It seemed an odd question because I thought it was obvious.“Because he's my nephew. Bodie should have been there and wasn't, and I can't fix that.But I’m here, and maybe I can be, you know, the fun uncle. Or perhaps the cool one who plays hockey.”
Thorne turned his water glass on the tablecloth.
“I’ll introduce you as my friend. I don’t want him to get attached to you and then you disappear too.”
This was the moment to tell him what was in my heart, but yesterday we were sworn or perhaps unspoken enemies. I couldn’t announce he was my one and only.
“I get that. My brother and I looked similar, and we both adored hockey, but we were nothing alike.”
The servers cleared the plates, and I ordered a coffee because I needed a buzz. Tonight had been heavy. Thorne wanted one too. Neither of us had dashed out, but the hardest part of the conversation was over, so perhaps we could talk about more enjoyable topics for the remainder of the dinner.
Thorne took a sip of his coffee. “Rupert isn’t the shy retiring type in case you were wondering.”
“He sounds like my brother. Having a Bodie in my life sounds as though it was good preparation for Rupert barging into it.”
“Last week he decided to make his own breakfast, and I woke up to batter on the floor, the countertops, in the living room, and on him. We cooked the pancakes together, and they were the best I’d ever eaten.” He chortled at the memory.
It didn’t take a genius to see that Thorne loved Rupert. He wasn’t his uncle but his dad. And I chuckled along with him. It was a first, and we stared at one another. I wanted to bring his hand to my lips but sharing laughter would have to do for now.
“Bodie made our dad a birthday cake when we were nine. He used salt instead of sugar and made everyone eat a slice. I spat it out, but our parents choked it down and said it was delicious.”
“That’s a nice memory.” He took a sip of coffee. “What was he really like? Not the version that left my pregnant brother.”
“He was confident, and people sensed that. Everything was an adventure.” Those were the good bits. “But he was also selfish sometimes and impulsive. He didn't always consider how his decisions affected other people. But he would have lovedRupert.” I believed that even after learning how he treated Thorne’s brother. “He wouldn’t have been a great dad, but he would have loved him.”
“From what my brother said, you're very different from your twin.”
“True.”
The main part of the restaurant was almost empty. We'd been here for hours, but I hadn’t paid attention to the time slipping by.
Thorne nibbled his bottom lip and played with his napkin. “This may sound strange but tonight was nice. I wasn't expecting that.”
My wolf cheered, and I told him to cut it out.
“For me too.”
We were a long way from mating or maybe dating, but it was a start.
I walked Thorne to his car in the parking lot, wishing we could end the night in one another’s arms.
“I’ll think about what you said about meeting Rupert.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
After he left, I waited until his taillights disappeared. My wolf wasn’t ecstatic because Thorne had left, but he wasn’t frantically pacing or whining. What we had tonight wasn't a date. Except for the private room and the candles and the coffee and how he’d smiled. Nope, that wasn’t a date.
