Chapter Seven
Abby followed Rhys and Moe into the diner and all conversation stopped. Abby felt her cheeks burning, but didn’t care. She had been well and truly claimed by her mountain of a mate and she was not ashamed.
“Back so soon?” Rebecca asked.
Abby wanted to throttle the little menace. “After the fifth orgasm I had to throw a flag, I mean look at these two. How is a girl supposed to keep up?” Abby said loudly, gesturing to Moe and Rhys, both of whom blushed. Moe started shaking his head.
“Damn, girl,” Rebecca said, grinning, holding up her hand for a high five. Abby, laughing, walked forward and slapped it before plopping down right beside her friend.
Rebecca took a minute to introduce those still in the diner. Abby had a feeling it would be a while before she remembered everyone’s names.
“Lucky bitch,” Rian said, grinning.
“Woof, woof,” Abby said, and winked.
“How much is that man packing? I mean seriously, he could have put out an eye if his zipper had popped.” Rebecca asked and Rian leaned forward to hear.
“Well…”
Kate and Sebastian leaned in as well.
“He…”
Moe wrapped a hand around her mouth.
“No way AbbyGirl.” He moved his hand and kissed her silly. He and Rhys sat at Rebecca’s table next to Abby.
Feeling blissful in her happy place she didn’t realize she was sitting there staring into space until she heard Rebecca’s giggles.
“Trust me, I know. Aleks almost put me in a coma the first time he kissed me.” Rebecca dipped a spoon into a jar of baby food and began feeding Aidhan.
“That was the mating bond starting.” Aleks kissed the side of Rebecca’s neck, causing her to squeal. Aidhan giggled at his momma.
“How come you weren’t at the wedding?” Kate asked from the table she had scooted next to Rebecca’s.
“You’ll have to ask mini menace here. She drops off the face of the earth for nearly a year then we get her psycho Christmas card. We were heartbroken that we weren’t invited.” Abby picked up a menu.
“I didn’t know y’all were shifters! Some inside info would have gone a long way.”
“Yeah right, you would have been chasing us down with a hypodermic wanting to test our blood. I had to bunk with your crazy ass. No way, no how, was I going to be looking over my shoulder for four years.” Abby shuddered.
“True. So, I guess you really are moving to Arkadia, huh?”
“Looks that way. Moe and Rhys are amazing, they have agreed to buying a house and we’ve only just mated.”
“See, now that’s what I’m talking about, a nice simple mating, that’s how it’s supposed to be. No mate walking away or crazy old men or viruses. Shifters have it so easy.” Rebecca shook her head.
“Not every shifter finds their mate, Rebecca,” Kate reminded her. Rebecca looked surprised.
“But everyone here has been, which is good, because I want everyone to be happy.” She made a face at Aidhan.
“That may be why everyone is finding a mate, and if that is true then we all owe you more than we initially realized,” the dark-haired man said, walking into the diner with a small blond on his arm.
All Abby could do was stare as the two men walked closer.
Power emanated from the dark-haired man, who kept a hand on the lower back of the smaller blond.
The gorgeous man was stunning, but it was the smaller one who held her attention.
He was exquisite in his beauty, and the child he held was no less ethereal.
“God I wish I could paint! I feel like he’s wasted on ordinary people and scientists.” Abby stared.
The blond looked at her, shock on his face. “You must know, Rebecca. She said something similar when we met.” He walked over and took the table to the right of them.
“Gabriel, Ashby, this is Abby, my best friend from college, she just mated with Rhys and Moe!” Rebecca shared excitedly.
“He’s just so damn pretty. Hey, can I take your picture?” Abby asked, digging for her phone.
Ashby looked at her as if trying to determine if she was serious. “I guess so.”
“Awesome!” Abby jumped up and took a couple pictures with her phone.
“Camille is going to be so jealous. Ha! That’s what you get for stealing my Halloween costume idea last year, heifer!” Abby texted Ashby’s picture to their diva of a best friend.
“What did you guys go as last year?” Rebecca asked.
“Cult 80s movie characters. I wanted to be Sarah from Labyrinth and she totally stole my idea. I had to go as Lili from Legend.” Abby grinned as her phone vibrated.
Who is that and is he single?
Nope, he’s mated to Prince Gabriel, whom I am having lunch with right now.
“You are totally torturing her right now, aren’t you?” Rebecca peered down at her phone.
“Yup. You would consider this having lunch with Prince Gabriel right? Yeah, I thought so too. Okay Rhys, Moe, smile.” Abby held up her phone. Her men both gave her bone-melting, sexy-as-hell smiles. She sighed.
“God you two are so damn sexy!” Abby texted both pictures to Camille.
“Kate and I voted and Moe won most fuckable male in Arkadia,” Rebecca volunteered.
