Remi met Riley’s gaze and cleared his throat. “One.”
“One?!” Riley half-shouted.
“Or less. But, doesn’t matter. It removed the obstacles, and we found our way to each other.”
“Good job,” Richie said.
“Yes, indeed. But try to understand this… as Alpha, I want to be supportive, but as a father, I never want to think about that part of it again as long as I live,” Riley said, wearing an expression that gave the impression he was feeling a little queasy.
Remi laughed. “Good. I don’t want to talk to you about it either.”
“Good. Wonderful. She’s good?” Riley asked.
“Better than,” Remi said. “You haven’t seen her?”
“Oh, no! Not me! The sun is not even up. I am not going to wake her up this early, not even for a celebration like this.”
Remi laughed. “I sat on the foot of the bed to put my shoes on before I left. Based on the snarling coming from her, I’m pretty sure as soon as I left she was already ordering something for me to sit on each morning that isn’t the bed she’s lying in.”
Riley laughed. “You’re good, too?” Riley asked.
“Best ever,” Remi answered.
“All I need to know. I’m heading home, got some things to do today. Eat those cookies so I don’t come back looking for them. Cause I really don’t need to eat more. I’ve already eaten at least a dozen,” Riley said, as he headed back through the dining room.
“They won’t be here for long,” Richie said, picking up another cookie and munching on it before handing one to Remi, who popped it into his mouth.
“Please tell Maia thank you for the cookies,” Remi said.
“I will. I’ll see y’all later?” Riley asked. “Y’all going to have a party or something?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it.”
“Think about it. This is life changing, Remi.”
“I’ll talk to Cristie,” Remi answered.
Riley waved again, his smile just as wide and bright as when he walked into the restaurant.
~~~
It was almost three that afternoon when Remi looked up and saw Cristie at her parents’ house, making a trip to her car with her arms loaded down with clothing. He laughed, finished the plates he was making, then put them up in the warmer window for delivery. “Hey, I gotta go,” he said.
Richie looked up at him. “It’s about time.”
Remi grinned. “Look,” he said, pointing across toward Riley’s house.
Richie looked in the direction Remi pointed and chuckled, shaking his head. “Go help your mate before she hurts herself trying to do it all by herself.”
“I am. If she’ll let me,” Remi said, as he untied his apron and hung it on the peg near the door. He threw his plastic gloves in the garbage as he walked out and didn’t look back even once, as he walked outside and hurried over to Riley’s house. “Cristie!” he called out, waving at her.
Her head popped up over the clothes she was trying to shove into the front seat of her car.
Her expression of frustration morphed into a gorgeous smile when she saw him. She dropped her clothes on the ground right where she was standing, then hurried over to greet him. By the time she got to the gate, he was already coming through it.
Cristie didn’t hesitate, she went right up to him and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him for all she was worth. “Hi,” she said breathlessly afterward.
Remi smiled, holding her against his body. “Hi, baby. How was your day?”
