“Everything’s great,” I say, smiling back at him.
It’s not a long drive, but I can’t help the excitement in my stomach. I hope that this is everything Emmett wants. He deserves it.
We park the car and hold hands as we walk into the restaurant; the weather is perfect, so we opt to sit out on the patio. We take our seats in the wrought-iron chairs and Emmett’s knee bounces with anxiety. I clamp my hand around his knee and it stops.
“It’s going to be fine. They’re going to love you.” How couldn’t they? His eyes are wide for a moment as he nods his head at me, not making a comment.
Emmett looks at his watch multiple times. We were super early. Suddenly he stills and a wide smile takes over his face as a small blonde omega walks onto the patio. Her four Alphas flanking her dutifully.
“Emmett?” she says in a soft, southern voice.
“Emily?” he says. She doesn’t even hesitate as she wraps him up in a hug.
The tall Alpha with dark hair doesn’t smile and glares at Emmett, so I give him a shitty look. He must notice as he tries to cool his features and touches his Omega’s arm.
“Sweetheart, are you going to introduce us?”
Emily clears her throat and nods her head, giving Emmett a small smile. She points to the broody one. “This is Griffin.” Next, the handsome dark-skinned man with a beaming smile on his face. “Dion.” Her third Alpha isn’t as broody as the first, but it might be a close race. “Kenji.” The last Alpha has blonde hair similar to Emmett’s as well as a huge smile on his face. “And Freddie.” Emily smiles, looking at all her Alphas and turns to us.
Emmett puts a hand around my waist. “This is my Omega Kelsey. My Alpha Shyla couldn’t come today.” I wonder immediately how Shyla would interact with these men, would it be the same as when she met Dom, or was that specifically because of me?
“I’m sorry I don’t get to meet her, hopefully another time. Should we all sit down?”
“Sounds great,” I reply. I sit next to Emmett and Freddie while Dion takes the head of the table and Emily is flanked by Griffin and Kenji. I wonder to myself if they are the needy two of the pack and how the fuck she wrangles four Alphas and gets them all to get along.
My second thought is the quantity of knots at this table. Jesus H. Christ. Emily must just be getting knotted left and fucking right. I’m not jealous… yeah, I am.
“Have y’all had a nice trip?” Emily asks. I notice that Griffin has a hand on her lap and Kenji’s arm is wrapped around her chair. I want that. I hate that I feel jealous. It’s not that I want her Alphas, not even close. I want that comfortability that she has with her pack. They all seem to respect each other and she’s at the center of it.
Emmett must notice as he mirrors Kenji by putting his arm around my chair. “As nice as New York can be,” he says. I watch as Griffin snickers next to Emily, clearly not a fan of the state.
“I was visiting my brother. He runs security for Deja Fox, so I haven’t seen him in a few weeks.”
Emily nearly spits out her water. “You met Deja Fox.”
“Oh lord,” I hear Dion say at the head of the table.
“She’s amazing. I’m pretty sure she’s going to be my sister-in-law someday.”
“No freaking way,” Emily replies.
“Way! Maybe next time we have a girls’ night you would like to join.” Emily beams at me.
“You mean it? I don’t really have that many friends. I moved up here not that long ago. Really, just my old roommate. Her name is Kelsey too.”
I smile at her. All the men at the table keep quiet and let us speak. “We’re all Omegas too, so it’s nice to have other women to talk to. Liv is mated and I wouldn’t be surprised if Cami is, too.”
“Holy… you’re on a first name basis?” Emily asks. I smile at her and nod. “I would love that.”
“I would too,” I reply.
Freddie smiles and looks at Emmett. “Emily mentioned that your parents were siblings. Neither of you had any idea?” His posh accent is captivating, and when I look over at Emily, she’s looking at Freddie like the sun revolves around him. Her other Alphas don’t look jealous or growly at her devotion to him. What magic does this woman have and how can I put it in a bottle and drip it all over myself?
“I’ve been looking through archives, old family photos. I can’t find anything.”
Emily clears her throat. “I uh, found something.” All her Alphas look at her, and it seems like she kept it a secret. She pulls a photograph from her purse and puts it on the table. “It looks like your dad was adopted as an infant while my mom stayed with her biological family.”
“Holy shit,” Emmett says, taking the photo and looking at what I assume is his father in the stroller and Emily’s mother must be about six in the photo.