Abby nodded. “I can totally see that.” Her phone vibrated again.
Seriously, where are you?? Hot men are everywhere. Please tell me they are single and want a lioness.
Nope, I’m in Arkadia and those two visions of sex and sin are my mates, paws off, biatch!
Laughing, she put her phone down on the table.
“So what’s good here?”
“Connor’s chili is always a good choice, but he’s out with his mate Madison today picking up Giddey, her personal assistant. I’ve been dying to meet him, he sounds over-the-top fabulous. Ma made peppers and sausage sandwiches today. I hurt myself eating two.” Rebecca wiped Aidhan’s chin.
“If you could eat two, then I’ll need three. But maybe I should have just one.” Abby’s mouth watered she as mentally listed the reasons why she needed to lose weight, two reasons being the perfect male specimens at the table with her.
“You’re not on another diet are you? I keep telling you that you’re gorgeous. I’d die to have your boobs.” Rebecca sighed.
Aleks rumbled that he liked her the way she was and nuzzled her neck. Rebecca sighed happily.
“I don’t like the idea of you not eating. Ma, three sandwiches for Abby please.” Moe was scowling at the idea of her skipping meals.
Abby felt her heart swell. No previous boyfriend had ever encouraged her to eat. If anything they monitored and criticized every bite.
“Save room for dessert,” Rhys whispered in her ear, causing shivers to race down her back.
Ma smiled warmly at them. “Any friend of Rebecca’s is more than welcome here. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself before Moe came in earlier. I’ll get your sandwiches started. Boys?” Ma asked from behind the counter.
“Five sandwiches for me Ma,” Moe said.
“I’ll try one.” Rhys smiled at Abby.
“That’s Ma, Aleks’s mother. She runs the diner,” Rebecca explained.
“Thanks, Ma.” Abby waved at the older woman who smiled back.
She looked down when her phone vibrated again.
Be visiting soon! Don’t hog all the hot men. Xoxox C
“Camille said she’s visiting soon.” Abby put her phone on the table.
“Yay! I haven’t seen her since…” Rebecca’s voice trailed off and Abby leaned over to wrap an arm around Rebecca.
“What is it, Becca?” Aleks asked, placing a concerned hand on her leg.
“She hasn’t seen any of us since her father died. It was the last time the five of us were together,” Abby said softly.
Rebecca wiped a stray tear with one of Aidhan’s bibs.
“He’ll never meet Aidhan or Aleks. I wonder why I’m thinking of that now?” Rebecca took a deep breath and stuck her tongue out at her Aidhan, whose bottom lip had started to tremble.
“The ones that leave before us are never truly gone, they are further ahead on the trail watching over us as we catch up,” Rhys said.
Abby looked over to see that Moe had casually wrapped his large arm around Rhys.
She felt the tiniest moment of insecurity.
They had been together longer and Moe had been there for him through his darkest moments.
She wondered if they had room for her. Moe must have caught a look on her face because his smile turned to a frown.
Determined to ignore how she was feeling, she turned to face Rebecca smiling brightly. “Rhys is right. There’s no way ole Mr. Morgan would want you feeling down either, missy!” Abby grabbed Rebecca’s nose and wouldn’t let go.
“Ow, Abby, okay, okay let go already.” Rebecca turned her head this way and that, laughing, which set off the babies.
Abby released Rebecca’s nose and looked around. Damn, there were a lot of kids around. She looked at Kate’s table and felt her eyes bug a little. Did she have four?
Ma chuckled at the look on her face and put food down on the table.
Immediately Moe dug in. Rhys started small with a french fry.
“You’ve never been around a lot of children have you?” Kate asked taking in her expression.
“I mean, like, one or two here and there. But you have the start of a basketball team.” Abby had to admit they were all freaking adorable.
“You should see Rhys, he is an absolute wonder with children.” Kate smiled at her mate.
“Yeah, when you come up preggers I have a feeling you are going to be spoiled by those two.” Rebecca stole a fry off of Abby’s plate.
Moe began to choke. Abby wasn’t too concerned until she saw how red his face was getting.
“Rhys!” Rhys looked over and whacked Moe hard on the back. A piece of french fry flew across the table. Breathing hard, Moe stared at Abby as if she had two heads.
Wonderful. I’m not even pregnant yet and he’s choking on food. Thank god I have Rhys.
She looked at Rhys, who had gone so pale she was tempted to check under the table for a femoral cut and blood loss.
“Guys, I’m not pregnant. Relax.” Abby shook her head and grabbed a french fry. Stupid men.
“It only takes once,” Rebecca sang, waving her fork about.
“No way tater tot, you’re just saying that because misery loves company.” Abby smiled at her mates and continued.