Tate nodded. “She thinks of them as family.”
“She won’t join the pride if Aspen and Bailey aren’t also allowed to join. She’d feel as though she was abandoning them,” Vinnie pointed out.
“I already know that, which is why I’m planning to offer them a place in the pride.”
“I doubt any of our pride mates will object to it. We’ve all gotten to know Aspen and Bailey a little since they moved into your building. I’ve only heard people say good things about them. The three are a little on the crazy side, sure, but we pallas cats like crazy. Even Valentina likes them, and she’s not easy to please.”
“I personally think they’re great,” said Elle. “God, I’m so happy you’ve found your mate, Tate. We haven’t had a lot to smile about recently. This news rocks.”
“Agreed,” said Luke. “So, Tate, how easy do you think it’ll be to convince Havana to move at your pace? Because I just know you’d move her into your house today if you thought she’d be up for it.”
Well of course he would. “It’ll take time, but I can be patient. I know better than to put pressure on a female as dominant as Havana—it never works well.”
Luke pursed his lips. “In other words, you’ll act like there’s no rush but do shit like gradually move her things to your place, center all your charm on her, and insert yourself into her life so that you’re firmly under her skin. Like a tic.”
Well, yeah, but Tate decided against admitting it. “If she wants to take things slow, we’ll take it slow.”
Elle snorted. “You are so full of it.”
Vinnie lifted a brow at Tate. “I assume you have no problem with this news circulating amongst the pride.”
Tate shook his head. “No problem at all.” He was proud to be able to declare that Havana Ramos was his mate. And the more people who knew she was off-limits, the better.
“Good,” said Vinnie. “Because your grandmother would have trouble not sharing it with the world.”
Ingrid only rolled her eyes.
“Ashlynn’s gonna shit a brick when she hears about this,” said Damian, sounding positively delighted. “After all she’s done, I’m kind of liking that idea.”
“Me, too.” Elle frowned at their youngest brother. “And I have to say I’m disappointed in you, Damian. Despite all the dark, destructive powers you possess, you never did anything to avenge Tate. Never put a hex on her. Never turned her into a toad. Never even gave her stomach poisoning. What kind of Antichrist are you?”
“One that exists only in your totally whacked head,” Damian retorted.
Elle scowled. “Don’t you try gaslighting me. And don’t call me whacked.”
“Don’t call me the Antichrist.”
“Do you prefer Beelzebub? Lucifer? Abaddon?”
“What I’d prefer is to have a sister who isn’t neurotic or paranoid and doesn’t have back flab.”
Elle sucked in a breath. “I do not have back flab.”
“Oh, you do, and that’s no surprise. Your idea of a balanced diet is having a candy bar in each hand.”
“Enough,” Vinnie bit out. “You know, I had hopes that the arguments would cease now that you’re both older, but those hopes are starting to die.”
Elle hmphed. “As will we all when he unleashes his evil—”
“Oh my God,” Damian burst out.
Elle snorted. “He ain’t gonna help you, oh bringer of darkness.”
Tate couldn’t help but smile. His family was crazy. It was part of why he loved them.
Watching from the corner of the rec center’s café as a male shifter loudly kicked up a fuss about the hot coffee that had been spilled all over his lap, Havana flicked a look at Bailey. “You realize that Corbin isn’t going to buy that you ‘accidentally’ knocked over Randy’s drink in passing, right?”
The mamba only shrugged, clearly enjoying the spectacle. “If the asshole hadn’t acted like a total cock toward Aspen again, I wouldn’t have felt the need to scald his dick. I hope he gets blisters. Big ones.”
Aspen’s grin was a little feral. “Bitch-slapping him earlier was fun but, yeah, this is way better.”
Havana might have felt a little sympathy for Randy if he hadn’t confronted Aspen for a second time, verbally blasting her for “fucking up” his relationship with Camden and calling her everything from a whore to a slut. Why Randy was surprised that Camden dumped him for fronting Aspen a few days back, Havana didn’t know. It wasn’t exactly a secret that the tiger never tolerated anyone even trying to upset Aspen. “Has Camden heard that Randy got all up in your shit again?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” said Aspen.
“Maybe if you personally told Camden about this second stunt, the cranky tiger would stop sulking that you didn’t tell him about the first,” said Bailey.
Aspen frowned. “I’m no tattle-tale.”
Hearing her cell ring, Havana pulled it out of her pocket. Tate. Just like that, her stomach fluttered. She answered, “Hey.”
“Hey, baby,” he said, his voice warm and deep and rumbly. “My family wants us all to get together at my place tonight to celebrate you and I finding each other. Ingrid was planning on cooking something special, but I know how much you love Chinese food, so I said we could all order a takeout if you’re up for it?”
“Like I’d ever turn down Chinese food.” And it warmed her that he’d pick that over a home-cooked meal.
“Invite your girls. Camden, too, if you’d like. I want both our families there.”
She smiled, liking that he understood how important Aspen and Bailey were to her. Even Camden, despite his insistence on holding himself apart, mattered to her. “They’ll be there.” Mostly because they were too nosy to miss it.
“Good. Everyone is planning to turn up at seven.”
That gave her a couple of hours to do laundry and stuff. “Seven works.”
“I’m on my way to the center to pick you up. I shouldn’t be more than ten minutes. And before you tell me you’re quite capable of driving yourself home, I’m aware of that. I’m not doing this out of overprotectiveness. I’m doing it because I’ve been jonesing to see you all day.”
She felt one side of her mouth hitch up. “All right. See you soon.”
“Soon,” he agreed. Then she had dead air.
“I’m guessing that was Tate,” said Aspen. “Your face only goes all soft like that when you’re talking to him.”
Havana felt her brow furrow. “My face does not go soft. And yes, it was Tate. He wants me to invite you two and Camden to his house tonight. His family wants to celebrate that he and I found each other. We’re doing that with Chinese takeout, because my man knows me well.”
“Well I’ll be there,” said Bailey.
Aspen pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Me, too. I’ll text Camden and check if he’s up for it.”
“Okay, good. Also, Tate’s on his way to pick me up from work just because.”
Bailey’s eyes lit up. “That means I can drive home the car he gave you, right?”