Chapter Fifteen

Caspian

Every day since we got here was better than the one before. Or maybe equally as good because I loved spending time with my men. Sage and I were honeymooning with one another as much as we were with our omega. And with that in mind, I thought we should have a really special evening out, all three of us.

“We need to dress up,” I informed Sage and Douglas over sourdough toast and coffee. “And go out on the town.”

“To Animals?” Sage took a sip of coffee. “Because they aren’t that formal there.”

“Maybe afterward, for dancing, but I was thinking of a nice dinner where we can sit together and share good food and good conversation.”

“I love that idea,” Sage said. “This town is so huge compared to back home where we had one place to eat out in winter and maybe three in tourist season. I’m excited to try different cuisines too.”

“If you don’t have anything specific in mine, I have an idea,” Douglas put in. “I mean, if you want to try an interesting kind of food you might not have found in Alaska.”

“If it’s not roast moose or salmon, we haven’t had it,” Sage deadpanned.

Douglas’ eyes widened. “Really? They don’t even serve hamburgers…like for the tourists?”

I struggled not to laugh, but Sage never cracked a smile. “Especially for the tourists. Oh, they might get a walrus burger if they know the secret menu.”

“I don’t think I’d like that, and moose is a little too close to a deer for my comfort,” the omega mused. “Salmon is good though.”

“They serve it with tundra greens.”

I glared at Sage but he just shrugged, lips twitching at one corner. He was hopeless.

“He was joking, omega ours,” I told him. “Sometimes the alpha rabbit has a warped sense of humor. Trust me, it only gets worse.”

“Then I am not going to suggest the churrascaria near the beach.” Douglas tipped his chin up. “Or even tell you where it is.”

“Near the beach?” Sage coaxed. “And what is this churro place? I’ve been wanting to try them, but they aren’t for dinner, are they?”

Now it was the reindeer’s turn to smirk. “They carry all the food around on swords, or so I’m told.”

After a little coaxing, Douglas agreed to tell us the address, but he didn’t give us any more details. Food on swords? That I had to see.

We parted ways then, Douglas to work and the two of us to do a little hiking in the mountains not too far away, agreeing to pick him up at his place at seven.

“I made a reservation,” he informed us, hopping in the back seat. “Glad I did because they said it was likely to be busy tonight.”

It was only a few miles from his home, and when we pulled up, I was glad we’d all dressed up a little. Not suits or anything like that but dressy casual. Sage and I both had on button-downs and slacks, Douglas in a pale-blue sweater I suspected might be cashmere—and probably the results of his expert thrifting. With the holidays so close, the restaurant was decorated with swaths of greenery and red bows, lots of white lights around the windows and doors. Inside, a Christmas tree soared toward the high ceiling right in the middle of the restaurant.

“Where did you hear of this place?” I asked, taking in the gorgeous place filled with laughing customers and servers moving from table to table holding skewers laden with meats of all kinds. At the back, an open kitchen held more meat, sizzling over open flames. “This is insanely awesome.”

“It was a late-night commercial, I think,” he said. “Right after I moved here, and I was so busy squirreling away every dime to buy a home for myself, I didn’t want to have a fancy meal.”

A menu board near the host desk held a list of the various dishes and prices. “It really is fair for what it is,” Sage said. “Although I suspect a shifter appetite may mean it’s the kind of place we only come for a treat or a celebration.”

“Welcome, gentlemen.” A young woman approached the desk. “Do you have a reservation?”

Douglas gave his name and she showed us to a table not far from the kitchen. “You can watch the chefs at work from here.”

No sooner had she walked away than a man arrived. He was in his fifties, at a guess, and greeted us with a warm smile. “Good evening. I am Senhor Gabriel Souza, the owner of this establishment. I believe this is your first time dining with us?”

“Yes, it is,” I replied. “What a beautiful restaurant you have.”

“Thank you. If you have not dined at a steakhouse like ours, I would like to share with you how to enjoy our cuisine to the fullest.”

I was immediately impressed. And, watching the men with the “swords” circulating and serving succulent slices to diners at different tables, I wanted to know the secrets of how to join the party.

“It’s our very first time,” Douglas said, grabbing his stomach as a growl emerged. “And, as you can tell, the great smells are making me so hungry!”

“You see the card on the table?” He pointed to them. “After you help yourself at our salad bar, and are ready for meat, just turn the green side up. As long as that is showing, the passadores will stop by your table and offer you whatever they are serving. If you would like to take a moment, the red side of the card will tell them to pass you by until you’re green again.”

“Reminds me of that club in Anchorage we heard about,” Sage murmured to me before turning a bright smile on the restaurateur. “Sounds great. Will the passadores tell us what kind of meat they have?”

“Exactly.” He glanced over his shoulder. “I am needed in the kitchen, but I hope you will enjoy your evening and tell your friends.”

From the crowd filling every table, they didn’t need publicity, but if our dinner tasted anywhere as great as it all smelled, I’d be very happy to send anyone I met here. “We’re new in town, but we will.”

He walked off and we found our way to the salad bar across the room, laden with all sorts of things. “We need to save room for all those swords,” Sage said. “I don’t want to miss out on anything.”

“Maybe we can take tiny bits from each,” Douglas suggested.

It was a great idea, but there were so many. Beef and pork and lamb and sausages, and I lost count somewhere along the line. They had dessert, some kind of flan and a chocolate thing, but we decided to try those next time. For tonight, we had other things to do, and one more bite might slow us down.