Page 21 of Kendrick

“Don’t start obsessing about everything that can go wrong before you even talk to them. They’re reasonable people, and they’re still looking for more clan members. I don’t see why they shouldn’t want him in the clan.”

“What if they don’t like him?”

“What if they do? Everything will be fine, Kendrick. And if Clay and Rowan reveal themselves to be very different people than I think they are, then we’ll both go. They won’t just lose one member of the clan. They’ll lose you and me, and probably Caroline and Alexis, too. And don’t you think that Boyd would come along? And maybe even Chris and Gary?”

It was a jolt to the system to realize that, yes, all these peoplewouldcome along if Kendrick had to leave. “Yeah, okay. I need to relax.”

Jonas snickered. “I’d say so. Go outside and grab the car. I’ll pay our tab and join you.”

Kendrick obeyed, even though he should have insisted he be the one to pay. He was overwhelmed and working on his list, but he kept losing focus when he reached ten.

He had to talk to Clay and Rowan and convince them to allow his brother to move to the village. He had to check the house and ensure that at least one guest room was clean and livable. He had to go and buy stuff like bed sheets and whatever else Ryan would need. He doubted that their father would allow Ryan to leave with anything he deemed was his, which was probably anything that Ryan hadn’t bought himself.

Kendrick had always known that his father was an asshole, but he hadn’t expected this. He’d believed that his father disliked him because of his mother, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

He was in the car, ready to drive home, when Jonas got in a few minutes later. He climbed into the passenger seat, his phone in his hand.

“I’ve already started making a list. Obviously, talking to Clay and Rowan is the first thing to do. We also have to buy stuff for Ryan, right? It sounds like your father isn’t going to let him take anything from the home.”

Kendrick stared. How had his mate had the same thoughts he had? How was he making a list when that was what Kendrick was trying to work on? “I’m falling in love with you,” Kendrick blurted out.

Jonas blinked at him. “I’m sorry?”

It was too late for Kendrick to take back his words, and he didn’t want to. He really was falling in love with his mate. He knew that would happen eventually, but it seemed that Jonas hadn’t realized it would be quite so soon. Neither had Kendrick. “I’m falling in love with you,” he repeated. “I was trying to make a list of things I need to do, but it’s overwhelming. You decidedto do the same thing without even asking me what you could do. You just took charge, and I’m sure that if I ask you to take charge of the trip and everything else that needs to be done, you’ll do that, too.”

“Of course I would. You’re my mate.”

He said it as if it was a given, but to Kendrick, it wasn’t. It meant that his mate cared about him, bond or no bond. Kendrick leaned forward to kiss Jonas. Jonas made a surprised little sound that made Kendrick want to haul him into the back seat, but they didn’t have time.

Kendrick leaned back. “What’s the first thing on your list, then?”

Jonas blinked as if he was trying to reboot his brain. The sight made Kendrick smile, but especially so when Jonas smiled back.

“Talk to Clay and Rowan. They need to know that we’re going to grab your brother and that we’ll be bringing him home. That way, they won’t be surprised when they suddenly have a new clan member.”

“I’m still not a hundred percent sure they’ll be okay with him suddenly living here.”

“They will. Stop worrying too much. This is everything you could ever have wanted, isn’t it? You have a home in the village, you’ve met me, and now you’ll have your brother back. Don’t think about what might go wrong. Focus on the positives.”

Kendrick wished it was that easy, but he was used to thinking about just how wrong things could go. That way, when it happened, he wasn’t disappointed. But maybe Jonas was right. Maybe this time, Kendrick could allow himself to believe that everything would be all right and that by the end of this mess, both he and Ryan would live in the village, and the two would be closer than ever.

It felt too good to be true to have all of this almost at once, but Kendrick wanted to believe he’d earned it—and more than that, he wanted to believe he’d be able to keep it.

* * * *

Jonas wasn’t worried. He already knew Clay and Rowan would welcome Ryan with open arms. He wasn’t sure why Kendrick was so hesitant about this, but if he took the time to truly think about the situation, he’d realize it, too.

Clay and Rowan needed more people. They needed more Krsnik and Vila, but also more people in general. They needed them to open stores, maybe start a tiny school. They needed healers and everything else. Ryan might not be a healer, but it didn’t mean there was nothing he could do for the village.

So no, he wasn’t worried. He already knew Ryan would be welcome here, just like he and Kendrick had been. He didn’t have to be useful. He just had to come.

Kendrick was still very nervous as they parked the car in front of his house and walked the five minutes it took them to reach Clay and Rowan’s house. There was nothing that Jonas could say that would allow him to relax, so he didn’t try. Kendrick would only believe this once it was in front of him.

He was the one who knocked when Kendrick hesitated. He almost rolled his eyes, but Kendrick’s expression told Jonas just how apprehensive he was, and it didn’t feel like the moment to tease him.

Instead, Jonas leaned closer to him. “Remember that if something goes wrong and Ryan can’t move here, we’ll just move away to be with him,” he murmured.

That seemed to do the trick. Kendrick had just started loosening up when the door swung open. Clay had on jeans and a t-shirt. His feet were bare, and his hair was messy. It looked like Jonas and Kendrick might have interrupted some time alonewith his mate, and in any other circumstance, Jonas would have been sorry, but not today.

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