I pulled him a little closer. “Maybe it was meant to be. Okay, I need to talk to the agent for a minute then we can head to my apartment to drop your things off.”
Ladon leaned on my shoulder. “Thank you for being you. I just never imagined alphas like you existed after living in Saramto all my life.”
I kissed the top of his head. I knew other good alphas existed, but most of them already had a mate. I hoped I’d finally found mine.
By the time we unloaded their belongings at my apartment, I was starving. The egg-wich I’d grabbed from the on-route rest stop that morning on the way to Saramto was long digested, and my stomach churned for something else. I had food at my place, but there was someone I wanted Ladon to meet at the nearby diner. I hoped she would ease more of the omega’s hesitation in moving here with me.
“Want to go out for lunch?” I asked Kirin, figuring it to be easier to get him on my side before mentioning the idea to his dad.
“Yep.” He scrambled off the cot I’d set up for him in my walk-in closet. It was a large space, almost big enough to be a bedroom, with its own light switch, but with slatted folding doors. I figured it was easier setting him up to sleep in there for one night rather than in the living room where he might wander or climb. I’d tried my best to kid-proof the one-bedroom apartment I was renting until I bought a house, but I didn’t have enough experience with children and still had many of my belongings packed in boxes.
“We’re going out again?” Ladon wrapped his arms around me and leaned on my chest. “I thought we could just spend time together here.”
I clasped his arms and kissed the top of his head. “We can after. Once we get back, I’ll put in a movie for Kirin, and we can cuddle on the couch. How does that sound?”
He sighed against me. “Okay. I am kind of hungry.”
“Me, too!” Kirin stood at the door with his shoes already on as he worked to zip up his jacket.
Ladon chuckled. “If being here encourages him to get ready on his own, I’m all for it.”
On the main floor, both Ladon and Kirin turned toward the back door to the parking lot where my truck was parked.
“Nope,” I called to both of them. “We’re walking. The diner is only a couple of blocks away. In this town, everything is really close. At the same time, we don’t have public transportation.” Hence why I drove to Saramto to get them. The train didn’t come this way, and the bus schedule was not convenient at all.
“Okay.” Kirin raced past me and pushed open the door, too short to reach the handle and leaving big handprints on the glass.
“Wait,” Ladon shouted after him.
I wasn’t concerned about traffic, as the apartment was at the end of a quiet street and I could see some of the neighborhood kids out front playing hockey.
Kirin stopped at the end of the walkway and waited for his dad. When Ladon reached for his hand, the boy pulled away. “I want to hold Blaze’s hand.”
“How about you hold both of our hands.” I winked at Ladon. “That way we can swing you as we walk.”
That suggestion was a mistake on my part. We swung him a couple times. Then he wanted to do it all the time, suddenly dropping without warning and yanking on our arms.
“Kirin, enough.”
The boy dropped our hands and froze in place. Ladon’s stern voice even made me pause.
“What did we talk about this morning?”
“Best behavior,” Kirin mumbled.
I smirked as he pouted and his shoulders slumped forward. It wouldn’t last long. “We’re here,” I told them, stepping up to the diner and holding the door open.
“Yay!” Kirin clapped his hands and skipped inside.
“Blaze, it’s good to see you again.” Ben, the mate of one of my new co-workers, met us at the hostess table. “Is this your family?”
My heart raced at the question again, hoping neither of them were offended. “I’m kind of hoping they will be. They’re visiting me for the weekend. This is Ladon and Kirin.”
“Ben.” The omega shook both of their hands. “It’s nice to meet you. My mate works with Blaze. They’re grateful he decided to come here with the way our town is growing. Anyway, let me find you a table.”
“Thank you.” I nodded and we followed him to a curved booth in the back near the washrooms and the kitchen.
Ben set our menus on the table as we settled into our seats. “Nancy will be serving you today. I’ll let her know you’re here.”
