“I was thinking about my foster brother.”
Alex nodded, but he didn’t say anything.
“He, well, he was the biological son of my last foster parents.”
“The ones who threw you out when you shifted in front of them?”
“Yeah. He didn’t want me to go, but he was only sixteen. It’s not like he had a choice.”
“You want to call him?”
Calvin should probably have been surprised that Alex knew that, that he’d understood it. “Yeah.” Brian would be only eighteen now, but it was old enough to make his own decisions. Maybe he wouldn’t mind going against his mother’s opinion about Calvin. Maybe he wouldn’t mind talking to Calvin again.
Calvin certainly hoped so.
* * * *
Alex got a little nervous once they got closer to the house. He’d told Calvin not to worry, and he didn’t think there was a reason to, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous.
He hoped his parents really would like Calvin, and he hoped Calvin would like them. He knew his mom could be a bit too overbearing, too nosey and too worried about making her kids eat enough and making sure they had everything they needed. How would Calvin react if she tried to do the same with him? He’d been on his own for years, was used to it. What would he say?
“You look almost as nervous as I feel,” Calvin pointed out.
Alex shrugged. “I am, kind of. I mean, what if you don’t like them? Am I going to have to choose between you and them?”
Calvin pulled on Alex’s hand until he stopped walking. They were close enough to the house that Alex could see his father reading his newspaper on the couch through the window, but luckily for him, his dad hadn’t looked up just yet.
“I’d never make you choose between your family and me,” Calvin said, and for once, he sounded convinced of what he was saying. There was no hesitancy in his words, and Alex was glad. He wasn’t sure who he’d have chosen if he’d had to.
“I know.”
“I hope you do. I understand how important family is even though I’ve never had one. Even if I don’t like them, even if I hate them, I’ll never make you choose. It might make family celebrations awkward, but it’s not something I’d do.”
“Yeah, okay. I know. Sorry. I guess this is a bigger step than I made it look.”
Calvin smiled. “You wanted to make me feel comfortable.”
“Yeah. I really think you’ll like them, though.”
“Only one way to find out.”
Alex wasn’t sure how Calvin had become the one who wanted to do this more just over the short amount of time it had taken to walk to his parents’ house, but he was glad at least one of them was confident about this.
“Right. Let’s go, then.”
Alex led the way, opening the door without knocking and walking in. The air was warm and smelled sweet, just like always. His mom liked to bake, and the smell brought Alex back to when he was a kid.
They hung their jackets, and Calvin looked at Alex. Alex nodded. “Okay, I guess you should meet my dad first, since he’s in the living room.”
Alex led the way. His dad looked up, a smile on his face, and his eyes widened when he saw Calvin behind Alex. They were holding hands again, and Alex had no doubts his dad had figured it out.
He put his newspaper on the coffee table and got up from his armchair, walking toward Alex. “Alex. I don’t have to ask why you’re here.”
Alex smiled. “I guess not. Dad, this is Calvin. Calvin, this is my father.”
Alex stepped aside as Calvin and his dad shook hands. “Calvin, huh?” Alex’s dad asked. “I heard about you.”
Calvin blushed and looked down. “I don’t think there’s anything interesting to hear about me.”
“Apart from the fact that the town’s bullies seemed to have taken a shine to you?”
Alex groaned. “Dad. Can we maybe not mention that? I’m sure Calvin doesn’t particularly want to think about the guys who beat him up twice.”
Calvin snorted softly and slapped Alex’s arm with the back of his hand. “You’re not helping.”
“Sorry.”
“So, Alex,” Alex’s father said. “Anything you want to tell me before your mother comes in here?”
“Ah, well, the reason I brought Calvin home is because he’s my mate. But we’re not going to mate just yet,” he added in a rush. “I mean, we’re both young, and we just met, and Calvin just arrived in Gillham.”
Alex’s dad held his hands up. “I was just asking who Calvin is exactly, not what you want to do with your life. Although I guess it’s a good idea for you to practice answering these questions. You know your mom will be all over this.”
