Chapter 17
“That’s exactly it,” Maeve said as she walked into the kitchen right behind them.
Niko turned to her quickly. “Why do you say that?” he asked.
“Because I’ve been told all about you. You only date females that you don’t like, and hopefully don’t like you.
If they even ask you about yourself, you immediately shut them down and refuse to go out with them.
You’ve preached all your life about not wanting a mate.
No mate for you! No way, no how, nobody’s going to tie you down!
Sounds like Peter Pan syndrome to me. You’ll never grow up, never be responsible for anyone but yourself because then you’d have to put someone before your own wants. ”
Niko stood there, his expression morphing into one of anger. But not at her. When she finished speaking he only wanted to know one thing. “Who do I have to kill?”
“How should I know who’s on your elimination list this week. I would guess whoever you spent the night with last night, since they probably asked your name and all,” Maeve said.
“I didn’t spend the night with anyone last night!” he said indignantly. “I meant, who told you that? Who?”
“I don’t know. But his mate’s name is Kassidy. I like him. He’s honest, forthwith, and seems to care an enormous amount about her,” Maeve said. “You should spend more time with him, you might pick up a habit or two from him.”
“Vance. I gotta kill Vance,” Niko said.
“Who’s Vance?” Griffin asked as he walked into the kitchen. “What are you cooking, Mom?”
“Vance is the male that told your Momma a lot of lies about me.”
Griffin climbed up into one of the kitchen chairs and sat down. “I need to eat, because we gotta kill Vance, Mom.”
“You are not killing Vance. And you are not going anywhere with Niko,” Maeve said.
“Oh, come on!” both Griffin and Niko exclaimed.
Alison poured two cups of coffee and looked back Feral. “How do you take it?” she asked.
“Black,” he answered.
Alison put two splashes of milk into her cup, then took both cups, went over and sat down at the table.
Feral sat down beside her and she handed him a cup.
“Breakfast and entertainment,” she said to him, sipping as she watched Maeve and Niko.
Feral laughed.
“I, too, would appreciate some coffee. I’ve been up all night,” Niko said.
Maeve looked over at him, making it clear she heard him, then at Alison. “Is there anything in the fridge that you’d rather me not consider for breakfast?”
“Not at all. Have at it,” Alison said.
“Do you want Mr. I’ll-Be-Single-For-Life-Because-I’ll-Never-Grow-Up to have some of your coffee?” Maeve asked.
Alison tried to stifle a laugh, but ended up grinning. “We can share with him. He’s not all bad. Just a little misunderstood sometimes.”
“Thank you!” Niko said, shooting side eye at Maeve as he went toward the coffee pot.
He poured himself a cup, added a few spoons of sugar, then looked over at Griffin, who so far didn’t even have anything to drink.
He opened the fridge and took out a bottle of apple juice. “Juice, little man?” he asked.
Griffin grinned at him and nodded enthusiastically.
Niko sat down beside Griffin, handed him his juice, and watched as Maeve started cooking.
Maeve took eggs, green onion, spinach, cottage cheese, and bacon out of the refrigerator. Then she looked over at Alison. “Do you have any flour?”
“I do, in the pantry,” she said, pointing to a door on the opposite side of the kitchen.
“Thanks.” Maeve went to the pantry and came back with flour and a container of baking powder.
She put bacon in the air fryer and got it started, then quickly made a dough from some milk, flour, baking powder and a little salt, and kneaded it for several minutes before buttering the inside of a glass casserole dish she found on a shelf in the large walk in pantry.
She used a glass to roll it out into a rectangle, then lifted it and laid it in the bottom of the casserole dish.
Then she cracked a dozen eggs into a bowl, added chopped green onions, spinach, and cottage cheese along with some spices.
When the air fryer dinged, she took out the bacon slices and crumbled them into the egg mixture, then poured it onto the crust in the baking dish.
She topped it with some shredded cheese, then popped it in the oven and set the timer for twenty minutes.
She added more bacon to the air fryer, then poured herself a cup of coffee, added sugar and milk, then took a seat herself.
“I’m impressed,” Feral said to Maeve.
“Why?” she asked.
“You made your own crust for your quiche,” Feral said. “And in seconds.”
“I love to cook. I used to help Steve in the kitchen back at home.”
“I can’t wait to taste it,” Alison said. “It’s been so long since I was able to enjoy someone else’s cooking, except for Pride wide barbecues.”
“I hope it’s as good as you think it’s going to be,” she said with a smile.
“Why did somebody tell lies about you to my mom?” Griffin asked, looking directly at Niko.
