Mickey excitedly dances around, then gets bored andbounds inside, leaving me on the floor. I shake my head at his retreating backside. “They warned this moment comes in every parent’s life, but you’re still never prepared, you know?”
“Yes, it’s a tragedy. Now, get off my floor,” Matt says.
I do, then follow the loud chatter coming from inside. Now I know I’m late because of the whole Sam of it all, and I drove extra slowly, every cell in my body hesitant to come here. But the way everyone snaps their mouths shut the moment I close in on the dining area? The way I almost heard five sets of jaws click? Yeah, I was deliberately given the wrong time.
At least I wasn’t cornered in my house for whatever they’ve planned. Because this time, I can just walk away.
Matt sneaks in closer and wraps his arm around my shoulder as if he read my mind. “You know you’ll have to deal with it sometime. Let them just do this for you.” He drags me inside by the arm to face the music.
A loud chorus of “Nick,” in four different voices that should never sing together, greets me when we finally arrive.
I sigh loudly, not hiding anything. Their werewolf ears would have caught a subtle sigh just as clearly anyway. That is, if they were paying attention, which they clearly didn’t seem to be doing. “Can you all please not be weird?” I try, knowing full well I’m asking for the impossible here.
“When are we ever weird?” Sloan has the audacity to ask, face offended. As the Bureau’s plant in the city’s forensic department, she’s responsible for fabricating and burying evidence that could expose our secret. Oh, and she’s the most dramatic and weirdest of all. “Anyway, take your shoes off and lie down on the couch,” she adds in the same breath.Told ya.
“I guess that’s the one we’re going with then,” Marcus huffs. The grumpy coroner has the same tolerance for dramatics as me.
Bree clears her throat. “I’ll still say acupuncture was much better.” Or maybe I spoke too soon. Bree, as smart and quick on her feet as she is in her day job as a 911 operator and atnight as a Bureau agent, she is more of a free soul outside of work.
I dutifully take off my shoes. No point in delaying the inevitable. “I’m not letting any of you within ten inches of me with a needle. Except you, Cami, but only for medical reasons, not whatever the fuck this is.”
Cami nods. “That’s a wise choice. I don’t approve of anything happening here, just so you know.” Sweet, kind-hearted Dr. Camilla Reyes is often the only voice of reason in our non-work-related discussions, and, more often than not, she’s summarily ignored.
I fall onto the big couch they’ve left empty for me and rest my head on the arm while everyone sits on chairs surrounding me like an intimidating gang of built therapists trying to crack the case. Or a head or two.
Sloan folds her legs and leans forward, her elbows on her knees. “Do you think you’ve been avoiding us because hanging out with us reminds you of Dominic?”
I close my eyes and sigh. Here we go.
“Wait, you don’t lead the witness like that.” Bree’s stern voice saves me from answering. “You have to let them talk and come to the conclusion themselves. What shows are you watching?”
“You’re mixing up your courtroom dramas and therapy shows,” Marcus points out.
Maybe I can just let them bicker between themselves and take a quick nap. I close my eyes. Oliver’s couch is extremely comfortable, I’ve always said. I’m so glad they got rid of Matt's when they moved in together. That thing was a travesty.
“Yes, but hammering the point home with fists still isn’t the answer,” Bree argues.
“You think Mr. ‘Everything is Fine, Let’s Talk About Someone Else’ is going to confront his issueswillingly?” I hear all of Sloan’s snark in her voice.
Hey! I don’t do that.
I get more comfortable on the cozy couch. I know itdoesn’t look like it, but this is going way better than I’d imagined. My way to navigate this was always going to be a distraction. I was just going to do it by bringing up Matt’s slow descent towards groomzilla territory.Wait a second.
“We would have slowly nudged him towards it,” Bree grumbles.
“I think we’ve accidentally nudged him towards sleep,” Matt informs everyone.
I feel five sets of eyes turn to me. I force my breath into a slow, even pace and stay still under their scrutiny.
“He’s not sleeping,” Cami, the traitor, announces. Can’t believe I thought she was sweet.
I don’t accept defeat, though. I don’t move and completely ignore the goosebumps rising at the back of my neck from being under the scrutiny of predators. I’m a predator too,damnit.
Someone’s phone vibrates. “Why is Elliot calling me?” Bree says.
My eyes snap open. “Elliot is calling you?” I’m embarrassed to admit it took me a range of smirks and Bree’s grin to realize I’ve been played.
Sloan claps her hands once. “Now that we have you back with us, let’s start this again, shall we?”
