He hums and leans his head back, looking up at the ceiling. I’m not sure what he’s thinking about, but it might be what he did and how he ended up trapped, letting the world pass him by.
I slide over to him and climb onto his lap. Cade accepts my weight easily, wrapping his warm arms around me. I place a hand on his face and give him a soft kiss. “You’re not alone anymore, Cade. Since I’m your fated mate”—such a weird concept— “I’ll be your family now. And I promise, you won’t get into any more trouble.”
He beams at me, tightening his hold on me. “Oh yeah? You’re going to keep me in line?”
I nod slowly. “Yep. So you won’t leave me.”
nine
CADE
“But where’s the cord?”I ask again, looking at the device in Mav’s hand.
Or Maverick. He told me his full name, and I like it more than what the other man he was with called him. He looks like a Maverick, smart and put together, but also fun.
He smiles gently at me, having the patience of a saint. “No more cords, other than the charging cable. All phones are wireless.” He passes me the phone.
For about an hour, Maverick has been showing all the strides in technology I’ve missed. I’ll admit, things like the remote to the television and his phone are handy. I remember having to get up to change the TV channel, and phones all had long, curly cords that would sometimes get tangled and wouldn’t reach the bedroom from whatever common area the phone was in. There were loads of times I’d rather have taken my calls away from my kitchen, especially when talking to guys about more than hanging out.
“Wireless,” I repeat, tipping it left and right. “That’s convenient. And the headphones are also wireless?”
“Yep. They connect through Bluetooth.” He presses the face of his phone, and it opens something he called settings. “You press this and pair your headphones when you…”
A weight settles in my gut as I listen to Maverick try to explain things to me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to figure all of this out. It’s easy for Maverick because he grew up with this sort of thing. Before I was cursed, I’d just gotten an Atari. I saw Maverick playing a video game while I was a recliner and it was all so overwhelming. The controller was wireless and had so many buttons, and the game’s graphics looked like a fucking movie.
I’ll probably burden him, always making him explain things I don’t understand. Technically, I’m a twenty-five-year-old man—being cursed as a recliner stopped me from aging—but I feel ancient, so far behind that there will be no way to catch up.
“Hey,” Maverick says, breaking me out of my morose thoughts. He grips my hand tightly. “You don’t have to get all of this today. We have plenty of time for me to explain. And it might help for you to fuck with all this shit on your own. The best way to learn is to do.” He taps on the phone so it lights up. “Fiddle around with that while I get us some clothes. Then we can get dressed, grab some coffee, and I can show you around town.”
I do what he says, pressing all kinds of buttons and opening what he called apps, though I’m not sure why any of these buttons are called appetizers.
After a few minutes, I kind of have the hang of the call screen, until something pops up that says emergency and connects me with 911. I hang up quickly, but they call back almost immediately.
“Phone’s ringing!” I shout, not knowing what to do.
Maverick comes into the living room and looks at the call screen. His face softens, and he answers with a smile, telling theoperator that he accidentally pressed some kind of panic button and doesn’t need services.
I huff and collapse back on the couch; my arms crossed over my chest. I’m not angry at Maverick—I’ll never be upset with him. I’m mad that I got stuck in my recliner form for fifty years. I’m mad at my own shitty behavior. I should have known the guys that told me to mess with Blossom’s animals were up to no good. But I thought I was in love with one of them and he said nothing would happen because the owl would return.
What a fool I was in my young age.
Almost as if he can read my mood, Maverick climbs into my lap and rests his hands on my shoulders. Without thought, my hands snake around him, landing on his plump ass.
“Cade, it’s okay not to know everything right now,” he says in a gentle voice. “One day at a time.”
“Yeah, okay.” Is it too soon to tell him I love him? His patience and care endear him to me so much. A ball of light settles in my chest, pulsing only for him. “Can we go outside? I’d like some fresh air as a human.”
He leans forward and pecks a quick kiss on my lips. “Yep. And hey, I found some sweatpants I was supposed to return ages ago. I bought them for my ex, but he already had a pair and said he didn’t want two pairs of the same pants. They should fit you.” He scowls. “Fucker was always so ungrateful. Why I stayed for so long is beyond me.”
“Well, you’re with me now, so it doesn’t matter.”
The smile that spreads across his face is so bright and happy, my breath catches in my lungs. God, he’s the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen. He shows every emotion on his face, and I hope that never changes.
His warm hands stroke my cheeks and I close my eyes, soaking up the feeling. “Yeah, I am.” He steals another kiss, then pats my chest. “Come on. There’s a local coffee shop that I love.Their pastries aren’t as good as the ones we make at my bakery, but they’re passable.”
Maverick told me he’s a pastry chef this morning and my mouth immediately started watering. I’ve always had a sweet tooth and I’m sure fifty years as a recliner didn’t change that.
“Will you bake me something?” I ask as I follow him into his room.
