Assa was making dinner when Wes walked into the kitchen from the garage.
“Did you see the texts from Valentin?” Wes asked.
“I did.” Assa chuckled. “Is it wrong that even though he’s abig strong alpha, I find him sort of adorable?”
“No. That was my reaction too.” Wes’s eyes darted toward the stairs.
“Don’t worry. Ryde is still at Patten’s house,” Assa said, putting the lid on a casserole pan.
Wes nodded. “I like this side of Valentin.” He hung up his messenger bag and combed a hand through his black hair. “It’s unexpected, I guess. Because he was so sexy during our night together, such a boss, and now with this…uncertainty… It’s verycompelling.”
“I love seeing how he intrigues you.” Assa grabbed Wes’s chin and planted a quick kiss on his mouth. “At least the message today was clear.”
“Very clear.” Wes grinned.
Assa slid the pan into the oven and thought about how pleased he had been to see Valentin’s name pop up on his phone that afternoon.
The day after Asher’s visit, Assa and Wes had gone through with their plan to text the mysterious alpha. Disappointingly, he waited a few days to text back, and when he did, it was with a breezy message about beingswamped at work.
Assa and Wes accepted his disinterest, although they wondered how they could have misread the situation so badly. Except it turned out they hadn’t misread anything. The following day, Valentin sent another text saying he hadn’t meant what he’d said. He was just scared by how much he liked them. He also mentioned that he truly was in the middle of some business that made it difficult to get together, but he wanted them to know that their night had been important to him.But you’d probably be better off staying away from me, he’d written.
Wes and Assa were glad to receive the message. It humanized the alpha in a way their night of mind-blowing sex had not and reminded them they weren’t the only ones with baggage. Whatever was keeping Valentin busy at his club probably wasn’t crazier than finding out your son’s biological father was searching for him.
But Assa still hadn’t been sure where he and Wes stood, or whether the mercurial alpha would want to get together once things calmed down.
Valentin had cleared up any confusion with the message he sent a few hours ago.Telling you to stay away was a noble impulse. It turns out I’m not noble. In fact, I’m selfish enough to tell you the truth. I want you.
No more ambiguity. He said he hadn’t stopped thinking about them, and he didn’t want to let the opportunity to explore theirconnection pass him by. He asked if they’d like to go on a date so he could explain his situation, and then they could decide for themselves if it was worth pursuing the attraction.
“I was going to reply that we can meet up in early April,” Wes said. “I realize that means waiting another week, but I’d like to get through Ryde’s party first.”
“Yes, good call.”
Wes’s mention of their son’s party reminded Assa of something that had been on his mind for days.
“Has Asher reached out to you again?” he asked, abruptly switching the topic.
“No.” Wes knitted his brows. “Why do you ask?”
“Truthfully? Now that he’s made himself known, I was worried he would try to insert himself into our lives.”
Wes hummed. “I doubt it. I think he meant what he said about leaving us alone. He only came here because he truly believes his brother is searching for his child.”
“I thought he might ask for an invite to Ryde’s birthday party,” Assa said quietly.
“That’s interesting, because I got the sense he wouldn’t ask for anything we didn’t initiate.” Wes caught Assa’s gaze before adding, “But down the line, do you think we will want to include him? I mean, we don’t have to tell Ryde the truth, but if there’s some way? We’re so light on family.”
“Maybe someday,” Assa said, not opposed to the idea of having more people in Ryde’s life. They’d only had Wes’s parents before they passed a few years ago. But he wasn’t sure about Asher.
An hour later, Assa, Wes, and Ryde sat around the kitchen island eating enchilada casserole.
“Patten told everyone his daddy rented out a go-kart track for his birthday party,” Ryde said. “It’s the weekend after mine.”
Assa couldn’t tell if Ryde was jealous, nervous that his own party wouldn’t compare, or simply stating a fact. Wes also looked stumped.
“Are you telling us because you wish your party was at the go-kart track?” Assa asked gently.
“Huh?” Ryde wrinkled his nose. “Why would I wish that? My party is in the backyard. You said we were renting the bouncy house with the water slide.”