Epilogue
Iwoke in Sebastian’s apartment to the sounds and smells of cooking, made more apparent since the bedroom door was slightly ajar. Ringo must have already gone out there since I didn’t see him anywhere.
I stretched my arms over my head, yawned lazily, then took my sweet ass time strolling to the bathroom to get dressed in a soft gray pajama set. While normally I might wait to brush my teeth until after coffee, being a true romantic had made me a little more aware of my morning breath.
When I was ready I went out to the kitchen, expecting Sebastian, but finding a tall elf and an even taller goblin fighting for space in the small kitchen.
Crispin had a spatula in hand, and was prodding at the most massive pan of scrambled eggs I had ever seen. Gabriel was on pancake duty, but managed to step away long enough to pour a cup of coffee, which he handed to me without a word.
I stared at both of them, steam now wafting around my face. Ringo waited on the counter, his eyes glued to the growing pile of pancakes beside Gabriel‘s station.
“Not that I’m complaining, but I think Sebastian was planning on providing breakfast.” While we didn’t quite have a schedule, we did have certain patterns we had fallen into. And sometimes that involved breakfast with just one guy.
Gabriel tossed another pancake onto the pile, not speaking.
But of course Crispin couldn’t help himself.
He lifted the big pan like it weighed nothing, moving the eggs to a large ceramic bowl.
“He is surely out in the city doing just that, finding something fancy and entirely not to your taste. We figured there would be plenty of time to slip in and feed you properly.”
Shaking my head, I sat down at the kitchen island and Ringo hopped over to me. I wouldn’t burst their bubble and admit that I loved the fancy food Sebastian liked to feed me. Because I loved pancakes and eggs just as much.
My watch buzzed and I looked down at a text, wincing when I saw it was from Dawn. I still hadn’t managed to find the time to go console her about her crush departing to the elven realm.
Feeling dread, I opened the message.
Eva! Wonderful news. Rian has invited me to visit the elven realm with him and King Francis is going to allow it. I’ll need you to water my houseplants while I’m away. No arguing. You owe me.
I chuckled. I wasn’t sure I really owed her anything, but I could water some plants. Better yet, I’d just bring them to Sebastian’s apartment. It could use a little greenery.
Crispin pulled a sheet pan of bacon out of the oven just as Sebastian appeared, already glowering. He had a to go cup in one hand, and a large brown paper bag in the other. My mouth started watering immediately at the thought of what might be in the bag.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Did you invite them?“
I lifted my hands from my coffee cup, holding them palms out. “Hey, I just woke up.”
Still glowering, Sebastian deftly swiped up the coffee Gabriel had poured, then placed the to go cup in front of me. “Your favorite,” he said pointedly, aiming a glare over his shoulder at the other guys.
Before I got a chance to see what was in the paper bag, we all turned at the sound of footsteps on the stairs.
Mistral appeared first, seeming perfectly natural in his rustic linen shirt and pants, even in the city setting. There was yet another bag of food in his hand, and another to go coffee in the other.
His brows lifted at the scene before him.
“Oh not you too,“ Sebastian tsked, leaving his brown paper bag on the counter before storming into the bedroom.
Ringo hopped closer to the bag, sniffing it.
Mistral stepped aside and turned partially at the sound of more footsteps before Braxton and Elena crested the stairs.
Fortunately, they held no food bags.
Elena was quick to snag the stool beside mine, doing a full spin on the seat before settling in with her elbows on the counter and looking at me.
“We thought we might snag you for a late breakfast, but it seems we were beaten to the punch.“ She looked at the huge breakfast Crispin and Gabriel had cooked, then at Sebastian’s bag, then at Mistral’s as he also set it on the counter.
Next, Mistral placed the coffee he brought in front of me, then pushed Sebastian’s toward Elena.
“Well at least I’ll never be worried about you starving.” Braxton clapped me on the back.
I looked over my shoulder at him, increasingly very glad that I had chosen to get dressed in a proper lounge set before coming out of the bedroom. “Don’t think this means that you’re getting out of grocery shopping. It’s your week.”
“Yeah, I know you love my gourmet sandwiches the best.”
I smiled, because we were more than due for a hangout night.
I was busy a lot of the time with the guys, and Braxton had been spending more time with his pack lately.
But still for now, we had decided to keep our apartment together.
Enough had changed for me in the past year, and my apartment with Braxton was a comfort.
“So what are we all doing for your birthday?” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
“Braxton!” I hissed.
“I couldn’t believe when he told me!“ Elena was already saying, oblivious to the three guys staring blankly at us. At the news, Sebastian even came out of the bedroom.
I pulled the nearest coffee toward me. “Now don’t look at me like that,” I said to the room at large.
Ringo, who had gotten into Sebastian’s bag, pulled out a fancy looking chocolate filled croissant. Though they were his favorite, he relinquished it to me. “Happy birthday, Eva.”
“How exciting,” Crispin said, sliding a plate of food in front of me. “Now that we know, we’ll be able to plan properly for all the future years.”
“Hey,” I grumbled. “I only have so many of those left.” Celestials were one of the most long-lived races around, but I was half human.
Crispin rolled his eyes like I was being incredibly silly. “Eva, all of our magic flows through you. I think it unlikely you’ll perish before any of us.”
My eyes bulged. This was something I had not yet considered.
“Ye-ah,” Braxton said, “I give it one year, two years tops before some of you kill each other and this whole thing goes up in smoke.”
Elena, Braxton, and Crispin started taking bets while I looked down at my coffee.
Mistral came up behind me opposite Braxton, then leaned forward to brush a kiss across my cheek. “Happy birthday, dear Eva. Let us not worry about the future. What would you like to do today?"
Even with Braxton and Elena present, I couldn’t help but look at each of the guys and say, “I can think of a few things."