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The restaurant serves traditional Kaleidian food and is situated in a quiet street just off the main stretch. The waiters seat us, and we fall into an awkward silence. Now that we have some privacy and the freedom to talk about anything, neither of us seem to know what to say to each other.
“So, uh, why fashion?” he asks.
I blink. “What?”
He takes a sip of his Kaleidian wine and shrugs. “Why do you love fashion so much? I’ve always seen clothes as being useful but never really cared about what they looked like on me.”
I roll my eyes. “Well, duh. You’re hot enough that you make everything look good.”
He smirks, pleased by the compliment. The waiter appears and sets our dinners in front of us, giving me time to try to think of how to explain my passion.
“But to answer your question, I guess it’s because I want everyone to feel beautiful. Designing clothes is like creating a puzzle and then putting all the pieces together to make something that people will use and love. We all need clothing, so it’s beauty with a purpose.”
He hums. “I never really thought of it that way, but it makes sense. I remember you said you wanted to own your own studio someday.”
The memory of that dream feels like an arrow to the heart. It was a long shot back when I worked with Sathior, and even with Garet back in my life, it still feels impossible. “Yeah, someday, but I don’t know. Life has a way of getting between you and your dreams.”
Something changes in his expression as I say that. It’s a brief flicker—a clenched jaw and a furrowing of brows—but it quickly smooths back into something more relaxed. He grins. “You never know. Destiny has a funny way of working out in the end. It brought us back together, right?”
“Right.” I hold up my glass in a toast. “To us.”
He clinks his with mine. “To us.”
CHAPTER 26
GARET
“Iwish you didn’t have to go,” Tania says as we arrive at the spaceport. She’s pushing Armani in the stroller we bought yesterday. Was it really yesterday? It feels like a lifetime ago.
I pull her into me and press a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s only for a day or two, max. I have some things I’ll need to take care of. Then, I’ll be right back here, and you won’t be able to be rid of me if you tried.”
“Oh no, what a nightmare,” she says, deadpan, though a little smile quirks on her lips.
My comms buzz, letting me know that my ship is boarding. I kiss her lips and then Armani’s cheek, and head to the loading bay. Settling in my seat, I watch my fated mate and daughter shrink from view as the starship takes off. After being separated for so long, even the thought of a few days apart from one another feels like chopping off a limb.
Danel meets me at the hangar. “I got your message. You really found her?”
I grin. “Yup. And guess what? You’re an uncle.”
His jaw drops. “No fucking way. How old? What’s their name?”
“A little girl named Armani. She’s about a month old and the cutest thing you will ever see.” A feeling of pride wells in my chest. I may have only known her for two days, but I can’t imagine life without her.
He slings an arm around my shoulder. “I’m happy for you, man. So, are you gonna stay down there with them?”
I nod. “I’ve wasted too much time away from them already.”
“Drex won’t like that. Fatherhood has made you soft,” he teases.
“You’ll understand someday,” I retort in the same wise older brother tone he used to use to rub in the fact that he’s older and more experienced.
He rolls his eyes and pushes me out of his grip. “Have fun reporting to Drex. We’ll get drinks in the bar afterwards to celebrate your surprise fatherhood.”
“Wish me luck.”
“Yeah, you’ll need it,” he says with a wink.
Drex is a reasonable man. He might have a temper, but if I don’t step on any pressure mines, I should be fine. I knock on his office door.
