Taken by my mate; Second Chance

I spent the next few weeks leaving earlier and earlier, meeting her further down the highway each time. My hope was to just narrow down my search; try and figure out where she was coming from so I could bump into her and start a conversation. I clearly wasn’t thinking, when phones are a thing, but it made me feel better to see she hadn’t thought of that either.

As I neared my exit, slightly concerned that I hadn’t seen her yet, I saw her car parked in the painted off area of the exit turn.She seemed to notice what I was doing in trying to figure out which exit she took to get on the highway, and figured out which exit I took to get off it.

She was sitting on her trunk, bundled in blankets with an extra large to-go cup, that could probably take the whole coffee pot, in her small hands. I pulled over behind her and her face watched me get out of the car over her cup. Her eyebrows raised slightly to disappear under her beanie at the sight of me. I was only wearing a pair of jeans and a jacket, my hair pulling free of the tie I had put it up in, but her eyes showed their approval and I fought the blush in seeing her eyes dilate.

“I love your playlist,” I smirked, closing my door softly.

“Are you trying to reverse-follow me home, Tawpie?”Cutie, but she didn’t think I would know that.

I would have been afraid I had scared her, or creeped her out if it wasn’t for the tight smirk pulling her lips out thinly to one side. “Absolutely not, that would be weird, but I wouldn’t mind following you to the nearest coffee house for a drink. Though you may have that covered.” I nodded towards the drink in her hands and she chuckled lightly.

“It’s nearly gone. Got to get up pretty early to beat you these days,” she smiled fully and it was like sunshine; warm, with a heat that made me lose my focus.

I walked over to her, standing in front of her but keeping enough distance between us that she didn’t feel trapped. Her smell was like cedar and gun powder, reminding me of everywhere I’ve ever been and feeling like home.

“Are you really sitting here for me?” I questioned curiously, just needing to hear it, and she nodded.

“Why else would I be on the wrong side of the highway to get to work in this blizzard.” It wasn’t a blizzard, in fact there was no snow anywhere on the ground anywhere but the mountain tops, but she shivered and I was stepping forward before I could stop myself.

I started rubbing her arms, trying to warm her up, and she seemed merely grateful until our eyes met. If she was lost in my eyes I was drowning in hers.

She swallowed hard, refusing to look away. “Evadiene.”

Evadiene. Like Evadne. I thought, and I realized I was right that hearing her say it was so much better.

“Evadiene,” I repeated, causing her to smile brightly, before I returned, “Ambrose.”

“Ambrose,” she said softly. Her eyes never left mine but I saw one side almost wince as she said it.

I continued to watch her face, worried that something had upset her, but she didn’t look any differently at me after that. Figuring it must have been some wind in her eye, I offered her a warm smile and tilted my head in wonder at her. Evadiene’s gloved hand left her tumbler and I saw all the finger tips had been cut off to accommodate her nails. Her hand moved to my face, cupping my chin and her thumb brushed my bottom lip.

A teasingly bit at it and she pulled back, face flushing bright red. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I did that.”

I rubbed her arms again. “If I pretended not to notice, would you do it again?”

I didn’t think she could blush any brighter but she did. “I swear I’m not usually this forward… well I am actually. I almost always make the first move, but not like this. I’m also outspoken, and obnoxious, I usually revel in making people uncomfortable, and..”

“Adorable,” I interrupted and she stopped to look at me. “Seeing you on my way to work each week has been the highlight of my week for months now.”

“I know I’m … wait, really?” Her eyes were wide, like those were words she had been begging to hear.

I nodded, catching sight of a stray hair poking beneath her beanie and tucked it back in.

Pink hair, hmmm.

“You’re on your way to work?” She confirmed and again I nodded. “Me too, I’m off at one. How about you?”

“I can be anywhere in this city or the next at 1am ifyou’ll be there.” And with my words she seemed to pause in everything but her breath.

A new light smile graced her face before she spoke. “There’s a 24 hour diner, just off exit 12 on Cardew, do you know it?”

I nodded, but I had no clue. I would drive up and down Cardew after my meeting until I found it though.

“I will meet you there, but take your time,-“ I ran my hand down her arm to hold her fingers in my hand. “-the roads get icy when the sun goes down, and I’d wait until it comes back up for you to get there safely.” I raised her hand to my lips and gently kissed her fingers.

She just started nodding, eyes focused on me intently. “Okay.”

“That’s my girl,” the words left my mouth before I had time to regret them but she didn’t seem to mind. “Are you running behind with this pit stop.”

That seemed to bring her out of it and back into herself. “Psha,” she drawled shooing away my concern like a fly between us. “They can’t start the show without me.”

“Oh are you in a production?”

She coughed a laugh like that was the last question she expected. “Not at all what I would call it, but I do have the bar keys tonight so they can’t liquor up without me. Otherwise I’d probably just call in and convince you to play hookie.” Her hand slapped over her mouth so fast I was afraid that it hurt. “I’m sorry, most people get time to hear me just being a loud mouth before I get uncomfortably honest.”

I smiled, not at all bothered. “I don’t mind, it’s refreshing. It’s something I’d enjoy getting used to.”

She was smiling again like she was lost in thought and then her phone started ringing. She picked it up and started talking in a series of slang and not-English that I couldn’t decipher but I got the feeling that it was someone from her job. She seemed more frustrated than anything as she called the person out before hanging up.

She groaned audibly and I thought she would throw her phone but she controlled herself, returning it to her pocket. “I’m usually early.” She rolled her eyes. “They’re all freaking out, but I know a back way around the traffic, she needs to untwist her panties.”

I looked at my watch. “And you can still get there in time? Why do you ever bother with traffic?” It seemed hazardous to ask since I wouldn’t have found her otherwise, but the need to ask was too strong.

She grimaced. “It isn’t through thebestarea, and I enjoy my traffic jam time, but it’ll be fine.”

She seemed to see my worry and was hugging me before she thought about it. I was caught entirely off guard but before she could get the wrong impression I joined my hands around her and took in the smell of her hair through the beanie.

When we parted I lifted her easily off her car, which seemed to surprise her, and we waved goodbye until later. She did a highly questionable turn to an exit ramp and sped off in the opposite direction, filling me with worry.

I should have gotten her phone number.

I wasn’t sure how in was going to concentrate on this useless meeting, but I wasn’t about to tell Covyn, the guy who suddenly didn’t want to have a mate, that I had found mine while in the city. For the first time at one of these appointments I would actually take notes, knowing there was no way I was going to remember a thing by my meeting with the Alpha. My mind was more focused on committing every second of my interaction with Evadiene to memory.