Chapter Six
A pollo set his phone on his desk and smiled. Ice skating? He’d never considered ice skating as a date before, but now that Jost had suggested it, he actually liked the idea. Especially as he was appalling at ice skating. He only hoped Jost could skate, otherwise they’d both be in trouble.
When his phone rang again, Apollo saw Sena’s name. “Sis. What’s up?”
“Er, lunch at the parents’ house? Where are you?”
“Shit.” Apollo jumped up and quickly shut his laptop down. “I was marking homework. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Say sorry to Mom and Dad for me.”
“Will do. Now get your ass here. Mom’s cooked beef.”
Apollo paused. “With that peppercorn sauce?”
“Yeah, just for you.”
“I’ll be there as soon as possible.” Damn, he wasn’t missing out on his mom’s beef with peppercorn sauce or her garlic mashed potatoes. Grabbing his coat and wallet and keys, he ran out of the house and jogged to his car. Hopping inside, he quickly drove to his parents’ and made it there in ten minutes. Grinning, he got out and strolled up the path, then let himself in. “I’m here!”
“About time. Get your ass in here,” Arvo shouted from the kitchen.
As Apollo entered, he said, “Don’t be mad at me for being late. I was arranging a date.”
“A date?” Sena placed the peppercorn sauce on the table, then pulled her long black hair into a ponytail. “Who is stupid enough to go on a date with you?”
“That would be my mate.” He grinned and rocked on his feet as his sister and parents all stopped what they were doing and stared at him.
“You met your mate?” Lida whispered in an awed voice.
“I did, and you know him, too. Jost.”
“You never did get to tell me when you stayed over last night. You were gone in the morning. So, Jost? As in lion omega Jost.” Arvo smiled. “He’s a lovely young man, but I heard he’s been struggling lately.”
“Yeah, sorry I took off. I woke up and remembered all the work I had waiting for me. And yes, Jost is trying to get over a bad experience. He was in a relationship with someone who liked to hurt him, so I’ve agreed to take things slow.” Apollo pulled out a chair and sat at the table, smiling when Lida kissed his cheek. “He was scared of me. That hurt, but then he mentioned a little of his past.”
“Jost is such a nice shifter. So kind and sweet to all the children. He works in their nursery.” Sena passed the mashed potatoes to Apollo, who heaped some on his plate before passing them to Arvo, who looked at Apollo’s plate, then the bowl, now only half filled with potatoes. “I told you, you needed to make more.”
Lida shrugged. “I did. They’re in the oven. I know how much Apollo loves my mashed potatoes.” Passing the plate of vegetables to Sena, she asked, “Where did you meet him?”
“After the meeting,” Apollo rolled his eyes as Arvo shook his head, “I went out to a club, and he was there. I saw him from across the room.” He chuckled when Sena snorted. “Yeah, I know, but I saw him, and I knew I had to speak to him. Then he disappeared. By the time I saw him again, it seemed like he was scared. I realized he was having a panic attack, so I helped him, and we left.”
“Poor Jost. He went through so much by the sounds of it.”
“Yeah. He didn’t tell me much, really, but it was enough for me to figure out whoever his ex was, he had treated him like crap. I have to go slow with him. I know when we find our mates, we tend to move quite quickly, but I can’t with him. I need to earn his trust first, so we’re going ice skating.”
“Ice skating?” Sena grinned. “And who suggested that?”
“He did.”
“Did you tell him you can’t skate?” Arvo asked. “He’ll spend more time helping you off the ice than actually skating.”
“I never mentioned it. He’ll find out when we go.” Apollo tucked into his beef and moaned. “So good, Mom.” He swallowed, then smiled. “It means I get to put my hands on him and see how he responds.”
“And he suggested it?” Lida hummed. “Well, if he’s had a bad time, and he wants to test the waters, so to speak, then this is a good suggestion. Hands on with no expectations.”
“Yeah.” Apollo sighed. “I don’t want to know the details, but I guess I need to know some of what he went through, so I don’t accidentally trigger a reaction from him. I don’t want to accidentally scare him because I do or say something that frightens him or reminds him of what happened.”
“It’s a difficult conversation to have. I would suggest letting him bring it up. Or maybe ask an innocent question and see if he’ll talk.” Arvo gave Apollo a small smile. “You have to tread carefully with him. He’s young, an omega too, and he’s been hurt, so will be slow to trust.”
“I know. I’ve been thinking about him and us for most of the night. I did some research too, so I know to move slower than usual, especially if I’m close to him. I don’t want him to think I’m raising my hand to hurt him, but I also know it will take time for him to trust me. I can take it a day at a time, but he’s my mate. I don’t want to mess this up by rushing him.”
“It’s good to see you’ve been thinking this through.” Arvo looked up at Sena when she cleared her throat. “What is it?”
“My friend, Sandy. She was in an abusive relationship. She’s much better now, as you know. She’s married with two gorgeous babies, but if you want, I could have her call you? If you want.”
“Would she be willing to? I don’t want her dragging up painful memories.”
