Chapter 18 #2
“I’m not,” Mica said. “But I really need to go order a camera for the refrigerator. Duncan gave me a great idea, and I also want to place a grocery order early so I don’t lose my chances of getting a cheesecake ordered.” Mica stopped in the doorway and waved at me. “See you soon, Duncan.”
He was gone after that. I smiled over at Clay, who looked confused. “Why is he putting a camera in the refrigerator?”
“Because when he said the same thing that you did about my drinks probably going missing, it triggered a memory that I had of coming across a reel of people putting phones in the fridge and wanting to steal someone’s cheesecake.
They see the ‘camera’ and then close the fridge.
Then they come back with like a pet or a baby and have them grab the cheesecake.
It’s all staged, obviously. But that seemed to give him the idea of putting something in the fridge.
I guess you have someone that’s taking things still. ”
Clay sighed. “I had hoped they would either stop or would have been removed from the payroll.”
“I can’t relate. The fridge at the restaurant never had that problem.
If you put your name on it, then everyone left it alone.
” I smiled while thinking about the people at Under the Sea restaurant.
It had been a steady job for several years, but now that I was away from that and the horror that was Sticky Floors, I saw things from a different perspective.
I was in survival mode, and the chances of me getting out of it were always going to be slim. Until Clay.
“Are you all right?”
I smiled at my mate. “I am. I was thinking about…well, life, I guess. Six months ago, I was in survival mode. I’d been there for years.
Since I turned eighteen. I’d gotten so used to having to struggle for every single thing, and for not having any help or support, that having that from you and your family is so new. ”
Clay pulled me into his arms and hugged me close. I loved being held by him. In his arms was my safe space and would always be. He kissed my hair and then rubbed my back. “Sweetie, can we chat?”
I moved back enough to look up at my mate. “That doesn’t sound like anything good. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing too serious. But I did want to give you an update about your former roommates.”
Immediately, I relaxed. “Oh. Okay. What’s happening with them? Mark was supposed to be moving in with his sister.”
Clay nodded. “Yes. I had Flint look into them, and Silver gave me the report this morning. Your other two and their friend were arrested a couple weeks ago.”
“Arrested? What for?”
“They were having another party. The cops were called, and there were drugs in the apartment. One of them assaulted one of the officers while resisting arrest. It’s really not good.”
I winced. “Wow.” I shook my head. “I swear, I never hung around when they had their parties. Most of the time, I was at work.”
Clay kissed my forehead. “I know. I wasn’t accusing you of anything. I simply wanted you to know what happened. You and Mark got out of there just in time, it seems. Neither of you were on the lease any longer, so it doesn’t look like you will be questioned. It’s possible, but doubtful.”
I would love to say that I was surprised, but I wasn’t. I hated the hassle of moving, and things hadn’t been too terrible until about a year ago. Something changed then, and they’d gone from okay roommates to roommates from hell.
“Thanks for letting me know. I wasn’t exactly besties with them, so I’m not exactly upset.”
Clay snorted. “I’m not surprised.”
“So what’s on the agenda for today?” I asked.
“Well, I have a meeting with a client at nine. They’ve been with us for years now. They want to upgrade their security on their property, so I’m going to go through that with them. We’ll go over details together, and then someone else will do the upgrades once the equipment comes in.”
I nodded. “That sounds… I’m sorry. That doesn’t exactly sound exciting.”
Clay laughed. And then kept laughing. He was still laughing when a familiar face poked his head in the office. I gasped. “Charlie!”
I tickled Clay’s ribs while he continued to laugh before I shook my head and went over to greet Charlie. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
“I’m not given an option anymore. Silver won’t let me out of his sight. I have five weeks left, but he won’t let me get too far. I came to bring you to his office, which he’s not using for the next hour, since Clay has a client that is here.”
I looked over at my mate. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Don’t be, sweetie. You’re welcome to stay here, but talking with Charlie is probably more interesting.”
It really was. “I’ll be in Silver’s office.”
“All right, sweetie. I’ll come get you when my meeting is finished. And you’re right. It’s not exactly exciting. But it’s stable, and it pays very well.”
I nodded. Clay kissed me, and then Charlie looped his arm through mine, and we left the office. “How are you doing?” I asked.
“Good. Ready to be done though.” Charlie sighed and placed his hand on his stomach. “These two have to be gorillas. There’s no way they’re this size and koala shifters.”
I smiled over at Charlie. I felt terrible for him.
He was much bigger than I was. He was a couple of inches taller, and his build wasn’t quite as skinny, but I absolutely would not say that Charlie was a large person.
And he was carrying twins. Of a giant. Silver was a few inches taller than Clay, but my mate was a bit stockier.
Absently, I placed a hand on my still basically flat stomach.
I might be having terrible morning sickness, but I was incredibly thankful that I was only having one baby, and a little red panda at that.
The thought of having twins terrified me.
“You know, I need to get you another set of gifts,” I said when we entered Silver’s office.
“What? Why?”
“Because when I got your gift for your baby shower, I didn’t know you were having twins.”
Charlie rolled his eyes before he carefully sat down.
Those last few inches, he simply fell, and then he sighed.
“You do not need to get me anything else. We have more stuff than either of them is going to ever wear. Let’s just say that Joyce has had a whole lot of fun buying all of the neutral twin things she can find.
Of course, I have stuff for both, but I’m seriously thinking I’m carrying boys.
There is just no way I’m this big and carrying a girl. ”
I sat beside him and smiled. “Sorry. If you need anything, let me know. I’ll do what I can.”
“Nope,” Charlie said. “We’re going to sit here in Silver’s office and binge-watch something on the TV.” Charlie picked up the remote and pointed it at the wall. I watched as the TV I hadn’t noticed turned on. “What do you want to watch?”
“I honestly don’t care. Until I mated with Clay, I didn’t really have a whole lot of time to watch anything.”
Charlie looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded. “All right. I know just the show. You like hockey, right?”
I shrugged. I didn’t dislike it. But as with every other aspect in my life, there wasn’t ever a whole lot of spare time for things. I got comfortable on the other side of the couch and settled in to watch whatever it was that Charlie had turned on.
Was this how I had envisioned my life? Nope.
I had absolutely zero complaints though.
I had a mate who loved me and I’d fallen completely in love with in return.
His family was amazing and welcoming. And I was finally learning what it felt like to not always be in panic mode.
It was…wonderful. And I couldn’t imagine not having Clay in my life.
He’d done so much more than I had ever expected, but I had learned that my expectations had been way too low.
I rubbed my stomach again. Not for her though.
She would grow up completely opposite to how I had.
And that was an amazing thought. My little girl would have all of the things I never had. She would have love.