Chapter 18Jules
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
JULES
For the last three days Gavin and I have spent a lot of time in bed together. Not just having sex, but talking—about everything and nothing. I know a lot more about him now than I did when we mated, and knowing him better makes me all the more glad we mated, accidentally or not.
We made time for Thane too—eating breakfast and dinner together, planning what his next steps are, hanging out in the backyard while he hopped around and let his shifter genetics do their job. His split lip is nearly healed and the bruising on his face and ribcage is just about all gone.
Today, Gavin’s boys and Silo are joining us for breakfast. Usually everyone gathers at the diner, but because of everything that’s happened Strange Brew has been closed for the last few days. Some time off never hurt anyone. Monday, Gavin plans to be back at work. Today, he’s a one man show in the kitchen as I sit on the counter and watch him work.
It’s not long before the front door slams open and four overexcited boys pour into the kitchen. It feels like forever since I saw Baz, Altair and Callum. I’m actually happy they’re here because... truthfully, I missed them. I know Gavin did as well. He’s probably not used to not having them always underfoot.
“Daddy!” Callum screams, high pitched and unnecessarily loud this early in the morning. I look at Gavin but Callum throws his arms around me instead. I suck in a sharp breath and stiffen in his hold. He doesn’t seem to notice. “We missed you so much.”
Never mind. Maybe I didn’t miss them all that much.
“I’m only available to babysit on Tuesdays.” Baz rests his shoulder on the doorjamb with a smirk playing on his mouth. “Just saying it now.”
I’m not surprised they know Gavin and I are mated—Altair walked face first into my heat as he fled the house, and Gavin did text them the news. But no baby has been confirmed yet. It’s still way too early to tell one way or the other.
“There is . . . We don’t . . .” I glance at Gavin for help.
A smirk is still teasing the edge of Baz’s mouth as he looks from his father to me. “You know, it’s a little weird if you don’t know how babies are made at your age, Dad.” I glare at him and his brothers, because Altair and Callum are doing a horrible job of smothering their laughter with their hands. Gavin warned me his kids were going to say something. He even said it was going to be Baz. “Mom can explain it when she gets here.”
What? Did he just say?—
“You called your mother? What kind of snitch-ass shit is that?” Gavin flips one pancake out of the pan and adds another, all while glaring at Baz, who looks pleased with himself.
Did he really call his mom? Why?
“You don’t want to show off your younger, hotter model?” For one moment I thought Altair, despite his laughter, would be the one to side with Gavin and me—play the role of good son and earn some extra brownie points—but no. Clearly he’s with his brothers this time.
Gavin points a spatula at the trio. “All of you are still young enough to be grounded.”
“I didn’t do anything.” Altair holds his hands up and takes a step back. I’m not sure Gavin actually can ground him at nineteen but it appears to be a valid threat. “ They’re calling him Dad.”
“For the record, I didn’t miss any of you.” Gavin says, but he’s grinning as he turns back to the stove to finish breakfast. We all know he missed them. He’s a good father who loves his children, even if sometimes they can be a handful.
“When’s the wedding? I’m your best man, right? Because I’m obviously your favorite.”
Baz and Altair both scoff at Callum. I shake my head.
Altair wraps an arm around Callum’s neck, drags him down with a little effort, and digs his knuckles into his hair. “You’re definitely not the best man.”
Callum laughs, shoves Altair away and flips him off before he runs his fingers through his hair, settling the wild strands. “It won’t be you either.”
First they’re talking about babies, now weddings. Gavin and I are already mated; that can’t be undone. Do we even need a wedding? The mark between my neck and shoulder is more permanent than a wedding ring. It can’t be removed on a whim and tells the world that I belong with Gavin, and that he belongs with me.
“If there is a wedding, Thane is my best man. I like him way better than you three.”
Thane is out back with a cup of coffee, enjoying the last bit of silence he’s going to have all day since we’re all helping him and Silo move into the rooms above Strange Brew after breakfast.
“I’ll allow it,” Altair says after a moment. “Baz can be your flower girl.”
Baz snorts. “Joke’s on you because I’d kill in a dress.”
Callum thrusts his hand into the air. “I wanna wear a dress!”
“I’m going to find Dad while you decide on colors.” Silo stands on his tiptoes and drops a kiss on Callum’s cheek. “I vote any shade of blue.”
“I can do blue,” Callum says before Silo slips out of the kitchen.
