Hunter(Zeus's Pack 5)(34)

Quinn couldn’t remember the last time he laughed this much. What really got Quinn to thinking was the fact that Tristan had a family. “Have you tried to call your mom or cousin?”

Tristan shook his head, lowering his eyes as the laughter died on his lips. Quinn hated that he was the cause of this but needed to know about his mate’s family. He couldn’t imagine not talking to his family.

“No, I’m too ashamed to call them. The last time I spoke to my mom I wasn’t very pleasant. Xavier had convinced me that I didn’t need family and friends, and I believed him.”

Quinn hugged Tristan close, giving his jellybean the comfort he needed while thinking of a way to get mother and son back on speaking terms. He usually stayed out of family business, but family was what Tristan needed in his life right now. “I’d like to call her and talk to her, if you don’t mind.”

“I can’t face her, Quinn. I was terrible. I even lost touch with my cousin, Justin. He was my best friend growing up and even into my adulthood. He’ll probably never forgive me either.”

“You’d be amazed at what family will forgive. I was fortunate enough to have a very cool mom who didn’t care that I was gay, but hated the fact that I wouldn’t go shopping with her. I mean, come on, what guy likes shopping, gay or not?”

Tristan cocked his head, staring at Quinn with furrowed brows. “What does that have to do with being mean to your family?”

Quinn snorted. “It’s being mean in my mom’s book when you don’t want to help her host her garden parties. She was a little too pro-gay. Do I look like I host any kind of party that doesn’t involve beer and football? She thinks gay equates with shopping sprees and gossip.” Quinn chuckled. “I finally convinced her that the only gay thing about me was my preference. She got the point when I went to work for Dino.”

“Most people do have a big misconception about it. My cousin helped me through my coming out. I thought my mom would disown me, but she just shrugged and said as long as I remembered to put the toilet seat down, she didn’t care who I dated.”

“That sounds so cool.” Sidney spoke, reminding Quinn that they weren’t the only ones in the kitchen. “I grew up with an adoptive family, but they loved me like their own. It was my mom who helped me accept who I was, along with Chey.”

“What did I do, Sidney?” Chey asked as he came into the kitchen and headed straight for the fridge. Quinn had met the guy, but felt it bad manners to ask why he wore leather gloves.

“Picked on me growing up.” Sidney teased, winking at Quinn and Tristan.

“Liar.” Chey grinned, closing the fridge and opening the bottled water. “I saved your ass when you tried to convince the cheerleaders that the football team was gay and that they could be convinced to switch sides if the pompom girls baked you cookies every Friday.”

“Did it work?” Quinn asked.

“Hell no.” Chey laughed. “They shoved Sidney in his locker and left a note on the outside stating, ‘The noise you hear is a locker ghost, stay away if you don’t want to be haunted,’ with every cheerleader’s signature on it. I happened to have a late class and heard his dumbass yelling that he would take the cookies twice a month if that sounded better. Talk about stupid moves.”

“Hey, Mom cut my sugar, I was desperate.” Sidney laughed. “They forgave me. It was the football team I had to hide from my senior year. That was a decade ago. Stop telling everyone that story.” Sidney popped Chey on his chest.

“You’re not afraid to touch him?” Tristan asked. This got Quinn’s attention.

“Nope, I made my peace with myself a long time ago,” Sidney stated proudly. “The only thing I get when I touch him is irritated.”

“What exactly happens when people touch you?” Tristan pointed to Chey’s covered hands.

“Later, I need to speak with you and Quinn,” Zeus announced as he stepped into the room. “Can you come to my office?”

Quinn took Tristan by the hand and walked to the Alpha’s office. “What’s up?”

“Have a seat, gentlemen. I wanted to talk to you about Tristan’s drawings. I like his ideas and had the blueprints reworked. Do you have any other thoughts before the project is complete?” Zeus sat on the edge of his desk, picking up the tumbler half filled with amber liquid.

“Maybe I can go back to the site and look at it again,” Tristan suggested excitedly. Quinn wanted to hug Zeus for making Tristan light up like a Christmas tree, only he liked having all his teeth, which he was sure Zeus would knock out if he tried to tackle-hug the big guy.