Page 12 of Mated to the Human: Volume One

They made their way to the elevators and down to the ground floor. Hollis had to walk fast to keep up with Cane’s longer strides, but it wasn’t a bother. It was nice to get up and move around after sitting all morning.

He wondered if it would seem needy if he texted Derek. He didn’t have anything new to say, but part of him wanted to check-in. Wanted to feel connected. A fear of seeming needy kept him from reaching into his pocket for his phone. He argued with himself about it all the way to the door of the diner.

The bell above the door chimed when Cane pushed it open, and the scent of salt and grease made Hollis’s stomach grumble. He was starving. They slid into one of the few open booths and pulled the laminated menus from the holder pressed against the wall.

“I think I just found my new favorite place,” Cane said, flipping the menu from one side to the other.

Hollis found the list of burger options and decided on the one loaded with bacon and cheese. He should probably eat a salad after all the food he and Derek had consumed over the weekend, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. The grease was calling his name. Just as the server approached their table to get their drink orders, his phone vibrated.

Once they’d each ordered a soda, Cane pulled out his own cell phone, and Hollis didn’t hesitate to reach for his. Derek’s name lit up the front.

Derek: How’s your day? Should I bring you some lunch?

Hollis smiled and typed back.

Hollis: It’s been kinda boring but good. I met one of the other humans who got mated on Friday. We’ll be working in the same office together. We’re actually out to lunch right now.

Derek: Good. What’s their name?

Hollis: His name is Cane. He’s the mayor’s son.

Their server set down their drinks and took their lunch orders. Cane looked around the diner before settling his gaze on Hollis. “Talking to your hellhound?”

Heat crept into Hollis’s cheeks. “Yes. He asked how my day’s going.”

“You tell him you’re stuck with a bruised-up asshole?”

Hollis frowned. “No. I told him I had a new co-worker, and we were out to lunch.”

Cane didn’t say anything. Only gave a little nod and reached for his drink. Still, Hollis couldn’t help but feel like he’d just passed some kind of test. He really wanted to ask Cane more about what had happened for him to get a black eye, and more about how his mating was going, but he could tell that if he started asking questions too soon that Cane would shut him out.

They barely knew each other, but they were in the same situation in so many ways that Hollis didn’t want to start out making an enemy when he could make a friend.

Their food arrived. Hollis dug into his burger with relish. It was perfect, well seasoned and stacked with fresh veggies and crisp bacon. Cane seemed to be enjoying his turkey club just as much.

As they were finishing up, a shadow fell over the booth. Hollis looked up at the man standing beside his seat, and his stomach dropped.

Cane spoke up before Hollis could. “Hey, man, we don’t require any police harassment today, so why don’t you sod off?”

Hollis’s cousin, and police officer, scowled at Cane. “And I don’t require any of your smart mouth. I just need a word with my cousin.”

Cane started to say something else, but Hollis slid out of the booth. “It’s okay, Cane. I’ll be right back.”

Richard took Hollis by the arm and pulled him outside.

“Ow,” Hollis said, yanking his arm out of Richard’s grasp the moment they were on the sidewalk. “You don’t have to grab me like I’m a perp. I said I’d come talk to you.”

With a huff, Richard grabbed his upper arm again, harder. “Listen, Holly, I’ll grab you if I want to.” He let go and stepped closer to the brick wall of the diner.

Hollis rubbed at his arm but followed. He didn’t want to make a scene, and he didn’t want Cane to come outside. He had a feeling his new friend wouldn’t think twice about punching a cop, Hollis’s cousin or not. “What do you want?”

“Dad has something he wants you to get for him.”

A sick feeling spread through Hollis’s stomach. “What’s that?”

“A list. The council has got to keep records of all the citizens it governs. Dad wants to know who they are.”

“I can’t do that! That’s got to break about a hundred privacy laws!”

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