Chapter 34 #2
Sperm Donor: Are you available for lunch today?
Me: No. Just say what you want.
Sperm Donor: I saw the photos. His interest was obvious. I could clear the air with Mr. Steele about the data leak. Being on good terms with his future father-in-law will help move your relationship along.
I glared at the message before exhaling calmly and turning.
Seeing Konni right there startled me enough to squeak and swat his arm.
He didn’t even smile, though.
“Are you going to tell him to fuck off?” he asked.
“No. I’d rather show him and everyone else that our relationship is progressing just fine. Hope you’re ready to lose gracefully at lawn darts.”
The rest of the morning and afternoon passed in laughter and good food, none of it staged for Kaya’s pictures or videos. Konni’s grandparents were a riot. Becky teased Palmen mercilessly, and I might have felt bad for him if I hadn’t caught the heated looks he returned.
The pair disappeared a few hours before dinner “to rest,” which proved Miranda had been right about shifter mates. The spark didn’t fade.
After dinner, Becky brought out her sizable collection of gemstone jewelry and invited me to choose. I was torn between the need to admire it all and escape.
I didn’t want to take her things, but I definitely wanted to drool over them. However, I doubted I could do that without inheriting a piece or two.
Thankfully, Konni caught my look and stole me away for the rest of the night.
Becky and Palmen’s presence didn’t change our morning routine. It did add to the liveliness at the breakfast table, though, and I began to see that Kaya hadn’t been exaggerating about how quiet the house had felt without everyone there.
The four of them saw us off to work with a treat, courtesy of Palmen.
Konni caught my glance at the small pastry box.
“The guy Grandma was going to marry was a baker. She loved his pastries. So Grandpa learned how to make more impressive ones to win her over.”
“That’s so sweet,” I said. “And he made them for us?”
“He wants to give you a welcome gift, too, but he could smell how uncomfortable you were. He thought this might be more appreciated, for now.”
I studied Konni’s profile while thinking of his family’s unconditional love and support.
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Drokonnen Luka Steele.”
He glanced at me, and I saw the heat enter his gaze.
“No pulling over, or I’ll take back what I said.”
He chuckled and drove us to work.
“Looked like you had fun this weekend,” Bomir said when we went to make coffee together.
He nodded to my phone, and I took a moment to check Kaya’s latest social updates. The video of me trying to distract Konni while playing lawn darts had the most comments. They loved our interaction, and the majority were cheering for the growing bond they perceived.
The tide was turning, but that didn’t mean I could relax. After delivering Konni’s coffee, I got to work.
The hours in the day disappeared almost as fast as my pastry had as I reviewed projects, fielded project manager questions, and gave Konni the attention he needed.
Before I knew it, Konni was at my desk, waiting for me to shut down.
Once we were in the car, I sighed.
“Tired?” Konni asked.
“A little, but in a good way. Two more Lianna-approved projects went to clients with in-budget enhancements.” I turned to him.
“She annoys me and was a terrible boss, but I’m not so petty that I can’t admit she worked hard.
I just don’t understand why she didn’t delegate to her people like you do.
Did she think that would make her more indispensable to you? ”
“Does it matter? She’s gone, and work goes on.”
“Good answer.”
Mom called just then. I answered on speaker.
“Hey, Baby,” she said.
“What happened?”
She chuckled. “Nothing bad. Konni’s dad is home, and since he and Kaya are reacquainting, Becky and Palmen suggested we go out for dinner. We’re heading to the pizza place next to our old house so we can do a drive-by. Are you and Konni interested in joining us?”
“Yep,” I said. “See you in thirty.”
After disconnecting, I glanced at Konni. “How long was your dad gone?”
“Almost two months, and it was killing him.”
“Why was he gone so long?”
The way he side-eyed me made me a little nervous.
“Mom likes the intensity of their reunion.”
Was it weird knowing that level of detail about Konni’s parents? Not really. I thought it was kind of sweet. Plus, I’d witnessed Wrenly’s relationship with Bennett and knew how open shifters were with their affection when it came to their mates.
Mom, Becky, and Palmen were waiting for us when we arrived at the restaurant. They empathized with us about the fire and tried talking Mom into accepting a villa in France as compensation.
“We would offer you something in town here, but Kaya would never speak to me again if you moved out,” Palmen said.
“Allowing us to live in your home is the best welcome gift we could ask for,” Mom said diplomatically.
Becky wisely shifted the conversation.
“Word of our return spread quickly, thanks to Kaya’s pictures,” she said. “And I’ve accepted a few invitations on everyone’s behalf. Nothing formal or too big. I still remember how intimidating it was to be in a room full of dragons, thinking I was the only human.”
“These are dragon social gatherings, then?” I asked.
“Yes and no. Dragon family gatherings. Most dragon pairings involve another species, typically human. And, since dragons tend to live in multi-generational homes, it’s very common to bring in-laws that are also human. You and your mother will fit in perfectly.
“Speaking of fitting in,” Becky said, looking at Mom, “how did your luncheon go? I wasn’t able to ask Kaya before Balak stole her.”
“We might have a lead. The woman we met remembered her husband talking about an offer to quietly blacklist someone from their company. She was going to ask him who had contacted him tonight. Hopefully, we’ll have a name soon.”