“I’ll ask her and leave it up to her. She’s human, but she’s lived around shifters all her life, so she knows how important mates are.”
“I would appreciate you asking her, but please make sure she knows she doesn’t have to talk to me if it’s too painful for her.”
Sena smiled and nodded. “I’ll make sure she knows.”
“Eat up everyone. I have chocolate fudge cake warming in the oven with the potatoes.”
“You have more mashed potatoes?” Apollo paused with his fork in the air and glanced at his plate. He’d barely taken any when he’d been given the bowl. “I didn’t get much.”
Arvo snorted. “Didn’t get much? You took half the bowl!”
“No, I didn’t. I made sure to leave plenty for everyone else.” Apollo shook his head. “I can see potatoes on your plate.”
“I got the small amount you left us.” Standing, Arvo got the other bowl of mashed potatoes out of the oven. “I’ve never known anyone to love mashed potatoes like you do, Apollo. Meat, yes. Dessert, yes. Mashed potatoes? No.”
“I know a zebra who loves carrots,” Sena said.
“I can understand carrots but—”
“Okay, I get it. I have weird food likes.”
“Hmm. You do like mashed corn as well and mashed carrots. Maybe it’s mashed food you like.”
“Aww, like when you were a baby.” Lida smiled. “You used to have it all over your face and in your hair and then you’d smile your toothy little—”
“I get it.” Apollo gave Lida a look. “Thank you for reminding me that I was a messy baby.”
“Better your face than your butt,” Arvo grunted. “How the hell—”
“Stop!” Sena slammed her hands over her ears. “I’m trying to eat here.”
“Sorry, you’re right. It’s not a conversation to be having at the table.” Arvo picked up his water and took a sip. “So, ice skating. Any ideas what to do after? A hot chocolate would be nice. You can warm up and talk or, in Jost’s case, laugh at all the times you fell on your ass.”
“I hadn’t thought about after. He might want to disappear and leave me behind. I should think of different dates too and not just the usual ones. A meal out or going to the movies are pretty normal dates.”
“There’s that climbing place or paint ball. You know where you shoot paint balls at each other,” Lida suggested. “Or maybe a scuba diving lesson, but that might be something you do when you’ve gotten to know each other a little better.”
“I like the first two. We have both around here, so it’s something we can do after the ice skating. Maybe one of those driving courses so he can get behind the wheel of a fast car and race around the track.”
“Oh, that’s a good one.” Sena pushed her plate away and screwed up her brow. “A night in a haunted house. You can hold his hand as you go around the haunted building.”
“That’s good.” Apollo nodded at Sena. “Thanks. I have a few ideas now. I need to look at this mating differently. Show him that we can have fun and spend time together without him expecting me to want something in return.”
“Send a package to the nursery he works at. Books and items that he’d need. Some new soft blankets for when the children have an afternoon nap.” Lida put her tablet on the table. “There are plenty of websites you can go to and have a look.”
“That’s a good idea, Lida. I wouldn’t have thought of that. The cubs, I think they call them, are important to him, and he has to know you’re a teacher, so you have that in common.” Arvo looked at Apollo. “You could bring it up in conversation.”
“I knew there was a reason we were mates,” Lida beamed at Arvo, and Apollo groaned when he saw the heated look between his parents. Okay, he was old enough to know his parents had sex, because he was alive, but now? Hadn’t that all stopped now?
Sena mimed throwing up, then laughed when Lida pretended to hit her. “You think we reach a certain age and that all stops? When you’re happily mated, you’ll understand.”
“Yeah, nope. Don’t want to understand.” Apollo leaned back in his chair and sighed. “I have a mate.”
“Eww, am I going to have to put up with your sappy face now?” Sena rolled her eyes. “Poor Jost, being stuck with you. He’s such a nice shifter, too. Why did fate give him to you?”
“Because I’m Apollo.” He grinned, then laughed when Sena stared at him. “Apollo! Named after the gods.”
“Only because they had high hopes for you. Such a let down.” Sena grinned when Apollo flipped her off. “Remember, I’m trying to help you win over sweet loveable Jost. I could warn him off, you know.”
“You’d do that to me?” Apollo was a little shocked because he wasn’t entirely sure if she meant it as a joke or not. Sena had a vicious streak a mile wide if you really got on her bad side. Like the time he’d cut all the hair off of her dolls, and she waited three months to get her revenge. She’d changed his phone ringer to a woman screaming his name in ecstasy and called him in the middle of class. Repeatedly.
He’d been in detention for a week and that was one of the nicer things she’d done to him
“No, but it was nice to see the look of fear on your face. I actually want you to be happy and I believe Jost is perfect for you and you for him. He needs someone who will care for him. He’s been hurt, and he’s the last person who should be hurt.”
“I have no intention of ever hurting him. I guess I have a lot of planning to do.” Apollo smiled. He wanted to make Jost smile. He also wanted to see his mate naked and under him, but that would come in time.
First, he had to survive ice skating and hope his mate still wanted to be seen in public with him.