“Nope. But that don’t mean we can’t find out,” Lucien said.
“I’ll ask my mom.”
“Alright. And if she doesn’t know, I’m sure it won’t take long to figure it out,” Lucien said. “A picture of your sister and a couple of well placed smiles and winks, they’ll happily tell us all they know.”
“Who’s they?” Brandt asked.
“The women,” Lucien said, waggling his eyebrows.
~~~
Brandt parked the truck a few spots down from Bailey’s coffee shop, and the three of them got out and started toward the place.
Lucien lifted his nose into the air. “I don’t know what I’m smelling, but I need about ten of them.”
Shaun laughed. “I’m gonna tell you what… ain’t nobody bakes like Bailey. She’s amazing, man. She’s pretty and sweet, and kind, and the best damn baker. You got to try her turnovers, dude. I like the apple ones, but she makes cherry and blueberry and you just don’t know how good they are. She’s something special, I tell you.”
Brandt and Lucien shared a knowing look.
Then Brandt spotted a familiar car the same time Shaun did.
“When is he going to leave her alone?!” Shaun bit out irritatedly.
“Damn it,” Brandt grumbled.
“Can’t you tell him to leave her alone?” Shaun demanded.
“They’ve been together a while, Shaun. You know that. Let them end their shit before you try to rush her into something new.”
“I’m not rushing her. I’m just trying to be there for her, because nobody else is. They’re all about poor Remi, fate sucks. Want to know what sucks? Realizing someone else has your fated mate all wrapped up and they’re in your brand new damn clan so you have to bite your fucking tongue and just pray she figures it out before it’s too late.”
Brandt and Lucien stood there looking at Shaun, then at each other.
Lucien grinned and quickly adopted a fierce look, draping his arm around Shaun’s shoulders. “Yeah! What he said!”
Brandt shook his head and threw in a bit of eye rolling. “So you’re standing here telling me that Bailey is yours?”
“If she wants to be. If she doesn’t want to be, I won’t force her. But I’ll damn sure make certain that she’s okay from all this Remi shit anyway.”
“Why hadn’t you said anything?”
“Why would I? She’s been happy. I don’t want to ruin that. Thankfully Remi ruined it by not being able to stop fawning all over Cristie, which for the record is pure bullshit. At least wait until your girlfriend isn’t standing there before you lose your shit over another female.”
“It’s not that easy. You see your mate and it’s hard to control.”
“I did it. I still do it,” Shaun snapped.
“He’s got a point,” Lucien said.
“How do you know? Have you been watching?” Brandt asked.
“Nope. I’m picking sides as I go along.”
“Remi’s a Dragon, you might want to keep that in mind when picking sides,” Shaun mumbled.
“So? I’m fucking alligator. There’s not that much difference,” Lucien said.
Shaun looked at Lucien critically, leaning back a little to better focus on Lucien’s face. Finally he grinned and looped his own arm over Lucien’s shoulders. “I like him. I’m glad he’s here.”
