Chapter Three
Kari
Kari grinned as Bowie placed a coffee cup next to his elbow, along with a divine smelling plate. He glanced sideways, his grin widening at the sight of the brownie. “Someone’s been baking again.”
Bowie’s cheeks went a pretty pink, his hands going into his slack pockets. A sure sign of his nervousness.
“You don’t have to eat it,” he said softly, looking down at the floor.
Kari kept the smile in place, having had plenty of practice doing so. He hated the quick defence tactic Bowie used, suggesting years of learned behavior.
“Do I look like a fool to you?” He realized the error of his wording at the frown that Bowie now wore when he glanced up.
He was very literal in his thinking. “Popi’s love of all things sweet he passed along to me, so I’m not foolish enough to turn down treats as good as yours,” he explained, hoping to dispel Bowie’s uncertainty and stop him from chewing on his own lip.
Kari wasn’t sure when he’d become an observer of all things Bowie.
It was a habit he seemed to have formed in the last two months.
The omega had worked with him on and off over the last four years on several major advertising campaigns, and Kari had enjoyed the way Bowie’s mind worked, and the straightforward process he had in approaching things.
He didn’t rush full speed ahead like Wilder; he took his time to consider all the variables, then laid out plans to combat them one at a time.
He had never failed to meet a deadline or miss any important targets.
A solid employee. Solid, much like his compact body, which filled out the shirt he wore.
Kari shook off the inappropriate notion and reached for the plate, not sure why he was thinking about what was under Bowie’s clothing. He used the plate under his nose as a distraction and inhaled the strong chocolate and nut aroma. “I bet you’d make a killing with these.”
“Killing!” Bowie spluttered, choking as he coughed, red cheeks and alarm-stretched eyes made Kari struggle to hold back his amusement.
“Not literally,” he chuckled. “I meant that if you sold them, you’d make a fortune.” He picked up the brownie and nibbled on the corner, holding Bowie’s gaze as he groaned at the taste delight hitting his tastebuds. “You’ve added something else?”
“Frangipani.” Bowie worried his lower lip between his teeth once more, then rushed to ask, “Is it okay?”
With a bigger mouthful and another groan, Kari nodded, letting his eyelids flutter closed as he had a moment with the brownie.
“Ingenious,” he said finally, after he swallowed and looked at Bowie.
Bowie’s slow smile made dimples appear on either side of his full, pouty lips, and the cuteness factor Kari associated with Bowie notched up.
No, it isn’t!
Forcing him to focus on the brownie and not the man hovering and looking for approval, he reminded himself Bowie was off limits. Something he hadn’t had to do in the past because Kari was not Taylin and suffering from unrequited love.
A welcome knock on the door got Kari breathing a little easier as he called out, then wished he hadn’t when Kodi stomped in wearing a scowl that would frighten small children.
Kodi paused when he noticed Bowie, then rolled his eyes as Bowie hopped from foot to foot, something else he did when nervous.
“What’s this?” Kodi reached out and snatched the plate out of Kari’s hand before he could consider his twin’s actions.
“My brownie, now give it back,” Kari demanded, eyes narrowing on his brother, who wasn’t a fan of sweet stuff the way Kari was.
He lifted the plate to his nose as Bowie’s gaze moved between the two of them, his hands twisting together.
“Sucking up to the boss, Bowie?”
Bowie paled and gulped so hard his Adam’s apple bobbed right before he bowed his head, hiding his expression.
Kari rose, his temper fizzing to life at Kodi’s flippant comment and Bowie’s obvious distress. He shoved his balled fists into his slacks to hide the show of temper and resist thumping his brother.
“If you paid attention, you’d know that the PAs take it in turns to bake for each other.
And for those of us fortunate enough to have a PA with a generous heart, they bring their overworked boss a slice of brownie when they haven’t eaten since breakfast. This is not something to criticize.
” He fired darts of disapproval at his brother.
“Now, what is it you need? Bowie and I have a long list of advertisement boards to review before their five pm deadline.”
Kodi looked skyward. Criticism was like water off a duck's back to him; it rolled right off. “We all have a fuck ton to get done. And I’ll point out, Lennon never brings me cake.”
Kari witnessed Bowie wince. “If you stopped flying off the handle all the time, then maybe he would.” Kari doubted Lennon would, Kodi really was a handful. “And if you haven’t forgotten, you aren’t a cake fan. Now what is it you need?”
He held his brother's gaze, issuing a warning look to get him to behave. It was hit and miss, but Kari tried.
The plate got shoved back at him. “Keep your damn hair on, I was just messing with ya.”
It was bullshit, only Kari wasn’t going to call it with Bowie in the room. “Great, if you’ve finished—”
“No need to get snotty. I need the spreadsheet from the last big advertisement campaign we did for the shopping centres. I need to see how effective it was. The outlay doesn’t appear to have seen a shift in sales trends.”
Kari was nodding as he retook his seat. He placed the plate out of the way of his keyboard, shaking the mouse to wake the screen.
Several clicks later and he had attached the spreadsheets to an email.
“I’ve sent you all the ad campaign figures for the last three years for comparative purposes. Dad might have more information—”
“He’s already sent me what feels like ten thousand emails with high importance attached to all of them.” Kodi sighed heavily, rubbing at the spot between his eyebrows with his thumb.