“Does that mean we should send out the invitations for the welcome party?” Becky asked.
“Not until we hear something definitive,” I said quickly. The longer we waited, the better the odds that people would have plans that day.
“A few more days shouldn’t matter,” Mom said, likely guessing my intent. “Plus, I know how excited Kaya is to send them out. She should be here for that decision.”
Becky sighed and agreed.
Then she and Palmen took turns telling us about the dragon families we would be meeting.
Tuesday, tomorrow, was dinner at Seventeen Twenty-One in the Steele family’s room with a close friend of theirs.
Wednesday’s dinner at a downtown hotel was with a different family.
Thursday’s dinner included the Stonestocks, and the way Becky glanced at me said she’d cancel that one if I wanted.
“The world is filled with people who will rub us the wrong way,” I said. “If we tried to hide from them all, we’d miss out on living.”
Becky applauded my resilience and added that she’d also accepted an invitation to a formal gathering on Saturday that would require a new dress.
“That’s a hardship I’ll willingly endure.”
“Good. I already made an appointment for you at a boutique for Friday,” Becky said.
The only day they hadn’t scheduled anything.
“That’s the day Mom’s cast comes off,” I said.
“Don’t worry. She’ll have company,” Becky said. “You need to look the part for Saturday so Kaya can send out those invitations soon.”
Having dinner plans wasn’t the end of the world. At least, that was what I told myself when I started feeling nervous at the end of the day on Tuesday.
“Everything alright?” Edi asked.
Realizing I’d been annoyingly tapping my pen on my desk, I swiveled in my chair to face him.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was being obnoxious.”
“You weren’t. Is something wrong?”
Konni walked out of his office then, and I wrinkled my nose at him.
“We don’t have to go,” he said.
“Will going facilitate reaching our goal or hinder it?”
He remained silent.
“Exactly. So we’ll go.”
“Do you want ice cream on the way home?”
“Yes.”
The Snack Pack chuckled as I picked up my purse.
Leaving work together was slowly feeling more accepted. Fewer people stared, although some haters—mostly people associated with Lianna in some way—still lingered.
“How long do you think they’ll stay once they realize she’s not coming back?” I asked on the way down.
“Who?”
“Lianna’s supporters.”
“I think until things are officially announced.”
The way his gaze heated told me how much he was looking forward to that announcement.
He hated that I still wanted public distance. He didn’t want any distance at all. If he had his way, I’d work all day sitting on his lap.
Which was why, when we reached the restaurant, he tried to take my hand. I shot him a warning glance. I was in the news enough as it was.
“Behave,” I said softly as we walked inside.
“This dinner is cutting into our evening routine.”
I snorted and followed him up to the second floor.
The hostess walked us to their room and opened the door. I never asked how many people would be there, so I was a little surprised to see an older woman and two men close to Konni’s dad’s age at the table.
“‘Bout time you got here, Drake. I’m starving,” the older woman said before squinting at me. “Who is that? What happened to Lianna?”
“Matty, this is Sophia Elmantas,” Becky said quickly. “Mrs. Elmantas’s daughter, who works with our Drake.”
The look the woman gave me wasn’t exactly rude. More like disappointed.
“This isn’t a work dinner, Drake. It’s a social dinner. What is with you men? Work is not more important than finding a mate.” She scowled at the two men next to her.
“Janner. Pantrek,” Konni said with a nod at them as he held out a chair for me.
“Are you any closer to winning Lianna over?” Matty asked.
Konni sat next to me and tried to take my hand under the table. I batted away his attempt.
“Lianna isn’t Drake’s mate, Matty,” Becky said.
Matty’s gaze sharpened with excitement. “That’s a shame. Would have been convenient. No matter. Let me know when you’re available, Drake, and I’ll introduce you to another female. She should be coming into her heat soon, so it’s good timing.”
Kaya’s worried gaze met mine. I gave her a small, reassuring smile. Matty wasn’t offending me. The way she was making Konni squirm was entertaining.
“Actually, that’s not necessary,” Konni said. “I’ve already scented my mate. Now I just need to convince her I’m her best choice.”
Matty grinned and tapped that table. “That is excellent news.” She turned to her sons.
“You’ve asked me not to meddle, so I will give you a chance.
Both of you will test Lianna’s scent in person by the end of the week, or I’ll burn down your damn companies.
If her scent doesn’t call to you, you start attending social gatherings immediately.
You’ll be lucky if you can sire any children at this point. ”
One of the men started coughing violently into his napkin.
“Get yourself to Phoenix, Janner, and have Dr. Giovanni check your lungs and your sperm. Not sure which deteriorates faster as you approach fifty,” Matty said to the coughing man.
Taking pity on him, I attempted to redirect the conversation.
“You might want Janner and Pantrek to start with the social gatherings instead of Lianna,” I said. “She isn’t in the best frame of mind after walking away from Steele and isn’t likely to be very friendly at the moment.”
Janner’s sudden recovery and intense look were a little disconcerting.
Matty chuckled. “That got his attention. Nothing interests a dragon more than soothing an irritable mate. She’s only yours if you mark her, Janner. Get to it.”