It was three days later and almost four in the afternoon when Oliver tossed the bags in his hands down on the floor in the living room. He turned to his mate, and Ro loved seeing the twinkle in his eyes.
“I have never spent so much money on myself.” Ollie looked like a kid that had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Ronin laughed, stepping into the living room with the rest of the bags in his arms and setting them on the ground beside the ones Ollie had already deposited there.
“You deserve it, though, after all you’ve been through this year.” He pulled Ollie into his arms. “And you should go and get changed because everyone will be here soon.”
“But now I have a tough decision to make.” Ollie sighed dramatically.
Ronin arched an eyebrow. “And what decision might that be?”
“What I’m going to wear.” Ollie frowned at the bags on the floor.
Ronin laughed and looked down at the bags in front of them. When he looked up, Oliver’s eyes were on him.
“Whatever you choose, I know you’ll look amazing in it.” Ronin leaned in and brushed his lips against Ollie’s. His mate blushed when they parted, and Ronin smiled at him. “Run upstairs and get changed. My family will be here any minute.”
“It will be good to finally meet Devon,” Ollie said.
Ronin nodded. He hadn’t met Devon yet, either, but he knew that he made Roman happy, and that was what mattered most to him. Now that Ro had found his own mate, he could fully understand how Rome felt.
When Oliver disappeared upstairs, Ronin reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. He waited till he heard the door to the bedroom shut before making the call.
A woman answered on the other end. “Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Ronin. I was just checking to make sure today is still a go. You’re still going to make it right?”
“Of course! We plan on being there at six o’clock this evening.”
“Great.” Ronin let out a relieved sigh. “Oliver will be so stoked, and he has no idea you’re coming.”
“We can’t thank you enough, Ronin. We can’t wait to get there,” the woman on the other end said.
“Perfect! I’ll see you then.” Ronin hung up the call and looked up the stairs. Oliver was going to be so surprised when he saw that his parents were there. He knew how much his mate wanted and needed to see them. He could see that was what was missing from Ollie’s life even though he tried to hide it. And as Oliver’s mate, Ronin was more than happy to make it happen.
Making Oliver happy was his main job, and it just so happened that it brought Ronin happiness too.
Ro headed up the stairs and stood outside his room… well, their room now. His mate had slept there alone the past few nights, while Ro had been on the couch spending most of his nights thinking about Ollie, picturing him in his bed all alone. He’d gotten off the couch more than once to go lie with his mate, but stopped himself. Even though they were mated now, Ro was still trying to do the right thing by Oliver and not rush things, though he craved being close to him. But he had to admit the past few days just hanging out with his mate, seeing him smile and laugh, getting to know him had been totally amazing.
Ronin knocked on his room door and Oliver opened the door for him fully dressed in one of his new t-shirts and some cute denim shorts. Ro gave him a once-over and nodded with satisfaction.
“Not sure what you were worried about.” Ro took in his mate. “You look amazing to me.”
Oliver grinned. “Thank you! You’re looking pretty good yourself.” Ronin had quickly grabbed a fresh shirt from the laundry.
They kissed, and he savored the feel of his mate in his arms until they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Ronin pulled back from Ollie.
“Looks like everyone is starting to arrive.” Ronin held his mates gaze. “Ready?”
Ollie nodded and Ronin held out his hand. “Shall we?”
Oliver grabbed his hand and they headed down the stairs. They parted once they reached the foyer and Ronin walked over to the door and opened it up to greet the first ones to arrive. Just as he expected, it was Roman and his omega, Devon.
“Good to see you, bro.” Roman came in for a hug, and when Ronin pulled back from the embrace, his brother proudly presented his mate. “And this here is Devon.”
“I’m so happy to meet you, Devon,” Ronin smiled widely at his brother’s mate, then stepped back so they could enter the house.
Devon looked at Oliver and they went to one another. They embraced and Ronin could hear Devon as he cried.
