Page 58 of Forget-Me-Nots and Apricots

"Food's here," he said, adjusting his glasses. His gaze drifted past me to the nest I'd created, a flicker of appreciation crossing his features. "That's quite impressive craftsmanship."

I glanced back at my nest, feeling an unexpected surge of pride at his compliment. "Thank you. It's been a while since I've had the space to build a proper one."

Theo nodded, his analytical gaze taking in the structure. "The circular reinforcement pattern maximizes stability while maintaining softness. Very efficient design."

I laughed softly. "Most people don't notice the engineering aspects of nest-building."

"Most people don't pay attention to details," he replied with a small shrug. "Are you comfortable? The room temperature is optimal?"

His concern, expressed in his distinctly practical way, warmed something in me. "It's perfect. Thank you."

Theo nodded, a hint of satisfaction in his expression. "Good. Everyone's gathered in the living room. We ordered from Golden Dragon—I took the liberty of selecting a variety of options since I wasn't sure of your preferences."

"That sounds perfect," I said, following him down the hallway. The scent of Chinese food grew stronger as we approached the living room, along with the low murmur of male voices engaged in easy conversation.

The scene that greeted me was unexpectedly domestic. Gabriel and Lucas were arranging containers on the coffee table while Dakota placed napkins and chopsticks beside each place setting. The formal dining room had been bypassed in favor of this more casual arrangement—cushions on the floor, food spread across the coffee table, and what looked like a selection of movies queued up on the large television.

"There she is," Lucas called, looking up with a bright smile. "We were starting to wonder if you'd fallen asleep in that nest of yours."

"Almost did," I admitted, settling onto one of the cushions. Gabriel immediately handed me a plate, his fingers brushing mine in a touch that felt oddly deliberate.

"I hope you're hungry," he said, his blue eyes warm as they met mine. "We may have ordered enough for a small army."

"Alphas," I said with a mock sigh, surveying the impressive spread of containers. "Always overcompensating."

Dakota snorted, nearly choking on his water while Lucas burst into laughter. Even Theo's lips quirked in amusement as he settled onto the cushion beside me.

"She's got your number," Lucas told Gabriel, his eyes dancing with mischief.

Gabriel's expression remained calm, though I caught the hint of a smile playing at his lips. "I prefer to think of it as being prepared," he replied, sliding a container of what looked like beef and broccoli toward me. "Try this one—it's the house specialty."

I accepted the container, the rich aroma making my stomach rumble appreciatively. "I'd forgotten how hungry I was."

"Stress does that," Theo observed, precisely portioning rice onto his plate. "Triggers cortisol release, which can either suppress or increase appetite depending on the individual's neurochemical balance."

"Thanks for the scientific breakdown of my hunger, Theo," I said dryly, though there was no real annoyance in my tone. His matter-of-fact explanations were becoming oddly endearing.

"He does that," Lucas stage-whispered, leaning across the table. "You'll get used to it."

The casual implication that I'd be around long enough to "get used to" their quirks. Another container was pushed towards me, it looked like Mongolian beef, “This one isn’t too spicy.”

"I can handle spice," I assured him, accepting the container. "Dakota's sandwich proved that."

A flicker of surprise crossed Gabriel's face before he glanced at Dakota, who suddenly seemed very interested in the container of egg rolls. The moment of silent communication between them was fascinating to watch—Gabriel's raised eyebrow, Dakota's almost imperceptible shrug.

"What?" I asked, looking between them. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Not at all," Gabriel replied, his expression softening. "Dakota doesn't usually cook for anyone but himself. It's just... interesting that he made an exception."

Dakota scowled, though there was no real heat behind it. "It was a sandwich, not a five-course meal. Don’t make it out to be a big deal.”

I smiled at Dakota's discomfort, finding it endearing that such a simple act of kindness seemed to embarrass him. "Well, I appreciated it," I said, helping myself to some of the Mongolian beef. "It was exactly what I needed."

"Food is important," Theo observed, methodically organizing his plate so nothing touched. "Shared meals facilitate bonding through neurotransmitter release, particularly oxytocin and serotonin."

"Is that your way of saying you like eating with us?" Lucas teased, reaching across the table to grab the last egg roll before Dakota could claim it.

Theo adjusted his glasses, a slight flush touching his cheeks. "It's a scientific observation."

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