Page 73 of Slow Heat
Distracting himself, he took a bite of duck and stuffing. The flavors melded perfectly. “This is delicious,” he said to Rosen. “Would you teach me how?”
“Of course. I’d be happy to,” Rosen said warmly.
Yosef sipped his wine and said, “Why don’t you come over to our place one night next week and Rosen can show you a few things? Vale could come over, too. And Urho,” he said, extending the invitation to Urho last, as though he didn’t want to offend him by leaving him out.
Urho shook his head. “Why would Jason want to spend time with us when he could be with alphas his own age? Obviously, Vale’s another matter. But it’s like we discussed the other night: we aren’t of interest to him. It isn’t as though we will be his friends.”
Yosef frowned at Urho, and Vale leaned forward with anger bright in his eyes, but Jason interjected, “It’s okay. I’m sure I can learn by following the recipes if Rosen wouldn’t mind sharing them.”
There was a conversation with eyes between Rosen and Yosef, which Jason refused to acknowledge, returning to his plate. The food didn’t taste quite as good now that he realized none of these men truly anticipated becoming friends with him. But what did he expect? Vale’s friends didn’t want to hang out with a teenager. They didn’t owe him anything.
“I think we should let Jason determine who he’s interested in spending time with,” Vale said icily. “If he wants to know Rosen and Yosef better, I don’t see them refusing his company. They’re the ones who extended the invitation after all. A very kind invitation at that.”
“You can come train with my cook, if you want.” Urho wiped his mouth and ignored Vale’s scolding. “That would be a better use of your time.”
Jason bristled. How had Vale been intimate with an alpha who’d discount his opinion so easily?
Oblivious to Jason’s irritation, Urho lifted his wine and took a large gulp before adding, “He’s worked in my family for years. He was the chef when my pater and father were alive.”
Jason said nothing. Had his invitation to Rosen and Yosef’s house been rescinded? He wasn’t sure and didn’t feel capable of accepting it with so much uncertainty in the air. He desperately wanted more time with Vale and, despite what Urho had said, he did want to make friends with them. Well, with the betas anyway. Urho himself was another issue.
“Ah, yes, your chef is quite good,” Rosen said, nodding with a thoughtful expression. “What’s his name again?”
“Mako,” Urho answered with a self-satisfied smile. He took another sip of wine.
He’d taken up drinking again shortly after Vale had scolded him earlier, and Jason had counted that this was his sixth glass. Despite a loosened tongue, he didn’t seem especially inebriated. In fact, he seemed as sanguine and calm as ever.
“He makes a delicious linguine with clam sauce. I believe he’s going to make it next Friday, Jason, if you want to come over after your classes. He’ll be happy to teach you. Vale enjoys it.”
Vale sighed, irritation bristling him from head to toe, and he narrowed his eyes at Urho as he took another sip of his wine and then slowly chewed a bite of duck.
Urho didn’t seem to notice, though. “Oh, and my housekeeper, Warren, will be happy to show you how to vacuum, dust, and do laundry.” Urho chuckled, his handsome face breaking open with a wide smile at his own joke. “Because I promise Vale has no idea how to do any of it.”
“Pampered Urho with all of his servants,” Yosef teased.
“I manage just fine,” Vale snapped.
“Oh, yes, we all see that.” Rosen gestured toward the door leading from the kitchen out to the rest of the house.
“I cleaned!” Vale’s voice was tight and one dark eyebrow rose archly.
“Indeed, we can tell.”
“Leave him alone,” Jason said, a tone of authority swelling in his voice. “He doesn’t think it’s funny.”
Vale flushed above his beard. “Normally, I don’t mind, but…” His eyes didn’t leave Jason’s face. “My ankle hurts. My patience is low.”
“And Urho has insulted your alpha and your friends, and we’ve razzed you about your housekeeping,” Rosen added. “Let’s all agree to behave better before Jason gets the wrong impression of us.”
Too late, Jason thought. Or at least it was too late for Urho. Rosen and Yosef were nice and seemed open enough, but Urho, for whatever reason, was not. That hurt Vale and pissed off Jason. But he’d have to deal with it all another night. The first time a new person entered any group, it always threw things off. Urho probably resented Jason as much as Jason resented him.
“Speaking of housekeeping, didn’t you have to let someone go recently, Urho?” Rosen asked. “Who was that? The gardener?”
“Oh?” Vale’s eyes flickered, like he was trying to decide if he wanted to forgive Urho yet or not. “I thought you liked him?”
Urho rolled his eyes. “I didn’t fire him. He took leave. It’s a shame because Zim was amazing with Riki’s roses. Kept them as healthy as the day Riki passed away.”
“How did you run him off?” Vale asked carefully. There was a hesitation to his tone that Jason tried to understand. Maybe it had something to do with the man who’d passed away, this Riki. “Did you tease him until he hated you?”