Gavin rolls his eyes as he finishes with the pancakes and starts cracking eggs into the pan. “When is Iolani supposed to be here? I can’t wait for her to get all three of you by the ear when I tell her how horrible you’ve been.”
The boys all groan. Gavin told me a little about Iolani last night. She sounds like a nice woman but I’m not sure I’m ready to meet her. Not only is she Gavin’s ex-wife, she’s also still someone he considers a best friend. What if she doesn’t like me?
“Probably a couple weeks. She’s enjoying some time with uh... a friend. They might come home with her.” Baz doesn’t look entirely comfortable with the idea of his mom dating, or meeting her current partner, but I’m sitting right here and he was just teasing his father about being mated. Is there really that much of a difference?
“You’ll all be nice to whoever your mother brings or I’ll let my disappointment be known,” Gavin says, a note of steel in his voice. All three of his sons hunch in on themselves. I sympathize. Gavin’s disappointment would be worse than his anger.
“We’ll be nice.” Callum is the one most likely to be rude.
Baz shrugs. “I won’t be unduly disrespectful.” What does that even mean?
“I’m only a dick to dicks,” Altair says as Baz drops an arm around him. The difference in their size is almost comical when they stand side by side, but neither seems to notice.
Baz scratches his jaw with his free hand as his gaze flickers around the room. “I think she’s in a uh... same pair relationship. You know... with another omega. I mean, she didn’t outright say it but?—”
It’s rare, rarer than cross-species predator and prey relationships like mine and Gavin’s, but they happen. There are alphas and omegas who prefer other omegas, or other alphas. Some that even prefer betas. I can’t imagine it’s an easy relationship for either pairing, but more so for omegas who are already so restricted by laws and society. There are benefits to having an alpha around.
“More reason not to be an asshole.” Gavin finishes the eggs and plates them.
“I said what I said.” Altair crosses his arms over his chest. “Omegas can be dicks too.”
“I’m well aware.” Gavin looks at him with an arched brow.
Altair huffs and pushes away from Baz, grabbing the plate of pancakes off the counter. “I’m a special case. Alpha in the streets. Omega in the sheets.”
Baz and Callum double over, howling as they hold their sides. Altair shoves Callum, who slams into the counter but keeps right on laughing, and kicks Baz in the leg. I cover my mouth to smother my own laughter but my shoulders still shake. Gavin is doing his best to swallow his.
“I’m getting a new family.” Altair storms towards the dining room.
“You’d make a cute dad. Who’s the father?” Baz teases as he follows.
“Gross.” Altair’s voice carries into the kitchen. “Just say no to kids.”
“What’s wrong with kids?” Baz almost sounds offended. Maybe he has high hopes of being an uncle one day. “They’re cute.”
“When you can give them back,” Altair says. Gavin ignores his children as he pulls plates out of the cabinet. I hop down from the counter to help him as Altair comes back into the kitchen.
“If you ever have kids, I hope the only thing they get from you is your looks.” Baz pulls juice and water from the fridge. “Otherwise Pine Glen is doomed.”
Altair snatches the plate of eggs and sausage off the counter. “I am fucking adorable.”
I follow the pair out of the kitchen so I can drop the plates off. Honestly, I love that Altair is so bold and confident. Not many omegas are so cocksure, but he is and it suits him.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to get Thane and Silo before I choke on your ego.” Baz drops a kiss on Altair’s head; Callum looks uncomfortable as he looks away from his older brothers, as if he knows something the rest of us don’t. Whatever that secret may be, he keeps it to himself as he follows Baz down the hallway.
Altair watches the pair of them before his gaze swings to me. “You and Father got the rest?”
I nod. “We’re good.”
He follows his brothers and I slip back into the kitchen. Gavin is stacking cups and counting out utensils as I stop at his side. He glanced at me and grins. “What?”
He cups my jaw and pulls on my bottom lip. “That suits you, sweetheart.”
It takes me a minute to understand what he means. I pull him down and leave a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you. I’m happy here.”
I like Gavin—maybe even more than like—and I like his boys too. They’re good kids.
He cups the back of my head and pecks me on the mouth once, twice and a third time before he rests his forehead against mine. His eyes are bright and the smile he’s wearing is the one he most often saves for just me. “You deserve to be happy and I’m happy you are.”
I wrap my arms around him and lean into his chest. Gavin holds me close, his heart a strong and steady beat under my ear as the morning sun streaks across the kitchen floor.
If I could live in a single moment forever, this is the one I’d choose.