“Yes.”
“Right.Sure.That makes sense.”
Meritha said softly, “She sees beauty wherever it occurs.The scarring on his face and body speak their own words to her.”
Emhara cocked her head.“Are you saying his body talks dirty to her?”
Meritha laughed.“Yes.”
“Wow.”She smiled, and then her skin darkened as her brain tried to wrap around that.
The server came to them and slid the bill toward Duran, but Emhara pounced on it with her black card.“Uh, no!”
The server blinked as Emhara scribbled an appropriate tip on the bill and then handed the leather folio back.
Meritha smirked behind a hand.When the server walked away to run the card, she said to the deltas, “Did you know that this is the first time Emhara has ever been able to spend her own money?The.First.Time.Ever.She lived off the barter system most of her life, and now she can join the rest of the world.”
The server came back with a dazed expression.“Please come back another time, miss.”
Myrtle and Denith were still making out when the kitchen started calling for him.
Denith lifted his head and smiled.“That was...”
“Appreciation, Denith.Keep it up.”
Teyval laughed, and Emhara looked at the rest of her table.“Ready to go?I want to see what the card can do at the art supply store.”
Duran smiled and helped her to her feet by holding her chair.Emhara got to her feet and nodded to Denith.“It was a lovely meal.Well done.”
He blinked and inclined his head.“Thank you, miss.”
Teyval grinned.“Her name is Emhara.Get used to it.She’s going to be painting a mural in the baby room.”
Meritha chuckled.“Art calls to art.”She got to her feet.“And she got to play with her black card, so she’s happy.”
Emhara nodded.“Very happy.First time with my own money without running it through an abusive asshole first.”
Denith blinked.“I should have comped you.”
“No, your staff put up with a lot.If I ever come back, I will be more annoying.”
Myrtle frowned.“Why wouldn’t you come back?”
“Because I tried it, I liked it, but there are a lot of other restaurants around here to try.I am not screwing the chef, so there isn’t anything to keep me here.”
Myrtle paused and looked from her to Denith.“You could borrow him.”
Emhara recoiled.“Ew.No.I am not a fan of alphas.If I see you when I am working on the baby’s mural, I will show you.Or your guys can ask Duran for the file and medical records.They are part of an active investigation and court case, but I think you have a trustworthy face.I am also tired of hiding it.”
Three hands touched her, and she smiled slightly.“Thanks, guys.Now, I have gotten four hours of solid sleep in the last week, and that was curled up on Echel.So, I want to hit an art supply shop and then go home so I can sleep.”
Echel nodded.“Then, we shall go.How good was the tip?The server is in love.Looks like they want to carry you out of here.”
“Fifty percent.They kept their focus and adapted to the different orders well and caught up seamlessly when Myrtle and Teyval showed up.”
Denith nodded.“That is why I hire them.”
“And yet, Amber could throw me out without providing me with a new reservation because of training?”
