Chapter Thirty-Six
Assa
Assa was making dinner when Wes walked into the kitchen from the garage.
“Did you see the texts from Valentin?” Wes asked.
“I did.” Assa chuckled. “Is it wrong that even though he’s a big strong alpha, I find him sort of adorable?”
“No. That was my reaction too.” Wes’s eyes darted toward the stairs.
“Don’t worry. Ryde is still at Patten’s house,” Assa said, putting the lid on a casserole pan.
Wes nodded. “I like this side of Valentin.” He hung up his messenger bag and combed a hand through his black hair. “It’s unexpected, I guess. Because he was so sexy during our night together, such a boss, and now with this…uncertainty… It’s very compelling.”
“I love seeing how he intrigues you.” Assa grabbed Wes’s chin and planted a quick kiss on his mouth. “At least the message today was clear.”
“Very clear.” Wes grinned.
Assa slid the pan into the oven and thought about how pleased he had been to see Valentin’s name pop up on his phone that afternoon.
The day after Asher’s visit, Assa and Wes had gone through with their plan to text the mysterious alpha. Disappointingly, he waited a few days to text back, and when he did, it was with a breezy message about being swamped at work.
Assa and Wes accepted his disinterest, although they wondered how they could have misread the situation so badly.
Except it turned out they hadn’t misread anything.
The following day, Valentin sent another text saying he hadn’t meant what he’d said.
He was just scared by how much he liked them.
He also mentioned that he truly was in the middle of some business that made it difficult to get together, but he wanted them to know that their night had been important to him.
But you’d probably be better off staying away from me, he’d written.
Wes and Assa were glad to receive the message.
It humanized the alpha in a way their night of mind-blowing sex had not and reminded them they weren’t the only ones with baggage.
Whatever was keeping Valentin busy at his club probably wasn’t crazier than finding out your son’s biological father was searching for him.
But Assa still hadn’t been sure where he and Wes stood, or whether the mercurial alpha would want to get together once things calmed down.
Valentin had cleared up any confusion with the message he sent a few hours ago. Telling you to stay away was a noble impulse. It turns out I’m not noble. In fact, I’m selfish enough to tell you the truth. I want you.
No more ambiguity. He said he hadn’t stopped thinking about them, and he didn’t want to let the opportunity to explore their connection pass him by.
He asked if they’d like to go on a date so he could explain his situation, and then they could decide for themselves if it was worth pursuing the attraction.
“I was going to reply that we can meet up in early April,” Wes said. “I realize that means waiting another week, but I’d like to get through Ryde’s party first.”
“Yes, good call.”
Wes’s mention of their son’s party reminded Assa of something that had been on his mind for days.
“Has Asher reached out to you again?” he asked, abruptly switching the topic.
“No.” Wes knitted his brows. “Why do you ask?”
“Truthfully? Now that he’s made himself known, I was worried he would try to insert himself into our lives.”
Wes hummed. “I doubt it. I think he meant what he said about leaving us alone. He only came here because he truly believes his brother is searching for his child.”
“I thought he might ask for an invite to Ryde’s birthday party,” Assa said quietly.
“That’s interesting, because I got the sense he wouldn’t ask for anything we didn’t initiate.” Wes caught Assa’s gaze before adding, “But down the line, do you think we will want to include him? I mean, we don’t have to tell Ryde the truth, but if there’s some way? We’re so light on family.”
“Maybe someday,” Assa said, not opposed to the idea of having more people in Ryde’s life. They’d only had Wes’s parents before they passed a few years ago. But he wasn’t sure about Asher.
An hour later, Assa, Wes, and Ryde sat around the kitchen island eating enchilada casserole.
“Patten told everyone his daddy rented out a go-kart track for his birthday party,” Ryde said. “It’s the weekend after mine.”
Assa couldn’t tell if Ryde was jealous, nervous that his own party wouldn’t compare, or simply stating a fact. Wes also looked stumped.
“Are you telling us because you wish your party was at the go-kart track?” Assa asked gently.
“Huh?” Ryde wrinkled his nose. “Why would I wish that? My party is in the backyard. You said we were renting the bouncy house with the water slide.”
“That’s right,” Wes said.
“Okay, good,” Ryde said. “I was just telling you because I’m invited to Patten’s party. So maybe we can go to the go-kart track before then so I can practice. I’ve never done it before.”
