Page 11 of Christopher

Chris reached out with his leg and poked Kyle’s knee with his toe. “I’m sure. Everyone’s been nice, so don’t worry, Papa Bear.”

“I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. I’ll always worry about you and Jennifer.”

Kyle wasn’t that much older since he was thirty-five, but as the eldest, he’d always taken his role as protector very seriously. Sometimes it had been annoying, but now that he was older, Chris was glad he had his brother.

At least until Kyle said, “I got an interesting text from Dennis.”

Chris groaned. “I don’t want to know what Dennis texts you.”

“Why do you say it like that?”

“I’m scared he texts you old people sex, and I can’t.”

Kyle made a strangled sound. “Old people sex? Why would he do that?”

“Because you’re old?”

Kyle tried to kick Chris’s leg, but Chris quickly pulled them both up on the mattress and stuck his tongue out. Part of him reverted to being a kid when he was with Kyle, and while Chris didn’t always like it, in this situation, he did.

“We don’t text about old people sex,” Kyle said. “But we do text about our brother finding his mate and not telling anyone.”

Chris’s stomach dropped. “What are you talking about?”

“The fact that apparently, your mate is one of Dennis’s best friends.”

So that was how Dennis had found out. “He knows Drake?”

“Yeah. They’re together right now. Drake told his friends that he met his mate yesterday but didn’t know much about him, so he couldn’t find him again. When he told Dennis that his mate’s name was Chris and that he’d recently moved here with his two siblings and their grandfather, Dennis knew it was too much to be a coincidence.” Kyle leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. “What happened? You didn’t tell Jennifer or me that you met your mate, and from what Dennis said, it sounds like you ran away.” He hesitated. “I thought you’d be happy to meet your mate.”

Chris was finished eating, so he leaned sideways and set his plate down on the dresser. “I don’t know. I guess I panicked.”

“Finding your mate can be a lot.”

Kyle was probably the best person to talk things through with, since he and Dennis had only met recently. Kyle had panicked when he’d met Dennis, too, although he’d had a good reason to. He’d been planning to fight the Green Hill pride alpha for the position, and the fact that Dennis was a pride member had made a messy situation even messier.

But there was nothing stopping Chris from talking to Drake or taking him out on a date. There was no reason for them tostay apart. If Kyle could deal with his messiness and untangle everything, maybe Chris could do the same.

“My mate was on a date,” he explained. “The other guy was an asshole. Even after I told him that Drake was my mate, he insisted that Drake had agreed to go on a date with him and that they should finish that date.” It had sounded a bit like Karl was going to drag Drake to his bed, because that was what he’d expected to get out of that date. It had taken everything Chris had not to slam the guy against the nearest wall and growl at him. Maybe he should have. Karl needed to learn some respect.

“That guy doesn’t matter, though. Unless they’re getting serious?”

“It was a first date. A blind date.”

Kyle grimaced. “Those are never fun.”

“I got Drake out of the coffee shop and away from the guy, and he was fine. He’s a talker, though.”

“Makes sense, since you’re quiet. Still, I don’t get why you ran away without even giving him your number.”

“Honestly? I don’t know. It was just too much, and I needed some space.”

“You could’ve had that even if you’d given him your number.”

Chris scowled. “Clearly, he didn’t need it because he found me anyway.” What were the odds that he and his brother would end up bonded to two best friends? Well, it was a bit early for Chris to be thinking about him and Drake bonding, but still. It was in their future.

As long as they gave each other a chance, which was the opposite of what Chris had done.

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