Before the Alpha could answer, a server in a crisp white button up appeared at their table.
“Welcome to Seaside Fine Dining. I’m Duion and I’ll be your server today.”
Grayson tried his best to keep his mouth from falling open. Duion looked to be in his late teens and had graphite scales with charcoal fins, and hair cut oddly short. But that wasn’t what startled Grayson. It was the tanned, human skin of his face and the dark brown eyes set under thick lashes. This boy was a hybrid.
Keld, however, squinted up at the server. “Duion? Duion Seyez?”
Duion grinned as he set two glasses of ice water on the table. “I was hoping you wouldn’t recognize me, Keld.”
The gold-scaled Mer whacked the teen on the forearm. “I thought Loriun recommended this place because it had good food, not because Beau could send you in as a spy.”
Duion’s smile widened. “Oh, it wasn’t Beau’s idea. You may be familiar with myjaei, Jaime?”
Keld heaved a good-natured sigh. “Gossip-mongers, both of them.”
“You’re Jaime and Vuos’s son?” Grayson blurted out.
“Yep.” Duion bounced on his heels. “The second one.”
Now that he mentioned it, Grayson could see Jaime’s nose and Vuos’s striking eye shape reflected on the teen.
“Gossip-mongering aside, what can I get you today?” Duion flipped a little notebook open.
Keld rolled his eyes and ran a finger down the Mer side of the menu. “I’ll have the tuna sashimi with matcha salt.”
“Kelp salad or bakednaoakon the side?”
“Kelp salad.”
“You got it. And for you?” Duion looked up at Grayson expectantly.
“Uh.” Grayson was fairly certain his brain had been replaced with cotton. “What do you recommend?”
Duion leaned over to point at the menu. “My taste buds aren’t exactly humans, but I’ve heard good things about the truffle fettuccine and the Moroccan lamb.” The hybrid’s blackened fingertips hovered over each Item. “If you’re feeling adventurous, we also have a ginger-crusted eel dish that’s popular across the board.”
Grayson forced a laugh. “Maybe next time. That truffle one sounded good. I’ll get that.”
“One truffle fettuccine and one tuna sashimi with kelp salad,” Duion repeated, scrawling the order in his notebook. “Anything to drink?”
Grayson side-eyed Keld. He was unbelievably out of his element. Who paid for the date between a man and a male alien? The Mer couldn’t really tolerate alcohol, so would it be rude of him to order some wine?
Anxiety furled and coiled in his gut.Why did I agree to this?
“I’d like a gose.” Keld’s burning gaze shifted to Grayson’s. “Wine? I hear it goes well with pasta.”
“S—Sure. Uh. White?” That felt right.
“Our recommendation is the sauvignon blanc with the truffle fettuccine,” Duion said. “Is that okay?”
“Yeah, perfect.” Grayson had to resist the urge to slump back into his chair with relief.
“Great,” Duion said, scribbling away. “I’ll get those out to you soon. Let me know if you need anything else.”
When the teen had vanished toward the kitchen, Keld leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “You don’t do this often, do you?”
Grayson flushed. “Do what?”
Keld gestured around them at the dark wood accents and green Earth plants nestled under every window. “All of it.”
