We didn’t go to Haven, the most popular bar in town, thank goddess. Haven was the town’s hot spot for night life, hosting theme nights and shows. I had never gone there, too crowded for my taste. Honestly, I don’t go out, not to bars. If I don’t want to cook, I have food delivered or I just pick it up to take home. I spend my entire day listening and helping other people, at night, I like to spend it alone.

So now here I was, in a small brew pub, sitting in a booth across from the most handsome man I’d seen in a very long time. A man who just happened to be my Mate.

He was frowning at the menu like it confused him, I hadn’t even bothered to look at it, too busy staring at him to even notice the waiter come up to the table until two drafts of the house brew were set on the table slightly harder than necessary. By the way he looked at Magnus and glared at me, I’m guessing they had a history.

I get enough of others angst and problems at work. I am too drained for this level of drama and my polite, conflict solving persona shows itself the door.

“Problem?” I don’t bother to keep the harsh and accusing tone out of my voice.

I can feel my usual blank expression morph into something more sinister and angrier.

It must have been quite the look because he blushed and with a huff shuffled away quickly. Magnus looked at me, one brow raised and an amused quirk to his mouth.

Well, I feel like an asshole now.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.” I run my fingers through my hair again. “clearly you two have a history and I would like to avoid the death glares of an angry twink for the time being.”

“If I had known he worked here I would have picked somewhere else,” Magnus had the decency to look embarrassed and slightly ashamed. “I’m not sure how much you want to know Jing. I’m no saint, I haven’t been with anyone in months but before that… I didn’t say no to a fun time. However, not everyone goes into things with the same expectations. I told him I don’t date and clearly seeing you and me together like this….”

I nodded, understanding.

“It looks like we’re on a date, so he’s hurt and jealous.” I sigh, “Well that can’t be helped. We all have pasts. Holding that against you would be hypocritical as I am going to have to ask you to accept my past.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this, I knew it could upset him to learn that I had a child and it would be even harder for him to accept a child that wasn’t his.

The tension was high as he watched me, waiting. I could tell he wanted me to continue, to tell him what was wrong. I looked down at the menu, giving myself a break from the intensity of his gaze. The tension didn’t fade though, if anything it increased, him watching me, me avoiding his gaze.

“Ya’ll know what ya want?”

I jumped at the new voice, cutting through our silent standoff. It was a different server.

Guess I scared the other guy off.

We order our food, burger and fries for him, three cheese Mac and Cheese with truffles for me. His eyebrow quirks up again at my order. Probably surprised I didn’t get meat, shifters need protein, especially predators.

“I don’t eat a lot of meat, most of my kind are vegetarians.”

“Is it a cultural thing or dietary necessity?”

Huh, no one has actually asked that, mostly just said that it was weird for a bear to not eat meat.

“Cultural,” I answer with a shrug, “It’s how I was raised and until I moved away, I never really questioned it. It’s not like we can’t eat meat, they just don’t. I have developed a fondness for seafood and fish since being on my own. I have it quite often now. But old habits are hard to break.”

He nods, taking a sip of his beer.

“I don’t really eat sweets, so it’s not much different than that in my opinion. We all have our own dietary preferences.”

I smile to myself. It may not seem like a big deal, but I have run into some harsh comments, being a shifter who doesn’t eat meat. Honestly, it is another habit of my upbringing I have been struggling to break.

“But I’m guessing your food choices are not what had you so upset.”

“I wish it were something so trivial Mr. Bruin but it’s not. It’s a big change to my life and if you decide to pursue the Mate Bond between us, it is a significant to your life as well.”

He huffed slightly, his irritation at my words clears. His face and body language really spelled out everything he was feeling, the opposite of me.

“Jing, for the past 6 months I’ve been thinking about finding a Mate. I’m tired of empty affairs and lonely nights. I want someone to come home to. I’m tired of the pangs of jealousy when I see my siblings with their Mates and cubs. I would never walk away from my Mate, no matter what.”

He smiled sadly at me, and in that moment, he stopped being the handsome playboy I had heard about. I had to admit to myself that I jumped to conclusions because of his past.

I was worried he wouldn’t want to be tied down by a Mate.

Especially one who was about to be a single parent.

“So, you want a family?” I asked quietly, he had given me a slight opening for the figurative bomb I was about to drop.

“Very much so. I’m ready for a cub of my very own.”

Alright, this is it, there won’t be a better opening than this tonight. So, I take a deep breath in and fire off my truth missile.

“That is reassuring because my son will be moving here in three days.”

Of course, our food shows up at this moment.

The timing in my life is nothing if not unfortunate.