Chapter Forty-SevenWes
Chapter Forty-Seven
Wes
S upressa sat at the top of the HighTower hotel, the same building the science dinner had been at. A posh, exclusive restaurant, it rotated, offering diners an incredible view of the city, as well as gourmet meals, superb decor, and a chance to see the city’s elite.
I was the first to arrive and went to the host station. “The reservation is under Brennan Morris.”
The host, wearing a black vest and bow tie, looked up the reservation and then gave me a once-over to make sure I met the dress code. “We need at least half of the party to seat. You’re welcome to sit at the bar and wait.”
“Sure.”
I went to the bar and ordered a whiskey sour, then let the group chat know that I was there as I checked everyone’s locations. The bar was crowded with people dressed in top fashion, glittering and laughing as the restaurant slowly spun, the walls nothing but windows, as the sun set over the city.
Twinkling lights decorated the ceiling, making it look like a sky full of stars.
There were trees, fountains, boxes of flowers, street signs, and murals that looked like buildings.
Even part of the floor looked like sidewalks and a road.
The live music was meant to transport everyone to a small, old-timey village somewhere in Europe.
“Hey.” Brennan, in one of his usual smart suits, joined me at the bar, then ordered a shot of top-shelf bourbon.
I nodded. “Hey. You alone?”
“Jett’s parking. Spence will be here soon. Evan went to get Grace and Ri.” He downed his drink and ordered another. “It’s been a shitty week.”
“Yeah.” I turned my glass in my hand.
“Are things going okay?” He looked a little uneasy.
When did things get tense between us?
“How the fuck do you handle two? ” I blurted.
For a moment he looked startled, then he laughed, a big belly laugh that caused a few other patrons to look at us.
“Two’s proving too much for you?” He continued laughing.
“I was thinking more like fairness. Evan tried to draw up a schedule, but it was pretty much him taking Grace to his cabin every weekend that he had off.” I took a sip of my drink.
Shit, I shouldn’t have mentioned Grace. I waited for Brennan to tense up, shut down, or punch me.
Brennan shook his head. “He keeps sending me pictures of fucking wedding venues.”
“You too? I keep getting things like cakes and flowers and buffet tables.” Fancy, fussy ones.
He took a sip of bourbon. “It’s not so much about turns or schedules or even fair.
It’s about making sure both of them get the love and care they need–which will look different for each of them.
Keep your insecurities in check and communication open.
We’re alphas, it’s our job.” His eyebrows rose.
“You know, our good friend Luc, the integration counselor, probably has all sorts of resources for you.”
“I’m sure he does. I’ll ask. Thanks,” I added, with only a hint of sarcasm, because it was a good idea.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t want to deal with the shit I’m going to have to now that she’s here. I didn’t even know that I still needed to.” He took another gulp of his drink.
“Me, too,” I agreed. “Evan was like Go to therapy with Grace, it’ll be good for you. So, I did, without realizing that it would highlight everything I need to work out for myself so that I don’t hurt her with it.”
My alpha insecurities about not being able to protect her were not for her to deal with.
Grace also desperately needed to talk to someone. But that brought up a whole distinct set of issues. Such as the fact that she was terrified that she’d say the wrong thing or reveal too much.
Brennan raised his glass. “Therapy for everyone.”
“Why does Evan send you venue pictures?” I took a sip of my drink.
“There’s a local property I’m considering buying. He thinks it’ll make a good event venue,” he replied.
“Would it? You don’t have one of those, do you?” The hotels he owned had events–like his wedding.
“Not one that’s not also a hotel. It’ll take some money to fix up.”
“You’ll figure it out. You’re a genius with this shit,” I told him. He’d still been at university when he’d won an old hotel in a card game and turned it into a luxury destination.
“Thanks.” He went quiet for a moment, sloshing the bourbon around in the glass. “Evan says he’s going to marry Grace there. Is he marrying you, too?”
I finished my drink and signaled for another. “Honestly, I’ll do whatever he wants. He can marry just her, us both, or all three of us. I’ll marry her, too. I don’t care, as long as it makes them happy. Grace and I had talked about a wedding when we were young. Would any of those impact the pack?”
Brennan thought for a moment. “Since you’re bonded to both of them, not really.
