“You just say that because he’s your mate,” Hellen grumbled.
“Hell!” Christian chided.
“Oh, don’t give me that! Everybody knows it. Even she knows it! But now that you called me on it allow me to just say, mates suck!”
“You’re going to change that when you find yours,” Christian said.
“Found him. Wasn’t impressed. I’m not doing it,” Hellen said.
“I don’t know yours, but I have to agree with you at the moment. They’re not all they’re cracked up to be,” Cristie said. “And when they already care about somebody else and you inadvertently hurt the someone else just by existing... I just want to go home.”
“Hold on, I’m confused. You found your mate, too?” Christian asked.
Cristie swiveled her head toward Christian and sighed. “Remi. All my life I’ve known Remi. Never once any indication he was mine. Saw him at the wedding and there’s no doubt now.”
“Oh, no,” Addie said.
“Yep. And guess who was there to watch him almost lose his shit trying to make me notice him. Which I didn’t want to do because he was there with her and I’m not the kind to want to hurt people or be petty intentionally. If I have to compete with someone else for your attention, I don’t need your attention,” Cristie said. “Besides, there’s no reason to make her feel bad. None of this is her fault. All she did was like someone, who liked her back, and now fate is mixing shit up with its dirty, heartless hand!”
“Bailey,” Christian said. “She’s a sweetheart, too.”
“I heard she’s pretty upset,” Addie said.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know she owned the coffee shop when I went up there this morning,” Cristie said.
“It’s not your fault. She said the same thing you did basically — she shouldn’t have to compete for anyone’s attention, and youwere so damn nice she couldn’t even hate you. And she doesn’t blame you. It was him that kept staring at you,” Addie said. “She said you made it a point to practically ignore him.”
“I feel bad enough it wouldn’t matter if she did hate me. Couldn’t be any worse,” Cristie said.
“Was she okay despite everything when you saw her, though?” Cristie asked.
“Oh, I haven’t seen her. My brother-in-law did. He’s the one that told me.”
“Oh. Who’s your brother-in-law?”
“Shaun.”
Cristie sat there thinking back trying to determine if she’d met Shaun.
“He’s a fox shifter,” Hellen said, trying to jog her memory.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Vince said from behind the bar where he dropped some boxes to the ground and started slicing them open.
“Hi, Uncle Vince,” Hellen said.
“Uncle Vince!” Cristie said, jumping up to go around the bar and give him a hug. “You need some help?”
“Hey, baby. No, I got it. Thank you, though. What about you and Hellen? Y’all looking for something to eat?”
“I would like a double, please! And onion rings, a double order also,” Hellen said.
“Hungry, huh?” he asked, chuckling.
“Yes, and irritated.”
Vince laughed.
“I’ll just take a regular with extra cheese and onion rings,” Cristie said.
