Page 225 of As The Shifter World Turns

“What if you came but you didn’t come in with us? Like you just sat in the back like on a date or something.” Toby leaned forward and I almost scolded him until I saw he was paying his fry debt.

“I don’t know. Theaters… I don’t know.” Poor Neil was really on the spot. He wasn’t a fan of sitting in a dark theater with people he didn’t know.

“Oh,” Toby said. “I didn’t think about that.” He was far more observant than I realized. “Never mind. I’ll tell them we already had plans I forgot about.”

The compassion my son had never failed to bowl me over.

“No. I would like to go. I agree if your dad does. It was sort of my idea in the beginning, I was thinking we’d go at a weird time so there'd be fewer people at the theater. This will work.”

“I’ll talk to Neil, just the two of us as your parents, and we’ll get back to you, but I think we can work something out.” Worst case scenario I could go and drag Daire with me. Neil didn’t need to be uncomfortable so my son could feel a bit of freedom.

“I like that you said you’re my parents,” Toby told us. “I liked it a lot.”

I did too.

99

A POSSIBLE NEW TENANT

Neil

“Neil, is this number right?” Anthony was pointing to a column in a spreadsheet. We were going over the expenses and afterward I was doing a live session. Not with clients but with all the individual business owners who signed up to work on my site.

They weren’t my employees, they were their own boss. But they worked under the umbrella of my company. I did one of these sessions once a week where I let everyone know of any changes and it was a good opportunity for them to ask questions and air any grievances.

Charlie was restless today and insisted I hold him so Daire had agreed to come over while I was on camera. Charlie adored Anthony but I needed him with me during the session.

Daire and Nate were busy next door moving in. We’d decided to wait until they were all done before we packed our things. Martin and I hadn’t been mated long and we’d hauled a bunch of my stuff to his place so I was in no hurry. Except that the kitchen and bathroom were calling me. Toby wanted us to move in like yesterday because he adored that bathroom that was going to be just for him. He was growing up and wanted to stare in the mirror for hours checking if he had any pimples.

We’d explained that as he was the only one using the bathroom, he’d have to clean it. He shrugged and said, “Sure,” but I could see arguments in our future where he ‘cleaned’ it and we made him do it again. And again.

“I’m here,” Daire announced. Charlie must have been glad to see someone other than me and he outstretched his arms for Daire. My grizzly friend’s eyeslit up at our little boy wanting to be held by him. “Hello, my darling boy.” Daire gave him a big kiss.

“You’re early,” I told him, though I was glad I could concentrate on what Anthony and I were doing without my little boy pulling my nose or yanking my hair.

“Yeah. I’ve got someone coming to look at 3B. So, Charlie can come with me while I show the guy around.”

“Is it someone you know?” That was Anthony. As the person would be living across the hall from him, I understood he was a little anxious.

“Nope. He found me through a friend of a friend.” Daire didn’t appear to pick up on Anthony’s anxiety. Anthony and I shared a glance. “Okay, we’re off to wait for Len downstairs.” Charlie gave a little wave over Daire’s shoulder which was adorable and melted my heart.

But when I glanced back at Anthony, he was standing at the window and twisting a tissue. With 2A only occupied during the day, and 2B at lunch time or when I needed an escape, there was no one on the second floor at night. Ivor and Ryder had the entire first floor but Anthony had been content to live on the top one with Daire and Nate across the hall.

But now they were moving, and he was concerned about a possible new neighbor.

“I’ll give you the key to 2B. You can always stay there for a night—or longer.”

“Thanks.” He sat at the desk and we went back to staring at figures.

We were so immersed in what we were doing that when I heard a baby gurgling outside the door, I spun around. That was Charlie. Oh, right Daire was showing 3B to someone. And while I didn’t want to disturb my shifter friend, something had me opening the door. A man stood on the landing holding Charlie. My little boy. What the fuck! My heart picked up speed as I tried to figure out why he was with a stranger. I wanted to scream, “Take your fucking hands off him.”

Charlie cried out for me and I stalked over to the guy, an alpha, and a shifter judging by his scent. “Who are you?” I snapped as I took my little boy and held him close, smelling his baby aroma and listening to his heart beat against my chest. “And where’s Daire?”

“He’s gone next door to get the correct key for 3B.” His eyes glided over every inch of my body while he had a nasty smirk on his face. Fuck no. This guy could not live in the manor.

Daire should have left Charlie with me or Anthony if he couldn’t find me. What the fuck was he thinking? Anthony poked his head out the door and stared at the newcomer. He pulled away and I handed him Charlie and said I’d be there in a minute. After closing the door, I folded my arms and faced the prospective tenant who I assumed was Len.

“Where are you living now? Close by?”

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