Perry nods and lifts his plate and utensils to sit closer to Buckle. I do the same.
“Much better.” I grin at the plate. “I love these noodles! They’re so swirly.”
“I wanted something fun, but not too silly. I almost made heart-shaped pasta instead.” Buckle nods to a box on the counter.
“That can be next time,” Perry says.
“Eat up.” Buckle lifts his fork and knife. “It’s not exactly spaghetti. I kinda did my own thing, but I think it turned out well.”
I take a bite and moan at the same time Perry does, but my moan doesn’t come out so sexual. I blush because his moan does something to me and I squirm in my seat.
“Our Alpha is an amazing cook,” Perry says when he swallows down another few mouthfuls.
I nod and shove more in my mouth.
“And I have dessert, too. For later.”
“You think of everything,” I say around a mouthful of food.
“Nah, Aaron and Pax helped. Aaron’s been teaching me how to cook. For the last several years, they’ve invited me for dinner at least once a week. I started to feel bad and asked Aaron to teach me to cook and I started cooking simple things for them every couple weeks.”
“That’s so nice,” I say.
Buckle sighs. “I think you both know how I came to Mink Hollow? I was in love with Pax for so long. Aaron asked if I wanted to move here and I said yes. I couldn’t imagine life without my best friend. I still can’t. And until like a month ago I pined hard for him. Therapy helped, but had Fate not intervened, I’d probably still be pining.” He sets his fork on the table. “I still love him.”
Perry and I both stop eating.
“Of course you do,” Perry says. “You can’t just shut that kind of love off in an instant.”
Buckle shakes his head. “No, I mean. Yes, I still love him, but it’s morphed into a different kind of love. Therapy helped me see how I was putting Pax on a pedestal because of how he’d helped me when I needed it the most.”
“Howdidhe help you?” I ask.
Buckle swipes a hand through his hair and takes a few bites. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing sauce on his skin.
“You don’t have to tell us,” Perry says, and I nod.
“I want to. I just hadn’t figured out how yet.”
“Take your time,” I say, reaching for his hand. I wish I had pheromones I could push to him to help. But I’m just a Beta. My shoulders slump.
Buckle puts his big hand over mine and gives it a pat.
Buckle takes a deep breath. “Pax didn’t know the entire truth of what happened to my dad until a few years ago.”
My stomach twists.
“Pax and I bonded a lot because we didn’t have dads. His walked out on the family and mine.” Buckle swallows and looks to the ceiling.
Perry rubs a hand up Buckle’s shoulder. “We’re here for you.”
“I’m just going to get it out. Sometime after mom had the third set of triplets. I’m from the middle set. Dad and I were playing in our shifted forms. He always took his time to make sure we all had time with him all to ourselves. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and ran out into the road.”
I squeeze my eyes shut.
“Dad followed. I was out of harm’s way, but dad.”
“No,” I whisper.
