Page 161 of Bride of Choice

Realizing Khri meant me, my cheeks pinkened at the compliment but I played it off. “Know any single, handsome hotties who know how to treat a girl right?” I joked.

Khri laughed as he left.

“All the good ones are all spoken for,” I cooed down at my little friend, who was so happy to play he had spit bubbles in his drool as he cooed back.

“You’re horrible.” Rosa chuckled, shaking her head at me.

“That’s what makes Auntie Jojo the best,” I singsonged down at my new lil buddy.

“Yes, she’s always like this.” Rosa answered the question in Mal’s eyes.

“Don’t hate me ‘cause you ain’t me.” I played it up, sending both women laughing as they shook their heads at me.

By the time our meet up was done, Rosa and I volunteering to double team the task of breaking Mal in on all things Yetified, saving her from the sweet but misguided overachiever, taskmaster demon that is Daisy, Mal had tried to pry any info she could about her sweet, notably absent Boog.

Oh, he so had it in the bag. Khri knew his shit.

But just to be sure…

Khri almost walked right past me on his way back to his hut.

“Hey,” I called out, waiting for him to walk back.

That’s right, hurry up, bub, I’m freezing my tits off standing here waiting for you.

“So she’s your mate and his, but he’s your responsibility now too. Y’all are a unit, a family. And I’ll get to having a little chat with her later, but you hurt my friend and I’ll wear your balls for earrings, you feel me, fluffykins?”

Khri grinned like he found my threat adorable. “You talk you Kooky like that?” he quipped.

“I talk to Kooky however I damn well please,” I sassed right back.

His grin widened. “Goot.”

Reaching out, he gave me a gentle pat on my shoulder that felt very good little kitten with claws and left me to frown after him.

His amused chuckles weren’t helping any.

“Jojoknee?” he called after me as I slipped out of my hiding spot and headed for home.

I turned to him with a shrewd stare.

Holding out his forearm in the general sign of I swear or submission, his head dipped and he swore, “Khri be goot to Boog and Mally-mine.”

Inclining my head towards him in acknowledgement, I gave a slight dip of a bow. “Thank you.”

With that, we parted ways.

Feeling a mite better about Boog’s situation, feeling like he was in good hands, my steps grew a little lighter.

As usual of late, night rolled around and yet again sleep remained elusive. Without the threat of Krampus out to hunt me down hanging over my head, I felt comfortable enough to start taking midnight walks around the village.

My days were filled with projects I’d taken on to keep my fidgety ass busy. It helped keep my mind off the dumpster fire that is my life during the daylight hours.

Boog was biting at his nails waiting for Khri to call him back into the fold. As I’d advised Boog, I put my faith in the mucho grumptastic warrior dude. He wasn’t going to play Booger false.

Stepping out into the cold, purse over my shoulder, bundled up for the weather, tablet stowed inside, and a basket of goodies to nibble on while we got our movie night on over my arm, for the first time in a long while, I was feeling optimistic.

No, things had not panned out like I’d have wished with Kooky, I was crushed, but it wasn’t the end of the fucking world. Gopher and I had slipped back into our before mating friendship. I died a little inside whenever he hesitated to make contact with me, like I had leprosy, or suddenly made a hasty exit, but I was trying. He was trying. It was hard but… fuck me sideways, we were trying.

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