You Will Be Mine (New Horizon Book 3)

Chapter 16: Jeannie

I didn’t realize that going to the mall meant going inside what is basically an indoor town full of shops, shops, and more shops. And where the shops end, there are restaurants, and then that hallway curves around and there are even more shops. Mitch took me to a grocery store once, but that was nothing like this. Nothing could have prepared me for this.

Stella seems to know her way around like she owns the place, and has been dragging me through countless different stores. I learned early on that if I don’t pick things for myself, then she’ll pick some for me anyway, so I’ve been trying. I don’t feel any less sick about the amount of Gabe’s money we must be spending though.

He must not be worried about it since he didn’t give Stella any cut-off amount, but it worries me. I don’t even know what he is to me. A friend, maybe? We do sort of sleep together now, though it’s his wolf I share my bed with, but I still don’t feel like I really know him. Stella seems pretty adamant that he’s as interested in me as I feared, and in the ways I feared, but I haven’t settled on how I feel about that.

I also don’t understand it. How can he even manage to muster up that amount of affection for someone knowing that somewhere out there, his mate is waiting to find him? And why isn’t he more concerned about finding her? All I can figure is that it’s because Simon has taken such a liking to me, which has me wondering if maybe I should take a step back.

I wanted to be sure that Simon gets plenty of attention to make up for what it seems like he doesn’t get otherwise, but the more I think about it, the more I realize it shouldn’t even be me giving it to him. If I don’t let Gabe get distracted by whatever little crush or fascination he has developed for me, then he’ll go back to waiting for his mate. It’s not fair to either of us any other way.

“Hey, we need to go in here,” Stella says, diverting my attention to a store on the left of us.

“I don’t think I have any carrying capacity left,” I tell her, trying not to let it sound like a complaint.

It’s just that we’re both already carrying so many bags, and the handles are cutting into my hands in an uncomfortable way. If we add any more weight to our loads, I won’t want to do much more walking. Although to be fair, I’ve dealt with worse just doing my chores around the farm, but I thought shopping was supposed to be fun. I don’t like that it’s starting to feel like a chore.

“Last store, I promise,” she assures me, giving me the pouty, begging look she likes to pull out to persuade me. “Besides, Gabe has been texting me like a crazy person demanding that I get you a phone before we leave.”

“A phone? I don’t need one,” I try to insist, already knowing that I’m no good at arguing with her.

Even when I think I’ve won, I somehow end up carrying a new bag filled with the stuff I just told her I didn’t want.

“He says that because you don't know this area, he can’t stop worrying about the potential that you could get lost and end up somewhere unfamiliar with no way to contact us. Obviously, he thinks you're five.”

No, he’s still worrying about the tree thing. Although now that she mentions it, I can’t argue with the appeal of having some way to contact the Bentleys if anything weird ever did happen. My grandparents’ number I knew by heart, so all I needed was to find a phone to call them with, but there are so many Bentleys with so many different phone numbers that I wouldn’t even know where to start.

“Alright, fine,” I concede, sighing my resignation. “But isn’t a phone something you have to pay a bill for? I don’t have a job yet.”

“He said just to add you to his plan, and he’ll take care of it.”

She shrugs as if it’s simple and not a big deal, turning and heading into the store. I really have no choice but to follow her in, that kind of sickening nervous feeling coming back again.

The woman who helps us is petite but loud and full of energy and pep, talking so much and so quickly that it makes my head spin. She has everything all picked out for me in no time at all, though I barely follow what she’s saying, just nodding and smiling along when it seems like the right thing to do. I don’t even realize I’ve agreed to anything until she has a phone out of the box and in her hand, asking me for things like my email and other accounts that I know nothing about.

“Oh, that’s no problem. We’ll get you set up,” she assures me with a bright smile, turning and doing something on her computer.

She messes with the phone every now and then, and Stella has to jump in and answer most of the questions she asks me because I have no idea, but before long, I’m holding a new phone. And supposedly, it’s mine.

