14. Connor

14

Connor

“ D o you think your parents will truly like these desserts?” I held the container in my lap as Bryce drove us through his parents’ neighborhood. “Why am I so anxious? I’ve known your parents since we were kids, and we’ve had dinner together countless times before.

“But we’ve never met with them like this, not as adults or a mated pair.” Bryce turned onto the next street. “It is a bit different than all those other times, but you need not worry. They already loved you before, and they’ll love you even more now after seeing for themselves how happy I am with you. Everything will go wonderfully tonight. I swear it.”

“Okay.” I closed my eyes and rolled a round, raw, and rough amethyst crystal in my hand, trying to use its calming energy to ground me in the moment. I had charged this one under the new moon, intending to lessen my anxiety.

“Maybe a kiss from your loving alpha would help?”

I opened my eyes to see that Bryce had already parked the car, unbuckled his seat belt, and had leaned over the middle console into my space. I licked my lips, the anticipation of tasting his overcoming my fears. “Perhaps. Let’s give it a try. I’ve heard that the right alpha’s caress can do wonders for an omega’s nerves.”

The touch of his soft lips on mine refocused my energy on our connection. The flow of his love for me and the confidence he held in our relationship vibrated through our bond—his assurance that everything would be okay.

“Thank you,” I whispered as we broke away from the kiss. Our heads and lips were still close, no more than a breath apart. “I think that worked. I’m much calmer now.”

“Good.” Bryce kissed me quickly once more before leaning back and waving to someone past my head. “Because my parents are in their driveway waiting for us to get out of our car.”

“Bryce.” I smacked his shoulder and rushed to take off my seat belt, trying to avoid looking in the direction of his parents until I absolutely had to. Heat rushed to my face as embarrassment replaced the peace I had moments before. “What are they going to think? Instead of coming in and having dinner with them like respectable adults, we’re making out in our car. Oh Goddess, what if I have escalated things like I normally do? Your parents could have witnessed me trying to give you a hand job in their driveway.”

“I wouldn’t have let it get that far. Don’t fret, Connor. They’ll think we’re happily in love. Do you want to know how many times I’ve caught them making out in their own car? Too many.”

Getting out of the car, I was immediately wrapped up in the arms of Bryce’s parents. Each one took a turn and then passed me off to the other.

“Goddess, we missed you.” Papa squeezed me extra hard and kissed my cheek. They always insisted I call them Papa and Dad, so I made sure to address them as such.

“I missed you too.” I had tried to make myself reach out many times throughout the years but had chickened out each time, thinking they wouldn’t want to hear from me, or that hearing their voices would hurt too much, even though Bryce wasn’t with them.

“Well, now you are here with us.” Dad smiled and patted me on the back. “Exactly where you were always meant to be.”

Bryce

Standing in the driveway of my parents’ house with Connor under one arm and a tin full of desserts in the other, the world was mine. I had dreamt of having dinners with my parents and Connor by my side, as my mate, for years, and now it was finally happening.

“Well, let’s get you inside.” Papa rushed to the front door and held it open for us. “I made spinach and cheese manicotti for dinner, with some meatballs and garlic bread. We even threw together a quick chopped salad. I hope that’s okay with everyone.”

“That sounds absolutely amazing, Papa.” Connor looked at me, and I winked. I told my dad the dish was his favorite earlier in the week, when he was asking what we would like Papa to make for dinner.

“How have you been, Connor?” Papa walked through the house and headed directly to the beeping oven while the rest of us followed and sat at the kitchen table. When Connor made to get up and help get dinner served, Papa waved him off. “Don’t worry, dear. I like doing this. The kitchen is my domain, and, honestly, I prefer to do it myself, but if you want to pour everyone some tea, that would be a great help.”

“I can do that.” Connor filled the glasses with ice from my parents’ ice machine beside their fridge. “Everyone okay with iced tea?”

“That’s fine,” I said, and my father nodded.

“So, Connor, I hear you have a new book coming out soon?” Papa took the baked pasta dish from the oven and placed it on the stove. “I’ve read the previous books in the series and can’t wait to see how you resolved that last cliffhanger. Any sneak peeks?”

“You won’t have too long to wait, Papa.” Connor placed the glasses on the table. “But I can tell you, you won’t see the twist coming.”

As my parents and Connor discussed his books and what everyone had been up to in recent years, I sat back and watched.

I had dreamed of having my omega and my parents together again. I had envisioned starting holiday traditions and one day adding a new generation to carry them on. Now, I was seeing those fantasies coming closer to becoming a reality, and I wanted to savor each moment. Warmth filled me at the comfortable way my mate and parents spoke. This really was exactly where my omega belonged.