Chapter 18
BUCKLE
“Okay, so I cook the noodles, then save some of the pasta water for the sauce,” I say.
Aaron nods and pulls a few spices from the spice rack. “Yes. Not a lot, but just enough.”
“What does that even mean?” I groan and take all the spices he offers me.
“Like start with a quarter cup and go from there, but no more than a cup. It’s so the sauce sticks to the noods. You’ve helped me make pasta dishes before, you know what you’re doing.”
“I know, but it’s different when you’re making something for your mate.” I look to Pax, who’s been sitting at the kitchen island and watching us. His belly is so big I have to wonder if there are twins in there. He’s so close to his due day.
“I’m so happy that you found your mates,” Pax says.
“Me too. I think going home to brood about it helped.”
Aaron snorts beside me as he loads me up on more herbs and spices. “You have the ingredients?”
I nod. “I wanted to do something fancy, so I have the tomatoes, garlic, all that jazz. And I wanted cool looking noodles, so I got these long ones that are twisty.”
Aaron clamps a hand on my shoulder. “You’re gonna do great, man. I have faith in you. I just don’t have faith that you bought the seasonings.” He shoves what seems to be all his spices into a bag and he hands it to me. “Taste everything and use your heart.”
“Will do.”
Aaron walks up behind Pax and hugs him. “I love cooking for you, my mate.” He nuzzles into my best friend’s neck. In the past, I would have been jealous, but not now. I have my own mates.
Pax reaches for me. “Some day you’re gonna have to bring your guys here and we can all get to know each other properly. But no pressure. It’s a lot meeting people.”
“Yeah, and I’m a little nervous about it. Apprarently, Aaron and Abel get along well though.”
“Oh, yeah. Abel has saved my bacon a few times. He’s been a big help anytime I’ve wanted to throw a festival in town.
He knows the best places to host and helped get the maps and blueprints or whatever of the town copied for me.
And Perry.” Aaron wiggles his brows. “He’s given us great advice on lube and toys and—”
“Aaron,” Pax groans. “He doesn’t need to know any of that.”
“I’m just saying Perry knows his shit. Naming his shop Pleasures was smart.”
“He teaches pole dance and it was a blast.”
“Oh!” Pax says. “Maybe after this baby gets out of me I can take some pole classes.”
“I won’t say no if you want, but I might wanna join,” Aaron says.
“Mmmm that could be fun,” Pax says.
“You don’t have much of a wait left, right?”
“Right,” Pax rubs his belly. “She could come any day or wait a few more weeks. I hope they don’t show up on Valentine’s Day after all the work Aaron is doing to set up the festival and dance.”
I snort. “He just wants the entire town to celebrate him and his siblings, that’s why he’s doing it.”
“And I’d love to share a birthday with one of my babies,” Aaron says.
“I know you would, but I think it would be insufferable. There are already five of you with Valentine’s Day birthdays on this estate.” Pax leans back into Aaron.
“I can’t wait for my guys to be ready to start a family. I’ll wait as long as it takes, but I hope it’s soon.” Perry isn’t ready yet, and I think Abel is still anxious about what his auntie said about him being useless.
“It’ll happen when it happens,” Pax says.
“Perry doesn’t want either of us to help him with his Heat.” My shoulders drop. “I get it. According to his pamphlet, Omega squirrel shifters always get pregnant with their Fated. Unless, of course, there’s a medical reason that they can’t.”
“He wrote a pamphlet?” Aaron asks.
“Yeah, it was sweet. Apparently, he researched chipmunks and hawks, then wrote up a pamphlet on squirrel shifters. I loved it.”
Pax looks to Aaron. “That would have been super helpful on mink shifters.”
Aaron snorts. “Never even thought about it, but didn’t know I’d have a lovely human mate either. I wish shifters didn’t have to hide.”
Pax kisses Aaron’s cheek. “I know, but humans aren’t kind to each other, so I get not wanting to expose yourselves to that.”
I bob my head. It’s true, but shifters aren’t always nice to other shifters either. Or magic users.
“Thanks for this.” I lift the bag of spices. “I’ll bring back what I don’t use.”
“I hope it goes off without a problem,” Aaron says.
“Lots of luck,” Pax says.
“Thanks, guys. I’ll report back later. I’m more nervous about dessert.”
“Oh! What are you planning?” Pax asks as he licks his lips.
“Hopefully, kisses and maybe more.”
Aaron smirks. “Oh, la la.”
I sink into a stool at the island. “Abel asked about porn sites. Then Perry offered to bring over a DVD since I have a DVD player. And Abel agreed. I essentially offered sex lessons.” I sink my hands into my hair. “What the fuck have I done?”
Pax’s lips twitch and Aaron snorts.
Pax’s hand lands on my forearm. “Just go slow. Perry’s not in Heat, right?”
“Right, but he said since he’s found his Fated mates, it might come early.”
“Don’t worry,” Aaron says.
“But let Abel take the lead,” Pax says.
“That’s my plan. He’s already still a little skittish, but he initiated the conversation, so I’m going to trust that he’s ready for at least kissing.
” He’s so sweet, and he makes me nervous, like when Pax and I were teenagers.
Perry knows what he wants, and I appreciate that.
“I think the plan might be, eat, settle in for some awkward as fuck porn watching, answer Abel’s questions, kissing lessons?
No idea. I think we’re just going to play it by ear, but I’m still so damn nervous. ”
“You’re going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine,” Pax says. “Abel trusts you to take care of him. He trusts that you’re safe.”
“And that makes me so damn happy. All I want is to take care of my guys. Perry’s a little bit feisty and I love that too.
Like he does not want me to do everything for him.
I think Abel will fit in with us. I can’t believe Fate might have screwed up.
You know how much of a crush I’ve had on Abel since I met him. ”
Aaron chuckles. “It’s always so cute listening to you gush about him every Wednesday.”
My cheeks go hot. “He’s always so sweet and you know that’s my catnip.”
“Yep, sweet shy twinks,” Pax says. He pats my cheek. “You’re gonna be amazing at this mate thing. You’ve always been the best friend a guy could have asked for.”
“Thanks for that. I’m gonna go see if I can find something for a real dessert, though. An amazing home-cooked dinner, but no dessert? That sounds like a tragedy.”
Aaron releases his hold from Pax. “Actually, I can help with that, too. I have two boxes of brownies that are so damn good. That way, you don’t have to go back out to the shops if you don’t want.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Not one bit,” Pax says. “If we can help you woo and impress your guys, I’m happy.” He squeezes my hand again.
“Thanks.” I press a kiss to his cheek.
Aaron hands me the box mix. “Do you have eggs, milk, oil?”
“Eggs, yes. Everything else, probably not.”
Aaron snorts, then turns and grabs the needed ingredients. He adds them to the bag of spices.
“Thanks again. And I’ll make it up to you. Oh, maybe I can make you two dinner sometime.”
“Watch the kids for us instead?” Pax bats his lashes.
“Absolutely. I love them so much.” And I can’t wait to have little ones of my own. “Alrighty, I’m gonna head out. Thank you for everything.”
“Anytime,” Aaron says as he turns Pax on his stool to kiss him.
One day, that’s gonna be me, Perry, and Abel. I just know it.