Prickly By Nature (6 page)

He tried not to let it annoy him. Avery was striving toward something he wanted, something he loved, and Dylan wanted that for him. What Dylan didn’t want was to be separated from his mate more than necessary. He also didn’t want to resent Avery’s job, but he felt like that was where it was heading.

He sighed and checked the time again, knowing what the clock would show. Twelve fifteen.
Damn.
He didn’t want to be late to lunch. It only made his mother worry, and in turn, she would blow up his phone with calls and text messages until he showed up safe and sound. If he didn’t leave now, he’d be late for sure. As it was, he had to hope for light lunch-hour traffic, which wasn’t likely.

With a heavy exhale, he left. If Avery came home, surely he’d know where to find him. Dylan wouldn’t hate it if Avery showed up on his own. Though he wasn’t holding his breath.

The drive to his parents’ house was mostly smooth. Although by the time he pulled his bike into the drive, he was seven minutes late. He glanced at his phone—four missed calls and two texts, all from his mom. Disappointment poked at him from the periphery and he tried to shove it away. Avery was probably distracted with something important. And not dangerous. If he kept telling himself so, maybe he wouldn’t give in to the need to charge down to Reid’s office to check on them. The thought cramped hard in his belly. He wasn’t going there. Not with his mother near. She could sense his worry from a mile away. Hell, he’d be lucky if she didn’t already know.

“For heaven’s sake, you’d think picking up the phone or texting to tell me you’d be late was a chore,” Betty called out from the front porch, the door opened wide behind her. “Your fingers aren’t broken or anything, are they?” She threw a quick glance at his fingers. “At least I hope not. You drove that death trap over.” She pointed a slim, calloused finger at his black beauty.

Her picking made him smile at the memory of Avery’s first meeting with Betty Green. “Now I know where you get it from,” Avery had remarked, and Dylan had vowed to wipe the smartass smirk off his face that night. And he had—slowly, methodically, and with a heated torture he only used when he needed to show his mate who was boss. Avery’s face in the throes of orgasm flashed through his mind and he had to shake himself. This was hardly the time or place for that thought.

Dylan held up both hands, wiggling his fingers. “Nope,” he answered. “All ten working and accounted for.” He grinned, walking toward his mother.

“Well, surely something happened to keep you from calling.” She huffed, her bottom lip just barely poking out in a pout.

“It’s ten minutes, Mom.” Not even.

“Ten minutes shaved off my life.” She sounded offended.

Melodrama, thy name is Betty Green
. No wonder she and Avery got along so well.

Dylan shook his head.

“Well, come on,” she said, crossing her arms and rubbing them. “It looks like rain again. No sense in catching your death.” With a smile, she retreated, obviously intending for Dylan to follow.

Inside, Dylan was thankful for the blast of warm air surrounding him. She was right. It was cold out. “Smells good,” he murmured, hanging up his jacket.

“I made chili. Vegan,” his mom said over her shoulder, grinning on her way back to the kitchen. “Where’s Avery? I thought he was coming with you.”

It was sweet how she tended to make Avery’s favorites when she thought he was joining them. Too bad Dylan would be stuck eating vegan chili. It was pointless for a wolf, wasn’t it? Like eating grass. Though his mom could make a five-star meal out of potatoes and flour. She was an amazing cook.

“He was.” Dylan attempted to curb his frustration. He was sure he failed when his mother turned on him, a pitying look on her face. “It’s nothing, Mom,” he said quickly.

“It doesn’t look like nothing.” She stirred the stewing meal, then ladled it into two bowls.

“But it is. It’s just—Avery’s trying to make a good impression with this PI thing. He’s doing good work.”

“And you’re—what? Jealous?” She wasn’t even looking at him. She was turned away, slicing cornbread, but he could still hear the quirk of her brow to signify the ridiculousness of the idea.

“Jesus, Mom. No, it’s not that. There’s no way Avery would do that, even if he could. But, yeah, sometimes I think we should get more time outside this whole Lacey thing and apprenticing crap.”

“You think it’s crap?” Betty asked, turning and arching her brow.

“No…. God, could you not take everything out of context?”

“But you just said—”

“I said Avery and I needed time alone—
need
time alone.”