Niko chewed the inside of his cheek for a few seconds before he looked right at Griffin.
“He didn’t. He told her the truth. I said some stupid things when I was growing up, and even after, and he told your mom that I said them and it made me look bad.
But he shouldn’t have told her those things. So I was angry.”
“Why’d you say stupid stuff? Moms always find out,” Griffin said.
“Yeah, seems that way,” Niko said.
“So, we’re not going to kill Vance?” Griffin asked.
“No, we’re not. But we’re going to talk to him all serious and stuff,” Niko said.
“I’ll help.”
Maeve glared at Niko.
“If I need your help, I’ll let you know,” Niko said nodding his head like they’d made a plan.
“Okay. ‘Cause we can get him if you want to,” Griffin said. “I can fight.”
Niko nodded encouragingly.
The air fryer went off, and Maeve got up to take the bacon out of it and checked on her quiche.
“So, do you know that they gave my room away?” Niko asked, looking right at Alison.
“Did they? I’m sorry, they must have needed it for the ladies and kids,” she said.
“And I get it, I really do, but where am I going to sleep now? Where am I going to keep my clothes?” he asked, looking at Alison all puppy-dog-eyed.
“Well, I’m sure somebody has a place for you,” Alison said.
“I doubt it, there are so many spread around to families that have extra room that I wouldn’t even ask anybody at this point.
And I’m glad we could do that,” Niko said.
“But with the Variant and all taking up more rooms at Jack’s, it’s even less possible anyone would have room for me anyway.
And I’m not complaining. I mean, friends, you know? But, now where do I stay?” he asked.
Alison, being as goodhearted as she was, took pity on him. “If you really have no other choice, you could stay here, but…”
“Nooooo!” both Feral and Maeve shouted at the same time.
Alison’s mouth fell open a little in shock as she looked back and forth between the two of them shouting at her.
“I am so sorry, love. I was shouting at him, not you,” Feral said. Then he focused on Niko. “If the problem is the Variant, we should be gone today and you’ll have your room back. You don’t need to spend a single night under Alison’s roof,” Feral snapped.
“Giving you access to Griffin at all times is not what I’d call a good idea,” Maeve said.
Alison looked at Feral, then at Maeve. “I can’t let him sleep outside. He’s a friend.”
“He’s not sleeping outside. He’s going to be sleeping back in his room after we leave today,” Feral said.
“You’re definitely leaving?” she asked, her voice going softer.
“It was talked about, but I haven’t gotten the call yet. I’m expecting it, though,” he said.
“Oh,” Alison said, nodding as she looked down into her coffee.
“I am not proud. I can sleep in a sleeping bag somewhere. I just like a roof and air-conditioning,” Niko said.
Alison sat beside Feral, her heart hurting a little after learning that he and his friends would be leaving soon. But then something Niko said filtered in to her brain. She looked up at him. “Wait, don’t you have a house on the mountain?”
Niko’s easy going smile fell as he looked at Alison. “I live at Jack’s.”
“I know, but don’t you have a family home here, too?” Alison asked.
“I did. I don’t anymore.”
“What happened to it?” Alison asked.
“It’s not in good shape. It’s not livable.”
“It was really nice if I remember right,” Alison said.
Niko sat quietly, looking at Alison, reminding himself that she didn’t have a mean bone in her body and wasn’t trying to insult him or wade into his personal business in any way.
She was honestly just trying to remember.
“I haven’t been there in years. I’m sure it’s not livable, and I’m not going there.
” It came out a little more harsh than he’d planned, so he smiled at her softly.
“It’s just not livable, but yeah, at one point a long time ago, it was nice. ”
Alison nodded, realizing she’d stepped on something that wasn’t comfortable to him.
“If you have nowhere else, you’re welcome here until your room is available again.”
“Thanks, Alison.” He looked up at everyone sitting around the table and noted the scowl both Maeve and Feral wore on hearing Alison invite him to stay if he needed to. “But I’ll probably just stay at the bar if it comes to that. Appreciate your offer, though.”
“The offer stands anyway,” Alison said. “You’re a friend, I’d never turn you away.”
Feral’s phone began buzzing, pulling his attention the phone case snapped on his belt. He grabbed it and quickly slid his finger across the screen, reading the message, then replacing it. “I have forty-five minutes then I have to be back at Jack’s house ready to go.”
“Let me check breakfast,” Maeve said, as she got up and opened the oven. “You’ll get to eat! Five or six more minutes and it’ll be ready.”
“Want to take a quick shower before you go?” Niko asked.
“Saying I stink?” Feral asked.