Page 153 of Lyric & the Heartbeats

It seemed strange to think of sticking by your family for so long.

“You guys must share a lot of love,” she murmured, scraping the spatula on the side of the bowl.

“That’s good now, you can set it down,” Javier instructed, sliding a pan in her direction with butter slathered over the metal. “Pour,” he directed. “The house I come from does share a lot of love. What is your family like?” he asked quietly.

Lyric hesitated as she poured the batter. It folded into the pan slowly, and she used the moment to collect her thoughts like lightning bugs on a summer night. Except the mason jar she used was broken into pieces. And the lightning bugs were actually bees.

“Your family sounds a lot lovelier than mine ever was. Let’s leave it at that,” she said softly.

“Understood, pajarita. I apologize if my question upset you.” He leaned across the counter he’d been resting against on his forearms and covered one of her hands with his. His palm was warm, the understanding and apology in his gaze even warmer, and Lyric wanted to erase the concern in his expression with a kiss. He stared up at her, his coffee colored eyes ensnaring her completely, and Lyric lost track of time.

Javier broke the spell as he looked away, took back his hand, and stood. She mourned the loss of contact. “Are you hungry?”

As if summoned, her stomach growled.

He snickered. “I take that as a yes. How about something easy? A sandwich? And then we can make something else sweet.”

Lyric smiled and smoothed the brownie batter down with a spatula. “Your question didn’t upset me, Javi, I just don’t want to kill the vibes we have today. Sandwiches sound perfect.”

“What else do you have a craving for?”

Lyric tapped her finger across her thigh. “I’m not sure. What else can you make?”

“Just about anything. My sister is an omega, and sweets are her favorite thing to eat. Before she found her pack, she loved being in the kitchen with me.”

Javier talked as he worked, and Lyric was content just to sit and listen. The cadence of his soft voice, the lilt to each word, the clicks and clacks of the utensils as he moved around the kitchen. After the chaos of the tour, from the flat tire to the rude interview to all of the emotional soul baring she’d done, just watching Javier work around the kitchen with a relaxed ease was enough to make her feel better. It was like... home?

And from her shameless staring, she deduced those jeans had to have been made for him. They hugged his ass perfectly.

“What was her favorite thing you would make?” Lyric asked.

Javier chuckled. “She never said it out loud, but she could eat a whole pan of my chocolate chunk cookies. I’d say those are her weakness.”

“Let’s make those then,” Lyric suggested. “Do you still keep in contact with her?”

Javier nodded while pulling out ingredients for their sandwiches. “Yes. Although it’s not as often as I’d like. Her pack keeps her busy.”

Lyric frowned at the thought. She wouldn’t like not being able to talk to her family just because of her pack. Her mind immediately imagined the worst—a pack of alphas keeping his sister locked away and forcing her to act as housekeeper, mother, and—

“I can read the horror on your face, Lyric,” he said with a chuckle as he sliced off four pieces of fresh bread. “It’s nothing like you’re imagining. It’s just natural. I went from seeing my sister almost every single day to only hearing from her every few days. But it’s normal. She found her new family, and it’s just part of life. She’s happy, and no matter how much I or my madré miss her, that’s all that matters.”

Lyric’s cheeks flushed. “I’m that transparent, huh?”

“You wouldn’t be the first omega to dread being an omega.”

“Don’t let me pry… but did she dread it at all? Your sister?” she questioned.

“I think she was nervous to visit the omega center for the first time. But she found her pack easily, and she fell in love just as effortlessly. She’s happy, and that’s all that matters.”

Lyric studied him as he sliced cheese and collected cold meats from the fridge. He seemed truly unbothered by the topic, as if he didn’t dare question his sister’s happiness.

“She went the traditional route, hm?” she asked.

“Yes. My mother wasn’t… I don’t think eager is the right word, but she was supportive when my sister came to us, admitting she was ready to find her own pack. So we set up an appointment with the omega center, and it went from there.”

Lyric had been forced to look into the omega center. Her mother had insisted they visit several times, but each time Lyric had sniffed the scent cards and looked over the binder of alphas as if they were trading cards, her stomach had turned.

Nerves, dread, or any other combination of emotions, she didn’t know.