“Same. You could ask Lennon to help categorize them for you. Bowie has been working with me.”
Kodi muttered something under his breath that Kari didn’t quite catch. “Nah, it’s fine, I’ll manage,” he finally said, a little louder. With that he stalked out, leaving the door open.
Kari didn’t sigh. It was pointless when he knew Kodi wouldn’t have noticed he’d left it open.
“Shall I close the door?” Bowie asked timidly.
“Please.” He eyed the plate sitting on his desk, the pleasure somehow dimmed by his brother's behavior. He shook off the notion and reached for the brownie when Bowie returned.
“Take a seat,” Kari indicated to the seat directly in front of him, “and let’s go through the boards.”
Kari wasn’t sure what time it was when he opened the front door, but the house was in darkness except for the small lamp at the bottom of the stairs.
As far back as he could remember, the house had never been in complete darkness.
This was because Silas suffered from night blindness, but he wore contact lenses mostly, so many didn’t know about it.
Not that Silas would ever mention it, and at times Kari simply forgot about the issue. The light being the reminder.
He'd never left lamps on in the house he’d bought, but it was nice to come home and see a welcoming light on.
The soft click of the door and the alarm reengaging didn’t block the sound of the gurgling his stomach made.
The gnawing hunger clawed at his belly when the piece of delicious brownie from hours earlier was a distant memory.
He’d gotten so caught up after he’d insisted Bowie go home; he’d forgotten to order some food—again.
It was becoming a habit. He lost count of how many times he’d asked himself how Dad had coped with the workload and a family.
Hunger driving him, he trudged in the direction of the kitchen, not bothering to remove his suit jacket, too tired and not in the mood to waste time. He flicked on the light and grinned at the covered plate sitting on the counter with his name on it.
He lifted the plate of tuna pasta bake, going straight to the microwave.
While the food heated, he grabbed a fork and then went to grab a drink from the refrigerator.
Another smile tugged at his lips at finding the big jug of pineapple juice he favored in the door.
Kari stood in the refrigerator doorway, not noticing the chill coming from inside, drinking straight from the jug.
When the microwave binged, he moved to the counter and set down the already half empty jug.
Having retrieved his food, he sat for a second after peeling off the cling wrap, inhaling the cheese and tuna scent before he stuck his fork in.
“I thought I heard someone come in,” Popi said softly.
Kari jerked, his pasta landing on the counter as he swung in the voice's direction, having not heard Popi come in.
“Shit, Popi, you scared years off my life.”
“Less of the cursing,” Popi reprimanded even as he placed his hands on Kari’s cheeks to pull him close enough to kiss his forehead. “You’re very late.”
He eyed the jug with disapproval and went to the cupboard that held the glasses. A moment later, Popi filled a glass and pushed it towards Kari, giving him ‘the look’. It spoke of frustration and reprimand that didn’t require any actual words.
Kari gave Popi a sheepish smile of apology before stabbing at the piece of pasta on the counter and eating it.
Popi sat on the seat next to him and ran his fingers up and down the wet glass of the jug in a move that, to Kari, made it clear that Popi had something on his mind and was figuring out the best way to talk about it.
Kari munched his way through the large bowl, waiting.
He was down to the last few pieces of pasta when Popi finally spoke, “Is something bothering Kodi?”
Kari met Popi’s gaze, swallowing and shrugging. “When doesn’t something bother Kodi?”
“But more so than normal?” Popi persisted.
This was normal, Popi had always come to Kari first. If Kodi was going to speak about whatever was bothering him, it was to Kari. Popi was aware of this.
“He’s acting out more than normal, yes. He’s not saying exactly what’s going on with him. My best guess is you and Dad retiring is part of it. Y’all know he isn’t great with being told he’s got to do something, too.”
“Is the work too much for him?”
Kari didn’t shrug off the concern and contemplated his answer.
Kodi, out of all of them, struggled with getting overwhelmed with life.
Being an alpha brought expectations in Kodi’s mind, and he often fought with how this made him feel.
The first time Kodi had brought this up, he’d just had his first shift.
There was guilt when Silas couldn’t shift and what Kodi thought would be extra expectation from their parents because he could.
Where he’d gotten the notion from Kari wasn’t sure and Kodi had never answered him when he asked.
Because it never came from their parents, of this Kari was absolutely sure.
Kodi had never revealed his anxiety to anyone, pressing Kari into a promise of secrecy.
“I don’t think so. You know Popi, he doesn’t always tell me what’s going on in his head. ”
Popi continued to follow the rivulets of water condensation down the jug, his brow furrowed. “But you can guess.”
Kari released a heavy sigh. “I could, but it’s pointless until he talks about it. You know this, Popi.” Kari didn’t want to get into it when he was tired, especially when it increased the possibility of saying more than he should.
Popi’s worried gaze met Kari’s, and he worked to keep his guilt at holding back in check. “Will you tell me if it’s something you think is important?”
Kari rose and kissed the top of Popi’s head before reaching for his dirty bowl and cutlery. “I will.”
It was all he had to offer… for now.