“Why lie?”
She chewed on her bottom lip, and then sighed. “It will make them feel better if they think Mel and Snow were a couple for a longer time than the truth, before making a lifelong commitment.”
“What will you tell them about us?”
She swallowed hard, seeming to think. “That I’ve been seeing you for a while, too. Maybe that we met while Mel was dating Snow. Lash, I could teach you how to read. I mean, if you ever want to learn.”
He might consider it if it were important to Mary. He liked that she offered. “You’re a good mate…but you changed the subject.”
She smiled and tapped her screen a few times. “I know. Okay. Be very quiet. I’m going to record a new outgoing message.”
“What’s that?”
She paused. “Listen.” She tapped her screen and seconds later, her voice came out of it. “Hi. You’ve reached Mary. You know the drill. I’ll get back to you when I can.” A beep followed. She tapped the screen again. “That was my old message. Now I’m going to record a new one.” She lifted a finger to her lips. “Hi. You’ve reached Mary. I’m spending time with a friend for a few days and cell reception is a crapshoot. I’ll get back to you when I can. You know the drill.” She stopped talking and tapped a button on the screen. “There.” She faced him. “All done.”
He was surprised when she offered him the phone. He took it. “I still don’t understand why you plan to lie to your parents.”
“I know, but it will make them worry less. Shit! I need to call my boss and Mel.” She held out her hand again.
He returned her phone. “What do you plan to say?”
“My boss knows Mel married Snow.” She touched her screen. “Don’t say anything.”
A ringing started, and he realized she’d made it possible for him to hear the conversation.
A gruff male voice answered. “I’m glad you called. We have two girls who are showing up at seven in the morning for interviews. Don’t be late.”
Her nose crinkled. “Shit, Joel. I’m about to not make your day. I’m hung up with Mel for a bit.”
“What in the hell does that mean? You have shifts to cover. I’d also like you to pick who you want to work with, since you can be a pain in my ass over Tina. For all I know, I could hire someone else who’s fucked a boyfriend of yours. I don’t need that bullshit again.”
Lash frowned.
Mary winced and held his gaze, mouthing I’ll explain later. She sucked in a sharp breath. “Just hire them both and change Megan’s shifts to mine. Leave Tina where she is so each of them can train a new waitress. I’m not sure when I can come back. I’ll be fine working with anyone but Tina. I’m sorry to dump this on you right now, but I have no idea when I’ll be done here.”
“Goddamn it, Mary. Don’t do this shit to me. It was bad enough having Mel walk without notice.”
“I’m sorry, Joel. Really. It can’t be helped. Mel needs me here. It’s a big adjustment and all that. I’m her best friend.”
“And you’re my goddamn waitress, and you’d better be here at seven in the morning. Tell Mel to suck it up. She’s the one who decided to get married. Have her husband hold her damn hand. I’m running a business. Your ass better be here at seven, Mary.”
“Don’t curse at my mate or give her orders,” Lash snarled. He wanted to hunt the human down and punch the son of a bitch.
“Shit, gotta go. Sorry, Joel. Split up Tina and Megan like I said. I have my own mess to deal with.” She tapped the screen and slapped the phone against his chest. “What part of ‘don’t say anything’ did you not understand?”
“I don’t like him.”
“He’s pissed. I don’t blame him.”
“No one speaks to you that way.”
“No. You just snarl at me and bark out commands.”
“I don’t bark.”
She sighed. “Joel’s my boss.”
“You don’t work for that male anymore.”
She shook her head, staring at him. “It’s a good thing you’re so damn sexy.” A wry smile lifted the corners of her lips. “Well, I guess I don’t work for Joel anymore. I just screwed him over by not returning to work when he needs me the most. He’ll fire my ass anyway after this.” Her smile slowly disappeared, and she paled. “Shit. I just lost my job!”
He saw panic on her face and tossed her phone on the counter near them. It made a clunk sound but he grabbed her. “It’s fine, Mary. You don’t need to work. You are my mate. I’ll take care of you.”
He liked it when she threw herself against his chest and clung to him. “You better mean it, damn it. I’m not going to be forced to take a job shoveling cow shit.”
He hugged her tighter to his chest. “No one would dare make you do that. I’d beat on them.”
She laughed.
He stoked her back. “I’m glad your mood is good.”
“It’s called hysteria. I just gave up my job, Lash.”
“You are my mate.” He lowered his chin to the top of her head and placed a kiss on it. “I hear the door. The males have returned. Stay here. Are you well, Mary?”
“Just don’t be a loser, Lash.”
He tensed. “What does that mean?”
She pushed away from him, and he let her go. Her chin lifted and she stared into his eyes. “It means you’d better be certain of all the things you told me, and that I’m really your mate forever. You’re stuck with me now. No job means I can’t pay my rent or utilities when they’re due at the first of the month. I have zero savings after having to buy two new tires for my car, then I had a broken tooth filling replaced. I refuse to move back in with my parents. So yeah. You’re stuck with me now.”
It was his turn to smile. “Perfect. I’ll be right back with the clothes Jaded brought.”
He spun away, stalking toward the door.
“You’re a crazy bastard…but you’re mine.”
His grin spread. Mary had just verbally claimed him.
Mary waited for Lash to leave the bathroom before turning and grabbing the phone off the counter. She dialed Mel, glad to have a few moments alone. It rang three times before her breathless friend answered.
“Mary?!”
“It’s me.”
“Are you okay?”
“I am. I don’t have much time.”
“Oh shit. Is he holding you against your will? We’ll get you out!”
“It’s not that.” Her gaze locked on the door. “You know way more about Species than I do. Can I trust him?”
“Species aren’t big on telling lies. They’re pretty honest.”
“He says he wants to keep me, that we’re mates, and he’s never going to let me go. What is their divorce rate?”
“I don’t think they divorce ever.”
A deep voice rumbled in the background but Mary couldn’t make out the words. Mel cleared her throat. “Snow just confirmed. Species mate for life. It’s a forever kind of deal. Why did you crawl into that vent?”
“Two guys came looking for me.”
“What guys?”
“I don’t know. It’s irrelevant. So I can trust Lash not to dump me? I had to call Joel, and I basically blew that bridge to hell. I no longer have a job. At the end of the month, I won’t have my rent for the first. I do not want to live with my parents. I mean, they might be gone a lot but you understand. Then there’s the pregnancy thing. Did you know he could knock me up?”
Mel sighed. “Yes. I didn’t tell you because it’s a big secret. I gave my word. I figured if I get pregnant by Snow, then we’d have asked for permission to tell you since that would be impossible to hide and you’ll so be my children’s aunt. I didn’t think you’d be getting naked with a New Species, either. Especially a Wild Zone resident. I haven’t met one of those yet but Snow says they’re…well…um…”
“Lash is a lion man. He has some fur on his chest and a mane for hair.”
Mel made a strange sound.