Page 76 of Beyond the Darkness

Connie almost laughed out loud.

“Oh good! Please hurry!” Henrietta urged Hudson.

Connie couldn’t help but be amused at his mother too. She practically bounced in her seat, her hands fidgeting with excitement.

Huh. Enthusiastic, and if Connie wasn’t wrong, also slightly nervous. Where in the world that was coming from, he had no idea. Too bad Kit couldn’t see that Connie’s mom was as nervous about meeting him as Kit was about meeting her.

The conversation flowed naturally from the honeymoon, the venue, and invitations, to updates on things in the court and upcoming social events they were hosting or attending.

“Speaking of the honeymoon, make sure to take lots of pictures for us,” Henrietta reminded Connie.

“Why? Did you forget what snow looks like?” Connie joked. They lived in Michigan, for crying out loud.

Henrietta’s eyes narrowed playfully. “Just because you’re all grown up and happily mated now doesn’t mean I won’t come over there and give you a good swat.”

“Oh please, I’d pay good money to see that,” Kit said, walking in.

Connie groaned. Because, of course, that would be when Kit joined them. “That’ll never happen.”

Kit walked straight to Connie, grinning.

Standing, Connie gave Kit a quick kiss on the cheek. Then he turned him so he could introduce Kit to his parents, who had also stood. “Kit? This is my mother, Henrietta, my dad, Leo, and my other dad, Ford.”

“It’s so nice to meet all of you,” Kit said, shaking Leo’s and Ford’s hands. Then he turned to Henrietta, who promptly wrapped Kit up in a hug.

“I have been so excited about finally meeting you. Connie has told us so much about you. I feel like I already know you, even though we’re just now meeting. You mean the world to my Connie,” Henrietta whispered. “So you’ll mean the world to me.”

“Mother of all, you’re going to make me ugly cry all over you,” Kit swore softly.

Henrietta chuckled, releasing him from the hug but holding on to his hands for a moment longer. “There’s nothing ugly about honest emotions, dear.”

“Oh wow, you’ve got to meet my mother because that sounds like something she would say.”

“Sounds like a smart woman,” Henrietta said, winking. “I like her already.”

Kit discreetly wiped wetness out from underneath his eye. “Oh yeah, the two of you are going to get along great, the mother help us!”

There was a knock on the door, and Connie hurried to open it. Stella and a couple of people from the kitchen pushed several carts full of food into the room. She greeted Connie’s parents, chitchatting while she oversaw dinner being set up.

“Anything in particular for breakfast the three of you would like?” Stella asked right before she left.

“Oh no, don’t make anything special for us. We’ll eat anything,” Henrietta claimed. “Well, outside of coffee. Coffee is a must, otherwise, I have a very grumpy mate on my hands.”

Ford raised his hand and waved at them. “Me. I’ll be the very grumpy dragon.”

“Oh, believe me, you wouldn’t be the only one around here. There’ll be plenty of coffee, I promise you,” Stella said. “Hudson? Just leave the carts outside your quarters, and I’ll send someone to pick them up later. Have a good evening, everyone, and it was good seeing you, Henrietta, Ford, and Leo.”

Connie absolutely loved how welcome the court made his parents feel.

Everyone gathered around the dining table. It was kinda tight, but they made it work. The food was delicious—a roast with all the trimmings, vegetables fresh from Stella’s garden, and homemade apple pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Conversation continued to flow as easily as the wine.

As they ate, Connie noticed that Kit seemed more and more relaxed. And how could he not? There was no mistaking his parents’ genuine warmth.

Connie nudged Kit under the table and whispered, “Told you they’d love you.”

“Of course we love you. If anyone told you otherwise, point them in my direction. I’d like to have a word with them.” Henrietta huffed, a swirl of smoke coming from her nostrils.

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