“That’s why I told you first.”
Alex’s dad grinned. “Clever boy.”
“I saw how she was with Clea and Zane.”
Alex’s father turned his attention to Calvin. “You can call me Bill, or Dad, whichever you’re comfortable with.”
Calvin blushed even harder. “I think I’ll stick with Bill, if it’s all right with you.”
“I wouldn’t have suggested it if I wasn’t. Welcome to the family, Calvin.”
“Thank you, sir. Bill.”
Alex’s dad nodded. “Now, boys, I think we should go find Mary Jane. I’m sure she’ll be over the moon about this. Neither of us expected all three of our boys to find their mates when we moved here.”
Alex groaned. Of course his mom was going to be over the moon for this. He just hoped she didn’t scare Calvin away. He was more skittish than Zane and Clea. His life had been different from theirs, harder. He wasn’t as open as them, didn’t know how to behave with families, with overwhelming mothers.
Alex’s dad led the way to the kitchen, and sure enough, Alex’s mom was baking. She was mixing flour and sugar in a big bowl, but she put it down when she heard them come in. Her reaction was different from the one Alex’s father had had.
Her eyes went wide, like his, but she also gasped and pressed her hand to her mouth when she noticed Calvin, who was trying to hide behind Alex. She didn’t say anything, just stared at Calvin, then at Alex, until Alex started to squirm.
“So, Mom, this is Calvin. He’s, well, he’s my mate.”
Alex had expected his mom to fly toward them and hug them, but instead, she pressed her hand against her lips and started crying. He looked at his father, knowing he had to look as terrified as Calvin did. “Dad?”
Alex’s father rolled his eyes and stepped toward his mate, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her against his chest. “Hush, love. There’s no need to cry.”
Alex sidled closer to Calvin, who looked horrified, as if he’d done something to make Alex’s mom cry. “I’m sorry.”
Calvin looked at him with wide eyes. “Why is she crying?” he asked in a loud whisper.
“I don’t know,” Alex answered in the same tone, “She didn’t cry when she met Clea and Zane.”
“What do we do?”
“I don’t know,” Alex repeated. “We should probably give her some time, maybe go back to the living room.”
Calvin nodded enthusiastically, but before they could move, Alex’s mother stopped them. “I’m sorry. I know my reaction was a tad... strong, but you don’t have to leave.”
She stepped forward, drying her tears with a tea towel. “I was just overwhelmed for a few seconds. I never imagined moving to Gillham would mean my three babies would find their mates and leave the nest.”
Alex pressed his lips together. He didn’t want to ruin the moment by protesting his mom’s words, but babies? Really?
“Come on, boys, sit down. The first batch of cookies should be ready in a few minutes, and we can have coffee along with them.”
Alex obeyed his mom, and the silence that fell over the kitchen table was slightly awkward. He knew his mom wanted to know more about Calvin and how they’d met, what their plans were, but she w
as holding her tongue. Alex was impressed. Maybe she’d noticed how uncomfortable Calvin was.
So of course, she directed her attention to Alex.
“Will Calvin be moving in with us?” she asked as she busied herself with the coffee machine.
Alex swallowed and looked at Calvin, but he was no help. He was staring at the kitchen table as if it was the most interesting thing in the room, but Alex noticed his lips twitch in an almost smile. The bastard. He was enjoying this.
Alex kicked him under the table and looked at his mother, smothering his laughter at Calvin’s yelp. “No, Mom, he’s not moving in. I’m moving out.” He might as well tell her everything right away.
She didn’t look surprised, even though she did sadly frown. “That’s what I thought. Come on, tell me.”
Alex took a deep breath and did just that.
Chapter Five
Calvin woke to the smell of bacon and coffee. He frowned, wondering why on earth Alex was cooking breakfast. It was usually Calvin’s job—or at least it was on its way to becoming Calvin’s job—mainly because Alex had gone back to work and was more often than not on night shifts. He ate breakfast with Calvin when he came home, then went to bed.
