Safari Island Shifters: The Complete Collection(26)

He was making simple baked chicken with homemade bread, fruit salad, and steamed green beans on the side. Nothing fancy, but it would be enough for the three of them. They were lucky he had a whole chicken thawing. He’d been planning on making himself lunches for the week and already been planning to make himself dinner anyway. He was trying hard not to be irritated by his brother’s sudden change in plans and demands. It would be better that way. He was going to have to sit through a dinner with Max and Shane anyway. Might as well make the best of it.

It was also part of his new resolution. He was going to be better to Max. No matter what, they were brothers and were going to complete a triad together. If he kept treating Max badly, there was a chance he could lose his brother forever. That wasn’t what he wanted in a million years. He had to do better by his twin even if it was hard. He owed it to them both.

Finn was pulling the green beans off the stove when Max strolled in with Lily Aris following him. He almost dropped the beans on the floor, he was so surprised. The last time he’d seen Lily was the disastrous dinner theater date. She’d gotten on his nerves and he’d been very happy to get away from her. It was a sharp change from the first time he saw her at a club. She’d been so friendly and eager that he’d been excited to get to know her better.

Seeing her in her pink shorts and green tank top, he remembered his initial feelings. The dinner theater was all but forgotten when he saw her cheery smile, ample chest, and shapely legs. He gave Max an appreciative nod. It was going to be real easy to stick to his resolution. The night was suddenly looking up.

“Hey, Finn.” Lily put out her hand.

Finn shook her hand. “Hello again. So you’re our third tonight, huh?”

“I guess I am,” Lily said seductively.

Whoa. Finn shot a look at Max, who shrugged. He hadn’t meant it that way but now the thought was in his head. Clearly he’d been right about her the first time they met. She really was a fun and nice girl with a little bit of a wild side.

“What are we having?” She looked around the kitchen. “Smells really good.”

“Thanks,” Finn said. “It’s just lemon chicken, green beans, fruit salad, and bread. I was already cooking when Max said you guys were headed over.”

“That’s lucky.” Lily was looking around the living room. “This looks bigger than Chet and Addison’s place.”

“It is,” Finn confirmed. “Max and I only have a one-bedroom. It’s a little weird sharing a room right now, but it means that we get a bigger living area.”

“Oh my gosh.” Lily put her hand over her mouth and giggled. “Do you guys, like, sleep in bunk beds?”

Max laughed. “That was what I suggested, but he turned me down.”

“We’re grown men. We can’t sleep in bunk beds.”

“Do you share one bed?” Lily asked.

Finn grabbed her hand and took her to the bedroom. He opened the door with a big flourish. “Ta-dah! See, nothing weird.”

“Twin beds.” She put her hands in her pockets. “Interesting.”

He closed the door again. “Sure. Tell me how you two hooked up again.”

Max and Lily launched into their story while Finn tried to pay attention. It was weird that they only had twin beds. It hadn’t even occurred to him when they moved in more than five years ago, since he and Max had only ever been with two girls together before. If they found their mate, they would have to buy a new bed. The thought freaked him out. Was he thinking about mates and mating only because he’d shown Lily the bedroom, or because Lily was his mate? He needed to get Max alone to talk about it with him.

He put all the food on the table while Max was pouring them all glasses of wine. They sat down at the table to eat with Lily sitting between them. He wished Max had told him Lily was coming and not Shane. He would have put decorations on the table or lit a few candles. It didn’t seem special enough for their second date. He didn’t know if it was date for sure but it sure felt like one. It had to be more than just new friends getting together.

“How’s work been?” he asked Lily once everyone had a plate. “I bet you have a great boss to get two long vacations in one year.”

“We never get off,” Max told her. “Until they get more workers, we’re basically always on call. I wish we got vacations like you.”

“I don’t have a great boss.” Lily scowled. “He’s a total jerk. I’m actually working while I’m on vacation. Long story short, I have to fix a mistake he made by Monday or I’m fired.”

“Whoa.” Finn put down his fork. “Are you kidding? Because that’s pretty awful.”

She shook her head. “I’m not kidding. Don’t tell anyone else. I don’t want Addison to get worried, because it isn’t her fault. It wouldn’t matter if I was home or not. This guy seems like he just wants to fire me.”

“I’m sorry,” Max told her. “I can’t believe that anyone would be that mean to you. I bet you’re a great worker.”

“I am a great worker. I’m great at my job.” Lily stabbed a green bean viciously with her fork. “He’s a total creep too. He asked me out a few times when I started. He hasn’t done it recently but he’s always staring at me all creepily. Sometimes I wish I could just rub his stupid papers in his face and tell him to shove it.”