“Thanks for meeting me here, honey,” my mom said, setting her arms on the table. “At such short notice.”
“Oh, it’s fine.” I smiled kindly as the waiter started up to us to take our order. “I love these little lunch dates with you. Especially with your night and day jobs and all.”
Mom smiled kindly, gazing up at the waiter.
“Hello,” he said sweetly, “are you ladies ready to order?”
“Yes,” mom said then, “I’d like to have the chicken parm.”
“I’ll just have some spaghetti,” I said then.
He scratched down our orders before bowing slightly. “It will be out soon.”
“Do people even do that anymore?” mom said then. “The bowing?”
“Apparently,” I responded.
She then turned back to me. “So how is everything?”
Before I could respond, her phone chimed.
She gazed down at it nervously before looking up at me. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.”
I nodded, not really angry despite the circumstances.
Mom stood and opened her phone, stepping to the side to talk to the other line.
I then scanned the crowd inside the restaurant, curiously gazing at figures…
Before my eyes set on a particular man.
I blinked, shock washing through me.
Alpha Damon sat in a booth two down from mine, and he was watching me dreamily, cheek in his hand.
Seriously? I thought to him. Why?
His smile widened a bit. Have to make sure your safe.
Yes, and that includes stalking me?
Yes.
I just rolled my eyes and took a sip of my water.
Winter, he said then.
I gazed up. What?
Does your mom know? he asked me then, lashes lowering. Or do you display a fake persona to her, too?
I watched him for a moment before I gazed down at my drink, avoiding answering.
I see, he said then.
My mom suddenly came out from the corner and scooted back on the booth. “Sorry about that,” she said then. “My boss lost his stapler, and uh… anyways, where were we?”
“Oh,” I said then, smiling, “you asked me how my day went.”
“Oh, yes.” She closed her eyes and smiled. “How was your day?”
“It was good,” I said then. “Had biology and geometry, then I drew a little on my off block.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” she said then.
I glanced briefly behind her. You can stop staring at me.
I felt him smile despite mom blocking my view of him. What’s the fun in that? There’s nothing as interesting to look at.
You sound like a serial killer. Not only are you going to kill me, but you’re going to stalk me in the process.
Damon chuckled; I could hear it echo through his thoughts. And yet you don’t sound scared in the slightest.
I’m not, I said then. In fact, it’s a bit exciting.
He chuckled again. You’ve lost it, haven’t you?
You haven’t already figured that out?
I have, he said then, it’s just fun to witness.
I was silent then, watching my mom briefly type on her phone.
I then leaned down and wrapped my lips around the straw of my cola, sipping it into my mouth.
Unless… you have a fear kink, he said then.
I suddenly lurched forward, inhaling the drink.
I forced it down before I started coughing, covering my mouth with a sleeve.
“Honey, you okay?” mom said then.
I continued coughing but gave her a thumbs up.
Damon chuckled through my thoughts. I’m right, aren’t I?
“No,” I said aloud, voice raspy.
“Huh?” mom said then, brows drawing together.
I waved the response away. “Sorry, I was calling off a thought.”
Damon was still chuckling.
Mom nodded then, taking a sip of her coffee. “Oh, hey…” she said then, “how’s the… you know.” She tapped her forehead.
I gazed up at her. “Oh, the reading? I can control it. It doesn’t bother me that much.”
She nodded then. “I hope I’ve been helping.”
Damon was still chuckling.
“You have,” I said, smiling, “any other parent would’ve given up and shoved me in an insane asylum.”
Stop laughing or I will shove a fork down your throat, I thought to him.
He just cleared his throat, gazing up at me in amusement.
“Yes, but you can actually read them,” mom urged. “And… I heard of these things happening. So, I tried to help once you conveyed that you could read the… you know… minds.” She whispered the last word.
“You don’t have to whisper,” I said, smiling, “it’s not like people are going to believe it. They’re probably going to think we’re joking or quoting something.”
Mom then nodded, taking another sip of her coffee.
Fear kink, Damon said again.
I clenched my fist and glared over at him. Shut. UP.
He just covered his mouth and chuckled.
Mom just blinked. “Do I have something on my face?”
“No, it’s just some weird horny creep had horrid thoughts,” I said then.
Damon then looked up, suddenly seeming insulted.
I smiled in satisfaction.
“Oh, I see,” mom smiled kindly. “Well, after this, I have to go back to work, and then I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
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