Page 19 of Purple Protector

Birch rolled his eyes, but Hedley wasn’t wrong. He didn’t have a love life to speak of, which was why everyone seemed intent on getting him one. At least Hedley and Killian had chosen someone Birch knew and liked. The same couldn’t be said about his mothers.

THAT WAS WHY HE WAS wary when he made his way to their apartment after leaving Killian’s office later that day. Yarra had invited him for dinner, and she’d promised that there wouldn’t be any surprises. He expected it to be a lie, so he was pleasantly surprised when he walked in and didn’t find a stranger sitting on the couch.

He could hear music coming from Curran’s room and his mothers talking in the kitchen. That was where he went first. “You kept your promise,” he said.

Yarra smiled at him and hugged him, but Alayna looked a bit annoyed. “How are we supposed to get grandchildren if you don’t have anyone in your life?” she asked.

“Ask Curran.”

“Ask Curran what?” Birch’s brother asked as he walked into the kitchen. “How long will it be before dinner? I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” Alayna said. “And we were talking about children. You’re too young to have them.”

“I don’t disagree, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want kids.”

Birch winced. He hadn’t told his brother what Marlin had said about having kids. Of course, Curran probably wouldn’t end up with Marlin. After so many years, Marlin had never given a hint that he was interested in Curran. That probably meant that he wasn’t and only saw him as Birch’s little brother. Birch thought it was a pity. He loved his brother and Marlin, and Marlin was a good person. He was annoying as fuck sometimes, but that wouldn’t make him a bad partner for Curran.

“Birch is older than you. He’ll have kids before you,” Alayna said.

“That’s not how it works,” Birch muttered.

“I guess that at least he has someone who’s interested in him,” Curran said before snapping his mouth shut and turning wide eyes to Birch.

Birch glared at him, but it was too late. Alayna had heard and latched onto Curran’s words.

She turned to Birch. “Who’s interested in you?”

“No one.”

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll find out some other way.”

That much was true. She wouldn’t let it go until she had all the answers she wanted. It would be less painful for Birch to tell her everything right now. “Curran thinks that Aaron is interested in me.” He didn’t add that Killian and Hedley thought the same, or that Marlin was convinced that Birch and Aaron would eventually end up together. His mother didn’t need to know that. She’d have a field day with this as it was.

“He is,” Yarra said.

Birch stared at her. “How could you betray me?”

She shrugged and smiled. “I have eyes, and I’ve seen both of you in the dining hall. He’s always watching you. It’s not creepy, though. It’s almost wishful. Has he asked you out yet?”

“He hasn’t, and I don’t think he will.”

“Because he’s leaving,” Curran said, sounding sorry for Birch.

It reminded Birch that they were doing this because they cared about him, not to annoy him. He might as well tell them that Aaron wasn’t going anywhere. They’d find out soon, anyway. “He’s not. Killian offered him a spot in the clan, and Aaron accepted it. He’s here to stay.”

Alayna screeched and threw her arms around Birch’s neck as if it meant that Birch and Aaron were about to get married. Birch sighed, but he hugged her back. She was doing this out of love. That was what he should focus on.

“I’m so happy for you,” she said. “You finally found love.”

“I wouldn’t say that. Aaron might like me, and I like him well enough, but we don’t really know each other.”

That wasn’t exactly true. Birch had been watching Aaron. It was his job. He’d noticed how seriously Aaron took his work and how respectful he was with everyone, even though his job was to ask questions. He liked the way Aaron looked, and even the fact that he wanted children. Birch had never allowed himself to think about having them, not even after Killian had become king, but maybe it was time to think of his future. Killian wasn’t wrong when he said that Birch’s life couldn’t revolve around him. Killian had his own life with Hedley and their kids. Maybe it was time for Birch to have the same.

But not right away. Even if he and Aaron ended up together, it was way too soon for them to have children. Birch wasn’t ready for that kind of step. He was ready to find out if Aaron wanted him, though.

Especially if it got his mothers and Hedley and Killian off his back.

Chapter Seven

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