Chapter 79
Kaeleen’s POV
"Kaeleen?"
Her voice, soft and slightly breathless through the speaker, washed over like a warm tide, extinguishing the last embers of my anxiety. The frantic, restless energy that had propelled out of Alex’s office evaporated, leaving feeling boneless with relief. I leaned back against the cool wall of the hallway, my eyes closing for a brief second as I just savored the sound of her saying my na. It was confirmation. It was real.
"Astrid," I managed to say, my own voice thicker with emotion than I intended. I cleared my throat, trying to sound like the calm, collected Alpha I was supposed to be, and not the anxious wreck I’d been five minutes ago. "Hi."
A sound that was half-laugh, half-sob ca from her end of the line. "Hi," she replied, her voice filled with a happy, watery amusent. "I... I tried to find the right words to text you, but they all felt too small. Nothing seed big enough."
A genuine smile spread across my face, slow and wide. "The ones you sent were perfect," I assured her, my voice softening. "But I have to ask anyway. Do you really like it? It wasn’t... too much?" I needed to hear it again, to have her voice chase away the last lingering whispers of Ryker’s doubt.
"Too much?" she repeated, and I could hear the incredulous shake of her head. "Kaeleen, it’s... everything. I’ve never... No one has ever done anything like this for ." Her voice cracked on the last few words, and the raw, unvarnished emotion in her tone sent a fresh wave of warmth through my chest. This was why I’d done it. For this. For her to feel this cherished.
Just then, the quiet emotion of our call was joyfully interrupted by a loud, childish shriek from her end.
"Lulu! Who are you talking to?"
I knew without a doubt that it was Yvonne’s kid. Christian was the cutest child ever. But I didn’t like the fact Yvonne had still not settled issues with his father. Not that I ant Christian had to have a father to grow up well but...the thing was there wasn’t much of an issue here. If only the two blockheads could sort it out.
"Guess." Astrid said with a laugh pulling out of my thoughts.
"Hmmm. The flower man?" Christian asked her.
What the hell?
I heard Yvonne burst into a loud, unrestrained laugh in the background. I couldn’t help but chuckle myself, the sound rumbling deep in my chest.
"The flower man? Is that my new official title?" I asked Astrid.
She laughed, a beautiful, clear sound that was miles away from the pained chuckles I’d heard from her before.
"Apparently so," she said. "I think you’ve been rebranded. He saw the flowers you got and kept on oohing and ahing like he could appreciate their beauty."
"Hey," I heard Yvonne say, "my son can appreciate beauty."
I laughed. "You have a bit of a party going on there."
"Yes, it’s a bit of a party down here. I think I’m being held captive by a group of very enthusiastic won."
"I had a feeling," I said, pushing off the wall and starting a slow, aimless walk down the quiet corridor. "Alex called it a ’brand of feminine chaos’ just before you texted. It sounds like he was right on the money."
"That’s a very accurate description," she agreed, and I could practically hear her smile. "Yvonne is already trying to instruct on which canvas to start with, Lila is taking pictures of everything from every possible angle, and Rebecca is planning a ’studio warming party,’ which I’m fairly certain is just an excuse for her to drink wine and invite the entire pack over."
"Rebecca is pregnant." I pointed out.
Astrid laughed. "She’s going to lie through the rest of us. And it seems Rebecca likes parties. She just needs a small reason to celebrate."
I laughed, a full, happy sound. "True. I thought she was going to end up an event planner and not a politician. But I can’t deny that it suits her."
I paused. "Are you happy?" I asked her.
"Yes. Thank you for this." She replied to .
This was exactly what I had hoped for. Not just that she would have the space, but that she would be surrounded by people who were genuinely, enthusiastically happy for her.
"I’m glad," I said, my tone growing more sincere. "I’m glad you’re not alone in there. I was worried... I was so worried I’d scared you. That it was too much pressure."
The playful energy on her end softened, her voice becoming quiet and intimate again. "No," she said firmly. "You didn’t scare . You... you saw , Kaeleen. That’s what this feels like. How did you even know all of this? The specific paints, the easels... it’s all perfect."
"I had so help from a very bossy consultant," I admitted, the image of Yvonne’s demanding texts flashing in my mind. "I just wanted you to have a place that was completely yours. No pressure. No expectations. If you want to just sit in there and eat the entire supply of chocolate Lila bought, that’s a perfectly valid use of the space, too."
"I might do that," she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice. "But I also might... paint."
The way she said it filled with a hesitant, breathless wonder, as if she were speaking a foreign word she was only just learning to love made my heart clench. It was the sound of hope being reborn.
"I’d like that," I said softly. "I’d like that a lot."
"Would you like to see them when I’m done?" She asked .
I paused. I was shocked by her request because she seed like soone who was shy about her drawings. They were private to her.
"I would like that, if you are comfortable with it."
I wanted to keep her on the phone all day, to just listen to the sound of her voice, but I could hear the happy chaos ramping up in the background. "So, besides being kidnapped by your assistant and having your future art career ticulously planned out for you by my cousin, how was the rest of your morning?"
She laughed again. "It was... eventful. It started with Lila nearly breaking down my door with the force of her knocking. She dragged out of bed and down a secret staircase I never knew existed, all while I was still in my pajamas. I was convinced she was leading to a dungeon."
I listened, completely captivated, as she recounted the morning from her perspective. I pictured her, sleepy and confused, being pulled along by a hyperactive Lila, her journey ending in front of that frosted glass door. I imagined the look on her face as she stepped inside, the awe, the disbelief, the slow dawning of joy. Hearing it from her, feeling her happiness radiate through the phone, was a thousand tis better than just seeing it in a picture. It felt like I was sharing the mont with her.
"Listen," I said finally, reluctantly. "I’m going to let you get back to your party. It sounds like if I keep you on the phone any longer, Rebecca might actually start sending out engraved invitations."
"She probably already is," Astrid laughed.
"I just... I’m really glad you love it, Astrid."
Her voice was soft, all traces of laughter gone, replaced by a sincere, profound warmth. "I do. Thank you, Kaeleen. I don’t think I’ll ever have the right words to tell you what this ans to ."
"You don’t need them," I said. "Just hearing you happy is enough." I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was still hours until the workday was officially over, but I knew I wouldn’t be getting another thing done. "I’ll be ho in a few hours. Save so of that popcorn I saw in Yvonne’s picture."
"I’ll try," she said, a playful note returning to her voice. "But I make no promises. Christian has already claid the entire bowl as ’dragon food’ for his imaginary dragon, Sparky."
I chuckled. "Of course, he has. Sparky is a nace." I paused, a feeling of deep contentnt settling over . "I’ll see you soon, Astrid."
"See you soon, Kaeleen."
I ended the call and stood in the hallway for a long mont, the phone still pressed to my ear. The silence that returned wasn’t empty or anxious. It was peaceful, filled with the echo of her laughter. Ryker was purring in my mind, a deep, rumbling sound of pure satisfaction.
With a real, genuine smile on my face, the first one all day, I turned and headed back toward my office. It no longer felt like a cage. It was just a room, and soon, I would be leaving it. I couldn’t wait to go ho.
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