Calvin pushed the sheets away and got up, stretching. He made a pit stop in the bathroom before making his way downstairs, following the scent to the kitchen. He ran his fingers along the banister as he walked down the stairs, still incredulous at the fact that he lived there, with Alex. He thought it would take him a little while to get used to that idea.
He still felt uncomfortable that Alex’s parents and Kameron had paid for most of the furniture. It didn’t sit right with him, but it wasn’t like he had a choice. He’d tried to tell Alex he’d changed his mind and that he’d stay with Dallas and Hamilton, but Alex had declared he was moving into the new house anyway. Calvin hadn’t been able to give Alex a good reason why he wouldn’t move in with him, and besides, he’d wanted to.
The strength of his feelings for Alex scared him. They’d met two weeks earlier, had moved in together only a few days before, and hadn’t yet completely settled into a routine, yet those feelings were there, confused as they might be.
Calvin was usually the one taking care of breakfast, while Alex cooked dinner, but that was about all the routine they had so far. The fact that Alex was already breaking it made Calvin a bit uncomfortable. He needed to know what his place was, what he was bringing to their relationship, and for now it was cooking breakfast and taking care of most of the laundry.
Calvin’s bare feet didn’t make any sound as he walked down the hallway to the kitchen. He peered in, smiling at the sight that greeted him.
Alex was at the stove, his back to Calvin. The radio was on, the music low enough that Calvin hadn’t been able to hear it from upstairs. Alex had probably not wanted to wake Calvin up.
Alex was wearing pajama pants and an apron, and Calvin frowned. Alex wasn’t supposed to be wearing pajamas already. He usually showered and changed after breakfast, right before going to bed.
The frown on Calvin’s face didn’t last long, not with the way Alex was moving his hips from side to side along with the music and humming as he flipped something in the pan. Calvin felt a bit guilty at spying on Alex, but he didn’t often have the opportunity to see Alex like this.
Not that Alex hid anything from him, or at least Calvin didn’t think so, but he was usually cautious around him, as if he was afraid Calvin would react badly, would run away. Calvin couldn’t deny he’d probably been the one to give Alex mixed messages, but he didn’t like the way Alex was reacting to them. He was the one who needed to make up his mind, though. Alex wouldn’t change his behavior unless Calvin did, unless he gave him a hint he wanted more.
Calvin honestly wasn’t sure he did want more, at least not when it came to mating. The thought of being with Alex forever felt good, but when Calvin thought about actually bonding with him, he panicked. It made him wonder if he was afraid of commitment sometimes, but Dallas had told him to stop being an idiot when Calvin had mentioned it to him. He’d said it was normal to be afraid of taking such a big step after knowing Alex for only a few weeks and being only nineteen.
Calvin trusted Dallas, way more than he trusted himself sometimes, and he hoped Dallas was right.
He stepped into the kitchen, freezing when he finally noticed the kitchen table. It was already set, and not the way Calvin usually set it. There were the usual mugs and silverware, of course, but the napkins were red instead of the simple white ones they used. More importantly, a vase stood in the middle of the table, filled with roses. Most were red, but there were a few white and pink ones in the bunch.
Calvin blinked at the table, wondering what was happening. Alex didn’t seem like the kind of guy to celebrate the two-week anniversary of their first meeting, but Calvin couldn’t think of anything else, even though it hadn’t even been exactly two weeks since they’d met.
He reached out and skimmed a finger on the petals of one of the red roses. A clang behind him made him jump and he turned around, letting his hand fall to his side.
Alex was looking at him, smiling. “Did I wake you? I kept the music on low.”
Calvin shook his head. “No. I guess I’m just used to waking up early to cook breakfast.”
Alex gestured at the table. “Come on, sit down.”
“Oh, I can finish up at the stove. You should rest.”
“Nope.” Alex put his hands onto Calvin’s shoulders and kissed his cheek before gently steering him toward the chair Calvin usually used. “I don’t need to rest. I came home early.”