It’s an excuse to have a party. Well, there would be legal implications for Evan and Grace marrying each other, but they wouldn’t affect the pack overall, and would protect them.
You did formally register your bond with Grace, right? ”
I nodded. “Yep. That and getting a legal agreement with her were Katie’s first action items. I also got her on everything at work, added her to my accounts, all that.”
“Your accounts?” His eyebrows rose.
“My personal ones. She’s my mate, and doesn’t have a job, or money of her own.” I shrugged.
“She came here broke? ” He frowned.
I shot him a hard look. “She had a lot of education and no family support.”
Apparently, education was ridiculously expensive where she came from.
“Did you see her ribs when she first arrived? She barely had enough to eat, and that was with her job,” I added.
Now she didn’t look like a half-starved waif.
That haunted look was mostly out of her eyes.
She didn’t look at my arms like she couldn’t remember when she was last hugged.
But I did what I could so she wouldn’t be touch-starved anymore.
“Oh.” Brennan went quiet for a moment. “It’s inevitable, isn’t it? Her joining the pack. Not now, I mean, we’re not ready, and there’s still an investigation, and I haven’t even finished interviewing pack lawyers, but…”
There was a hint of panic in his voice. But he’d just mentioned her joining the pack. That was huge.
“Eventually, yes. Especially if Evan marries her.” I’d like to see her brought into the pack at some point, but right now I’d be happy with everyone accepting her presence.
“Who is Evan marrying?” Jett joined us. “Whiskey soda,” he told the bartender.
“Grace, apparently.” Brennan shrugged. “But we’ll still need to vote and talk it over–and we’re not there yet. ”
Jett snorted. “We get to vote on whether Evan can marry Grace? Or are we voting on wedding specifics? I think we should throw them out of an airplane.”
“Fuck.” I laughed, trying to imagine that.
“For what it’s worth, I sorta like her. Wes, what was that byplay between you and Spencer this morning?” Jett sipped his drink.
“Spencer keeps threatening to court her.” It was my turn to shrug.
Brennan froze.
“That’s going to be fun.” Jett chuckled. “Like I said, I sorta like her. She adds something to the house.”
Brennan shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
“She’s already Wes’ mate, and if he and Evan don’t care, why not? After all, Spencer is an adult. It’s been ages since he’s been interested in anyone. She’s a crap dancer, but catches on fast.” Jett shrugged.
Spencer lost his wife over a decade ago. It was understandable. The fact that he was interested in courting Grace meant a lot. He was a good guy, and he and Grace had enough in common to potentially build a strong relationship.
“I just don’t understand.” Brennan sighed as he toyed with his glass.
“What don’t you understand? Grace isn’t that mysterious,” I retorted, suppressing an eye-roll.
“In a way she is, but that’s what I like about her,” Spencer said, joining us.
A host followed. “I can show you to your table now. The rest of the party is nearly here?”
I checked my phone to see their location. “They’re parking.”
“We’re here for Grace’s birthday,” Jett told the host. “She is one of those people who doesn’t freak out if they sing, right?” He grinned at Brennan.
Brennan didn’t like being sung to at restaurants. Did they even sing and bring you cake at a place like this? The cake probably wasn’t free. This was even nicer than the usual restaurants our pack liked for special occasions.
“She’s okay with it. She likes chocolate cake.” I was glad Evan had asked her back when we were planning on taking her somewhere else.
The host seated us at a prime spot next to a window. It looked like a giant cafe table and had a lantern in the center. Strings of lights swooped over our heads. Brennan frowned, looking around the very busy restaurant–and the people watching him and Spencer.
“Do you have anything more… private?” Brennan asked the host as we sat down.
“For seven, on a Friday? No. Your server will be here soon.” With that, the host left.
Brennan put his head in his hands. “My mother probably asked for this table specifically. It’s as if she wants us to be photographed.”
“She’s still trying to make the case that Grace is loved and accepted and we’re a happy pack with our shit together,” Jett replied.
“I know.” He rubbed his forehead. “Spence, thanks for getting the girls dresses. While I love Ri’s sense of fashion, my mother won’t have that same appreciation.”
“It’s no problem. They chose lovely selections,” Spencer replied.
I frowned. “Grace never sent me pictures.”
“Did you specify that you wanted any? Perhaps she wants it to be a surprise. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.” Spencer’s eyes sparkled.
