Alpha Black
Chapter 9 - It's 5pm Somewhere

Alice Forrest

I remerged from my room, finding Nathaniel now sitting at the dining table with a cup of coffee and his tablet absorbing his attention. The scalding hot water of the shower had washed me clean and I felt better after crying where no one could hear or see me.

I’d thrown my hair up into a messy bun after my shower and decided that I would just wear a t shirt and jeans, keeping it simple and comfortable. I walked quietly into the kitchen, making my own cup of coffee. I felt Nathaniel’s gaze lift and land on me, shivers going down my spine as he watched me.

“Stephine called you,” he said breaking the silence.

I looked up at him as he sipped at his own cup of coffee.

“I hope you don’t mind, I answered the call,” he said softly.

“That’s fine, what did she have to say?” I asked, and I truly didn’t mind that he’d taken the call.

“Jennifer had suggested that you all go out for lunch while she has her lunch break, Angel has agreed and Stephine has the day off,” he said picking his tablet up and looking back at his tablet.

“Will you allow me to go unsupervised?” I asked, feeling the battle of control swirling between us.

He looked up at me, “Stephine said I was welcome to join you all if I wanted to,” he added, avoiding the question.

“You’re avoiding my question,” I pointed out.

He smirked, “I am,” he confirmed. “I don’t want you to go out of my sight, I don’t want to leave you alone, ever, you are mine,” his words were unwavering, and a cool chill raced through me, “however, I don’t want you to do stupid things because I control you too much. You can take me or Jamie with you,” he added in a more relaxed tone with a shrug.

“You can come,” I said shyly.

Nathaniel looked up, almost shocked.

“I think it’s important that my mate gets to know my friends, they’re my family.”

Nathaniel’s face softened and a friendly smile worked its way onto his lips, “oh, here’s your phone,” he said, sliding it out of his back pocket and handing it to me.

“Thanks,” I smiled.

“Why don’t you have a password on it?” he asked, emptying his mug and washing it up in the sink.

“What do you mean?” I asked confused.

“I couldn’t help but notice you didn’t have a password, a lock, on your phone, why?”

“Why were you looking?”

He paused, and sucked on his tongue, “After Stephine called, I was curious about your phone, so I just had a flick through…” he admitted.

“I don’t have anything to hide,” I shrugged, “I’ve never lost a phone, I’ve never had one stolen. I have my banking apps locked with a password though, I don’t need one.”

“Hmm, I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t have a password on their phone.”

“You’re calling me weird?” I asked accusingly.

* * * * * * * * *

Tom placed the wine and rum on the table, flipping a glass onto the empty place where Nate was sitting. And he took Steph, Jenny and Angel’s drink orders.

“It’s a little early to be drinking isn’t it?” Steph asked.

“It’s five o’clock somewhere,” Jenny shrugged, herself having ordered an alcoholic drink.

“Are you allowed to drink?” Steph asked accusingly.

“I’ve allowed to drink at work, so long as I can still drive,” Jenny said smugly, it’s in our contracts.

“I find it hard to believe you read your work contract,” Steph laughed.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nathaniel and I arrived first at the café, we decided to sit down at one of the tables instead of the regular spot which would have been impractical with the extra person. Nathaniel had held my hand in an iron grip since we left my apartment building, I watching him cautiously as his movements seemed more rigid than normal and his eyes continued to scan the room like he was waiting for something.

His clear anxiousness made my stomach squirm, I wasn’t sure if it was my own emotions or Nathaniel’s.

The waiter, Alex walked up to the two of us, “Hi Alice, are you okay?” he asked with a smile, “you guys all left suddenly yesterday.”

I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks and I cringed, “I ran into you, didn’t I?” I asked remembering colliding with him when I ran from the café.

A huge grin split across his face, “you did, it’s okay though.” His gaze dropped to our hands that sat intertwined on the table, and he swallowed, the smile slipping from his face for a moment. “Who’s your friend, I don’t think I’ve seen him around much before.”

“This is Nate” I said turning to look at Nathaniel who was coldly watching us, and I could feel his pangs of jealously coursing through him. “He’s uh, my, um,”

“I’m Alice’s boyfriend,” Nathaniel said finishing my sentence.

