Chapter 17 Zeke #2
I made a mental note to never have a family party at my house again. “So literally everyone in existence knew before I did.”
“No surprise there, Nugget.” Ajax sauntered in and kissed Mom on the cheek. “You’ve always been the most oblivious one in the family.”
He clapped me on the back before giving Dad a hug.
I glared at him, rubbing my shoulder while Brenda cackled like the hyena she was. How did my family members always seem to show up right when it was time to pick on Zeke?
“No way, Jax,” Orion said, standing in the doorway. “You win the award for most clueless Masterson. I could give examples if you’d like.”
“I’m good.” He shook his head, and I knew there was a story to be had.
Orion joined us in my suddenly cramped kitchen. “Hi Ruth.” He bent and kissed her cheek. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”
She kissed him back and then cuffed the back of his head. “If you ever lock yourself away for decades again, I’m going to personally come kick in your door.”
He and I shared a look and my knees got weak. “That’s not going to happen,” I said.
I dared anyone to make a comment, and despite all the ribbing I took on a regular basis, everyone recognized this wasn’t the topic to joke about.
“Excellent,” Mom said. “And since that’s the case, you can finally call me Mom. It’s not like I haven’t been your mother all these centuries.”
Orion’s eyes darted to me, but I wasn’t getting involved in this. They’d known each other way longer than I’d been alive.
“Mom.” It came out tentatively, but he seemed satisfied. “I can do that, but does this mean things will change between us?”
“Yeah, she’ll henpeck you more now,” Jax said. He withered under my mother’s scowl. “I’ll go check on the ice to see if it’s melting.”
“Nothing is going to change because nothing has changed,” Mom said. “I’ve loved you like a son all these centuries. Now you can’t wiggle out of being part of the family anymore.”
There was a story to that, too. The things you learned at family get-togethers.
“I’ve never refused to be part of the family.” Ori looked almost offended.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t fast enough to have stopped his comment.
“I’ve got seventy years that says otherwise,” Dad said. “And at least two centuries before that when you made yourself scarce. And by the way, it’s Dad from now on. I’ve earned it, too.”
Orion looked a bit overwhelmed. Lael had strained Ori’s relationship with the family. By the time I was born, he hardly ever came around.
“I’m not sure I can do that. You’ve been Ares since forever.”
Dad shrugged and it was over, Ori just didn’t know it. “If you’re with Zeke, you’re part of the family. Ruth and I are the head of the family. It’s proper manners to address us as such.”
I touched Ori’s arm and he looked at me with a bewildered expression. This wasn’t about a change in the relationship. Mom and Dad felt they failed Orion when he needed them. They believed it was their fault he’d descended so low.
“Ori, it’s fine. You love them, they love you. That’s always been the case. Our being together isn’t what this is really about. They’re reminding you how much they love you. This would’ve happened whether we got together or not. This was just a convenient excuse to do it now.”
Mom and Dad looked at each other and Dad held up his hands. “He gets that from you.”
Thankfully, the doorbell rang. The only people who weren’t here were the only ones without a key. “Brenda, would you come with me to let them in? I’ve never met Nick.”
Normally, I’d have gotten an earful about needing a chaperone, but she was the reason they were crashing the party I didn’t want to have. Wisely, she chose not to heckle me. I clicked the intercom and said I’d be right there.
“Remember, you don’t know Grant. Nick is my coworker.”
Brenda was rarely this nervous. Either she wasn’t telling me something or she saw this as a big opportunity. “Are they a couple?”
“No. Best friends. Kinda like Orion is with Jax.”
I never saw Ori and my brother interact until recently, but I understood what she meant.
Trevor Grant stood on the front stoop, dressed casually in a polo shirt and khaki shorts. He was tall and athletic with a thousand-watt smile. His light-brown hair was perfectly styled. He was hot and had the swagger of someone who knew it but didn’t take himself too seriously.
Nick was tall and lean, a classic runner’s build. He was cute in a moppy-haired kid kind of way. Which was good since he had moppy brown hair. Less sure of himself, he clearly leaned on Trevor emotionally.
