Chapter 10
TEN
Foster
We both need to eat, so we end up walking to the diner for breakfast and to talk. I hold Selena’s hand the whole way, and my wolf curls up happily inside me. Now we have our mate, and she’s wearing our mark, he’s at peace.
So am I.
We pass a few people as we head through town. They glance at the two of us together, taking in our twined fingers with a knowing look. I don’t think anyone is surprised that the two of us are fated mates. Not with how in love with each other we’ve been for most of our lives.
“Here,” I say, stepping in front of Selena to open the diner’s front door.
“Thanks.”
We head for a booth in the back and slide in across from each other.
“Let me guess, blueberry pancakes,” I say, passing her a menu.
“Duh! What are you going to get?”
“The harvest scramble.”
“Sounds good.”
She sits back, and when the server arrives, I order for both of us.
“What do we need to talk about?” Selena asks once we’re alone.
“Well, for starters, what happens now.”
She nods, swallowing hard. “Okay.”
“Where do you want to live?”
“Night Grove Falls…” she says slowly, looking confused.
“Yeah, I know. I mean, which house? You can move in with Penny and me, though that might not give us the privacy we want.” I give her a meaningful look.
She blushes.
Fuck, I love seeing her like this.
“I can move in with you,” I offer. “But I got the impression that you don’t love your house.”
“No, I mean, it’s fine,” she rushes to add. “It’s just not really…”
“You,” I finish.
She nods.
The server returns with our drinks—coffee for me, hot chocolate and water for my mate.
“So where does that leave us?” Selena asks.
“House hunting. We can look at what’s available to buy, or maybe build our own place.”
She nods, her eyes lighting up at the idea. My wolf howls happily inside me.
“Somewhere close to Penny?”
I grin. “Sure. Whatever you want, mate.”
Our food comes a minute later, and we both dig in.
“One more thing,” I add.
She looks up at me, a piece of pancake speared on her fork. “What’s that?” she asks, popping the bite into her mouth.
“Do you want to marry me?”
She almost chokes.
I rush to my feet and around the table, patting her back until she sucks in a sharp breath.
“I’m okay,” she assures me.
I frown. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, you just caught me off guard. I never thought someone would propose to me that way.”
“Uh, yeah, not super romantic.” I wince.
“No,” she agrees.
“I wasn’t proposing for real. It’s just, shifters don’t have weddings, but I thought you might want to since you’re human.”
“Yeah, I’d like to,” she says shyly.
“Then we will. And I’ll propose to you. For real next time.”
“I’ll look forward to that,” she says wryly.
I laugh. “Smartass.”
She grins. “You love me for it.”
“Yeah, I do.”
It hits me then that I’ve never told her I love her. Time to fix that.
“I love you, Selena. You know that, right? I mean, I’ve been half obsessed with you since we were kids. Now that you’re my mate, I’m completely, head over heels in love with you and even more obsessed.”
“I know,” she whispers. “I love you, too. So much. It’s only ever been you, Foster. Always you.”
I reach across the table and lace our fingers together. We smile like loons at each other for a beat, and then she squeezes my hand.
“Finish your food before it gets cold,” she scolds me.
I grin. “Yes, ma’am.”
We eat our meal in comfortable silence.
Once she’s done, Selena leans back against the booth. “I’m stuffed.”
I pull her plate closer and finish the last of her pancakes.
“Where does it go?” she demands. “You’re so toned!”
“I run a lot. And now I have another form of exercise that burns calories.”
She blushes and bites her lip. “Maybe you could show me,” she says seductively. “I could stand to lose some weight.”
“No, you couldn’t,” I snap. “You’re fucking perfect.”
She blinks at my vehemence.
“You’re gorgeous, Selena. Every inch of you is perfect. I don’t want to hear you talking badly about yourself ever again.”
“Noted.”
“I mean it.”
She sighs. “I know. I’ll try.”
“And I’ll be there to remind you if you mess up.”
She gives me a small smile as I slap some money on the table and grab her hand.
“Where to now?” she asks as we head out of the diner.
“Now we go back home because I apparently didn’t do a very good job of showing you how hot you are or what your body does to mine.”
“And you’re going to show me?” Her voice is low and husky.
“Yes. Over and over again,” I promise.
She giggles as I pick up the pace, pulling her along with me.
And when we get home, I make good on my promise.