Page 29 of Prayers for the Prickly

“Yes, please do,” Aunty Eunice said.

She wasn’t trying to be rude, but I could feel her concern radiating across the table. She wouldn’t be able to relax until she was certain Ever wasn’t in any danger.

“The sooner you get to the heart of the matter, the better for all of us,” Aunty Eunice declared. “We’ve got a handfasting to plan, unless your people use a different sort of ceremony.”

“Nope, handfasting is our tradition, too.”

“Perfect, then we’ll proceed with the planning.”

“Gregor, make sure you give Eunice your mom’s number before you leave, she and your Nana will round up a group from our side to help.”

“I will, Pops,” he replied.

They nodded before Gregor’s father left. Things had really settled down by then. Little of the crowd that had drifted inside with us still lingered in the room and those who did were sipping drinks and nibbling the treats from the bakery. Fine, if they were going to be nosy, then I was glad to see that they’d done the very least they could do and purchase something after the free show they’d been treated to.

“Gregor, it would be great if you could give me an estimated number of people you expect will attend from your side, as well as any dietary restrictions you might know of.”

“No one in my family has any dietary restrictions,” Gregor replied. “Except if the buffet runs out. No one is picky, either. Everyone eats a wide variety of things and as I’m sure you can imagine, there are no vegans among our crew.”

“I’d be a bit tickled if there were,” she replied, promoting a bit of laughter from everyone gathered, even him.

“As for the number, just put us down forty-five strong, but plan on closer to sixty once my mom and Nana get through reaching out to them. We’re a bit spread out along the coastline, but everyone is known for turning out when there is a celebration, even if all it boils down to is a lawn full of grumpy looking men and women glaring at one another while they listen to the few chatty Cathies in the family ramble on until the party breaks up. “

“Our family has several of those, too,” Aunty Eunice explained. “I see us meshing together nicely.”

“Me, too.”

“Have you two given any thought to the date you’d want to hold it on?” Aunty Eunice asked.

“Summer Solstice,” we blurted simultaneously, though we hadn’t had the chance to talk about it yet. When I realized he’d picked the same day I did, I turned to him and caught him grinning at me. Shrugging, he inclined his head and arched an eyebrow.

“It seemed like the perfect day to commit myself to a mate who dresses like a field of wildflowers and smells like every color of the rainbow,” I said.

A collection of awes went up around the table, as Aunty Clara grinned at us and nodded.

“Phewww, August, you’ve caught a real charmer in this one,” she said, fanning herself. “If you don’t wind up in the family way sooner rather than later, I’ll eat a bowl of your Aunt Petunia’s infamous Beef ‘n Bits stew.”

August’s shudder of revulsion echoed the look that played out across her face when she said it. Seemed like that shit was seriously dangerous and to be avoided at all costs.

“Now that’s a bet,” August whispered, “Beef ‘n Bits is revolting, all of it, even the beef.”

I felt my lips curl up as his lips tickled my ear as he whispered to me.

“A few times she’s kind of hedged when someone had asked if it even was beef, which led me to believe that it wasn’t. It was a good thing I never had any interest in second helpings of her cooking anyway. Not when choking the first one down was practically a gastric insult.”

Now I really struggled to keep from laughing, and my cheeks felt tight from smiling so hard.

I glanced at August, wondering what he thought about having whelps this early in our mating, but I couldn’t catch his eye. I had to settle for raking my eyes over his belly as I pictured what it would look like swollen.

“Ohh, he’s picturing it, too,” Aunty Eunice pointed out. “Mark my words, August, you will be playing with little hoglets come this time next year.”

Thinking about it, there was really nothing bad about the image her words conjured up in my head. With Olly running the showroom and a workshop at home to rival the one at the shop, I could work from either location and help care for our little ones while August was working in his shop. If the fates saw fit to make parenthood a part of our future, then I’d welcome it with open arms. From the look on my mate’s face, it seemed like August felt the same way.

He laced fingers with me beneath the table while we waited to hear what else Aunty Eunice had to say.

“I’m certain I already know the answers to the next two questions, but just to get them out there, indoor or outdoor, day, evening or moonlight?”

“Outdoor,” we replied, but we turned to each other about the second question, August looking thoughtful while I already knew the time of day that would be perfect for us.

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