Page 50 of A Swan’s Love Song

throw-up, he’d be fine. He was already disappointed that he didn’t feel well enough to play some

songs on his guitar. Playing for people while they did the singing didn’t bother him. “I’ll see how I

feel later.”

Avi regarded him with worry but gave him a smile. “All right. I have to get these on the grill,

but I’ll check back with you in a bit.”

Sean did his best to give him a sincere smile back. “Thanks, Avi.”

Avi had barely walked away before Skip came sauntering over, holding some sort of greenish

drink in a tall glass.

“Hey there, kid. Feeling okay?” He plopped down on a lawn chair. “I’m starving. I hope he gets

those steaks going soon. I offered to help…” He shrugged. “Then again, that’s all I do all day.” Skip

lifted up his glass. “This way, I have more mojito time.”

Sean had no idea what a mojito was, and suddenly, he didn’t care about that or anything else.

He needed to go lie down.

Nest. Now.

Ignoring whatever it was Skip was rambling on about, he placed his seltzer on a tray as he

pushed himself up from the chaise.

“Kid? You okay? You’re sort of wobbling.”

Strong arms wrapped around his frame then the ground fell away. He rested his head against

Avi’s firm chest, his mate’s scent soothing him. Pressure had built low in his abdomen and he didn’t

think he could even sit up anymore. He needed to curl in his nest, burrow in the blankets and keep

warm.

“Here we are, honey. Is this what you need?”

As soon as he inhaled the familiar aroma of the nest he’d been building and reshaping for

almost two months, he pulled himself into a ball and sighed. The pressure was awful, but his nest was

so comfortable, he didn’t mind. Voices echoed around him, but he no longer registered what they said

or who was behind them. He thought he might’ve heard something about ‘he needs quiet and to be left

alone’.

Yes. Quiet.

Sean wasn’t sure how much time had passed, only that wherever he was, it was dark.

The nest. That’s right.