Page 41 of Allured
Huffing into my phone, I prop it against my ear as I sort between various wine bottles that mean gibberish to me at a local shop.
After my picnic with Alek yesterday, I needed some more time for reflection before I called my cousin. Deciding to call him while shopping for a gift to bring to Alek’s Sunday dinner, I figured that the snobbish man could also come in handy in helping me pick out a wine.
“Yes, I am entirely sure that was your only intention when sending me to do your bidding at the gala. Whatever it was you had to do while I checked on the allergen list in the kitchen wassomuch more important.”
Knight clears his throat and I hear the distinct sound of papers shuffling in the background.
“Yes, well, I did have an entire event to set up,” my cousin replies, almost skittishly.
“I was calling to let you know Alek told me about his past, and specifically, your involvement. What do you think of a Syrah?” The bottle in my hand has a unique label to it. I run my thumb over the embossing of the letters as I wait for Knight’s reply.
“And how do you feel about that involvement? A bottle of Syrah and a bottle of White Cuvée should give you a nice variety.”
“Thank you, Knight. To answer your question, I feel happy that he told me, and saddened by the stress he felt in revealing it to me.”
“I would assume the past is not an easy thing for most to reveal, Ezekiel. I am sure you can empathize.”
His words cut deeper than I thought they would.
“I know,” I reply, setting the bottles gently into my cart before making my way over to the cash register.
A soft sigh echoes in my ear. If Knight weren’t like a brother to me, I would assume it was a sigh of pity, but I know better. My cousin cares as deeply for me as I do for him. We were all we had at one point in our lives. A sense of childhood nostalgia washes over me just speaking to him, and I make a note to give my aunt a call soon as well.
“Please let me know when you’re having dinner with Harriett next, I would love to join you two.”
“I’m sure she would be delighted to see you, I hear her chemical mask redness has finally gone down and she no longer looks as if she’s wearing a Freddy Krueger mask,” Knight jokes, laughing softly.
I join in his laugh, trying to set the bottles onto the cash register at the same time. The cashier begins scanning my items and it’s my cue to say my goodbyes.
“Knight, I’d like you to know that this changes nothing between us. What Alek revealed to me about his past and in tangent, yours, has no bearing on how I see you.”
“I know, cousin. That was never a worry of mine. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
“Goodbye, Kni.”
“Goodbye, E.”
With that, I tuck my phone into my coat pocket and retrieve my wallet to pay for the wine. After a quick thank you to the cashier, I make my way out of the small shop and into my car.
Setting the bottles securely in the backseat, I turn around and buckle myself in. A slow breath leaves my lips before I type in Alek’s address into the navigation. There is no guarantee that this dinner will go amazingly but just the fact that I am seeing Alek once again, and that he wants me to meet his family has me smiling the entire ride to his duplex.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
ALEK
Stop feeling—up my boyfriend.
“Ithink that’s enough garlic, dude.”
A large hand wraps around mine, which was previously mincing a whole head of raw garlic. I may have been spacing out a little and chopped up more than the recipe called for.
“One, get your fucking paw off my knife.” I slap Thomas’ hand, probably rougher than necessary. “Two,” I continue as I set my knife down and turn to face him, “you can never have enough garlic.”
“Jesus, Alek. I didn’t realize you had a vampire infestation.” The larger man crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow at me in question.
“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” I can tell by his tone that it’s a rhetorical question but I go ahead and answer anyway.
“I just want tonight to go well and I don’t want y’all chewing his head off.” My eyebrow raises right back at him in our brotherly standoff.
