to keep holding her next to me. “Yup. Morning. Have anynicedreams? Your scent is swirling, cutie.”
Her cheeks turned bright pink, and she struggled to look at me. As she roamed her stare over the apartment, anywhere but on me, Hailey noticed Nolan in the chair across from us.
He smiled, nodding at her. “Morning.”
I stretched again, bringing her attention back to me, and she rolled her eyes when saw me smirking.
“No, I didn’t dream about you,” she grumbled sleepily, glowering at me. The heat of her gaze was somewhat lessened by the fact that she was still clinging to me for dear life.
“Suuure. But yeah, we’re here,” I said with a wide smile. “I suppose we’ll have to make the best of it. How are you feeling?”
She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Better. Not amazing, but definitely better than I was, which, I suppose, is something.”
“Then I think it’s time for you to have some breakfast,” Nolan announced as he got up and walked to the kitchen.
In a few minutes, he returned and placed a plate in front of her on the coffee table. I’d heard him rummaging about in there while I was still dozing but hadn’t thought anything of it.
Freshly cut fruit, pancakes, and scrambled eggs graced the plate—he’d gone all out. Even the fruit was intricately sliced.
I shot him a grin but didn’t say anything. Nolan loved playing the caretaker—hell, we all did—so having an omega to fuss over was probably heaven for him, despite the unique circumstances that had landed us in this situation.
Hailey looked at the plate with distrust, her eyebrows pinched together as she leaned up and sat in the middle of the couch.
Nolan picked up a piece of apple and popped it into his mouth before handing the bowl over to her.
“Look, I don’t really know what’s going on. I want to figure it out, but for now, we need to make sure you’re okay. We’re not trying to dose you or something sinister. I swear.” He narrowed his eyes, swallowing before he asked what we’d both been wondering. “Have you been able to see a doctor yet?”
Hailey shook her head. “I haven’t felt up to driving, and I wasn’t going to go to any of the local doctors, but I have a friend driving me to one soon.”
“A friend?” I questioned.
“A friend.” Her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink, and I cocked my head.
I knew what that type of “friend” was code for, and a part of me wanted to press for more details. We didn’t deserve them yet,of course. We’d just met her, and sure, we were Preston’s pack mates, but that didn’t mean shit to Hailey.
It did complicate things, though. If she had another alpha she was seeing—or, at the very least, interested in—outside of the pack, it could get messy. That was a tomorrow problem, though, because as she ate, Hailey’s eyes started to droop again.
Even after a few more hours of sleep, she was struggling to stay awake, particularly now that she was fed. Worse, or maybe better, in my case, she looked absolutely adorable as the food coma set in.
“Ready for nap two?” I asked, smiling over at her as Nolan chuckled to himself.
“Mmm, maybe. But I’m changing positions, my hip hurts.”
“I’m at your command, m’lady.”
Hailey squinted at me as I teased, but before long, she was on her back on my chest, the two of us lounging as she fell asleep again.
I enjoyed it, and I wasn’t too big of a person to admit that. Hailey was something, and as much as I was still pissed at Preston for a variety of reasons, his taste in omegas was hardly one of them.
Chapter 13
Hailey
After another bout of sleep, I woke up again, and I had to admit that my mind was much clearer. Nolan provided another snack, from ingredients I was certain Merrick had bought—I’d put a pin in that thought until later—and I was actually pretty comfortable lounging on the couch with Wilder behind me, Nolan sitting on the other end of the couch with my feet in his lap.
We had talked for a while about some of the basics: what the guys did for work, Nolan being a lawyer in family practice, and Wilder an ER nurse, foods I enjoyed, and even the inspiration for my nest, since Nolan had taken a peek and described it to Wilder while I was napping.
Now, we were still talking, and despite the newness of the situation, it felt…nice.