Page 49 of Unknowingly Being his Brat

Smiling, I tugged him into my side, smelling his hair to center myself. “I want you with me always.”

“I’m nervous,” Milo whispered as we approached Givanna’s house.

“Don’t be,” I smiled softly. “She’ll love you.”

Milo had yet to talk to his dad about everything, and I knew he feared what Givanna would think of him. At least Jeremy and Milo had spoken yesterday in their wolf forms. Milo had returned home happy and relieved so I knew it’d gone well between them.

My aunt’s house was lit up from the inside, a beacon in the approaching darkness. It was still early for dinner, but that was what Givanna preferred. She went to bed at around eight now and I wanted us to have the time to talk without her getting too tired.

With Milo’s hand in mine, I knocked, waiting patiently for her to meet Milo for the first time.

“It’s open!” she called from inside.

Entering her home felt like getting a warm hug. The scent of family soon surrounded me and I felt at ease almost instantly. Ihelped Milo out of his jacket and hung his and mine on hooks by the door. Then we stepped out of our shoes and followed the heavenly scent that wafted from the kitchen.

Givanna had her head almost inside the oven as she checked on the food. Her orange apron was tied around her waist and her hair was pulled into a messy bun. She looked just like she always did and the sight made me happy.

“It smells amazing in here,” I said in a way of greeting.

She closed the door and turned to face us, wiping her hands on her apron. “Well, it better taste good, too! Damn roast isn’t roasting like I want it to.”

Chuckling, I stepped forward, letting go of Milo’s hand to hug her. “I’m sure it will behave now that you threatened it.”

She slapped my chest. “I did no such thing! I only used encouraging words.”

“Mmmhmm,” I hummed, knowing her creative way of talking to her food.

“Hi,” Milo waved awkwardly.

“Milo!” Givanna gushed. “It’s about time I was introduced properly to Darius’ mate.”

Milo’s eyes widened in fear as she closed in on him, caging him in a big hug. He slowly relaxed into the hug, returning it as his arms came around her waist.

“Now, I know we aren’t exactly strangers. Still, I want to get to know more about you,” she said, ushering us over to the table where we all sat.

“Um,” Milo began, likely thinking through every single piece of information he could offer about himself. “I like gardening.”

“What?” I exclaimed. Even I hadn’t known that.

Milo blushed. “I was trying to think of things Givanna likely didn’t know.”

“Ididn’t even know that. Do you want a space in the backyard for a garden?” I could build him those boxes for plants to go in, make it all pretty for him.

Givanna eyed us with amusement while Milo nodded eagerly.

“It was the thing I looked forward to the most with my old house. I planned on starting it in March,” Milo explained.

“We’ll get it ready for you,” I assured him. “How long has this been a hobby of yours?”

“Since I was twelve, I think. Dad got a lot of seeds from Mary one year because she’d ordered too many for the packhouse backyard, and he just gave them to me.”

“I like that you have a green thumb,” Givanna said, her tone full of approval. “The best cooked dishes are made from fresh ingredients. I would love to use whatever wonders you end up growing in my cooking.”

“I would love to share it,” Milo replied, smiling wider now. “In the past, I just offered my leftovers to the packhouse. I know we can always use extra veggies and fruits there.”

“True. Maybe we could offer those for the homes instead? Mary plans to grow a lot more next year, she even has a plan foreach garden bed to hold veggies for certain seasons,” Givanna explained.

“I just don’t want my veggies to go to waste. I don’t care where they end up in the end, only that they’ll be enjoyed,” Milo shrugged.