Page 56 of Silas's Sweetheart

Dad:It wasn’t a request.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ziggy

“Frey, wait up,” Ziggy called out as he exited the elevator, seeing Frey heading down the hallway in front of him. His worry for his friend when he’d not responded to his messages had lessened somewhat after the responses in their group chat. But he still wanted to check that Frey was all right after his first proper heat. Frey came to a stop and turned to watch Ziggy.

“I was hoping to catch you,” said Ziggy.

Frey grinned, his cheeks pinking prettily. “Hey, sorry. I meant to send a reply to you last night.” He sighed. “Then I got a little distracted by Emmy, who was a little fussy when I put her to bed. It seems Popi prefers to hold her rather than put her in her crib.”

Ziggy clutched the cashmere vest covering his shirt, belly laughing. “You’re as bad. I’ve seen you,” he spluttered around his laughter, knowing Frey loved to fuss over his daughter. They all did. She was an absolute delight and could make even a hardwork day better. The new setup where they all got some Emmy time was a blast.

Ziggy had never worked for a company that was so supportive of its employees. Perhaps folks could argue that because Booker part-owned the company, he could do whatever he wanted. But Ziggy had heard Lane was already planning for other staff to be able to bring their children to work with a new creche.

What it meant for Frey was that he could come back to work after the adoption of the orphaned child like he wanted, without any guilt of leaving her with strangers.

Frey gave him an unrepentant look, shrugging. “She’s my daughter, I’m allowed.”

Nudging him with his shoulder, Ziggy nodded while continuing to chuckle. “You are. And she is a total sweetheart. But I see we have something else to talk about.” His gaze lingered on the small bit of scarring that peeked out from the top of Frey’s button-down. “It went that well, your first proper heat?” He’d kept his voice down, not knowing if anyone else had noticed the mark and unsure if Frey wanted to share his newly mated status.

Frey checked the hallway before he nodded. “It was… amazing!”

“That good?” Ziggy’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm at how happy Frey was. Discovering he was infertile because of taking heat blockers, the universe had worked in other ways to give Frey what he thought he’d never have—family. And now he had a mate.

“Let’s go to the coffee lounge, I’m starving as I missed lunch,” Frey suggested. Ziggy went willingly, needing someone else’s happiness to cling to for a little while.

They entered together, Frey closing the door behind him despite his full attention being on the offering of cakes on thecounter. He went straight there, grabbing plates, making Ziggy grin at his friend.

When Frey offered him a plate, he felt the conflict for real. Cake had been his best friend while he avoided thinking too hard about Silas. Eat cake and not think about what it was a substitute for had become his mantra. Had it worked?

Most definitely not, and his waistline had taken the brunt of his persistence. So he debated with himself before he took it and put it under his nose, sniffing because he was too weak to resist.

“Fuck, that smells so good.” Ziggy patted his round stomach with his free hand, feeling his bulging belly, and eyed Frey with resignation. “I’m sure I’ve gained at least five kilos since I started work here. Maybe I should half the slice?” It was futile fighting the desire when all he had was cake to fill the void inside him.

Frey rolled his eyes at him. “Give over, there is nothing wrong with you and all I’m saying is Lennon makes the best chocolate and raspberry cake in the history of cakes.”

The chuckle came with a wry smile when Ziggy was already reaching for the fork Frey offered him before he collected one for himself and went to the comfy couch to sit down.

Frey glowed like a ball of bright yellow sunshine. He radiated happiness, the kind a person wanted to bask in.

Frey arched his brow at him, head tilting slightly. “What?”

“Being mated… it suits you.” It truly did. If anyone deserved this happiness, it was Frey.

Blushing, Frey sighed happily. “It does. I’ve never felt more alive. Like everything is brighter, more colorful. Smells better.” He dug into the cake and took a mouthful, groaning at the taste. “So good.” He made more joyful noises as he took another bite, barely giving himself time to savor it. “But honestly, I’m just down to the bone happy.”

Ziggy came and perched on the sofa next to him, waiting for a beat.

Fuck it,what was one more slice going to do?

He dug into the cake with his fork. “Good god, that’s so fucking good,” he moaned around the mouthful of cake that was blowing his mind.

“It really is.”

The silence between them lasted until the plates were empty and both wore satisfied smiles. Ziggy moved and took Frey’s empty plate to place them into the dishwasher. “Want a coffee?” he asked as he grabbed the coffee pot that someone had recently filled.

“Please.”

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