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Was he serious? They had just met me, but they already liked me enough to hope I’d be staying with them months down the line? Unreal! Almost enough to make the terror zinging through my veins worth it.
Edward brought me another coffee, and I gulped it, liquid courage of the kind I liked. “Another?”
“Umm, maybe not quite yet.” I was trying to listen in on the conversation Ansel was having with the venue people. So far, it didn’t sound like he’d managed to get us a day or time. The image of that staircase from the magazine loomed in my view, making it hard to think. “Or, maybe one more shot of espresso.”
“All right.” Edward left me for a moment to go make the coffee then returned. “So, do you have a lot of mountain climbing experience?”
“No, but this isn’t really actually that right? It’s stairs made of steel, so that should be easier.”
He set my cup in front of me and then reached into a cabinet and got out a package of biscotti. “Here. These come from a little import shop and they’re so incredibly good.”
I started to protest that I’d already eaten about ten times what I did most mornings, but the almond scent rose to my nose and I picked up one of the cookies. What difference did it make if I ate myself into oblivion? I was only here to make a point.
“Would it be rude if I dunk it?”
“That’s what these are for.” He dunked one in his own coffee and bit into it. “Yes, mmm.”
My core tightened at his rumbling approval of the cookie, and to distract myself, I shoved my cookie into the coffee too hard and splattered the counter. “Oh no! I’m so sorry.”
“Why?” He reached for a clean dish towel. “Just lift your cup so I can wipe underneath.”
I obeyed, cheeks heating. “I made a mess of your nice clean kitchen.”
“You consider this a mess?” He paused. “You should see when we do holiday baking. Looks like a bag of flour exploded and then someone poured a jar of honey over it.”
“That’s different. I was just going to eat a cookie. Real graceful, huh?”
He set the towel down and came around the counter to my side. “Anyone could spill a little coffee and I would assume everyone does. Watch.” Picking up the towel, he gave it one swipe across the counter. “All better.”
“Thank you.” I was still embarrassed, but they were so nice not to make a fuss. “I’ll do better.”
“Oh my goodness, who did this to you?” Stroking a lock of hair behind my ear, he smiled down at me. “Whoever it was, we need to undo it. I think you’re very graceful.”
I couldn’t tell him it was my mother who’d made me terrified to spill or drop anything in her model kitchen. Or maybe I could. “When I was growing up, spilling was a crime. Or”—and I’d never thought about this—“it was when I did it. Mom said boys couldn’t help themselves.”
“And I’ll bet she made you clean up after them.”
“Is it that obvious?”
Chapter Thirteen
Edward
I’d wanted to experience The Mountain Climb for years, but we traveled so much that we were never able to get a reservation. Or rather, we were never home when one was available. There were a limited number allowed on it daily and only a few on the actual stairs at any given time. In addition, they were serious about the equipment and safety and required you to watch a short video on the topic before you could do it. If you didn’t want to—the fact that they were even mentioned that told me some overconfident people had said no—then you had to choose between giving up your reservation and following the rules.
We’d done so many of the adrenaline junkie activities over the past few years when just traveling didn’t hold enough interest for us, but somehow, I’d thought meeting our mate would end that. And this one was big. People backed out after getting an in-person look at them all the time, or so the online gossip claimed.
Ansel was currently on hold no doubt because his call was very important to them, but he was paying attention to my conversation with Monroe. Our mate came from a family that didn’t appreciate her as they should. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call them misogynistic.
A small thing like spilling a little coffee on the counter had her ready to jump out of her skin. My bear was very unhappy to see that and ready to go find the people who made her feel like that.
She’s here now, I reassured him while taking the stool next to hers and pushing the package of cookies toward her. “Eat.”
She jerked back a little at my command. But she took one. “Okay.”
“Come on. Let’s dunk together.” I had to soften my tone, although my bear and my alpha side both wanted to hurry things, get her to realize she was ours. It would take some time to build her confidence and show her we would never denigrate her. “Ready? On three.”
“Really? Are you going to—”
