Alpha's Arrangement (Troubled Fork Shifters (Book 2)) (5 page)

Alexander nodded his head, eyed the burger and then looked back in her direction. “Sooo, does that mean you’re gonna try it like that?”

“I don’t know.” She said. Emma lifted the bun and looked down at the patty. “I’ve never eaten a rare burger before in my life.”

“Oh man, you h
ave no clue what you’re missing.” he said as he raised it towards his mouth and took a big bite.

Emma winced as he chewed it with unbridled avarice.

Alexander finished his first bite and said, “Go on. Give it a shot. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it.”

“I know, I know.
” she moaned.

“I
wouldn’t steer you wrong. Hey, you get it? Steer?” he said as he smiled and raised the half eaten bun upwards.

Emma rolled her eyes.
“Ha, ha. Yes, I get it. Very funny.”

“Well? What’s it gonna be?” he asked as he held the burger in front of his mouth.

“Okay,
okay.
I’ll try it.”

“Alright good. Now look,
make sure you get a nice,
big
bite. Don’t half ass it and just get a little nibble of bun or something.”

“I won’t.” Emma said. “Will you just leave me alone for a second?!”

Alexander chuckled and took another bite while Emma came face-to-face with one of her deepest culinary demons. She could swear that she felt her hand tremble as she raised the sandwich towards her face. Unable to look, she closed her eyes.

Alexander laughed. “Ha, ha! Oh
, come on! Don’t be so dramatic.”

“Shh! Quiet!” Emma replied.

The burger drew closer. The moment was now or never and there was no way to turn back. And then, in a sudden bold move she plunged it into her mouth and ripped into it. As soon as she did her eyes flew open. The flavor, the texture… it was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. How could a burger taste like this?

It was absolute
heaven.

“Well?” Alexander said. “What do you think?”

Emma finished her first bite and swallowed. “That was
incredible.
I never dreamed that a burger could be that good.”

“I tried to tell ya.
” he replied.

“You were right. That was
amazing
.”

“Good, glad you liked it. I figu
red you would when I ordered it.”

Emma turned and looked at him only to see a huge grin on his face. His perfect dimples communicated a profound and deep satisfaction with himself.

“Wait a second… Are you telling me that you ordered it rare on
purpose
?” she said.

“Yeah.
” He replied. “What? Are you mad?”

Emma wasn’t sure. She was. But, she kind of wasn’t. It was
a damn good burger after all.

“
You’re
a jerk. You know that?” she said.

“Yeah, and
you’re
welcome.” He replied as he smiled and took another bite.

***

About ten minutes later, Alexander and Emma had finished their meals. Afterwards, Alexander stood and stretched.

“Oh man, I’m beat.
” he said. “You must be pretty tired as well, huh?”

Emma nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a long day. Hell, a long week.”

“Okay, well. How do you want to do this?” Alexander asked.

“Do what?”

“The um… sleeping arrangements. I just have the one bed. You know a bachelor pad and all.”

Emma wrinkled her eyebrows at him.
“Uh huh. Well, I can’t help it if all you’ve got is a bachelor pad.”

“What are you saying
, Emma?”

“What I am saying is the fact that
you
only have
one
bed is not
my
problem. I get the bed. Figure the rest out for yourself.”

“Hey, hey…” Alexander said. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”

Emma stood up and put her hands on her hips. “I really don’t care. Anywhere except the bedroom.”

“Now, wait a second.” Alexander repli
ed. “We just had a nice dinner and pleasant conversation. Isn't that worth something?”

“Yes. It is.” Emma said. “Thanks very much for dinner. You were right. Rare bu
rgers are delicious.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome. Now, would you please step aside so I can get into my room?” he asked. “After all, we are supposed to be getting marrie
d, remember? Shouldn’t we at least try to act like it?”

“Yes. I remember.” Emma said as she stretched an arm across the entrance to the bedroom. “But, I also seem to recall Theodore gave clear instructions about what we could and couldn’t do before the wedding. Correct?”

“Well, yeah.” He replied. “So what?”

“So t
hat means until the moment occurs,
you
sleep on the couch!” Emma exclaimed.

“Oh no,
no way.” Alexander replied. “This is my house and I will sleep anywhere I want.”

“And you can, so
long as ‘anywhere’ isn't in
that
bedroom next to
this
body!” Emma said as she turned away from him. With a sly grin on her face she headed into the bedroom.

From behind, she felt Alexander’s frustration build. As she walked he said, “Can we have a civilized discussion about this? What about a
schedule or something? You know, take turns?”

Without any acknowledgment, she continued onward.

“Hey, where are you going?” he said. “You are acting like a dictator here. Wouldn’t a little more democratic approach be better?”

After several seconds of silence, Alexander called out.
“Hello? Emma?”

She reappeared in the doorway moments later. In her arms, she clutched two pillows.

Confused, Alexander said, “What are you doing…”

Emma hurled the pillows towards his face, slammed the
bedroom door and from behind it, called out her final verdict.

“The couch!” she exclaimed.

Emma pressed her ear against the bedroom door.

As she listened
, Alexander muttered bits and pieces of the prior conversation under his breath. “Can’t do anything before the wedding… Sleep anywhere as long as it’s not next to
her
body…
You
sleep on the couch.”

