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Larkin poured us both a glass of iced tea as Delphine returned with more food. There was caprese salad, a big loaf of dimpled focaccia dotted with herbs, roasted vegetables, bruschetta, pesto pasta salad with Italian sausage and bowls of olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Very fae—not very werewolf. Not much meat.

But it all looked good, and I appreciated the effort they’d gone to more than I could bring myself to show. I tried to, clearing my throat and saying, “This looks amazing. Thank you for having me.”

“It’s our pleasure, Seb.” Delphine squeezed my arm as she sat down at the head of the table to my left. “We’re so happy to have you here.”

“So you work with Lark, right?” Nolan blurted, already piling pasta salad onto his plate as Silas started slicing the focaccia. “Are you a wrestler?”

Larkin had pushed his chair close to mine, and I felt him tense a little. “No, he’s not a wrestler, Nolan.”

“I only asked because he’s—” Nolan flushed awkwardly. “You know. Jacked.”

I chuckled. “I’m the boss’s bodyguard. Kind of. He doesn’t actually need much guarding.”

Nolan’s pale eyes perked up. “Bodyguard? Sick.”

“In name only.” I gave him a wry smile. “I mostly just help out at the office when Holt needs heavy stuff moved.”

“You do way more than that,” Larkin protested. “You have to drive him everywhere too. Holt’s such a diva.”

“He’s awesome.” There was a tiny hint of hero worship in Nolan’s eyes. “He’s, like, super successful, right? And his business is so cool. I’m going to college to study business management,” he told me. “Def wanna run a sick business like Goliaths.”

“Holt will set Seb on you if you open a rival wrestling league here,” Larkin teased. “And you haven’t even been to Goliaths yet.”

“No, but I’m gonna go as soon as I turn twenty-one,” Nolan shot back. “Plus, you’ve told me how cool it is. I wanna see The Tasselled Tussler for real. He’s a beast. He’s in a knitting club with my friend’s grandma. When I was over there the other day, she was saying how, like, fancy and glamorous and shit he is. And huge.”

“Corey’s cool.” Larkin stuffed some mozzarella and a slice of tomato into his mouth. “Seb and I look after his dog, Cora, when the shows are on.”

“Do you have a dog, Seb?” Delphine asked with interest.

I shook my head, spooning pasta salad onto my plate. “No, but I’d like one. Someday.”

“Me too,” Larkin said eagerly, his cheeks faintly flushed as he grinned at me.

I heard Silas inhale an excited breath to speak, but Delphine hastily said, “Silas, my love, can you pass me the bruschetta?”

“Of course.” Silas handed her the plate, then quickly asked, “So, Seb, how long have you worked at Goliaths?”

“Four years.”

“What did you think of Larkin when he started there?” Nolan smirked at his brother, who fidgeted beside me.

I smiled down at him briefly. “He brightened up the office a lot. And I thought he was beautiful,” I found myself admitting, a blush heating my cheeks.

Delphine placed a hand on her chest as Nolan rolled his eyes and Silas practically bounced in his seat. Larkin bumped my shoulder with his, a hand creeping onto my thigh under the table and squeezing.

“He is beautiful. He has a beautiful soul. Both our boys do.” Delphine beamed at her sons, then turned those big blue eyes to me. “So do you, Seb.”

I coughed awkwardly. “Uh, thank you.”

“Okay, maybe you can let Seb eat now?” Larkin was blushing. “We have to get to work after this.”

“Of course, sweetpea,” Delphine said easily.

Except I didn’t mind the questions. I didn’t mind sitting here with Larkin’s family, feeling like I was becoming a part of it. I would’ve gladly stayed here all day.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The Release of Stress (6 Letters)