Page 16 of Kennedy

“You found a good one,” Danny said as he started eating.

“I still expect him to wake up one day and realize he’s making a mistake,” Lewis confessed.

“Don’t make me threaten you,” Danny answered. “I know that your parents made you feel like you only mattered if you could be a good mate, but there’s more to you than that, and I’m sure Kennedy sees it, too.”

“My parents don’t have anything to do with this.”

“Sure they don’t,” Danny said with a snort. “But you shouldn’t be thinking about your parents right now. What are you going to do? How are you going to thank Kennedy?”

“With words?” Lewis asked because he had no idea what was next.

He supposed that talking to Kennedy would make sense. He wanted to call him and thank him profusely, but he also didn’t want to show Kennedy how insecure he felt. He needed an idea, and since Seymour knew Kennedy, he decided to ask his brother.

He slid out his phone and put the call on speaker. Danny leaned forward, grinning when he heard Seymour’s voice. “I don’t miss you,” he told him.

Seymour laughed. “I don’t miss you, either. What’s up, Lewis? We saw each other yesterday. Can’t live without me?”

Lewis rolled his eyes, but deep inside, he was glad for his brother’s humor. “You have such a big head.”

“I’ve never had any complaints.”

Lewis didn’t want to think about what his brother was insinuating, so he ignored the words. “Kennedy got me flowers.”

“Flowers for the flower guy? That’s a bit on the nose, isn’t it?”

“I don’t care because I love them. He had Danny put the bouquet together, and it’s gorgeous.”

“Are you telling me so I’ll be jealous that Jimmy doesn’t buy me flowers?”

“You don’t like flowers.” It wasn’t like Seymour hated them, but he didn’t see anything in them, not the way Lewis did. He certainly didn’t want to make a living out of them. “No, I wanted to know what you thought I should do to thank him.”

“Why me?” Seymour whined.

“Because you’ve known Kennedy for months.”

“It doesn’t mean I want to organize his date with my little brother.”

“I’m not your little brother.”

“You were born second.”

“By a few minutes. That doesn’t qualify me as little. I’m freaking out, Sey. I don’t know what to do.”

Seymour sighed. “Why don’t you try to enjoy it? I really don’t think Kennedy got you flowers because he expected you to do the same or to come up with something different. He wants to take care of you, so why don’t you let him? Just enjoy the moment and get to know your mate. If you really want to get him something, though, the way to Kennedy’s heart is through his stomach. He’s always hungry.”

It was a good starting point, but Lewis was still thinking about what his brother had said earlier.

He should enjoy this moment. He would never have a second chance at any of this. He’d met his mate, and Kennedy seemed intent on making him feel loved and like he mattered.

It was all Lewis wanted, and Kennedy had done it without even asking.

* * * *

KENNEDY WAS ON EDGE. He’d already been nervous when he’d gotten to the flower shop, had waited for Lewis to leave, and had rushed inside to introduce himself to Lewis’s best friend. Things hadn’t gotten better as he’d explained what he wanted. He’d been convinced that Danny was secretly laughing at him, and maybe he had been, but as long as Lewis had been happy with his flowers, none of that mattered.

Washe happy with his flowers? He was about to find out because Lewis had just texted.

Kennedy tuned out Jamison, who was droning on about whatever TV show he was obsessed with at the moment and opened the text. He smiled when the first thing he saw was a red heart. The text was quickly followed by another, and this time, it had words.

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