Page 42 of My Broken Mate (Healing Bonds #1)

Chapter thirty

Dinner Drama

*KAT*

I have been swooning ever since my last date with Remy. I think opening up to him, at least partly, made us so much closer. I have never told anyone about my parents. I have always felt that wall inside of me, the barrier that prevented me from telling anyone, even Ayden.

Or my brothers.

I know Joel and Eve would listen to me, and they would always believe me, but I just can’t bring myself to tell them.

Somehow, with Remy, I felt ready to open up a little.

Goddess, and then he was so romantic!

When I told Ayden what Remy said, he basically dragged me to the pack doctor and told me to get on to any form of birth control, just to be safe, in case we don’t have a condom at hand. “You are going to get laid soon,” he said, completely convinced.

There is no reasoning with him when he has set his mind on something, so I just did as he told me, and secretly agreed that it’s better to be prepared.

“Kata?” Eve calls to me when I return. I told him I was just going for a swift check-up. There is no way I would overshare that much with my brothers – and certainly not about Remy. “Do you have a moment to help?”

“Sure,” I say, following his voice into the kitchen. I pause, staring at Eve and the many ingredients, jaw-slackened. “What are you doing?”

“I am preparing tonight’s dinner,” he says. “Did you forget that Gabriel, Remy and Sean are coming?”

“How could I forget that?” I mutter, after all, it’s been on my mind for days. “I just didn’t believe you would go that insane with dinner.”

“They are a very prestigious household,” Eve says, sounding unusually nervous. “I want to deliver.”

“Eve, you are a great cook. There is no need to prove anything.”

“It’s important, Kata,” he sighs. “Sean is both an important business partner and ally for Joel. This is not just a simple invitation.”

This conjures thoughts of Remy and how much he actually enjoys the simpler things. Maybe Gabriel and Sean aren’t too different. Maybe it’s just our perception of them, and that they would happily enjoy a more relaxed barbecue evening?

But then, Gabriel does look kind of stiff, and Sean is probably the most serious person I have seen. Eve’s approach is the safest.

“We should have just gone to a restaurant,” I mutter.

“Yeah, I thought the same yesterday when I made my grocery list.” He winces. “I got really carried away by Joel’s enthusiasm. But you were right, we completely railroaded the brothers. Now we can only make the best out of it.”

“I am surprised they agreed to the invitation,” I admit.

“Me, too. Though to be fair, individually, we do have a relationship with them. It’s just the first time we will meet them all together.”

“That’s the point of the issue,” I mutter. “All of them at the same place.”

I think of how strained Remy’s relationship with them is.

I think of his reaction when Gabriel approached us in the café.

I think of how he believes he is a disappointment to both, but to Sean in particular.

I think of the things he can’t tell me yet.

Eve raises his eyes to look at me. “Let’s make the best of it.”

“I will try.”

“Do you want to help?”

“You will let me mess around with your perfectly planned dinner?” I ask, shocked.

“Well, under my supervision, of course.”

“Definitely!” I say. It’ll be perfect to keep my mind off the swiftly approaching evening.

Indeed, the time passes by swiftly, with me helping Eve.

Soon, Joel comes home from his work and helps with setting the table and cleaning up.

We work in relaxed silence, all three of us following different thoughts.

I am anxious as fuck, while Eve looks thoughtful and slightly worried most of the time.

Joel, on the other hand, just looks joyful.

He seems to be really looking forward to this evening.

“You two,”—he finally breaks the silence, putting an arm around our shoulders and twirling us around—“are worrying over nothing.”

“We are worrying so much because you don’t,” Eve mutters.

“Okay, so let’s talk about this,” Joel says. “What’s your worry, Eve? It’s very unusual for you to be this tense.”

“This is an important family,” Eve says. “I know they aren’t getting along too well, and don’t want to add to the tension by fucking up.”

“And you?” Joel asks me.

“I am not good with these types of events,” I say. “Eve is right, it’s an important family.”

“But you are friends with Remy.”

“Sure, but not with his brothers. They are very,” I pause, “serious,” I add for lack of a better word. Terrifying and intimidating would fit more. “I don’t want to mess up.”

Joel just laughs. “Goddess, you two need to relax. They are just people! There is not any real difference between us.”

“There is a world between us,” Eve points out.

Joel lets go and grabs some bowls to carry to the table. “There is not,” he says, surprisingly serious. “You are creating it in your mind, but it’s not actually there.”

Despite Joel trying to raise our spirits and lessen our anxieties, I am still tense when our guests arrive.

And the dinner is exactly how I imagined it to be.

Nerve-wracking and strained, but also eye-opening.

If Remy and his brothers can do one thing to perfection, it’s pretend.

Remy pretends he is not anxious, though I can feel it through our bond.

