CHAPTER 18
BUCKLE
“Okay,so I cook the noodles, then save some of the pasta water for the sauce,” I say.
Aaron nods and pulls a few spices from the spice rack. “Yes. Not a lot, but just enough.”
“What does that even mean?” I groan and take all the spices he offers me.
“Like start with a quarter cup and go from there, but no more than a cup. It’s so the sauce sticks to the noods. You’ve helped me make pasta dishes before, you know what you’re doing.”
“I know, but it’s different when you’re making something for your mate.” I look to Pax, who’s been sitting at the kitchen island and watching us. His belly is so big I have to wonder if there are twins in there. He’s so close to his due day.
“I’m so happy that you found your mates,” Pax says.
“Me too. I think going home to brood about it helped.”
Aaron snorts beside me as he loads me up on more herbs and spices. “You have the ingredients?”
I nod. “I wanted to do something fancy, so I have the tomatoes, garlic, all that jazz. And I wanted cool looking noodles, so I got these long ones that are twisty.”
Aaron clamps a hand on my shoulder. “You’re gonna do great, man. I have faith in you. I just don’t have faith that you bought the seasonings.” He shoves what seems to be all his spices into a bag and he hands it to me. “Taste everything and use your heart.”
“Will do.”
Aaron walks up behind Pax and hugs him. “I love cooking for you, my mate.” He nuzzles into my best friend’s neck. In the past, I would have been jealous, but not now. I have my own mates.
Pax reaches for me. “Some day you’re gonna have to bring your guys here and we can all get to know each other properly. But no pressure. It’s a lot meeting people.”
“Yeah, and I’m a little nervous about it. Apprarently, Aaron and Abel get along well though.”
“Oh, yeah. Abel has saved my bacon a few times. He’s been a big help anytime I’ve wanted to throw a festival in town. He knows the best places to host and helped get the maps and blueprints or whatever of the town copied for me. And Perry.” Aaron wiggles his brows. “He’s given us great advice on lube and toys and?—”
“Aaron,” Pax groans. “He doesn’t need to know any of that.”
“I’m just saying Perry knows his shit. Naming his shop Pleasures was smart.”
“He teaches pole dance and it was a blast.”
“Oh!” Pax says. “Maybe after this baby gets out of me I can take some pole classes.”
“I won’t say no if you want, but I might wanna join,” Aaron says.
“Mmmm that could be fun,” Pax says.
“You don’t have much of a wait left, right?”
“Right,” Pax rubs his belly. “She could come any day or wait a few more weeks. I hope they don’t show up on Valentine’s Day after all the work Aaron is doing to set up the festival and dance.”
I snort. “He just wants the entire town to celebrate him and his siblings, that’s why he’s doing it.”
“And I’d love to share a birthday with one of my babies,” Aaron says.
“I know you would, but I think it would be insufferable. There are already five of you with Valentine’s Day birthdays on this estate.” Pax leans back into Aaron.
“I can’t wait for my guys to be ready to start a family. I’ll wait as long as it takes, but I hope it’s soon.” Perry isn’t ready yet, and I think Abel is still anxious about what his auntie said about him being useless.
“It’ll happen when it happens,” Pax says.
