His

You Tried, You Failed, You Tried, You Failed... Try. Again.

"We could do a color scheme, or a theme?" I suggested.

Sadie peered at the different swatches before her on the coffee table and hummed. "I liiiiiiiike... these ones," she said, pointing to a pair of gold and black velvet squares. "I kind of want a Gatsby theme," she explained. She looked up and lifted her hands out like she was trying to grasp for something. "It's just so decadent, ya know?"

I smiled, "it really is. I thought about having a wedding like that awhile ago."

Her eyes lightened with mischief and I instantly regretted my words. Sadie scooted closer to me on the couch and grinned.

"Ya know, you still could. I mean-"

I held up a hand, "okay, okay, we're planning your birthday here. Arguably the most important one besides your hundredth. So let's focus."

She just pursed her lips, giving off a pout, before picking up another magazine and flipping through it. Sadie was turning sixteen in two weeks time and her brother had promised her the party of the century. Anything she wanted short of the Hope Diamond was at her disposal. It reminded me of the birthday party my father threw for my brother and I every year. We were born only a week apart and so the decision was made to combine our birthdays when I was three. It was a grand affair every year on May 15th, the day directly between our respective birthdates. An all day event marked with a massive breakfast prepared by my mother and тетки (aunties), just for the family. The day would carry on with games and presents and as much pastila as could be eaten. The night would end with a beautiful dance attended by the entire pack. My favorite part of it all was when my parents would bring my brother and I out onto the balcony of my father's study. The view overlooked the town that made up the majority of our pack land. My mother would bring out a cake and our parents would sing happy birthday to us in Russian. The last birthday I had with them was best memory I had.

"Do you think we'd be able to find a store with dresses for the theme or do you think we'll have to order online?"

I was snapped out of my reminiscing and shook my head no. "I know a store we can order from. They specialize in vintage stuff. We're all good."

Sadie beamed and gathered up the magazines from the coffee table.

"Perfect. Text me the site," she called, leaving the living room.

I leaned back against the couch. "Except I don't have a phone," I grumbled.

I had refrained from asking Lochlan for a new one, my old one was destroyed when I agreed to go with him, because I assumed he'd say no. Months having passed, I decided I could risk asking. Lochlan was at the Hall per usual and I did my best to navigate the monstrosity that building was. I had never actually visited him at work before so I was oddly nervous to knock on the office door. My hands came together and I cracked a knuckle. Then, I remembered when Lochlan admitted that he knew everytime I was going to ask for something because I cracked my knuckles just before. I dropped my hands and knocked once.

"Come in, Evangeline," he called.

I opened the door and Lochlan lifted his head from his computer. I looked at him in question.

"I could smell you. That's how I knew."

Nodding, I squeezed my hands together. His eyes traveled from mine to my hands and then back again. The muscles in his jaw contracted.

"I haven't learned all your mannerisms yet. But, I think that's either a new one I have not seen or an attempt to hide one I'm already familiar with."

I gnawed on my bottom lip and Lochlan's gaze stopped on my mouth. His eyes darkened a shade.