Page 31 of Destined Mate

“Were you playing the guitar last night?” Samuel asked me.

I froze, uncertain why he’d askedmethat. “Uh. No.”

“Bodey?” Janet gasped. “You played last night? You haven’t done that since…” She trailed off.

My brows furrowed. “Since when?”

The skin around Michael’s eyes tightened, and again, he stared at me. “Since he was a teen,” he answered.

“I’ve heard him the past few years, playing on the deck outside his room. He practices late at night when most people are sleeping.” Samuel shrugged. “He’s gotten a lot better lately.”

“You heard me?” Bodey’s jaw dropped.

“Man, it’s not like you’re actually stealthy.” Samuel wrinkled his nose.

“So what? I’ve played off and on through the years. Why do you think I keep the guitar in the den?” Bodey shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal and took a sip of his coffee.

Both his parents still seemed tense, and his dad kept staring at me. I needed to do something to distract myself. Coffee would do the trick and help with the headache pulsing faintly between my eyes.

When I shifted to stand, Bodey touched my arm. “What do you need?”

“Just a cup of coffee.”

“Stay.” Bodey stood again. “I’ll get it for you.”

Before I could protest, he was in the kitchen, fiddling with the Keurig.

Something inside me stirred, and before I realized what I was doing, I lifted my chin and stared Michael dead in the eye…almost in challenge.

What the hell was wrong with me?

His forehead lined as his brows shot upward.

Thankfully, the front door opened, and three distinct sets of footsteps sounded. The first clambered into the house, and I immediately knew who it was.

“Good morning, my peeps. Your day is now complete since I’ve arrived,” Jack said, more loudly than necessary, as the front door shut.

A more reserved set of footsteps followed, which had to be Lucas, as the last near-silent set reminded me of Miles.

“Dude, you know they can hear you, right?” Lucas grumbled.

“It’s my aura. It can’t be helped. I’m just noticeable like that,” Jack countered.

Jack appeared in front of us, and he stopped and took a big whiff. “I smell heaven, and my stomach is going to be happy very soon.”

The three of them made their way to the dining table and grabbed chairs, just like Janet had said they would. They obviously felt at home. Miles took the end spot opposite Michael, while Jack took the vacant seat by me, with Lucas across from him. Miles put a leather-bound book on the table in front of him.

“How are you doing, little ass kicker?” Jack asked as he waggled his brows and leaned toward me.

My jaw dropped, and I huffed. “Bodey?” I couldn’t believe he’d told them. I would never live this down.

“Oh, it wasn’t him.” Lucas snorted and gestured to Samuel. “You can thank that one right there.”

“Leave the poor girl alone, or you won’t get to eat,” Janet scolded as she pulled out some plates and loaded them up. “She was scared and defended herself.”

Bodey grabbed my coffee cup and some plates before carrying them over. He put the coffee and one plate in front of me and sat with the other.

The others got up and grabbed their own plates, and soon everyone, including Janet, was sitting down.

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