Page 64 of Destined Paranormals: Volume One

“What did you go to college for?”

“Art,” Oscar snorted. “It was a waste though. You can’t make money with art unless you know someone, it seems. When I went to college, my parents were different—they were still loving and encouraging. I’m not sure what happened to cause them to change so drastically.”

“What kind of art? Do you draw? Paint? Sculpt?”

“I don’t do any of it anymore. I used to draw a lot. And I like photography because I would take pictures that I found aesthetic and then put them onto paper with pencil or charcoal.”

That was amazing. I wanted him to know that and to be able to do that again. We all needed to do things that made us happy, and if he wanted to do art, he should. “You should do that.”

“What?”

“Your art. You should go back to it. From what I saw in Timber Valley, I would think that the area would be filled with prospective things for your artwork.”

Oscar snorted. “I have two teenagers to support. I can’t afford to do art. Not only that, but I no longer have any of my supplies. I wait tables during the day at a restaurant in Timber Valley, and at night, I’m a bartender at a human bar south of here. I don’t have time for anything other than to be tired and berated by my sister for not being good enough.”

That just made me angry, and it was definitely going to change. Oscar was going to be able to do art again, even if only as a hobby.

“I have questions, and maybe we should look into going on a date today because, yes, I do want to date you, even if we have our siblings to take care of because our relationship is going to be important as well. But my first question is, do you want children?” I knew it was odd to just throw that out there right out of the gate, but I needed to know before anything happened. I knew how biology worked, and if we claimed each other, Oscar would go into heat soon after.

“One or two, maybe. I’m not really wanting a bunch of kids, if that’s all right. I understand you come from a very large family, but I already have my two younger siblings. Now with your two, who are way younger, maybe one or two for the time being?”

I grinned. “Perfect. Next question. Do you want to continue working?” Oscar started to reply, but I held him off with a hand up. “I’m going to be making a sizable income. Yes, there is childcare here, and yes, I’ll put Mason and Maelie in it. I’m not expecting you to just take over their parenting. I would never ask that of you. Or either of your siblings. They are my responsibility, and I’ll take care of them. Just as I will take care of you and your siblings.”

Oscar furrowed his brow and shook his head. “That seems unfair. Why do you have to take care of me and everyone else, but I don’t have to take care of anyone?”

“I want to take care of you and your siblings.”

Oscar glared. “I get it that I’ve been doing a crap job of taking care of mine, but⁠—”

“No,” I said, probably a bit too harshly. I pinched the bridge of my nose a moment before I looked at Oscar and tried to smile. “I want to take care of you. I’ve been here in this realm for two days now, and everything has been gone over with me in great detail. I’ll make more than enough for you to not have to work. All fae are given funds when we’re brought over because we don’t have the same type of money. It’s been placed in a bank account, and my income will also be there. I’m told that the council has been through a very recent restructure and that one of those things is personnel and how they’re taken care of.”

Oscar started shaking his head.

“No what?”

“You shouldn’t have to shoulder everything. That’s just not fair.”

“I’m not saying you can’t work. It’s not a requirement though. If you want to do your art, I’m good with that. Since I have young children to take care of, I was told I’d be working an earlier shift at the store. I’ll be home for supper every evening. I’ll pick the kids up from the childcare center on my way and then come home.”

Oscar was still shaking his head. I wasn’t sure why, and he wasn’t really telling me what was going through his mind.

“I can watch them. If they’re comfortable with me. I don’t mind kids. I like them, in fact. Joseph is in his senior year of high school; Hailey will be starting it next year. But if we’re going to be mates, shouldn’t I shoulder some of the responsibility of taking care of your younger siblings? Didn’t you just say you would help with Hailey? You said ‘them,’ but Joseph is seriously a nonissue. He helps with cooking and housework, and I don’t have to worry about him. Hailey, it’s just the current crowd she’s hanging out with.”

I couldn’t help but grin. He was trying to keep things even, and I appreciated that. “I won’t say no. But don’t want you to feel as if you have to take care of them. We can plan to take things day by day and see how it works out. It might be that you decide they’re too much for you. Mae is a sweetheart, but she can get fussy at bedtime.”

Oscar snorted. “All little kids get fussy at bedtime. That’s why they’re going to bed. Because they’re tired.”

“Probably true.” I stood and held out my hand. Oscar looked at it before he finally took it. I helped him up off the couch and pulled him closer. I had no intention of doing anything, but I wanted to touch my mate. He looked up at me expectantly, but I wasn’t sure how to tell him that I hadn’t ever kissed anyone before. I’d never been with anyone, ever. I had read about it and had of course seen others kissing in public in our village. But it wasn’t something I’d experienced myself yet.

Instead, I carefully reached out and ran a finger down the side of his face. It was soft, and I knew that it wouldn’t take much to develop feelings for my mate. I was already well on my way. Yes, it was fast, but he had already proven that he was a giving person. He was taking care of his younger siblings. Something I hadn’t been willing to do even a few years ago. Having to be responsible for them for the past couple of years, and now being their only parent had been such a huge shift in how I saw life.

I grinned at Oscar before I took a step away. He looked at me in confusion. “How about we explore the house? It’ll be interesting to see what all is here.”

I did bring Oscar’s hand up to my mouth and kissed the back of it. He stared at me, his mouth opening slightly. I was, of course, nervous. I didn’t exactly know how to please my mate. I would have to figure that out with some help from him.

When I started walking toward the kitchen, I gently pulled Oscar along with me. We found a few appliances on the countertop, and I had to wonder what some of them were, actually. I would ask Oscar later. He opened the icebox and looked at me with a huge grin on his face. “Well, they’re planning for us to claim each other.”

“What? Why?”