Emma chuckled as he cursed his sofa bed accommodations and struggled his way into a quasi-comfortable position. Now satisfied he’d received the full measure of her treatment, Emma made her way towards
the large king-sized bed in the center of the room. She lingered for a few moments to take in the decor.

It was masculine in its tone. T
hat much was unmistakable.

Aside from that, one of the things which stood out the most was the large collection of pictures which filled the room. Emma loved pictures and wherever she went, it was always the first thing that caught her attention. Most of the images were,
of course, photos of him with assorted gorgeous women.

Sluts no doubt
.

As she scanned the pictures, she shook her head and did her best to filter
those
out.

After a few moments, one in particular caught her attention. It was on his dresser. In it, Alexander appeared to be a teenager. He bore a striking resemblance to a man in the photo alongside him. Although the memory was vague, Emma recalled she had met the man once. It was Alexander’s father, Colin.

She picked up the frame and held it in her hands. She paused for a moment and her eyes looked towards the bedroom door. Just beyond it, she thought she had heard Alexander cough. Perhaps it was a sneeze.

“Bless you?” she called out.

“Thank you.” Alexander said.

Emma turned her attention back to the photo which she now held in her left hand. With her right, she traced the outline of Alexander’s youthful face. She wondered if he ever smiled like that anymore. The very idea of it filled her with sadness. In many ways, they’d shared simila
r pain in their short lives but
his
seemed so much worse in that moment. Emma really had no recollection of her parents but he must have memories, and plenty of them.

Emma considered herself lucky. Ever since she’d lost her parents, she’d never gone without the care of the pack and the ever present strength of Albondiel. It didn't take a genius to know life in the Silver Gulch pack for someone with Alexander’s rank wasn’t easy. She gazed at the image for a few seconds longer and then set the picture frame back down upon the dresser where she’d found it.

Emma made her way to the bed and sat on the edge of it for a moment when a sudden realization hit her.

She was doing it again
.

And, unless she wanted to wind up far worse off than when she arrived, she needed to talk herself out of it before it was too late. She had to stay focused on what she was here to do and
nothing more
.

The truth was Alexander was a cheat and a liar.

It’s who
and
what he was.

Period.

Sure, he charmed you when he wanted to or when it served his own selfish ends but beyond that, there was no substance to the man. Emma glanced around at the photos in the room as further evidence of his primal tendencies.

Good men don’t behave like Alexander.

She thought about Devon. She wondered if she would have just been better off if she’d told him a harmless white lie about everything. Now that too was a mess. Devon said he would text her but he hadn’t and she figured he probably wouldn’t. She couldn’t blame him for it though.

Way to go Emma.

She collapsed on the bed in a heap and wondered if things could
be
any weirder.

Probably not
.

But
after a few seconds, an even more bizarre notion occurred to her.

Was there a chance Alexander’s burger stop was an attempt to get better acquainted? After all, as far as
he knew
she was there to become his wife. Maybe this was his way to somehow accept it.

Perhaps, deep down, it was something
he wanted
.

Was that so impossible to believe?

As she pondered the last question, she rolled her body to the left. On the nightstand, a photo of Alexander and a leggy blonde taunted her. The woman was about to deliver a kiss to his cheek.

The picture was all the answer she needed.

Yeah, it’s not possible.

***

The next morning, Alexander and Emma had a scheduled breakfast with Theodore and his grandmother, Millie Malthorn.

As Emma and Alexander drove across town, they made small talk. She was unsure about how she should behave towards him. Theodore hadn’t given her any explicit guidelines about what she could or couldn’t say aside from the obvious.

And even though she knew the marriage was a farce, Alexander didn’t. As each hour ticked by, it seemed as if he tried harder and harder to be well,
nice to her.

In the midst of her confusion, she looked out the window while they drove. Silver Gulch was further north than Troubled Fork, beyond the Jefferson Draw Canyon. The area had a rainy, cool climate and one Emma hadn’t often experienced. A fine mist was in the air all the time. It wasn’t quite rain but more akin to persistent spit which
annoyed the crap out of her, like this whole thing did.

After about twenty minutes or so, they arrived at the Twisted Creek Cafe. Alexander parked the car and they hurried inside the restaurant. As they entered, he spotted his family at a table across the room. Emma noticed a silver haired lady w
aved in their direction. Alexander raised his hand and they began to walk towards the table.

“That’s my grandmother Millie. She will be
thrilled
to meet you.”

“Why?” Emma asked.

“Let’s just say she’s had her doubts I would ever settle down with anyone.”

“Oh.
”

As they approached the table, Emma saw Theodore, Millie and a woman she recognized the instant she looked at her. It was the blonde from the picture on Alexander’s nightstand.

What the hell is she doing here?

“Emma…” Alexander said. “I’d like to introduce you to my grandmother, Millie and my younger sister, Trina.”

Sister?

Emma walked towards Millie first and as she approached, the old lady started to stand.

“Oh please…” Emma said. “No, don’t get it up for me.”

“Bah!” Millie replied with
a wave of her hand. “Nonsense. I may be old but I’m not dead yet. Besides, it’s not every day I get to meet my grandson’s fiancé. Now come give us a hug!”