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“Oh, sorry, I forgot something.” He added 4 Eva beneath the heart.

Fee shook her head.

“Very human, I think.” He winked.

“Very. Now back to work!” She smacked him on the ass and his eyes widened in surprise. She bit down on her laughter.

“Yes, ma’am!” He saluted and continued painting.

They painted in silence for a while, both avoiding the heart until there was nothing left to paint. She felt a tinge of sadness when it disappeared. When they were done, Fee’s arms were sore and Theo was covered in little green speckles.

“You can throw that in the laundry basket,” she said, gesturing to his T-shirt. It was one of the many he left here now for when he shifted. Hanging out naked would be too awkward, he’d joked at the time. He wasn’t wrong about that.

“I’m going to the laundromat this week,” she added. “So, you might as well.”

Theo pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it into the basket. He ran a hand over his broad chest. Fee forced herself to look away.

“Got any snacks?” he asked, as they wandered out into the living room.

“Probably not any you’re going to like, but I’ll check.” She was halfway to the kitchen when the front door opening stopped her in her tracks.

“Fee? I was able to get more lavender, but calendula is proving harder to find. I … oh!” Runa swept into Fee’s house with a full basket in one hand and a potted lavender plant in the other and Theo froze.

“And who is this?” she asked with a grin, her gaze raking over Theo. “You should have put a scrunchie on the doorknob if you were having a guest!”

“He’s not … I mean … we’re not…” Fee stumbled over her words.

Theo grabbed the closest shirt and pulled it on. It was way too small and looked more like a crop-top than a T-shirt. If Fee wasn’t so horrified by the arrival of her mother, she would have laughed. Laughed and then suggested he wear tiny T-shirts more often.

“He’s not what? A half-naked man in our house?”

Theo’s eyes widened. “This is your mom?” he mouthed while Runa put her bags down.

Fee just nodded in dismay.

“It’s not like that, Mom. We were painting.”

Runa smirked. “Yes, dear. I’m sure that’s what you were doing.”

“Uh … I should probably go anyway,” Theo said.

“Don’t leave on my account. I can come back later,” Runa’s gaze flicked between the two of them, an amused smile on her face. “How long do you need? An hour or two? Or are you more of an under-ten-minutes kinda guy?”

Fee had never seen Theo blush before, but his face reddened right to the tips of his ears.

“Runa!” Fee snapped. “Please. I told you, it’s not like that.”

Her mother shrugged. “Okay, Fifi, I’m sorry. I’ll behave. Who is your friend anyway?”

“This is Theo.”

“Nice to meet you,” Theo said, offering a hand to her mother but Runa’s brow furrowed and she left Theo’s hand dangling in the space between them.

“Wait a minute. You’re Devon’s son? Fifi, a werewolf, really?”

A low growl rumbled through Theo as he yanked back his hand, and Runa raised her brows at Fee as if to say, see, I told you so.

“I don’t see how either of those things matter,” Phoebe said.