“Things… They kinda went south.”
“You and Dave not work out?” Tripp drummed his fingers of his other hand on the steering wheel, a nervous little tell.
“No, we’re still… Anyway. Daddy’s company had to file bankruptcy, and they’re liquidating assets.” She toed at the ground. “I know we ended things pretty bad.”
“Honestly, Dave and I had a little heart-to-heart. I’m not angry. Because of everything that happened, I found my mate.” He smiled, and Dray’s heart fluttered more than it had when they’d said their vows.
“Yeah. I heard. He’s taking care of me, but Daddy is pulling his strings with IgDyme and if he could land you as a—” She tucked her hair anxiously. “Don’t let what I did affect what you choose to do.”
“The contract is on my desk in the office, freshly signed. It’ll be couriered over tomorrow. Our history never crossed my mind when I agreed to partner.” Tripp huffed. “No bad blood, no animosity. I feel like our relationship was long over before I walked in that day. We were just going through the motions.”
The words looked like they stung, her face twisting, pretty lips pinching. Instead of saying anything, her eyes glistened, and she nodded. “I mattered that little?”
“You still matter, Shelby. We grew up together. I have good memories of our childhood, but that’s all we were meant to be. I wish you the happiness you des—the happiness that comes with your true mate.” The difference between Tripp and Dray would be that Dray would have said the whole part and meant it with vitriol.What she deserves.
“Anyway, Shelby. Tell Dave to stop by the office, and we’ll get an account for his streamer company to boost his metrics. After all, he’s two for two showing my partner his dick.” Tripp huffed and smirked.
Shelby’s face wrinkled. “He did what?”
There wasn’t much vitriol, nor surprise, only disgust.
“Hey, gal! I’m the one that did his little guy with the lawn mower tattoo.” Dray waved.
The wrinkle of disgust did not fade from her face. “Oh. That. At least he wasn’t…”
Dray waved his hand. “Dave and I go way back, and he knows better than to wag his weenie at me.”
Shelby, caught off guard, snorted and laughed. “Oh gods! I’m going to have to tell him you said that.”
“Is he your mate?” Dray raised a brow.
Shelby shrugged. “Maybe? It’s hard to tell. For a long time, I thought we were it, because we couldn’t exchange bites, we’d never really know, you know?”
“But I feel sorry you can’t—”
“We can. I’m an indigo snake. My kind eat rattlers. The venom is a little spicy, I admit, but we exchanged bites.” Dray gave his best grin, and Shelby’s shocked face softened into a small smile.
“Well, I have no reason not to try with Dave.” She sighed heavily. “Thank you, Tripp. And—Dray? Dave speaks highly of you. Maybe you can give me a little ink?”
Dray eyed her up and down with a half smirk. “Some nice little leopard gecko spots on your shoulders, like freckles, maybe. I always did like the way they looked. Always smiling. It was nice meeting you, sweetie.”
“Same.” She waved a hand carelessly and walked away, step clipped as if the weight of ages had been lifted from her.
Tripp rolled the window up.
“I see what you saw in her. She’s got bestie energy.” Dray smiled, and Tripp pushed across the center console to kiss him deeply, their tongues forking and sliding, the taste of venom washing over their tongues. “Now let’s go to the cabin and let me bounce on that thing until the bed squeaks.”
Tripp laughed and ran slender fingers through Dray’s hair. Typing fingers, ones made for their own kind of art. Dray sighed, staring into his steely eyes. “And you’re going to shift for me. I want to sketch you.”
Tripp tilted his head curiously. “Hmm?”
Dray tugged the neck of his shirt down a little. “I’ve got a space right over my heart for a nice big rattlesnake to sit with his little angry face.”
“You’re one to talk. Indigos always look like someone set a cold glass down on their expensive furniture without a coaster.” Tripp snickered, and Dray tried to imagine it before taking peek at Tripp’s chest tattoo. “See?”
“Oh, gods, it does.” Dray smacked Tripp away playfully. “Okay, let’s get going.”
And off into the long-past sunset they drove to their long-awaited retreat.
