Page 20 of Fritillaria (Fortune Records Omegaverse #5)

Chapter 20

A spis

My meetings have been particularly mind numbing today. I’m wishing the time away so that I can go home with Matilda and spend the evening with her.

We have been enjoying each other’s bodies, but I look forward to our conversation just as much. She is so pretty, sitting in her bed and working on her crafts while I do my work at the counter. That is, until I can no longer stand not touching her and bring my laptop to the bed.

I would normally just work in the office until late and only go home to sleep. So it’s been nice to do my work with my mate instead.

Ivy has been missing from the studio all week. I’ve avoided the temptation to go to her usual studio space to see her. But I’ve asked around, and no one has seen her at all. It makes me worry, but Matilda has checked and she has been active on her social media. Ivy normally spends all her time in the studio, so this is probably her just trying to get some space from us.

That’s a tough pill to swallow.

What if she never comes back in? She’s technically not signed up to a new contract with the label, so she could do anything. She would even be well within her rights to pitch an album concept to another label.

“Aspis?” Rosie barely knocks, double checking that I’m not in a meeting before striding into my office and breaking me out of my thoughts.

“Hi Rosie, it’s good to see you.” I smile warmly, getting up from my seat and moving to meet her.

“You’re going to think it’s really good to see me in a minute…” She teases.

“Is that so?” I have fun hanging out with my best friend’s mate. Rosie is always down for a laugh and a tease.

“I just spoke with Ivy…” I’m not sure if I should still be smiling, but Rosie’s bright eyes sparkle with mirth. “…and I might have convinced her that going to Sebastian’s dinner on Friday with you and Matilda was a good idea.”

I freeze.

She better not be joking with me.

Rosie laughs, but more so at my reaction than anything.

“I’m serious.” She says. “So you better be on your best behavior. She’s going to come and see what some happily mated groups look like. Who knows, maybe that will be the spark that she needs.”

A knock sounds at the door, making us both jump. I didn’t realize that we had been speaking in low tones.

“Come on in,” I call out, smelling the crisp scent of my mate.

Matilda peeps her head in slowly before smiling broadly at Rosie. They’ve only met a couple times, but they seem to enjoy each other’s company. Which is good, I want my friends to like my mates.

“I’ll leave you both to it.” Rosie says as she leaves in a flash.

“What was that all about?” Matilda asks, running her hands up my chest and pulling me in for a brief kiss.

“Something pretty exciting actually.” I lift Matilda into my arms, earning a giggle as I sit in my chair with her straddling my lap. “Rosie was speaking with Ivy, and she is going to join us for dinner on Friday night with a big group of mated friends. She’s hoping that seeing everyone happy and together might assuage any doubts that Ivy has.”

“Wait… really ?!” Matilda’s eyes start to well up with tears.

It’s not long before they’re falling in earnest, her little body shivering against mine. I can’t tell if it’s from excitement or not.

“Yes, really. I’m even going to try and convince her to go in the car with us. We could pick her up.”

“I have to finish her quilt in time! Let’s go home early so I can work on it.”

I chuckle as she excitedly climbs out of my lap and grabs a tissue to clean herself up. It’s adorable that she’s been working on that project for Ivy, that she has had that hope all along.