Page 106 of Rejection and Redeemed

Jacob walked slowly around the room looking at Fran’s trinkets and pictures.

They were all family pictures, everyone looking completely happy. He saw a picture of Frank with toddler Fran. Jacob smiled, Fran was a cute baby.

“No comments about my baby photo please,” Fran said, grinning as he reached the bottom of the stairs, carrying a bag.

“You were so cute.”

“Excuse me, mate of mine. I’m still cute, thank you very much.”

Jacob laughed. “Yep, you really are. How lucky am I?”

“Come on, nutter, let’s go back to the castle. By the time we get back, it’ll be lunchtime.”

“You’ll eat before you go to work?” Jacob asked him as they left the house.

“If I have time.”

“Fran.”

“I promise I will eat something either at home or at the hospital. Our hospital has good food,” Fran told him.

“When our kitchen is up and running, I can make you lunch every day,” Jacob said as they reached the car.

Fran stood in front of Jacob. “Babe, I can manage, I’ve been looking after myself for a long time.”

Jacob nodded, disappointed, and got into the car and settled while Fran threw his bag on the back seat, then got in the car and drove them back to the castle.

CHAPTER 46

Fran didn’t have time for lunch at the castle and, after dropping Jacob off and leaving his bag in the hall, he drove to the hospital.

“Hey, Fran,” Emory said, as Fran started work. “You and Jacob alright?”

“I think I messed up and hurt Jacob,” he replied.

“How did you do that? Did your mating not go as planned?”

“No, all of that was perfect. We were just at my house packing a bag and Jacob reminded me that I needed to have lunch before I got to work. I said I’d eat here. Then Jacob said when our kitchen was up and running, he’d make me lunch every day. I told him I’d been taking care of myself a long time. We drove back to the castle in silence.”

“He was showing his caring side,” Emory said gently.

“Yeah. I didn’t mean to shut him down, he’s overcome toxic masculinity and keeps showing me his caring side. I just didn’t want him to worry about me.”

“Fran, our mates worry about us, just as we worry about them. Of course Jacob wants to look after you.”

“I’ll talk to him when I get home. I also need to find a way to make it up to him,” Fran said.

Emory grinned. “Well, you have all afternoon to think about how.”

Jacob was walkingtowards the dining room. He wasn’t sure what to make of what Fran said. Sure, Fran was older than him, but did that mean he wasn’t supposed to look after him?

“Jake.” He heard Joe call as he came bounding down the stairs.

“Hey, Joe.”

“Have you been out? Congratulations on your mating.”

“Thanks. Yeah, we went to Fran’s house so he could get some more clothes.”