Claudia made a derogatory sound, then glared around the room at everyone who wasn’t focused on their own conversations, which weren’t many people. Mick, Jensen’s brother, and Brenda were in the corner whispering about something. Amara and Veronica had stepped out onto the back deck with Brenda’s book club, Grace, and Sarah. Everyone else was now turned toward Yasmine, Zeus, Jensen, and Claudia, including her parents, though they both looked a little confused.
“Why don’t I get to be a part of the group chat?” Jennifer complained.
“Don’t worry, I’m not either. It’s just for the Spice Doms,” Lincoln told her. “I bet Claudia would trade places with you if you wanted, though.”
“Yes, please.”
“No, it’s fine.” Jennifer eyed Claudia. “I’d rather have a group chat for game night. Or book club. Or both.”
“Absolutely not. One is my limit. One.” Claudia held up a threatening finger.
“We’re getting off track,” Jensen interjected. “We need a call sign for Zeus that we can put into the chat. I’m thinking Oregano.”
“Garlic,” Drew suggested from the couch where Naomi was sitting on his lap. She laughed before throwing out her own suggestion.
“Thyme?”
“Fenugreek!” Cassidy looked proud of herself, lifting her head from her phone where she’d obviously just looked up spices.
“Saffron!”
“Terragon!”
Zeus held up his hand, stopping the flow of suggestions, shaking his head. Surprisingly—at least, surprising to Yasmine—everyone quieted to see what he had to say.
“Obviously, it has to be dill.”
Silence hung in the air for a moment as everyone stared at him, including Yasmine. What was obvious about that? Why did it have to be dill?
The edges of Zeus’ lips curved up in a tiny smile.
“Because I’m a big dill.”
Yasmine choked on laughter as the entire room erupted. Ow. Ow. Ow. The pain in her shoulder had dulled a lot when she was just standing there, but too much movement set it off again, and she was laughing way too hard to be able to stop it. Doubling over, she put her hand up on her shoulder, pressing it to try to keep her movements smaller.
“Big Dill it is,” Jensen crowed, clapping his hands together.
Wiping tears from her eyes with one hand, Yasmine straightened up, still leaning against Zeus. He was the only one who hadn’t actually laughed, but he was grinning. A big happy grin, the like of which she’d only seen a few times on his face. Warmth flooded her with happiness for him.
For both of them.
Here in his house, where they’d kept their relationship a secret, now it was out in the open. Everyone knew. And they were all there to support not just her but Zeus as well.
Leaning against him, she looked up at him. He looked down at her. Something inside her settled at the feeling of belonging. This was where she belonged. With their friends. With him.
No more secrets.
No more curse.
Just being present in the moment with her friends and family and the man she was pretty sure she’d fallen in love with, even though he’d never been part of her plan. And maybe that was for the best.
Three weeks later
Zeus
“You seriously didn’t know that Amara and Veronica were seeing each other?” Zeus asked, frowning at Yas from across the counter. He was making dinner. Tiger was lying on the couch, watching out the front window for the big husky mix that usually took its walk at about this time. Yas had offered to help with the meal, but even though the sling was off and she was healing well, he didn’t want her doing anything yet.
He had plans for celebrating that sling coming off.