Assa blew out a breath and shook his head. Would he ever stop projecting his own insecurities onto his child? “We can go, nugget. I’ll figure out a time.”
“Thanks.”
Across the table, Wes shrugged at him. Ryde was such an enigma sometimes. Perversely, Assa wondered whether Ryde’s omega father would be able to read him better than Assa and Wes.
He chided himself for the thought. He didn’t truly resent Zeller.
That poor boy—he supposed he was a man now—had had his child stolen from him.
He wasn’t the villain here. If Zeller did show up, perhaps it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
He would be another person to love Ryde, like Wes had alluded to with Asher.
Assa refused to believe there would be some kind of custody fight.
From the way Asher described his brother, Zeller would do what was best for his son, which meant not ripping him away from the only parents he’d ever known.
Wes and Assa had been amenable to the idea of open adoption before Ryde came into their lives. What if there was more that they could offer their son? A relationship with his birth father. With his uncle.
And maybe, if everything fell into place down the road, with Valentin.
***
The day of Ryde’s party arrived. Assa had been nervous that it might be too chilly for the water-themed inflatable—Bellwether Province was known for early spring cold snaps—but the stars aligned to give them perfect weather.
Kids would arrive at noon. At a quarter past eleven, Wes went outside to heat the grill for hot dogs and hamburgers while Assa prepped side dishes in the kitchen. He was excited for eleven-thirty to arrive because that was when Calder was scheduled to deliver the cake from Felton’s.
Ordering the cake had been an interesting experience.
Over the past three weeks, Calder had reached out multiple times with questions.
Assa wasn’t sure why the bakery needed to know how long they’d lived in Bellwether Province or whether Ryde had any first cousins in order to make a good cake, but he assumed the alpha’s inquisitiveness was more friendliness because of their unique connection from eight years ago.
Oddly, Assa and Wes never spoke directly with the cake designer.
Contrary to what he’d initially said would happen, Calder remained firmly in the role of intermediary.
They had communicated over email and met once more in person, eventually signing off on a concept that captured Ryde’s unique interests, but they’d never met the mysterious Zinn.
They theorized the omega was shy, preferring to remain behind the scenes while Calder handled customer-facing duties.
It was cute seeing the sappy look in the alpha’s emerald eyes whenever he mentioned Zinn.
They were clearly more than boss and employee.
But there was something else there too, a certain wariness Assa couldn’t put his finger on.
Ryde ran around the house in a T-shirt and a pair of red swim trunks. The rental company had set up the bouncy castle with the water slide attachment that morning and its motor hummed in the backyard.
Rocking on his heels in front of where Assa mixed a fruit salad, he asked, “May I go outside?”
“Sure. Dad is by the grill. But only bouncing for now. You can get wet later when everyone else gets here.”
“Got it.” Ryde giddily hauled open the slider. “Hey, Pop?”
“Hmm?”
“Can you believe I’m eight?”
The innocent question hit Assa in his chest. “It’s hard to believe it, nugget. But I’m so proud of my brand-new eight-year-old.”
Ryde grinned and headed outside. Assa paused chopping strawberries, momentarily frozen by the knowledge that his son wouldn’t really be eight for another month. He was grateful Asher had given them the real date, but at the same time, it was sad. Someday, they’d have to tell Ryde.
He rolled his shoulders, returning to his task. Today was not the day for those worries. Ryde being outside would make it easier for Calder to get the cake set up. Assa and Wes still hadn’t told their son that they’d ordered something special.
The doorbell rang at exactly eleven-thirty. Calder stood on the front porch holding a large bakery box with a cake stand squeezed under his elbow.
“It’s good to see you again,” Assa said, opening the door wider and motioning toward the dining area. “We figured it would be easiest to set up on the big table.”
Calder’s eyes darted around the living room as he passed. “Nice place,” he said. “I didn’t realize how close you were to Felton’s.”
“Yeah. We’ll be regulars after this.”
Something shifted in Calder’s expression, but he didn’t reply.
Assa cleared his throat. “Do you always deliver the cakes yourself?”
“No,” Calder said. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’ve taken special care of you and Wes, and to be honest…well…there’s something I’d like to speak with you both about. I wanted to get past this party first, but if you have time afterward, I’d love to come back and have a chat.”
The request surprised Assa only mildly. “Does this have anything to do with all the random questions you asked under the guise of getting the cake right?”