“It’s about time the three of you showed up here,” she says warmly with a wink. The guys make their way over to her, each reaching out to shake her hand as if they were mild-mannered guests instead of three alphas trying to make a good impression.
My father, as I expected, isn’t quite as immediate with his acceptance. He sizes them up the way any father would—arms crossed, brow raised, that “hurt my daughter and I’ll bury you myself” energy radiating off him.
I see Benton, standing in the entry to the kitchen, pretending like he’s not judging…but he absolutely is. The snarling expression on his face tells me everything I need to know.
But the guys handle it seamlessly.
“I heard you’re a fantastic cook,” Milton says immediately, sitting down beside my mother.
“Oh, I do okay.” She blushes. My mom legitimately blushes, and they begin having a conversation about recipes.
“So are you a hockey player, too?” my father asks Lincoln. “I don’t recall seeing you on the ice with these two..” He gestures toward Milton and Korbin.
“No, sir. Korbin got all the talent. I can play, but nothing near good enough to play professionally. I’m just an electrician, and I own my own business.”
My father lets out a harumph. “Just an electrician. Son, that’s a noble profession. One that will carry you through the rest of your life. Hockey is temporary. At some point their bodies will give out, and someone younger and better will come along and take their place. Then where will they be left? Never sayjustan electrician.”
“Thank you, sir. I’ll remember that.” Lincoln looks around the room, his eyes taking in everything. “There’s some amazing woodwork in here.”
Immediately he won his good graces with my father.
Korbin keeps pace with every question my parents ask about their career, family, and injuries, remaining steady and respectful.
“Can I put that food in the refrigerator, son?” my father asks, eyeing Korbin as he shifts the bags in his hands.
“Yes. The three of you can join us for dinner and have that later. Make it a midnight snack. I know how young men need a lot of food.”
They try to resist, but my mother is having nothing to do with it. My eyes keep drifting up to Benton in the doorway and the way he’s glaring at Korbin.
I quickly sign to him.
Benton, please come in and join us.Try to be friends with them.
He replies.I can’t. I’ll be polite and play nice. But I’ll never be friends with them. Especially after what they did. Or did you forget the whole matchmaker news blast?
I can see my parents’ eyes watching me, then looking at him. If they didn’t have questions before, they will now.
It was a misunderstanding. They didn’t know there was going to be a PR release, and they never planned to be matched with anyone. They want me. They chose me.
Lincoln moves closer to me, tipping my head up to him. “Is everything okay?”
I nod. And begin signing. My mom translates out loud for the three of them.
“She says, Benton didn’t know the matchmaker meeting was a misunderstanding.” She raises her eyebrow in confusion as my father shifts in his seat.
My guys must sense the shift, and Korbin opens his mouth to speak, my mother signing for him, thankfully so I know what he’s saying.
“The PR rep for our team hired a matchmaker to form packs for our players, to keep them out of trouble. We did have a meeting this morning. But we had no intention of letting them pair us up with an omega. I take a breath, then continue. “We know who we want, and that’s Bayleigh. Earlier this morning, we went and officially registered as a pack. Lincoln, Milton, and myself. We told the matchmaker she could go to hell. We already have an omega we plan to court.” He looks at me and smiles, a true smile, and my heart melts.
Lincoln clears his throat and addresses my father. “Of course, we were planning to ask for your permission, sir.”
“Well, now that we have that cleared up, dinner should be done. Let’s eat.” My mom signs enthusiastically as she speaks, standing up and heading to the kitchen.
Dinner was a tad awkward. Benton sat as far away from Korbin as he could, but glared at him the entire time. Lincoln worked on his signing as he spoke, and I could see the look of approval in my parents’ eyes. Milton and Korbin aren’t as versed as Lincoln is with sign language, but they did try. Poorly. But I loved it.
By the time dinner is over, I feel like my parents are dangerously close to adopting them, should our courtship not end on a positive note.
When Milton offers to help my mom with the dishes, I think she’s going to pass out, and my dad laughs at what Lincoln’s saying. Benton just watches like he’s ready to murder the three of them.
