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Corbin rumbled.Both of you quit it. Right now.

He stuck out his tongue but pulled it back in hurriedly when Hawk glanced at him, expression curious.

Cosmo ducked his head and headed over to “help” Corbin with the steaks.

Cullen threw together some kind of side. It would either be a salad or coleslaw, and then garlic bread. He wasn’t a particularly creative cook. In fact, that usually fell to Cosmo.

Cosmo just found himself weirdly unable todoanything. Except dither.

Go sit and talk to him.Corbin shoved him toward Hawk.

What? Me? Why?

Stop it.

He nodded and then shook his head.

“Are you well, little rose?” Hawk asked, concern edging out the curiosity.

“I am. Sorry. I’m a little—You’re our first company. Usually, we are the ones visiting.”

“Ah.” Hawk said that a lot. He propped his chin on his hand. “Who do you visit? Family?”

“Our clutch, yes. They are…close.”

“I see.” He thought Hawk seemed almost…disappointed.

“Do you have a clutch?”

“No. I grew up alone.”

“We’ve never been alone.” They had grown up in the Land of Summer, only going to explore the human world as adults.

“No, no, I can tell.”

Cosmo wasn’t sure what that meant, but it didn’t seem an insult…

It was just the truth, he supposed.

“Here we go. Steaks and…stuff.”

“I made baked potatoes earlier,” Cullin said. “So salad and potatoes.”

“It smells amazing,” Hawk said.

“Well, hopefully it is…”

“We don’t entertain much…”

“We don’t need to.”

“I’m sorry.” Hawk looked at them all in turn. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I need to know what’s happening.”

Cosmo tilted his head. “With what?”

Corbin wrung his hands.Should we call Gavin?

Maybe? We can’t just ask him about everything.Cullen shook his head.