“Hi.” I held out my hand to Trevor, hoping it would be easier for Nick to engage if he went second. “Zeke Masterson. Welcome.”
“Trevor Grant. Thanks for letting us crash your party. I hear congrats are in order.”
I smiled at how he addressed the awkward upfront so I could squash it. “Thanks, and you’re not crashing. This is very low key.”
Turning to Nick, he offered his hand before I could speak. “Nick Fenton. Congratulations. This house is amazing. Mid-eighteen hundreds?”
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Brenda. “You didn’t tell me you had any cultured friends.” Before she could answer, I ushered Nick inside. “Pre-Civil War. The original part was built in 1853. If you’d like a tour, I’m happy to show off my dream house.”
“Here we go.” Brenda rolled her eyes dramatically. “Ever since he bought the place, he tells anyone who’ll listen.”
“It’s cool,” Nick said. “I’d love a tour if it’s . . .” He looked at Trevor, who smiled.
“Nick’s worried it’s bad manners to accept.” He put his arm around Nick. “He’s the politest person I know.”
“Manners?” Orion said, coming out of the kitchen. “Those are in short supply in the Masterson family.”
Ori shook hands with Nick and Trevor.
“Come inside and get a drink before Zeke whisks you off on the grand tour,” Ori said. “But in fairness, it’s a cool house and Zeke did a great job restoring it.”
I let Orion lead them off and fixed Brenda a pointed look. “That’s no ordinary angel.”
“Very good,” she said. “I’m impressed. I don’t see it, but Michael said he’s the fourth heir.”
Nick’s potential was vast, but the fourth heir? “How?”
“No one knows. Well, maybe Uriel does, but he isn’t talking to anyone, it seems.”
This was a crazy mystery. “No way.”
“Don’t look at me.” She held up her hands. “Thank your best bud Michael.”
I didn’t know who I wanted to throttle more, her for being jealous Michael let us stay with him or Michael for tricking me with the offer. I was going to do it, whatever it was Michael wanted me to do. “Did he tell you what he wants?”
“Not from you, but he will.” She kissed my cheek and returned to the kitchen.
Her show of affection told me I probably wasn’t going to like whatever was coming.
I was still rooted in place when Ori joined me. “You okay?”
Everything had been so magical the last two months. Our trip, moving in, our family’s reaction. I thought I’d be able to go back to my old life. “Did you know?”
“That’s a vague question, Zeke. Give me a hint.”
Ori wouldn’t have kept this from me if he knew. “This new assignment. Uriel’s has gone silent after he told Michael that Nick is the fourth heir. No one knows how Nick could be an angel. Any of it.”
“I knew about Uriel but didn’t think it concerned us. The rest I learned when you did.” He wrapped me in a hug, and I shamelessly leaned into him. “Don’t worry about what we don’t know until we know it. And then we’ll handle it.”
When he put it like that, nothing seemed too terrible. “You’re right. But—”
“No buts, unless it’s yours naked on the bed,” he whispered in my ear.
Pushing back, his thumb on my chin, he pulled me down until my lips parted so he could kiss me again.
“Think of it this way. We’re not getting sent off, so we can live in this house.
You can still take some clients, and if you need a large assistant who’s good in a fight to watch your back, I’m available at very reasonable rates. ”
He was so sweet, it gave me a sugar rush. “Very reasonable rates?”
“The most. I’ll take my pay in kisses.”
I still didn’t like having so little control, but this wasn’t so bad. “Fine. You’re hired.”
“Great.” He brushed his lips against mine. “You promised that kid a tour. Good luck. He’s so awkward, it’s painful to watch.”
I laughed because that was me a century ago. “I’ll manage. Go enjoy spending time with everyone.”
He graced me with one last smile and disappeared into the swarm of family. I stood there for a second, happier than I’d ever been.
Let Michael throw things at us. We could handle it.
A burst of laughter rang out from the kitchen, Ori’s baritone among them. I steeled myself for one or more siblings to give me shit. Thankfully, I had a tour to give, so my embarrassment would be brief.
If life could get any better, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
Thanks for reading Winged Destiny.