“Well I’m happy for you,” Alex lied, giving us a smile. “Are you expecting the other today?”

“Yeah, they’ll be here in a minute.”

“Do you want some drinks while you wait?”

“Sure, what do you feel like?” I asked Nathaniel.

He glanced down at the menu and flicked to the drinks page, “You know what, I’ll have the Cabernet Sauvignon,” he said with a forced smile.

“Bottle or glass?”

“Bottle.”

“Do you want two glasses?” Alex said looking at me,

“No, if we’re drinking, I’ll have a rum and coke thanks.”

“No problem,” Alex said with a smile and going off to fetch our drinks.

Steph, Angel and Jenny walked into the bar, they all looked a bit rigid, throwing unsure glances at Nathaniel. Ultimately their gazes softening at his hand holding mine, stroking the skin on my hand with his thumb.

“How are you, Alpha Black?” Angel said giving him a handshake.

“Well, how are you and your husband?” Nathaniel said.

“We’re good. How are you Alice?” Angel said throwing a knowing glance my way, she always knew when I’d been crying.

“Paul called,” I said lightly, thinking of the morning’s events.

Steph and Jenny both inhaled sharply, and my three friends threw glances between themselves. I smiled and chuckled, “I got the job.”

Their squeals drew disapproving glances from the other café patrons, and Jenny leaped towards me, embracing me. I wrapped my free arm around her and hugged her back, but her embrace wasn’t as comforting as Nathaniel’s, if it wasn’t for his hand still holding my own I would have missed him.

“Congratulations!” Jenny said, holding me at arm’s length.

“We’re so proud of you!” Angel said, smiling like a proud mother.

Steph reached across the table and grabbed my free arm, she caught on quicker than the other two, but the smiles slipped from their faces as they looked at the pain in Steph’s eyes. “You can’t accept it, can you?” Steph asked.

I shook my head, the tears resurfacing, and Nathaniel gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

“We’re thinking about Hardwall, for her PHD,” Nathaniel said, filling the awkward silence.

Their eyes all snapped to him, judgement, uncertainty, and dislike pulsating from my friends towards him. Nathaniel cleared his throat anxiously, “I’m going to use the restrooms,” he said feeling unwelcomed and standing planting a kiss on my head.

Jenny broke the silence as soon as he was out of view, “do you need to run now?” she hissed.

“He’d catch me Jenny, you know that,” I said forcing a smile.

“Hardwall?” Steph asked, “How?”

“He said he knows people… I don’t know, we only talked about all this yesterday, I’m still processing it…”

“Has he hurt you? Hit you? Forced himself on you?” Jenny asked, automatically thinking the worst.

“No, he hasn’t, he hasn’t touched me like that, I don’t think he’ll hurt me,” I replied thinking about Nathaniel’s promises to me.

“When are you leaving?” Angel croaked; worry laced in her eyes.

I opened my own mouth and looked at the pain in her face and it washed over Steph and Jenny that I’d be leaving Portland with Nathaniel, and soon. “Friday…”

A heavy silence hung over us all.

“We’ll come visit,” Angel said with a smile.

“All of us,” Steph continued nodded her head.

“And we’ll call every day, even though you hate calls,” Jenny added.

I laughed, and some tears fell down my cheeks, “It’ll work out fine,” I said leaning against Jenny and giving her a one armed hug. I hope…

* * * * * * * * * *

Jenny and Angel were the first to leave, they had to go back to work. Steph stayed a bit longer but ultimately, I could tell she was very intimidated by Nathaniel and I told her that we should get going, freeing her from her discomfort.

“Do you want to go on a date?” Nathaniel asked, a light blush colouring his tanned cheeks as he avoided eye contact.

“What?” I asked, unsure if I’d heard him correctly.

“Do you, would you, like to go on a first date with me?” he said again, meeting my eyes this time.

I smiled at his nervousness, he’d seen my arse but couldn’t ask me out on a date? “Sure,” I smiled reassuring him, “what did you have in mind?”

A breath-taking grin split across his face and his face seemed to brighten the immediate area, “we could walk into town, maybe watch a movie, have dinner, talk?” he said eagerly.

“That sounds lovely,” I said.

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