“Of course.”
Del set his drink down and followed Cole fromthe room. Cole almost went for the library but changed his mind andentered the sitting room on the other side of the hall. He had tosee Del’s face while they talked.
He waited for Del to settle onto one of theantique, blue chairs before sitting on the couch across from him.It took all Cole had not to tug at the collar of his shirt as hesettled in across from his friend. He hadn’t expected to be thisnervous about any of this.
“Is everything okay?” Del asked.
“I plan to ask Lexi to marry metomorrow.”
Del’s eyebrows shot up as his mouth parted.Cole hadn’t expected to be so blunt about it, but he didn’t likefeeling unsettled.
“And it will mean a lot to her if you approvethe union.” It would mean a lot to Cole too; he considered Del afriend, but he refrained from saying so. “I hope you will acceptthis and be happy for us.”
Del grinned and laughed his deep, heartylaugh before jumping to his feet. “Of course I’m happy for you. Ican’t imagine a better son-in-law.”
When Cole rose too, Del embraced him in acrushing bear hug that nearly cracked a rib. The vampire wassmaller than him, but he was powerful, a warrior, and excited.
Until now, Cole hadn’t considered that Del, aman he liked and respected, would become his father-in-law. Hesmiled over the knowledge as Del clapped him on the back.
Breaking free of his paralysis, Cole gave hisfriend a brief hug back. “Don’t tell the others.”
“Your secret is safe with me.”
CHAPTER 25
Before Lexi woke the next morning, Colereturned to the Gloaming to collect the rings his father had givenhim when he learned Cole had found his mate. Lifting them from thebox where he’d stored them, he examined the silver bands made offae metal.
His father’s was thicker than his mother’smore delicate band. For years, the rings hung on a chain around hisfather’s neck, but he’d given them to Cole shortly before hisdeath.
Cole’s fingers closed around the rings as hisfather’s laughter briefly drifted through his mind. He didn’t oftenallow himself time to grieve the man he loved so much, but anguishstabbed his heart as he recalled the love the man radiated.
Before he was seven, there was a time whenboth his parents wore these rings. He had few memories of the timebefore his mom’s murder, but he vividly remembered walking behindhis parents one day as they held hands while crossing a field.
The sunlight glinting off their ringsemphasized their bond and love for each other. He’d smiled as hebasked in their love. He’d been so confident nothing could everdestroy their love for each other and him. So sure nothing wouldever disrupt his secure world.
His mother’s dark brown hair flowed aroundher face as she turned back to him. Her blue eyes, so similar inhue to his, shone with love as she released his father’s hand toreach for him.
“Hurry up, slowpoke,” she called to him.
He’d run to catch up with them and slid hishands into both of theirs. He recalled the warmth of their fleshand the brightness of their smiles as they beamed at him.
His mother died less than a month later, andall the security he felt on that day vanished. He still had hisfather’s love, but there was always a hole in both their heartsafter she died.
And now, he would build a family with Lexiand start it by placing this ring on her finger. He didn’t see themas bad luck. Instead, he saw them as a start to a life built onlove.
He slipped the rings into his pocket and wentout to the hall. There, he retrieved a blanket from the nearbylinen closet and tucked it under his arm before descending thestairs.
He went to the kitchen first; the cooks werestarting to arrive for the day. When they saw him, they stopped intheir tracks, and one woman became so pale he thought she mightpass out.
“My Lord!” another woman blurted. “What areyou doing here?”
He didn’t blame them for being surprised tosee him; he couldn’t recall the last time he entered the kitchens.It was probably as a boy looking for treats.
“I’d like a basket prepared with fruits,cheeses, and some bread,” he told them. “I’ll be back in a fewminutes to get it.”
He didn’t wait to see if they would obey hiscommand. Heading for the back exit, he left the kitchen and entereda small hallway. Stopping outside one of the many doors lining thehall, he opened it to reveal a spiraling set of stairs. Theyrattled beneath his feet as he descended into the room below.
Quickly perusing the shelves, he found whathe was looking for before returning upstairs to the kitchens. Thehead chef, Chandra, had arrived since he left. The woman had ruledthe kitchens since he was a boy, but today she wouldn’t chase himout of here for stealing a pastry while also surreptitiouslyslipping him one to eat.