“Here, let me see it so I can save some numbers in there for you,” Stella commands, already taking it from me the moment we step out of the store.

I’ve learned over the course of our day together that she’s not as shy or quiet as I originally thought. She’s more like Garrett, seeming quiet until we’re doing something that interests her, and then she really comes to life. She’s actually kind of bossy in a way I’m not used to and don’t know how to manage just yet.

“And I just messaged Gabe so he can have your number and quit being such a worrier,” she grumbles. Though when she looks up at me and hands the phone back, she’s smiling. “There, now you’re all set.”

“Thank you,” is all I can think to say to that. I am grateful for her help, though I’m still a little taken aback by how forcefully it comes.

“Stella!” another tall brunette is calling out to her, waving at us from across the wide hallway outside the store and hurrying over our way.

“Gracie!” Stella calls back to her, dropping her shopping bags on the floor to either side of her.

I figure out why only a few seconds later when Gracie doesn’t stop before crashing into her for a big hug. When they pull apart, Stella turns and gestures to me, drawing Gracie’s attention my way.

“This is Gabe’s uh … this is Jeannie,” Stella introduces me awkwardly.

And oddly. Even if Gabe is interested in me, why would she try to lead with that?

Then she pulls Gracie back in for another hug, leaning her head against her and closing her eyes. I can’t help noticing the way her eyelids flit around, kind of like what happens when someone’s dreaming. They’re having one of those telepathic conversations, I just know it. Gracie must be a werewolf too.

And either they’re suddenly struck with the urge to have a conversation about secret werewolf stuff that they didn’t want to say out loud in case a human overhears, or more likely, they suddenly wanted to talk about me. Right in front of me. I don’t know what to think about that.

“Hi, Jeannie. It’s so nice to meet you,” Gracie says when they pull away from each other the second time. “My family and Gabe’s family are pretty close, so I’ve known Stella forever. We grew up together.”

“Her dad’s the Beta,” Stella whispers, bringing her face in close so she doesn’t have to say it publicly.

Which means, at least if I understand correctly what I've been learning about their society over the past couple days, that Stella and Gracie's parents and families have lived and worked closely together in the same building all their lives, the packhouse. Gracie probably knows Gabe and Garrett too, and the rest of the Bentleys, though maybe she and Stella are such good friends because they appear to be around the same age. That makes her about my age too.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Gracie,” I return her greeting. Then she suddenly lunges at me for a hug, forcing a surprised, “Oh!” out of me.

I didn't expect it, but I don't mind it. I'm getting used to the fact that werewolves are very affectionate people.

“Sorry, I’m kind of a hugger,” Gracie laughs, pulling away.

I decide I kind of like her a moment later when she thoughtfully reaches out to take some of the bags I’ve been carrying, silently offering to unburden me some. Stella picks up her own bags, and the three of us continue the walk back to the car together, the two of them happily chattering away like the old friends they are.

I can’t help envying the obvious bond they have and all the shared experiences they’ve accumulated over the years, wishing the whole time that I had more to add to their conversation. They don’t seem to mind that I’m just quietly listening and enjoying their banter though. It makes me kind of hopeful that maybe we can all eventually be friends.

But strangely, once I’m back in the front seat of the car listening to Stella singing along with the music playing through the speakers, my new phone sitting in my lap staring back at me, it’s Gabe who comes to mind. I suppose it makes sense because he bought me the thing, but it still surprises me to realize that I’m thinking of him even when he’s not here.

And then the phone downright startles me when it starts chirping and vibrating, so much that I almost drop it.

Stella laughs, reaching over to grab the phone from me and doing something to it for a second.

“It’s your man,” she teases, handing it back to me. “I’ll let you answer him this time.”

I would argue with her that he’s not my man, but I have a new phone to fight with instead. I have no idea how to use the thing, so if he’s expecting an answer, I guess he’ll have to wait however long it takes me to figure it out.