“Then tell him,” she said, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

“I wish it were so easy.”
But it’s not
. It was like pulling fucking teeth.

“It is,” she insisted, returning to her duty with the food but not before throwing him a smarting grin. “Avery is logical and that boy loves you as much as you love him.”

Dylan sputtered. “What are you—”

“Don’t even try to deny it.” She pointed at him. “You think I don’t know my own son?”

Refusal was on the tip of his tongue, but it would hardly be believable. Not even to himself. He was beginning to have a difficult time not saying it to Avery in their most private moments.

He shrugged. “Avery’s brother is getting married.” Avoidance wasn’t an answer, he knew, but he wasn’t talking about this with his mother. It was between him and Avery.

Betty’s eyes lit up. She’d always loved weddings. After grabbing the two bowls, she walked to the table. “How exciting. I assume they’ll have the ceremony in Louisiana.” She sighed wistfully, setting her burden on the table. “I’ve always wanted to see those big homes in the Garden District. All that spanish moss and ancient trees. It’s a lovers’ fairy tale, isn’t it?”

Dylan just smiled back at her. He’d never been there, but he’d seen Avery’s pictures, heard the stories. And, yeah, it was a beautiful place.

“When is the wedding? Do I need to watch the house?”

He liked how she just assumed they would be going, because in her mind—in Dylan’s too—that’s what family did. They were there for each other. No matter what. Dylan planned to always be around for his mother. His father was another story. Law would have to watch his own tail.

“I’m not sure Avery wants to go,” Dylan said hesitantly.

“What? Why wouldn’t he go? He only has one brother, right?”

Dylan sighed. “From what I gather, the Babineauxs aren’t terribly close.”

“Not close? That’s ridiculous. They’re family. You don’t get closer.”

“Well, maybe it’s different for hedgehogs than it is for wolves.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’m still working on him. I think it would be a good idea to spend some time away from Portland, the pack, and whatever cases Avery is obsessing over. We’ll see.”

“He’ll go,” she said knowingly. “Just keep being your stubborn self, and he’ll eventually give in.”

“I am not stubborn,” he grumbled, taking a bite of the thick tomato-based chili. Damn if that wasn’t good. Even vegan, he chuckled to himself.

Buzzing brought him out of his musing.
Avery
.

I’m so sorry. Time got away from me. Tell Miss Betty I’ll make it up to her.

Dylan sat the phone down. “Avery,” he answered Betty’s curious gaze. “He got caught up at work. Says he’ll make it up to you.”

She grinned and patted his hand. “He’s a good boy.”

He nodded as his phone buzzed again. He tapped the screen.

I miss you.

Dylan’s heart swelled at those three words. Jesus, he missed Avery too. He wished he could tell him, but how would that conversation go? They’d only lived together for a few months, had only been on talking terms two months prior to that. Explaining to Avery that he missed him because he was never home, because he was too busy trying to save the world not only made Dylan sound like a needy bitch, it was sure to tip Avery’s prickliness over the edge. Sometimes it felt like Avery put so much more ahead of their mating and it pissed off Dylan. There was no way for Dylan to soften his irritation.

“Talk to him,” Betty prodded again, reading his mind. “He’ll listen.”

Dylan grunted. He was in serious need of a subject change, so he asked his mom about Lucas. She’d always been keen to his moods, and she knew Lucas well enough to know whatever he was going through wasn’t like him. The entire conversation was a diversion from Dylan’s real problem, and her only advice was the exact thing he’d expected from her all along.

“Just give him time,” she said, her face in a grim set. “He has things to work through, things to figure out, and he may not be able to do them with you and Avery around.”

Dylan knew that—he did, but it didn’t make the ache in his chest feel any less piercing. Lucas was his best friend since forever. They were brothers. Worse was knowing what bothered his best friend. It gnawed at him.

“But—”

“He’ll be fine,” she insisted and began to eat, ending the conversation, so Dylan ate too.

For the rest of their meal, Dylan and his mother talked about his dad and where he’d gone—Salem, to help a pack member move—and the quilt. Of course, she was only too happy to show it off after they’d finished eating.

