Page 2 of Sunshine

Because I was a beta.

It was better for me to dream about Pack Kahele than to take any action that would end with my heart being broken.

Again.

Clouds of steam greeted me as I pushed into the kitchen.

Logan stood behind a massive stove, directing several sous chefs. All burners were going at once, one of the assistant chefs was setting up rows and rows of gleaming white plates, while another was stirring sauces.

“Everything okay?” I stood at the side of the kitchen, appreciating the delicious smells wafting over.

Logan didn’t look up when he heard my voice. Instead, he turned and grabbed a side plate then arranged a sample of the next course—seared scallops nestled next to baby spinach. After drizzling pomegranate glaze over the whole thing, he held the plate out to me with an intent look. “Try,” he said.

I walked over to the countertop, smiling as I took the plate. “It was delicious during the tasting. I was just making sure you don’t need more bus boys.”

Logan grunted in the negative as he flipped scallops onto plates and passed them over to the person in charge of appetizers. I got a slight waft of his herbal scent, blending in with the kitchen so well you had to know his scent to know the heady blend of thyme, bay, and rosemary was the alpha, and not a delicious dish he was cooking up.

I took a bite and sighed happily, the buttery scallop melting in my mouth along with the sharp and almost citrus taste of the pomegranate. “No wonder Persephone stayed in the Underworld.”

Logan shot me a grin.

It felt like winning the lottery. Gruff and terse barely covered Logan’s grumpy chef personality. I’d rarely seen him crack a smile, especially when he was working, and I couldn’t help but stare.

His short brown hair was mostly hidden under his bandana and his chef’s whites were pristine. The heat of the kitchenhad given his normally pale skin a slight flush that revealed a smattering of freckles.

I kept my eyes on him as I took another bite, the combination of flavors became almost sensual and I found myself wondering if Logan’s skin flushed like that when Julian was in heat, and their bodies were pushing together. My breath caught in my throat at the sudden rush of desire.

I slammed a mental door on that line of thinking and ate the rest of my scallops. “Thanks. I hadn’t eaten yet.”

“I know,” he grunted. “You need to eat more. Julian and Luca eating?”

“Of course.” I’d barely had time to talk to them, but I had managed to keep an eye on whether they hit the buffet table. “Julian destroyed your Marsala Risotto.”

Logan nodded, then plated up some of the risotto for me, and I started on it happily.

Just as I was thinking I should head back out, the kitchen’s double doors opened again, and Julian and Luca came through.

“I didn’t know we were allowed to hide back here.” Julian grinned at me. “Hey, gorgeous.”

Warmth rushed over me, and I knew I was smiling like an idiot. Julian was an irresistible cross between adorable and sexy. I eyed the tattoos peeking over the edges of his crisp white dress shirt, wishing I could see more.

Julian and Luca didn’t usually come to the events that Logan catered, but Luca was a hot shot lawyer, and his firm had been invited by one of the hosts. Julian had come as his plus one, so it was a happy coincidence that we were all at the same event together.

My grandparents had started the family matchmaking business, Cosmic Bonds, when they bought a resort in Half Moon Bay. Me, my siblings, and cousins had all grown up helping our parents’ packs run the business. We planned ontaking over, but didn’t know it would be so soon. When I was sixteen, our parents, aunt, and uncles had all died in a plane crash, and it had fallen to us to keep the place running. My older cousin Raina, barely eighteen at the time, managed to get custody over the six of us, and we pitched in to help so we could stay together.

Ten years later, and the business was thriving. In addition to personality tests and tarot readings, we also hosted events on the grounds of the resort. I’d started event planning when I was twenty, along with my adopted sister Holly, and six years later the scale of the work had increased immensely. When we realized we needed a regular caterer, we had offered an exclusive contract to Logan’s company, Talk of the Town.

Logan was still free to cater elsewhere, in addition to the restaurant he had in Half Moon Bay, but having him as our sole chef meant that Cosmic Bonds could say we offered nothing less than a three Michelin-starred menu.

It also meant that every now and then there were opportunities to spend time with them as a pack.

“I’m making sure Logan doesn’t need more busboys or waiters.” I took another bite of the risotto. The buttery rice was delicious, and I fought not to make a little moan of pleasure.

“Sure you are.” Julian gave me a side hug, enveloping me in his tropical scent of coconut and pineapple. Inwardly, I melted. “I’m back here checking on Logan’s service, too.”

“Smashing event as usual.” Luca winked at me, his warm brown eyes twinkling.

Having the three of them so close made me tense up, my face flushing from more than just the heat of the kitchen. It was too easy to think about what it would be like to date them. We’d decompress on the couch after a long day, and at night we’d climb into bed, touching and kissing.

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