8. Orion

Chapter 8

Orion

I 'm early. Again.

I don't really care, though. Calista asked me over for dinner, and I figured that we could cook dinner together as part of the whole experience. Kid included, of course.

Calista and I are going to be together. I don't care that she has a kid. I don't care that the kid is from another male. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to be Calista's mate.

I just want her. However that is, whatever that looks like, I want us to be a family.

I have more flowers in my hand as I walk up to the rental unit. More ranunculus for Calista, and then a colorful bunch of gerbera daisies for the daughter. I have no idea if she likes those, but they seemed fun and child-like at the store.

I'm not nervous this time, which is great.

When I ring the doorbell, I can't wait for Calista to answer. I try the door, opening it slightly. "Hello?"

"Orion?" Calista's voice is slightly panicked.

"Hey," I say. "Sorry I'm early, but I thought we could?—"

She skids in front of me—with a suitcase in hand.

My heart skips. "Calista?"

We're both staring at the suitcase.

Calista looks up at me. "I was going to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"I… I heard your mom at the park. She was talking to a friend and said that you were going to cut her off if you didn't accept me."

My face falls. "I didn't exactly tell her that."

"Orion, I can't be the reason you ruin your relationship with your mom?—"

"So, you are just going to leave?"

She looks down. "I'd rather leave than be the one you resent down the road for choosing me."

"And you didn't want to talk about this?"

"I did. I had two things to tell you tonight, and that was one of them."

"Calista." I step forward. "You're more important to me than my mother. I'm not going to let her come between us again."

"I don't want to be the wedge that comes between the two of you, either!" she says, her voice raising slightly.

Annoyance simmers at the edges of my mind. I take a deep breath, then say, "You're not, Calista. I'm a grown man. I get to make my own choices, especially when it comes to my relationship with my mom."

I'm a little annoyed. Then, I realize she said something else. "What was the second thing?"

"What?"

"The second thing you?—"

"Oh, those are so pretty!"

A small voice trills, and we both turn to look at her.

When I see Calista's daughter, it takes me a minute to process what I'm seeing. She's small. Very young. No more than four. She has Calista's dark hair, and it curls wildly around her. She's wearing a shirt and some kind of stretchy pants, both of which look clean, if a little worn.

But when I look at her eyes? Shock radiates through me, followed by a powerful, protective urge.

Those are my eyes.

The thought is alarming. How often have I looked in the mirror and seen myself? Every fucking day?

I know those eyes. They're identical to mine.

Slowly, I turn to Calista. "This is your daughter?"

"I'm Juniper!"

Calista's face is white as a sheet. I turn to look at Juniper. "How old are you, Juniper?"

"She's four," Calista whispers.

"I'm this many!" Juniper says, proudly holding up four fingers.

Four. And it's been almost five years since Calista left. Which means…

A deep, strange feeling settles in me. It's primal. I feel it in my bones.

Looking down at Juniper, it feels like part of my heart snaps into place.

I kneel down. "Hi, Juniper. My name is Orion," I say slowly.

Despite the fact that I should be panicking, I feel strangely calm. Whatever this is, it's right. I let that feeling carry me forward.

Juniper nods, solemnly looking at me. "You're Mommy's friend."

"Yes. I am."

I hear Calista suck in a breath behind me. I'm not going to tell Juniper right now that I'm her dad. Not when it's so new to me, too.

I slowly hold out the flowers to her. "I got these for you."

"Oh! Pretty." She grabs them and looks up at Calista. "Mommy, what do I do with flowers?"

"What do you want to do with them, baby?"

Juniper frowns. "Can we freeze them?"

"Why would you freeze them?" I ask.

"To keep them nice," my daughter says casually. "I like them."

"I'll get you more," I whisper. I'll buy her flowers every damn day if she wants them.

"Really?"

All I can do is nod.

"What about the other flowers?"

"These are for your mom," I whisper.

"Mommy likes flowers, too?"

"Juniper, honey." Calista steps forward. "Mommy is going to put all the flowers in water."

"Why?"

"Because that's what we do with flowers," she says quickly. "Why don't you go get your favorite toy to show Orion?"

"Okay!" Juniper hands the flowers to Calista, her little fingers careful, and then scrambles away.

Calista and I stand. My eyes are locked on hers.

"Calista," I say softly. "Is Juniper… mine?"

Tears track down her cheeks. I want to tug her forward and hold on to her, but I need to know first.

"Yes," she whispers, nodding.

"Why…" My chest aches, and I rub at it, trying to decide what to ask first.

"Whoa," Juniper says, skidding back into the room. "Mommy, why are you and your friend glowing?"

I look at myself, then over at Calista. She looks up at me, her eyes wide.

When our gazes lock, my chest feels like it's bursting. The light between us brightens, and another feeling crashes over me.

Calista is more than just my mate. She's the mother of my child. She's the love of my life.

Through the glow, the last piece of the truth becomes clear.

No matter what, we'll always find each other.

Because Calista is also my fated mate.