“You mean early in the morning, right?”
Alex laughed, and warmth spread through Calvin’s chest. He loved it when Alex laughed. Well, he loved it when Alex did almost everything.
“Yeah, early in the morning. I think it was almost three.”
“It’s not even seven yet. You should rest.”
Alex pushed Calvin toward the chair again, a bit stronger this time. “I slept almost four hours. I’m fine. I can take a nap later.”
Calvin finally gave in and sat. Alex pushed his chair forward and kissed the top of his head before going back to the stove. Calvin had to ask. “Why are you already up? Why did you come home early? And why are you cooking?”
“Well, I’m home early because I asked Kameron if I could take today off work. He said yes and told me to leave early, that the pack could do without me for a few hours. I’m already up and cooking because you deserve a break. You’ve been the one cooking breakfast since we moved in.”
“It’s only been a few days, and it’s only cooking. It’s not a hardship.”
“Yeah, well, today’s special, so you should just relax and enjoy.”
Calvin wondered again if it was their two-week anniversary, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t. He didn’t think he’d ever forget the date when he’d been beaten into the alley ground for the second time. “Why is today special?” he finally asked. It was either that or wondering until either Alex said something or Calvin remembered, and his memory wasn’t all that good.
Alex put two plates onto the table, one holding a stack of pancakes, the other bacon. He looked at Calvin and put his hands on his hips, and Calvin suddenly felt bad. What the fuck were they celebrating?
“Do you know what day it is today?” Alex asked.
“Uh, Tuesday?” Calvin wasn’t sure. He had a hard time remembering what day it was because he didn’t have a routine yet. It made all the days feel the same, except the ones when Alex was home from work.
Alex rolled his eyes. “Yes, it’s Tuesday. What’s the date, though?”
Calvin had no idea. “I know it’s February.”
“God, I need to buy you a planner.”
Calvin snorted. “Sure, that way I can keep pace with my incredible social life.”
Alex crouched next to Calvin, and Calvin turned around in his chair to face him. Alex too
k one of his hands and looked up at him. “It’s the fourteenth.”
Calvin slowly nodded. “The fourteenth.”
“February the fourteenth. Valentine’s Day.”
Calvin gaped. He hadn’t even thought about it. He’d never celebrated Valentine’s Day, had never had an opportunity to do so. He’d never really cared about it, especially not when he was on the streets. “Shit. I didn’t buy you anything,” he blurted.
Alex laughed. “I don’t need you to buy me anything. I didn’t buy you anything either, well, except for the flowers, but hey, I had a best friend discount on those.”
Calvin rolled his eyes. “Way to make me feel special.”
“You know what I mean.”
Calvin smiled to let Alex know he’d been joking. “I know. I’m sorry I didn’t remember.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t do this expecting you to do anything. It’s just a small way for me to let you know I care.”
“I already know you care.”
“I know.”
* * * *
Alex handed Calvin the last plate and watched as Calvin dried it and put it away. The surprise breakfast had gone well—Calvin had been embarrassed he hadn’t even remembered it was Valentine’s Day, but Alex had actually counted on that.
He’d noticed Calvin often didn’t remember what day it was, and he’d wanted to surprise him. It had been easy.
Calvin cleared his throat and looked down. “So, you’re home today?”
Alex took the towel from Calvin and dried his hands. “Yep. Kameron is a softie. I just had to tell him I was planning this and he melted.”
Calvin chuckled. “Somehow I have a hard time imagining Kameron melting.”
“Okay, so maybe Zach was there and he pushed Kameron to say yes, but I think Kameron would have agreed anyway. He really is a romantic.”
“I guess. Do you have anything planned for today?”
Alex’s smile widened. “Sure I do.”
Calvin frowned and the corners of his lips tilted downward. “Oh. Okay. I guess I can go train with Clea, or maybe spend some time with Dallas and Sei in the infirmary.”
Gillham Pack 19 - Calvin Page 8
