Page 87 of Sunshine

Talia sat across from me, looking so happy a bit of my annoyance left. She sat between Stephen and Jones, waving down the waiter. “Stephen is a stockbroker, and he heard about this exciting new restaurant.”

The waiter came over, looking at the increase in our party without batting an eye. He took their drink orders and then cleared his throat. “Mr. Kahele, your food is set to come out first.”

“That’s alright.” Luca gestured at Talia and her dates. “Can we get an appetizer while they wait for their food?”

“Of course. We have excellent seafood cocktails.”

Talia and her men ordered, and the waiter left.

“How’s work?” Talia wrapped her arm around Stephen, who still had the same vaguely too cool for school look on his face.

“Excellent. We’re finishing up events this week,” I beamed, trying to inject cheer into the atmosphere. It wouldn’t have been so weird, but the two alphas looked bored, and Talia couldn’t decide if she wanted to put her arms around both of them or just one.

“The bakery is taking off. Jones is a real estate agent and brought my cupcakes to the office. The agents loved them and are now serving them during their open houses.”

“Great,” I said. Before I could ask about flavors, Talia talked about Stephen bringing her cookies to work and how the brokerage was talking about a partnership.

“Maybe I could give you baked goods as well,” Talia said to Luca with a wink. “I’m sure the lawyers would love delicious food to brighten their day.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Luca smiled. “But Logan’s been experimenting with new recipes and we’re full right now.”

“Of course.” Talia’s face fell. “How is Julian, by the way? Wasn’t there a huge house fire a couple of days ago?”

“He’s fine,” Luca said. “It wasn’t his company that answered that call, but all of the first responders are okay.”

“Julian is your omega?” Jones flicked his floppy blond hair out of his face. I itched to give him a haircut. Luca’s curly hair didn’t look so…styled all the time. “You let him be a firefighter?”

The small muscles in Luca’s jaw clenched. I grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed.

“Itisthe twenty-first century,” I said brightly. “Omegas are allowed to hold whatever job they want.”

Jones looked at me like the family dog decided to start talking. “You’re a beta. It’s not your place to make decisions about the pack omega.”

Luca shot him an icy look. “Sunshine’s place is wherever she wants it to be. And yes, Julian is an adult and allowed to do whatever makes him happy.”

“Okay, okay.” Talia held up her hands with a laugh. “We were just worried about Julian, that’s all.”

Our food came, along with some appetizers. It was delicious but hard to enjoy with Talia sighing about their entrées not arriving yet.

Talia talked about their plans to go on vacation to Europe and a beach house they were hoping to purchase. She directed most of her comments at me, in between rubbing Stephen’s or Jones’ arm suggestively.

Luca took it all in stride, letting my friend take the reins of the conversation. I asked Talia about her bakery, because it was a safe topic and something she would talk about at length, but she just rolled her eyes.

“It’s doing well now that Stephen and Jones are supporting me.” Talia took a sip of wine. “I know you have your family business, and you’re hooked up with Logan’s catering company, but you’d think your best friend would get some consideration too.”

I swallowed hard. Talia was in one of those moods. Occasionally her happy moods shifted to something harsher. She’d told me during an argument that sometimes she felt like she was giving all of herself to other people without anything in return.

Becca and I had learned to read these moods and fend them off as best we could. Mostly by reminding her of all the great times we had, all the ways wehadsupported her.

Talia usually apologized afterward. And it wasn’t like I minded helping my friend through her own insecurities, since heaven knew I had my own.

But of all the awkward places for Talia to throw herself a pity party, this was the worst.

“You do. I asked you three years ago?—”

“That’s not what I mean.” Talia shook her head. “It’s not important. I just saw you with your new alpha and thought a double date would be fun.”

“It is,” I said, lying through my teeth. “We should do this with Logan and Julian too.”

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