A server, dressed in the same black vest and bow tie, came and took our drink orders.
“Merlot,” Spencer ordered as the rest of us got ours refreshed. “I have a picture of Ri, but I didn’t get one of Grace.” He showed us a picture of Riley in a silver dress. “Grace’s dress is also silver, but fluffier.”
“Ri looks so grown up,” Jett said softly.
“She does,” I nodded, remembering how little she was when Evan and I were first dating. “Silver. Should Evan and I match her? I mean, Bren, Evan, and Jett match sometimes for these things. But I don’t want to ruin any plans you’ve made.”
“Perhaps we should all match,” Spencer suggested. “Considering the theme is All that Glitters and I’m pretty sure we all have silver vests and ties.”
“Evan, Jett, and I do,” Brennan nodded. “Good idea. I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”
“That works.” I didn’t have one, but it was easy enough to get.
“United front. Works for me,” Jett replied.
“Bren, I still have Riley’s pack ring in my safe. She should have it for the gala–and it would probably mean the most if you gave it to her,” Spencer said quietly.
Brennan played with his pack ring on his right pinky. “Okay, it’s time.”
“I know we’re not ready for Grace to join us, but Wes, you have some sort of ring for her to wear to stuff, right?
” Jett asked. “At the science dinner, I saw a lot of alphas looking her up and down and licking their lips when they didn’t see a visible bite or engagement or wedding ring, or a pack ring or tattoo, and she really doesn’t smell claimed until you’re right next to her.
But I bet Spencer could choose something better.
As I’ve said before, I think we need to get pack tattoos. ”
“I have something for her. I picked it up today from getting sized. It’s not flashy. She might like one of those for special occasions. This is more for every day. It was my grandmother’s.” I took it out of my jacket pocket.
Inside the velvet box sat an emerald-cut blue sapphire accented with diamonds in an antique white-gold setting. It wasn’t very large, but it was pretty.
“Very tasteful,” Spencer agreed, looking at it.
“Oh.” The server gasped as she brought our drinks. “Do you need help with something special? Perhaps you’d like to put it in a glass of champagne or on a slice of cake? This is for the birthday girl?”
“It is. I’ve got this, but thank you,” I told her, accepting a fresh drink. A ring in your cake? What if you accidentally ate it?
A moment later, Evan appeared, with Riley on one arm, Grace on the other. Riley wore a long black dress with a high slit and lots of sparkles, and chunky heels.
Grace…
If people hadn’t been staring at our table, they were now.
Evan was wearing what I always thought of as his dapper suit, when he wanted to look dashing–and he wore the green tie I’d gotten him.
Which matched the fancy green dress I’d bought for Grace.
She wore the peach blossom necklace Spencer had given her along with a sparkly hair clip I hadn’t seen, and a cute little wrap.
While Spencer and Grace had looked picture-perfect at the science dinner, tonight Evan and Grace were breathtaking.
We all stood. All four of us. Spencer pulled out a chair for Riley, Brennan got Evan’s chair, and I got Grace’s.
“You look beautiful.” I gave Grace a kiss. “Evan, you’re so handsome.”
“Ri, that dress. That’s the one from the mall, right?” Jett raised his glass.
“You’re fucking right it is. Don’t spill anything on it. It’s for the dance tomorrow. Fuck me. Look at that view.” Riley got out her phone and took a selfie with the city in the background, then one with the restaurant behind her.
The server came over to us. “Any drinks?”
“I’d like a bottle of cabernet, the older the better,” Riley stated.
“No.” Brennan shook his head.
“Fine, lime soda.” She huffed in annoyance.
“Highball,” Evan ordered.
The server looked at Grace. “Would you like our champagne list?”
“Whiskey smash,” Grace replied.
“Well, that fits,” Jett laughed as the server left. “We’re pretty much a whiskey and bourbon house. Except for Spencer and his merlot.”
Spencer frowned. “We have wine with dinner all the time.”
“I don’t mind wine, I just don’t know much about it. Look! It’s so beautiful,” Grace breathed as she looked out the window.
“Not as beautiful as you,” Evan teased, snagging her for a kiss.
Nothing was as beautiful as them.
The server came back with the drinks. “Let me tell you about today's specials so you can order.”