“I only wanted one kid and a quiet, unassuming alpha,” Puck said, a dreamy look in his eyes. “Hot sex at night and perfect silence during the day.”
Demarien exchanged looks with Milo and Felix. “That’s a little creepy, Puck. Are you going to keep your kid and alpha locked up during the day?”
Puck gave him an unconcerned look and waved away the question. “Damn, I really wanted a family of my own, too. Besides you all, I’ve never had that. It doesn’t matter, though, does it? None of us has what we wanted. No alphas, no kids, and we all hate our jobs.”
“I don’t hate mine,” Felix said with a shrug. “You all, though, I pity you.”
Demarien groaned. “Don’t remind me of Gaston’s. The things that man makes me do to food are tragic.”
“I hate working at the hotel.” Milo’s head fell back as he groaned.
“Your boss is an incompetent asshole who takes credit for your ideas,” Demarien growled. “Maybe Mrs. Holliday could take care of him.”
Puck grinned. “Can we send her after my boss too, and, more importantly, can I watch?”
Milo rolled his eyes. “Maybewe, the grown-ass adults, could take care of our own problems.” He paused a moment, giving Puck a sympathetic look. “Though I have to admit Mr. Derringer really is a piece of work.”
Demarien nodded. Puck’s boss at the warehouse where he worked was known for sexually harassing the omegas that worked for him. No one had managed to report him successfully yet.
Felix made a thoughtful noise, leaning a little to the side. “I have an idea. We can all take care of each other’s problems so no one can trace it back to us.”
Puck laughed and nudged Felix with his shoulder. “You’re a little tooStrangers on a Train, buddy. No more drinks for you.”
Felix made a face. “Don’t be dramatic. I can write a nasty review about Milo’s boss. Then, Milo can contact a reviewer to criticize Gaston’s nasty recipes. Demarien can sacrifice a virgin to a volcano to maybe send Derringer back to Hell, and Puck can buy me a guinea pig.”
“A guinea pig?” Puck asked, confused.
“I really want a guinea pig.” Felix smiled softly. “I would make them a kickass castle to live in.”
Demarien blinked slowly. “I feel like I should protest my role in this, but if sacrificing a virgin would really get rid of Derringer, it may be worth it.” He shook his head. “Only if the virgin is a jerk, though.”
Milo laughed hard, face pressed into his arms. After a moment, they joined him. The server brought another round, and they finally managed to pull themselves together.
Milo tapped his chin, a smile still on his face. “You know, wecoulddo something to change things.”
“I don’t want to buy a guinea pig.” Puck moaned. “The pet store isn’t even close to my house.”
Demarien arched a brow. “Prefer to sacrifice the virgin?”
Milo chuckled and waved his hand. “No, guys. Listen. Aunt Dahlia left me all her property in Myrtlewood Bay. I haven’t seen it in years. Remember how huge it was? There’s the main house, but there are also all those other houses spread out on the property. Aunt Dahlia used to rent them out.”
“I loved Dahlia’s kingdom.” Demarien smiled as he thought of all the fun they had exploring the place when they were kids. The property was on the coast, right outside Myrtlewood Bay. It was acres of forest, hills, and rocky cliffs overlooking the sea. It even had its own private beach on a little cove facing into the bay.
Despite all that natural beauty, his favorite spot on the whole damn estate was the warm kitchen. Dahlia had spent so much time with him there.
“Where are you going with this?” Puck asked, voice puzzled.
Milo linked his hands together and settled them on the table in front of him. “Aunt Dahlia put my name on the deeds for all her property a long time ago. The lawyer is still settling the details with the money in her accounts and her investments, but her land is already mine. I could sell the house here in Portland and use the money to convert the Myrtlewood Bay property into an inn with both rooms in the main houseandprivate guest houses. Tourism is strong here on the coast.”
Demarien’s mouth dropped open. “Milo, that would be too much work for you to handle. You’re the best hotel manager in the whole world, but you’re just one person.”
A smile slowly stretched across Milo’s face. “That’s why you three will be my partners. Think about it, Demarien. You could cook for the guests and maybe even have your own restaurant.”
Demarien gasped. “We could serve dinner through the week and brunch on Sundays. Oh, holy fucktrumpet, I could serve beer from that brewery we all like here in town.”
He started mentally building a menu. A breakfast buffet for the guests in the morning. Seasonal themed sandwiches and appetizers for lunch. The restaurant could open around five and have a limited daily menu.
Demarien gripped the edge of the table hard, his head spinning with the possibilities.
