Page 195 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
“Anytime, beautiful.” I kissed her—softly, sweetly, tenderly. “Anytime.”
It took Zoey less time than I expected to get ready. When she came downstairs, she looked like she’d spent the day at the salon. Absolutely beautiful.
“Ready to go?” I asked.
The prettiest blush crept into her cheeks. “I am. Thank you for this.”
Once we were in the car, I decided to fill her in on my plan. “I may have done something.”
She frowned. “And what is that something you might have done?” she asked, studying my face for clues.
I grinned. “What makes you think I’m up to something?”
Zoey cocked an eyebrow and pursed her lips.
“Okay, I invited Ky and your sister tonight, but neither knows the other is coming.”
She laughed, the rich sound sending a jolt of heat straight to my cock. “You set them up on a blind date?”
“Not exactly. Ky thinks he’s joining us to get to know you better, and Heather believes we’re treating her to a lavish dinner to thank her for everything she’s done.”
Zoey’s eyebrows shot up, surprise and amusement dancing in her eyes.
I grinned, feeling rather proud of my little scheme. “I was hoping you’d play along. Just for tonight, I want to forget about everything else and enjoy a normal evening with the woman I love and two people I care about a lot.”
“Of course. I’m in.” She put her hand on my thigh and gave a happy sigh.
As I pulled the car into the parking lot of the restaurant, I spotted Ky and Heather standing outside. They were sneakingglances at each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking, and I stifled my laugh.
We got out of the car and approached them. I flashed them my best apologetic smile, ready to sell my little white lie.
“Hey, guys, I’m so sorry. I must have mixed up the nights. I was supposed to organize separate dinners, but with everything going on, it completely slipped my mind.” I rubbed the back of my neck, feigning embarrassment. “Zoey’s pretty tired after everything, so I figured just having one night out instead of two might be easier on her. I hope you don’t mind.”
Ky and Heather exchanged a look. Ky shrugged, a lopsided grin spreading across his face.
“No worries, man,” he said. “I’m always down for a good meal and even better company.”
He winked at Heather, who rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“I suppose I can survive one evening with this oaf,” Heather teased, bumping her shoulder against Ky’s.
I grinned as we entered the restaurant. Maybe this little setup would lead to something more between Ky and Heather. For now, I was content to enjoy a normal evening with the woman I loved and two people I cared about deeply. Everything else could wait, just for tonight.
The waiter led us to our table—a cozy booth tucked away in the corner of the bustling restaurant—and an awkward silence descended upon us. I tried to break the ice by cracking a joke about the menu, but it only earned a half-hearted chuckle from Ky and a raised eyebrow from Heather.
Zoey fidgeted with her napkin, her gaze darting around the room. I put my hand on her leg to give her some comfort. She met my eyes and offered a small, grateful smile.
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere shifted. Ky and Heather, who had initially been seated on opposite sidesof the table, gradually gravitated toward each other. Their conversation flowed more easily, punctuated with laughter and playful banter.
I leaned back in my seat, watching the two of them with a mix of amusement and satisfaction. They were so lost in each other, they seemed to have forgotten that Zoey and I were even there.
Zoey, too, had relaxed. She had a genuine smile on her face as she watched her sister. Under the table, she put her hand on mine and interlaced our fingers.
When the waiter brought the check, I quickly snatched it up before anyone else could. As we left, I overheard Ky asking Heather if she’d like to grab a drink at a nearby bar.
“I’d love to,” Heather said.
As they walked off together, I whispered in Zoey’s ear. “And my work here is done.”