Gabriel pretends he isn’t tense, though his hands twitch sometimes, and Sean pretends he is completely calm and composed, while his eyes say otherwise.

Fortunately, Remy sits right next to me, so I can secretly squeeze his hand below the table.

“Goddess, give us strength,” Eve mutters when he and I disappear into the kitchen to grab the side dishes.

I rub my face. “Maybe Joel is right, you know?”

“Huh?”

“Maybe we are part of the issue?”

Eve stares at me. “What do you mean?”

“We are not being us,” I say. “Like, not at all.”

“We don’t want to ruin this for Joel,” he points out.

“Right, but it’s not like it’s going particularly well right now.”

A thoughtful expression crosses Eve’s face. “You mean there is nothing we can ruin,” he mutters more to himself than to me. He still has the same thoughtful expression on his face when we return.

“Gabe,” he says while sitting down. “I expect you to come to my next gallery opening.”

“You have another one?” Gabriel asks curiously.

“Yeah,” Eve smiles. “I know it’s pretty soon after the other. I will send you an invitation.”

“Find an excuse as long as you can,” Joel says. “I have seen the previews. So many worms.”

“I for one think they are awesome,” I say, turning to Remy and deciding not to give a fuck about the whole tension. At least I can talk to him without being awkward. “You saw one of the pics, too.”

“Oh, the one with the big worm and the deer?” Remy asks.

“See, even Remy already knows that it’s your theme,” Joel groans. “Why does it have to be worms? They are so gross.”

“You just don’t have an eye for good art,” Eve says dryly. “You brute.”

“You draw paintings of worms gnawing on brains, and I am the weird one?” Joel blinks. “Someone help me make sense out of it.”

“You really do like worms,” Gabriel admits. “But I can’t say I hate your pictures.”

“But you don’t love them either?” Eve says.

“Well,” Gabriel frowns. “Love is a stretch,” he admits. “They are disturbing.”

Once he says it, he almost looks scared, like he’s slipped. Meanwhile, I can almost see the tension crawling through Sean and Remy’s bodies again.

Eve doesn’t mind at all, though. “See?” he says to Joel. “They elicit emotions. That’s important. Gross is good. People like disturbing, so do I.”

Gabriel looks relieved and smiles at Eve.

Is this why they get along so well? Eve just understands what Gabriel is saying.

Maybe this is Gabriel’s issue? He talks without thinking it through first and doesn’t find the right words to accurately voice what he means.

Ayden hinted at something similar once, that what he wants to say and what leaves his mouth aren’t always the same.

“Have you seen his paintings?” Joel asks Sean.

“Yes, I went to see the last exhibition,” Sean says calmly, as all of us just stare at him in surprise.

“You…” Eve swallows, clearly shocked. It’s a very rare expression to see on him. “Alpha Sean, had I known, I would have made sure to be there and show you around.”

Maybe it’s Sean’s aura, but something about him makes everyone around act a nervous mess. His tone is always calm and reserved, though, as if he knows it and tries not to unsettle those around him. Not that it works particularly well, unfortunately.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to impose on you so suddenly,” Sean says.

Even the way he talks is different. It always sounds like he is in an official situation and being scrutinized.

I fidget slightly, realizing that maybe he is.

Maybe that’s the problem. Joel said earlier that we are the ones making this situation an issue.

Maybe it’s not just us but everyone else, also.

Everyone, but my brother, obviously.

Joel punches Sean’s shoulder playfully. “Next time, hit up your buddy,” he grins, pointing at himself. “Your beauty would just go to waste if you frolic through the gallery on your own!”

“Goddess,” Eve groans.

“And you think,” Sean deadpans. “That you would stop my beauty from radiating?”

“I would enhance it!” Joel grins.

Sean just snorts, making us all stare at him in surprise. Gabriel’s expression is priceless. When he isn’t trying to be in control, he actually shows it all on his face. Remy is looking similarly shocked.

Meanwhile, Joel looks completely pleased with himself. I turn my head, pretending to pick something up so I can link Eve without anyone noticing. It would be impolite if they did. He definitely has a rare talent with people.

Eve nods shortly in agreement.

“Dinner is delicious,” Gabriel says.

“Thank you,” Eve smiles and gestures towards me. “Kata and I made it.”

“Oh?” Remy looks at me with a smile. “Obviously, another talent you have.”

“Me? I am utter chaos,” I chuckle. “Your cooking is much better.”

“We should combine our forces once exams are over,” he suggests.

I beam. “Absolutely!”

The others swiftly move on from the talk to something else, and the situation becomes slightly more relaxed. Just Sean’s gaze lingers on me for a moment longer, his expression the same as always, but his eyes are thoughtful, as if he has just spotted something of interest.

Goddess, I hope I didn’t give anything away.