Chapter Twenty-Four
The meeting with Joss didn’t go as badly as Evan thought it would. Yes, the alpha was pissed that he’d planned to take Lark home, but he also said he understood where Evan was coming from because his soulmate was human too. The secret was hard to keep from someone you cared about.
“Well, that wasn’t too bad,” Lark said as they left Joss’s den.
His punishment was working janitorial service in the park for the next month. He was not looking forward to cleaning up after park visitors, but it was a small price to pay.
“Nope. He’s a good male and he’s always fair.”
“You’re a good guy too. Male, I mean.”
He stopped and smiled at her. She was so sweet. “Let’s go get breakfast at my folks’. I can’t promise they won’t embarrass me, but I can promise that they’ll love you.”
“Because we’re soulmates?”
“Yes, but you’re also an amazing female and I’m a damn lucky male.”
“Then we can talk?” Her voice went low at the end with a husky tone, and his wolf sat up.
She smelled so good.
Damn it, they had plans.
“You seem to have sexy things on your mind.”
Her eyes went wide. “How can you tell?”
“You smell turned on; it’s like your regular scent—which is amazing—is kicked up a thousand watts.”
She hummed and then smiled. “That’s pretty cool.”
“Fact.”
They continued the walk to his parents’, his dad opening the door before they knocked. “Good morning,” his dad said. “Come on in.”
“Thanks for having us over,” Lark said.
“Of course,” he said as he shut the door. “Auden and Jess wanted to join us because they want to get to know you better too, but my mate insisted this just be the four of us so we can get to know you.”
“That’s so sweet,” Lark said.
“Oh, you’re here!” his mom said when they walked into the kitchen. She put the dish she was washing on the drying rack and rubbed her hands on a towel. She hurried to them, hugging first Evan and then Lark. “I’m Evan’s mom, Delilah. It’s so nice to finally meet you! How are you feeling? You look great, like you’re healing really well.”
“It’s nice to meet you too,” Lark said. “Paula gave me some tea that she said would help my body’s natural healing amp up, and I think it’s doing the trick.”
His mom had made a huge breakfast for them and kept the conversation going by asking Lark questions about herself and her family. Evan soaked it all up too, excited to learn as much about his soulmate as he could.
When the meal was over, Evan and his dad cleared the table.
“So what’s the plan?” Delilah asked.
“Plan about what?” Lark asked.
“The mating ceremony. We like to do them on the full moon, which is coming up in a week. You don’t have to do it this month, but if you’re ready, I’d love to help.”
Evan looked at Lark, who was looking at him curiously. “I didn’t know there was a ceremony,” Lark said.
“It’s on the list of things I wanted to talk about,” Evan promised earnestly. “But it might be too soon for us.”
“Oh, well, you know me,” his mom said with a laugh. “I like to get to the point.”
“My sister’s like that, so I don’t mind a bit,” Lark said. “I like honesty.” She gave Evan another pointed look, and he wanted to hang his head in shame like a bad dog.
His dad elbowed him. “She’s got your number, kid,” he whispered.
“Don’t I know it.”
While his mom told Lark about the ceremony, Evan and his dad did the dishes, talking about his punishment and what it might mean for his future work.
After the kitchen was clean, he and Lark left, both of them getting big hugs from his mom. “We’ll have dinner tomorrow night,” she said. “Auden and Jess will come too.”
“Sounds good, Mom,” Evan said.
“Thank you, see you tomorrow,” Lark said.
“I love her,” his mom mouthed to him.
“Me too,” he mouthed back.
They made their way to his den, and he gave Lark a kiss at the door.
“Ready to talk, baby?”
“Eventually,” she said. She opened the door and turned to face him, grabbing the center of his shirt and pulling him with her as she backed into the family room.
“Oh, sweetheart, I love how you think.”
* * *
The following morning, Evan drove Lark to her apartment so she could get ready for work. He paced in the apartment while she was getting ready. Every time he passed by the window that looked out onto the parking lot, he saw the two park SUVs with guards standing by for him to drive her to work. While Alphonse’s males were dead and no one had heard from him yet, it was smart to stay on alert.
“So I’m going to turn in my notice,” Lark said when she walked out of her bedroom wearing a skirt and short-sleeved top.
He blinked in surprise. They’d talked last night about her quitting and taking a job at the park, but she hadn’t been quite on board about it and wanted time to think. Joss had told them that there were open positions for her within the park whenever she was ready.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yeah. First, I don’t like having to have security follow us everywhere, and second, it’s not fair to your people to have to watch out for me just so I can keep working at the township office. As long as I can find a job at the park, I’m good with it. Plus I’ll get to see you too, right?”
He joined her, resting his hands on her hips. “I’d love that. Of course, this first month I’m a custodian. But I’m sure when my punishment is over, Joss will assign me somewhere so you and I can work together.”
“That sounds so cool. You sure you won’t mind not being a tour guide?”
He shook his head. “I enjoy that, but I’ve done other things in the park too. I’ve been a ticket taker, a parking lot attendant, and have worked in the topside office selling season passes. There are lots of jobs to be done. So, what made you change your mind?”
“I already miss you and I’m not even at work yet!” She made a dramatic sound and pressed her hands to her heart.
“It’s entirely mutual.” He was leaning down to kiss her when his phone buzzed. He lifted it and saw a text from Alfie. “He’s just reminding me of the time.”
“Right, don’t want to be late when I’m going to turn in my notice.”
She locked up her apartment, and he walked with her down to the unmarked park SUV. He opened her door and shut her in, then sat behind the wheel.
“When should I tell my sister I’m moving in with you?” Lark asked.
“Well, are you worried she’ll think it’s too soon?” He turned out of the parking lot and headed toward Main Street where the township building was located.
“Probably. I mean, I can do what I want, I’m an adult and everything. I just don’t want her to think badly about you or be a jerk to me about it. Or a jerk to you.”
“I’m not made of glass,” he said. “What matters is what you think, not what your sister thinks. She won’t understand why we’re moving quickly because she doesn’t know about soulmates. But if you feel like waiting a bit to tell her is the right choice, then we absolutely will.”
“We can use the apartment, right? So that Rayanne can stay with us and visit?”
“Absolutely.” They were going to keep the apartment he’d stayed in to show her sister she had a place to live within the park, since she couldn’t know about their underground living quarters.
“We’ll have Dove and her family over for dinner in a few weeks. Maybe Rayanne can see the aviary again too.”
“Auden and Jess said she was welcome to visit anytime.”
“Just don’t tell her that—she’ll want to live there!”
He parked in front of the building and turned to face her. “Gonna miss you, sweets.”
She hugged him and let out a sigh. “Me too. I could just ghost them here, never come back.”
“You’re not that kind of person.”
“No, dang it. I’m just too noble.”
He laughed and gave her a kiss. “I’ll be back at five to pick you up.”
“I hope the time goes by super-fast, but it’s my experience that government work never does.”
“Have a great day, baby, I’ll see you soon.”
She got out of the SUV and headed into the building, stopping to wave at him from inside the glass double doors.
Damn, he hated leaving her, but at least it was only for two weeks, and then she’d be able to work at the park and his wolf wouldn’t be so pissed all the time.
Just suck it up, bro. We’ll see her soon enough.
Well, not soon enough.
But soon.
And then they’d have the night together, which was his very favorite thing. He couldn’t wait to see her again.