“Sounds yummy.” Kid leaned over and whispered in her ear. “As yummy as they look.”
“Hey, keep your paws off my men.”
Kid held up his hands to ward her off. “Okay, okay. I’m just saying is all.”
A few minutes later and the men were busy grilling steaks while she and Kid shared tall glasses of sweet tea at the picnic table.
“So, is it as good as it seems to be?” He wiggled his bushy eyebrows. “And I’m talking about everything.”
“Better.” She giggled, and sputtered some of her drink just as Gunner and Rick set a large platter of meat in front of them. At least the smaller platter held her grilled veggies.
“So tell me? You said you had some good news.”
“We sure do.” She looked to her men for the okay to tell Kid. Turning to him, she took his huge hand between her two smaller ones. “We’re getting married.”
He let out a whoop just as she’d expected he would. “That’s terrific.”
“Of course, it won’t be a legal marriage since she can’t marry the both of us. We’re going to have a few friends over and do a ceremony of our own.” Gunner’s booted foot pushed against hers under the table.
“It looks like threesomes and gay marriages are on the same shit list in Texas. So? Is it going to be a big to-do? With lots of handsome groomsmen?”
“No. But I do have a favor to ask you.”
Kid made a large hunk of meat disappear. Funny, how she’d never noticed that her men and Kid ate the same way. Fast and in huge quantities. Was it a male thing?
“Ask away. You know I’d do anything for you.”
She smiled. Her men had said the same thing. “I want you to stand up for me. Kind of like being a male bridesmaid. Or something like that.”
“Yay! Of course. I’d be honored.”
“Cool.” Now came the hard part. She hoped Kid took the news better than she had. “There’s something else.”
Kid gasped, his hand fluttering to his lips. “Do not tell me. Are you preggers already? If so, will you name it Mike? Or Michelle if it’s a girl?”
Rick dropped his fork. “Whoa, man. Slow down. No one’s having a baby.” He lifted his eyebrows at her. “You’re not, are you? Not that I’d mind. In fact, it’d be great. But that’s not what you were going to tell him, right?”
She swallowed a bite, but it went down hard. “No. I’m not pregnant. This news is about Gunner and Rick.” She tightened her hold on Kid’s hand. “I know this will be hard to believe, but it’s the God’s honest truth. I swear it.”
Kid’s happy expression went to a worried one. “Okay, now you’re scaring me. Spit it out before I pass out. Just know that whatever it is, we’ll get through it together.”
“Kid, Gunner and Rick are well…they’re…”
“Special? Honey, I already knew that.”
“Yes, but that’s not what I was going to say. They’re not just men. They’re…” This was harder than she thought it’d be.
Kid glanced at her, then at the men, then back at her. His wide smile came rushing back. “Oh, girl, don’t worry. I already know.”
“You do?”
“Of course I do. How could I not?”
“I don’t think you do, Kid. Let me just get this out before I lose my nerve.” She took in a big breath and let it out. It was now or never. “Gunner and Rick are—”
“Werebears.”
Now it was her turn to widen her eyes at him. “How’d you know?” She looked to the men. “Did you tell him?”
Why didn’t they seem shocked?
“No, they didn’t tell me. But you know what they say about gay men, don’t you?”
“I’m not sure. Tell me.”
“It takes one to know one.”
“What? I’m still not getting it.”
“Girl, I knew they were werebears, well, because…I’m a werebear, too.”
Her jaw dropped. Then came the confusion and a bit of anger, too. She glared at her men. “Did you know?”
“We had our suspicions,” answered Gunner.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” Were they still hiding things from her?
“We couldn’t. It’s kind of a bear thing. You don’t out another werebear. Since he hadn’t already told you, then we couldn’t, either.” Rick let out a hard breath. “Damn. We’re in trouble again, aren’t we?”
“Don’t be mad at them, Mallory. I think they were too preoccupied for it to really click the first time I was here. And they’re right. It’s like it is with gays. You don’t out someone without their permission.”