“Smells like Jasper is up and cooking,” Chey stated. “Want to go see if he made enough for everyone?”
“I don’t want to be a bother.” But he did want to be the bacon tester if Jasper needed one. Was that hickory flavor he smelled?
Chey grinned, waving his hand toward the doorway. “Let’s go find out what he’s cooking.”
Tristan’s stomach followed Chey to the kitchen. If he could eat the scent, he’d be obese right now. Heck, Tristan would be happy to gain twenty pounds. He’d always been a skinny guy, a small wolf, and the shortest around. It seemed no matter what he tried, he couldn’t gain weight.
“Smells good in here,” Chey said as he took a seat at the table. “You gonna share?”
“Yep, I made enough for an army, and the way those soldiers eat, that might not be enough.” Jasper chuckled as he pulled the bacon from the frying pan, and then added some raw pieces to the heated skillet. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you that I liked your hair.”
“That’s because it matches yours.” Tristan laughed.
“I am partial to redheads. I tried to get Toby to dye his, but he just pouted for a few days, something about trying to change him. As if. I just wanted to see how he would look.” Jasper smiled at Tristan, his eyes full of mischief.
Toby growled and grabbed Jasper around his waist. “Mine.”
“Isn’t he cute? Ever since mates started showing up here, he’s gone all possessive on me. It must be a human thing.” Jasper chuckled and kissed Toby. “He even growls better than a wolf.”
“I’m standing right here.” Toby pouted, sticking his bottom lip out.
Although Tristan had met the couple and had lived here for a week, he was just now getting to know them, and he liked them. “I know what you mean, Toby. I feel the same way about Hunter and Quinn, so it must not be a human thing but a mate thing.”
“Don’t encourage him.” Jasper set Toby aside and brought breakfast to the table. “I suggest you get your portion now before the mass of wolves comes in and sucks the kitchen clean.”
“We heard that,” Memphis quipped as he came into the kitchen and grabbed a plate. “I still say my cooking is better.”
“Not even on a good day, buster.” Jasper pointed his spatula at the soldier. Tristan was enjoying the friendly bantering. He hadn’t been around a lot of people before, not like this, under one roof, and he was having fun.
“Hey, squirt.” Sidney patted Tristan on the back as he grabbed a plate and filled it. “How are you holding up?”
Tristan chewed his bacon and swallowed before answering. “Good.”
The soldiers sat at the table as they ate and talked. The laughter and camaraderie made Tristan smile. It was loud and filled with wisecracks and chuckles. It felt like a home. Like the home he had grown up in, and the feeling made him nostalgic.
His only dark spot in life was Xavier. Tristan’s home life had been wonderful with loving parents and good friends. One wrong decision and his life had taken a wrong turn.
Tristan brushed the thought away, not wanting his good mood hampered with thoughts of that bastard.
He wasn’t sure what he was going to do today while Hunter and Quinn worked, but he was glad to be here.
“Psst.” Sidney leaned over as the others around the table ate and talked.
Tristan looked up just as he shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a Red Bull on you, would you?”
* * * *
Hunter pulled into the jobsite, waiting for Quinn to get off of work. He closed the hardware store early so the three could have a nice evening together. They left the decision up to Tristan to choose what they were going to do. The wolf seemed to bask in the glow of making decisions on his own, and Hunter liked the way it made his rainbow’s cheeks color.
“I have the sketches.” Hunter walked over to Quinn and Dino, handing Dino Tristan’s rendering and then grabbing his mate and planting a kiss soundly on his lips. He didn’t care who was watching, he missed his mates today.
Quinn grabbed Hunter’s arms and wrapped them around his shoulders as Dino looked at Tristan’s drawings. “Have you shown these to Zeus?”
“No, I wanted to see what you thought of them first,” Quinn answered.
“They’re fantastic. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Alpha decided to go with these. Why haven’t I hired him yet?” Dino looked at Quinn, amusement flashing across his face.
“Because we haven’t caught the man trying to kill him,” Hunter gruffly reminded the foreman. “Until we do, he stays in the Alpha’s home while we work.”