WHEN AVERY
got home that night, he knew he was in trouble. Guilt gnawed at him for missing lunch with Miss Betty. He couldn’t have picked a sweeter woman for a mother-in-law, and he adored her. He’d fully intended to join her and Dylan. It hadn’t felt like three hours passed while Reid questioned Muriel and Hannah and reviewed all of the paperwork. Avery hadn’t even thought to check his phone. But when they got into the car, it was already after noon, and he knew by the time they got back to Portland, he’d be way too late to even call it fashionable. And Dylan hadn’t responded to his apology text.

He was probably pissed. Truth be told, in his shoes, Avery would be too. Anything Dylan had to say to him, he had coming. Not that he wanted to argue. After the day he’d had—finishing the background checks, running errands, and conducting numerous phone interviews for Reid—all he wanted was to snuggle up with his mate and go to bed.

Avery dropped his keys into the catchall bowl on the kitchen table. “Dylan?” he called. He could smell his mate in the house, and he sensed Dylan’s agitation through their bond.

No answer.

Avery wandered down the hall to their darkened bedroom. After a few seconds, his eyes adjusted and he saw Dylan sitting on the edge of the mattress, his elbows resting on his thighs, hands clasped loosely between his knees.

Dylan glanced at him but didn’t speak.

Avery took a step closer. “I know you’re mad at me. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to your mom, and to you.”

Several long seconds passed before Dylan shook his head. “You think this is just about lunch today?” he asked. “That was the final straw.”

Avery’s mouth went dry as his stomach lurched. “What do you mean?”

“You’re barely here, Av. And when you are, you’re distracted. When was the last time you and I spent more than a couple of hours together? That night when we ran with Luc and the others?”

Avery thought back. Had it really been that long? Weeks? He couldn’t remember a more recent occasion. Sometimes they ate dinner together, but most times he joined Dylan in bed after his mate was already asleep. How shitty did it make him that it’d taken Dylan pointing it out for him to even realize? “I’m sorry,” he said again. He wasn’t sure what else to say.

“That’s all I’ve been hearing from you lately. I don’t want apologies. I want you here sometimes. Really here. Not just with me physically but somewhere else in your head.”

Avery moved to stand at Dylan’s side. His night vision wasn’t as sharp as other shifters’, and it was worse in his human form. He could make out Dylan’s features, but he couldn’t read the expression in his eyes. They were just two dark holes in Dylan’s face. What would the light reveal if he turned it on? Avery was almost afraid to find out. He’d never intended to make Dylan feel as though he was only half-present when they were together. Lately it felt like his mind was always racing. He hadn’t realized how bad it had gotten.

Avery’s chest ached. He swallowed, trying to wet his parched throat. As much as he wanted to reach out to his mate, he wasn’t sure his touch would be welcomed right then. It felt as if there were a yawning chasm between them, an emotional one that couldn’t be breached simply by crossing a room. How long had it been there without him really noticing?

“It’s…. There’s a lot going on, Dylan. You know that. Helping Reid, and then looking for Lacey. I haven’t even been to see Mr. Otis in a while. I get distracted, and… time just slips away from me.”

Dylan sighed. “You think I don’t understand that? I do. I’m trying to accept the fact that until this case gets solved, it’ll feel like I only have half a mate. But that doesn’t make it any easier. My mother cooked your favorite chili. You should’ve been there to eat it. You need to make some time for me, for us. Otherwise….”

Dread filled Avery’s stomach. “Otherwise, what?” They couldn’t break up. The bond sealed them together forever. He’d have to stay close to Dylan to prevent his wolf from going feral… but then, that didn’t mean Dylan would
want
to be with him. Would it get to the point where they might as well be roommates, just two ships passing in the night? Avery touched Dylan’s shoulder, unable to keep his distance anymore. “I’ll try to be better. I swear. I don’t want to lose you.”

Dylan grunted, as if the words caused him pain. He grabbed Avery and dragged him onto his lap. “Fuck, Avery. You’re not gonna lose me, okay? That’s not what I meant.”

Flinging his arms around Dylan’s neck, Avery sucked in a shuddery breath. “Good God, don’t scare me like that.”

Dylan caressed his back. “Sorry. I just want you around more. I know how important it is to you, working with Reid and trying to find Lacey, but promise me you’ll try to make time.”

Avery tightened his grip on Dylan’s neck, burying his face in his mate’s throat. “I’ll try. I promise.”