Chapter 901 Chapter 901
When she stepped out with a container of the cookies, Foster stood on Orson’s porch.
“Are you all right?” He cocked his head to the side. “I just discovered that when we’re near each other, my animal can sense when you’re upset.”
She held the plastic container with both hands, so she didn’t hug him. “Yes. It just hit me that you’ll be leaving.” She looked at the others, who weren’t paying any attention to them. “I don’t have a good record with people leaving.”
He sighed loud enough that she heard it. Taking the container out of her hands, she set it on Orson’s chair and then took her hand. “Do you want me to ask Jesse to take me off the list for a bit?”
The fact that he was willing to do that and asking made her want to cry—she had never cried. What was this mating stuff doing to her? “No,” she shook her head. “I couldn’t live with myself knowing you’re needed out there, and I was being selfish.”
He held her look without blinking. “Okay. I will ask if I can rotate to places close, so I’d only be gone for a day or so. Would that settle your pains of guilt if I stop helping?”
His eyes were shining as he teased her. She nodded. “I’m sure I won’t even notice if you’re gone for twenty-four hours.” Liar. Her animal didn’t care if they were teasing or not.
“Ouch. That burns.” He smiled. “Whatever you need to make this work, Ena, I’ll do it. My track record is mostly filled with screwing things up.” He winced. “Until I started working with Jesse and the Alliance, that is.” He glanced over his shoulder. “They’re going to be looking for these cookies soon.” He grinned. “Okay, it’s mostly me that wants them. I can smell them.” He leaned down and kissed her mouth gently.
It was a tender gesture, and she felt her emotions rise again. “I’m trying to work this out.”
He nodded. “I know. I’m not going to push you, even if my coyote wants to see our mark on your neck.” He looked over at the others again. “Orson basically asked me what was happening with us because we haven’t marked each other yet.”
“Is that odd? I really don’t know.”
He shrugged. “I guess it was a rushed thing back in his day, but times have changed.”
Ena nodded. “Except here. We’re frozen in time.”
Foster smiled at her again. “That’s changing. Jesse says you will have internet in about three days.”
“Really?” She clicked her teeth together. “I want to get Nyssa going on some courses and see if Karlee and Melony want to as well. The men, too, if they’d like.”
“How is it you’re the most educated here?” He smirked at her. “Zach is really chatty.”
She scoffed. “Yes, he is. In just the time we’ve been over here, they’re all going to know about us.”
Foster didn’t even blink. “What others think is not our problem.”
She sucked in a breath and exhaled. “Right. Okay. You need to let go of my hand and move or there are going to be no sandwiches left.” She was joking, but it felt good that he would play along with her.
“I see where your priorities are.” He released her hand, picked up the cookies, and handed them to her. “Save me a couple more. I’m going to talk to Jesse and find out about someone to check on Nyssa’s leg too.”
“Yes. Thank you.” She watched him go down the walk and head toward Jesse. “We’ll be fine for a day.” She whispered. With all the work to do, it wasn’t like she’d be sitting here pining for him. She could work herself into exhaustion and drop every night while he was gone.