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“My buddy Lev will be yours, now.” Mike packed the ring back up and pocketed it with a grin. “I’ll send this off. A gift.”

“What if we don’t work out?” I flinched as I said those words.

“Then he’ll have an excellent piece to remind him of something special. And besides, I can’t say how, can’t say why, but I know things. I’m rarely wrong. But you and Alexei? You’re soulmates. I know.” He shook a finger at me with a half grin.

“You’re just saying that because I painted those hard bits for you.” I smirked, and he waved me off.

“Probably. Not easy to rope someone into doing this and keep them off their phones.” He jerked his attention to the door as a light knock tapped out before it opened. He patted the pocket the ring had gone into and stared up with a sad smile and so much love. I knew it had to be Lex, and my heart hurt when I wished I’d had a father or mother that ever looked at me like that.

I turned in my seat and caught Lex’s shy smile in his father’s direction and soaked in the way his face changed for me, a love I’d always wanted, fondness, sweetness and hunger for closeness. He looked at his father like he’d never had a cross word and looked at me like I hung the moon.

I almost jumped when Mike clapped my shoulder and shuffled off. “Dinner time?”

Lex nodded as the scent of meat and cabbage wafted by.

Mike clapped Lex’s shoulder too as he loped off, posture straight once more. “Let’s see if Ima burned the salad, yeah?”

“I never burned a salad! I left the bag of lettuce on the burner!” Rachael’s playful ire rang off the walls, and I followed, taking Lex’s hand for a gentle squeeze.

“What did you two talk about?” He gave me an apologetic smile.

“I now have way more knowledge about space barbarians than I ever wanted to and can identify their chapters based off sigil and color alone.” I grinned.

Mike chuckled. “I’ll convert him to the dark side, yet. You’ll never be rid of the paint smell.”

Lex took a deep breath in the garage, that chalky plasticine scent new to me, but he seemed at home with it, smiling fondly. “For you, I’d put up with it.”

I leaned down and gave him a little kiss to the corner of his mouth. “There’s some dark elves that look pretty neat.”

Mike glared over his shoulder. “No son of mine is shacking up with the twisted convergence! Space barbarians reign supreme.”

“But they have the sexy armor!” I sighed, and Lex rolled his eyes.

“I tried the same excuse in middle school and Dad almost disowned me. He threatened to get rid of my invisible braces and swap them out for the big metal chompers.” Lex shuddered.

“And I meant it!” Mike shuffled off out of earshot, and I took that moment to lean down, steal a little touch to his belly and kiss him in a not-so-parent-friendly way.

“I like him,” I whispered to Lex and relaxed when he gave me a tight hug. “And your mother.”

Maybe after the baby was born, we could find an excuse to come visit again. There was a ring waiting, after all.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Lex

Gathering at the dinner table for my family was always a lively affair. My father’s voice carried and my mother had to shout to be heard over him. People gestured with cutlery and between middling mixes of threats of violence for elbows on the table and heated political debates… every meal was an adventure.

Zeke gave me a kiss on my cheek and glanced around the table, eyes stern as he surveyed everything. “I was going to offer to help set the table or something, but it’s all done.”

“I took care of that with Ima.” I waved at my mother and earned a smirk.

“He’s been trying to butter me up to let you two share a bed, tonight.” She wagged a serving spoon at me and sat, the worn chair creaking before she scooted it gently.

“I thought we were crashing on the sectional.” Zeke blinked in surprise before reaching for the pitcher of cold green citrus tea my mom had made. He poured me a glass before himself before offering to pour for my mother and father.

“I know, I did too, but apparently Mother hasn’t gotten around to starting up her craft room, yet.” I gave my mom a wink. She’d gotten some big feelings when she’d supposedly gone to try. I thought I’d help her a little by taking a box of my old things when I left. I wanted them to have their life back—it was no secret they never intended on having kids—likely due to some preconceived notions they were infertile… or my father’s medical condition. Still, I cut some of their plans short. “Or going on any of those cruises and the like.”

“You know we won’t do any cruises. The environmental impact of those floating sewage bilges is horrid.” Mother shook her head and sneered.