Page 92 of Don't Puck With My Heart
“No, I didn’t cook. I went to the Polish place I know you like.” I wrap my arms around her, my fingers stroking her back before kissing the top of her head. Holding her right now feels different than before. Like she doesn’t have one foot out the door ready to run away from me. She’s fully present and eager to be with me.
“Thank you, this was really thoughtful.”
“You know, we haven’t been on a real date.”
I gasp and grab my chest. “What do you call smoothies and gym locker rooms?”
“Not dates,” she says as she heads to the table. I pull her chair back before taking my seat across from her.
She has some sparkling alcohol-free drink on the table and pours us each a glass.
I hold up my glass and ding it against hers. “To first dates.”
“To first dates, though I think this is supposed to come before all the things we’ve done so far.”
“Definitely not, threesomes before first dates always,” I joke, and she smiles.
We start eating, and the food is absolutely delicious. I hum my approval, and she does the same. “This is fucking amazing.”
“My mom used to make the best Kielbasa back home.”
“Are you planning on going to Russia during the offseason?” she asks, and I scrub my face.
“I’m not sure. I might fly my mom out here. I just need to get her passport updated.” She looks shy, and I reach across the table and cover her hand. “I know she’s excited to meet you and Owen. I can’t seem to shut up about the two of you.”
“I’m sorry that I don’t have a good family to bring you home to. Both of you have amazing mothers.”
“Where is your mom?” I ask her softly. I knew the woman at her townhome that day was definitely not her mom. Her dad is obviously a piece of shit who loves dating women half his age who don’t know any better.
“I don’t have one,” she says softly.
“What do you mean, did she pass away?”
She shakes her head and sighs. She looks at the sparkling juice, no doubt wishing it was alcohol. “My dad doesn’t believe in packs. He doesn’t trust Omegas, and he’s just in general a possessive asshole. I was born via a closed surrogate birthing process.”
I blink at her. “That man chose to have a child on purpose?”
“Even picked an embryo that had signs of being an Alpha. I will say, he’s never been disappointed in my being female. Just disappointed in general.”
“I can imagine growing up with him as your only parent was difficult.”
“He had a lot of girlfriends, some better than others. But Charlotte’s mom, she was the closest thing I ever had to a real parent.”
I reach my hand out, and we hold hands, my thumb grazing over her knuckles. “I never met her, but the way Charlotte and the guys talk about her, she was obviously special.”
She sniffs but doesn’t cry. “She really was. It’s funny. Owen’s mom reminds me of her, but in a crass, no filter kind of way.”
“She does seem like quite the character,” I reply, excited to get to know her.
“What about your mom?” she asks me.
“She’s a hardass, but she loves just as hard. I miss her.”
“I’m excited to meet her. I love that you and Owen are willing to share your families with me.”
I shake my head at her. “As if Charlotte and her pack aren’t your family?”
“They are,” she says fondly as we finish up our meal. “Alexi?”
