“You won’t be saying that when you realize I’m making a triple batch.”
I felt the smile against my neck. “Leftovers for tomorrow?”
“Exactly.”
“You’re the best soul-pledged I could’ve ever asked for.”
I rolled my eyes even as I smiled. “Yeah, you’re lucky you’re not stuck with a guy that doesn’t know how to cook pasta without burning it.”
He poked me in the ribs. “That was one time.”
“Try five. I don’t even know how you did it once, let alone five times.” I held in a laugh. He grunted and remained there for another minute before I asked, “Did you fall asleep on me?”
“Hm?”
“Raph, you gotta go sit down so I can finish up. Grady has me on a tight schedule.”
“My magic’s happy here.”
I sighed. “So is mine.”
“You can cook around me. I’ll just stay here and act invisible.”
With a snort, I gave him a little push. “Nice try. Go find another pillow to squish.”
He sighed and kissed my neck, giving me one last squeeze that I returned, then he shot me a smile before moving to the coffee pot. After he finished making his cup, he carried it to the living room where Alaric was watching the parade.
Grady moved close to me with a smile and said, “Sometimes I still can’t believe you guys are as old as you say you are. You and Raph have been soul-pledged for like a hundred and fifty years, right?”
“Almost, yes.”
“That’s amazing. Although I don’t know how you’ve put up with him that long.”
I laughed, and Raph yelled over, “I heard that.”
Grady chuckled. “That’s what you get for eavesdropping.” That made me laugh since he’d done it on purpose.
“Thanks for inviting us here for the holiday, Grades. It’s been a long time since Raph and I celebrated with anyone other than each other.”
“We’re happy to have you.” He shot me a grin, then pulled his long list over. “Okay, what’s next?”
Seeing Raph with Laz after they’d gone out together was strange. They were both being a little shy with each other, but it was impossible to miss how happy they were. Every time they caught each other’s eye or Raph brushed the back of Laz’s hand with a finger, they smiled like lovesick fools. Raph was half in love already. I could see it, and what was more, I could feel it through our bond.
And it was strange because seeing it wasn’t making me as angry as I’d predicted. The anger was still there, of course, but it was more like it was aimed at myself rather than them. I was the one who wouldn’t give Raphael a chance, I was the one that pushed away any type of romantic advance, I was the one that handed him Lazarus on a platter. It was all on me.
And that broke my heart a little.
But then seeing them together and feeling Raph’s happiness through our bond was making me feel a tiny bit happy, too. But also jealous and hurt. And excited. Excited that Raph had potentially found someone. And when I really thought about it, I was excited that Laz had as well.
Because Laz was my friend; he was a good, kindhearted man that deserved the world.
I’d do everything in my power to be sure Raph gave it to him.
Rubbing a hand over my face, I sighed. It was way too soon to be having these thoughts. I shouldn’t be picturing what it would look like to bring Laz into our family, what it would look like to bring him into our home, into our lives completely. But I couldn’t stop picturing it.
And the thing was… I kind of liked the way it looked.
I was destined to be alone, but I didn’t want that for my soul-pledged. He deserved to be loved wholly, fully, with every ounce of devotion a person could give him.
And Laz deserved the same.
“You okay, Izzy?”
My eyes snapped over to Laz’s, finding concern etched in them. Sighing again, I said, “Yeah, just worn out, I guess.”
He offered a small smile, then leaned closer and whispered, “Do you need me to go?”
“What? Why would you ask that?”
He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. “The other night, you went to bed early, and now, you’re saying the same thing. I thought… well, I thought maybe you were, uh, faking it so you didn’t have to see me.”
“I swear to you, that’s not it at all. I’m not avoiding you, and I’m not going upstairs. I’m tired, but I’m enjoying myself.”
He offered a weak smile. “Okay.”
Reaching over, I gave his forearm a little squeeze, then turned to find Raph sitting across from me, watching and listening with a content smile on his face.
I lightly kicked his shin under the table.
“Ow. Asshole, what the fuck?” he yelled, acting like I brutally assaulted him instead of the light tap I gave him to acknowledge the sappy look he’d been shooting me.
I shrugged and shot him a smirk.
Alaric, the poor warlock, winced at Raph’s cursing and asked, “You alright?”
I snorted as Raph said, “My soul-pledged is a dickhead, is all. I’m fine.”
I flipped him off. “I didn’t even kick you that hard, idiot.”
He pouted and turned the pathetic look on Laz, saying, “Will you kiss it and make it better?”
Laz lifted a brow and pointed between Raph and me, saying, “If you think I’m getting between whatever the heck this is, you’re absolutely ridiculous and probably deserved the kick.”
Raph turned a playful scowl Laz’s way, and I lifted my hand in a high five to Laz, which he smacked, making Raph pout more and say, “That’s not allowed.”
“Aw, you poor baby,” I said.
He grabbed a green bean from his plate and threw it at my face.
Before I could retaliate, Grady said, “Nope. No way are you having a food fight in my house.”
I shrugged at Grady. “I don’t need food to get him back.”
Before I could shoot him with a vine, Alaric grabbed my hand and said, “Don’t even think about it.”
I frowned and tried to make my face look sweet and innocent. “But it’s tradition.”
Raph snorted out a laugh. “He’s not wrong.”
Alaric shook his head. “No food fights, and your innocent face can’t fool me, Izzy.”
I sighed. “Fine. No food fights. I’ll just have to get Raph back at some other undesignated time.” I shot my soul-pledged a smirk.
Raph grumbled under his breath, making Laz laugh.
The fact that we were joking around with Laz right here, and that it felt normal and right, didn’t go unnoticed. It solidified what I’d known since that day last year when Raph acted like an idiot and Laz punched him in the face.
Laz had some role to play in our lives, and I was pretty sure that role was standing right beside Raphael.
Before I had a chance to truly think about that, my cell rang in my pocket. When I saw who it was, I excused myself from the table and rushed out the front door, snagging my coat along the way. I slipped it on as I answered with, “Happy Thanksgiving.”
A breathy laugh met my ears, a voice I knew well. “Happy Thanksgiving, Iz.”