Uri scanned the small café. He wasn’t much older than Brynna, but Urijah was a warrior, whereas Brynna only ever practiced with swords and guns. She could hold her own if need be, but Urijah had fought in battles, both against humans and Gargoyles.
“I’m not sensing anything out of the ordinary, but we should remain cautious.”
“Maybe my beast is just agitated with me.”
“No. Our shifters can be pissy with us, but they would never alert us to danger if there wasn’t a threat. They also wouldn’t fail to alert us just because they aren’t in agreement with our current opinions.”
That didn’t relieve Brynna’s worry. If her Goyle was on edge, there had to be a reason. She wanted to ask if they could get their food to go, but she refrained, knowing Uri would protect her should there be an actual threat.
The server had just placed their food in front of them when a family of four walked in. The youngest child, a girl of about four or five, stopped next to their table, staring at Brynna. “You’re pretty.”
“Thank you. So are you.”
“Come along, Lark. Let the nice lady eat in peace.” The mother smiled at Brynna. While the family was being seated, Urijah followed them with his eyes, his smile wistful.
“When are you and my brother going to start your family?”
“As soon as possible. When we get back to the States, we’re going to start the adoption process. We’re going to start with an older child before we think about surrogacy.”
“That’s great! I can’t wait to be an aunty.”
“What about being a mommy? Don’t you want kids of your own?”
Brynna popped a fry in her mouth and chewed, thinking about her answer. After swallowing, she told him honestly, “I don’t know. Sometimes I think it would be the best thing in the world, but then others…” Brynna shrugged. “I hate the way I was sheltered. I know I don’t want to raise a kid the way I was. I would want my child to go to school. Have friends. Go to sleepovers. Be able to make their own choices about what to wear and whether or not they liked certain foods. What if I screw up their life?”
“Those are valid concerns for every parent, not just you. Banyan and I don’t want to screw up either, especially taking in an older kid whose life has already been hard. I think, in the end, all you can do is love them unconditionally. If you do that, then the rest falls into place.”
“I guess I need to find out how Travis feels about kids before I start planning a nursery.”
“I would tell him he’s your mate before you have that conversation,” Urijah said quietly in case there were humans within earshot.
Brynna sighed and leaned back in her chair. “You’re right. The worst he can do is tell me he doesn’t want me, then the rest is a moot point.”
“There’s only one way to find out. Let’s get back to the house. I’m going to take Banyan to our room and show him my nails.” Uri wiggled his eyebrows, and Brynna laughed, tossing her wadded-up napkin at him. “Seriously. He and I will make sure you two have privacy so you can talk.”
“Thanks. Not just for that but for today as well. You’re a good shopping companion.”
“It was my pleasure.”
When they arrived home, Uri helped Brynna with her shopping bags, but when they got to the door, he stopped her. He set the bags down and eased the front door open and told her Banyan and Travis were having a chat in the kitchen. One she needed to hear. Instead of announcing their presence, the two stood quietly, and Brynna listened with her shifter hearing.
Travis said, “I feel guilty because it hasn’t been that long ago that I lost Rachel, but Brynna is like no one I’ve ever met, Rachel included.” Travis paused a few seconds before continuing. “More than that, I’m scared if I let myself get close to her, I’m going to fall in love. Then, when she finds her mate, I’m going to get my heart broken. Again.”
Brynna turned around, opened the front door, and slammed it. “Honey, I’m home,” she called out. “Thank you,” she whispered to Uri, then picked up her shopping bags and sashayed into the kitchen as though she hadn’t intruded on Travis’s conversation with Banyan.
“Wow, did you leave any clothes in the stores?” Banyan asked as Uri dropped his own packages by the doorway into the kitchen before stalking over to Banyan and kissing him deeply.
“Barely. Why don’t you come with me, and I’ll show you what I got?” Uri took Banyan’s hand, pulling him from his seat. Neither one looked back as Uri grabbed his bags, and the two of them went to their wing of the house.
“Did you have fun?” Travis asked. He stood and went to the fridge, removing the pitcher of tea. He poured Brynna a glass before refilling his own. Brynna sensed Travis’s nervousness.
“Yes. After getting our nails done, we went shopping. I even bought you a few things.” When she took the offered glass, she smiled at him. “Thanks for this. Did you get any work done on the house, or did my brother monopolize all your time?”
“No, I got quite a bit done. Banyan was interested in the program, so I explained it to him as I worked.” Travis pointed at her hand. “Your nails look pretty. I like the new color.”
“Thanks. I decided on something a little bolder than my normal bright pink. Uri opted for navy.”
“He went through with it?”
“Yep. I doubt he leaves it on long, but who knows? Maybe he’s going to rock his new look for a while.” Brynna drained her tea, then set the glass down. She had to talk to Travis about being mates, but she needed a little more time. Brynna retrieved the shopping bags and pulled everything out, showing Travis what she’d bought. After insisting he try the shirts on, Brynna took everything to the laundry room. When she returned, she took a deep breath. “Travis, we need to talk. Can we go outside?”
Travis’s smile fell. “Uh, yeah. Sure.” He placed his full glass of tea in the sink and turned toward the back door.
Brynna caught his hand. “Hey, it’s nothing serious. Well, actually it is, but it’s nothing bad, okay?”
When they got to the door, Brynna said, “Hang on.” She returned to the kitchen and grabbed two beers out of the fridge. Travis opened the door and allowed Brynna to walk through first. Always the gentleman. She handed one bottle over, then cracked her own and swallowed half the brew before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Travis was grinning when she looked at him. “What?”
“I love how you dress like a proper lady, then you chug half a beer like it’s nothing.”
Brynna snorted, making Travis grin harder. “I’m no lady,” she teased.
“You are when you need to be.” Travis sipped his own beer.
Brynna stopped at the fountain and stared into the water. It was one of her favorite things about the property. One of the less pretentious decorations her father had installed. She knew most homes didn’t have fountains, but this one was pretty instead of being too large and over the top.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?” Brynna wanted to set her bottle down and take Travis’s hands in her own, but she was afraid of being rejected, so she held her beer tightly. She was worried about telling him the truth. It had been Gautum who, on one of their frequent phone calls, told Brynna she would know when Travis was ready to move on from losing his girlfriend. Travis wasn’t the same sad man she had met a month and a half earlier, and the shy smiles he gave her were more frequent. So was the longing in his eyes.