the worksite without talking to either Poppy or Clyde. Usually they talked and joked with one another, so it bothered him, but he wasn’t feeling forgiving.
Poppy sighed and thumped his back. “Your man works late, right? Call Lorry and come have dinner with us at Juniper’s. Clyde can buy to make up for being a dumphead.”
Clyde scowled but shrugged. “Yeah, I can buy.”
Val eyed him for a moment, then sent a message to Lorry. “Okay, we’ll be there. I’m inviting Alois too since you’re buying.”
Clyde snorted. “Of course you are.”
A quick ride on the tram brought the three of them to their apartment building. Poppy lived on the floor above him, and Clyde lived in the apartment right next to Val and Lorry.
Poppy waved at them and bounced up the stairs while Clyde and Val took the elevator. “I swear I don’t know where that woman gets all that energy,” Clyde said, yawning.
Val smiled reluctantly. “She’s about twenty years younger than both of us.”
Clyde chuckled. “Good point.”
Val unlocked the apartment and went inside.
A soft woof greeted him, and a small brown and white ball of energy bounced around his feet. “Hey, pretty girl.”
He kept Midge’s hair short and used bows to hold her bangs out of her eyes. Today, Lorry had put in a blue and yellow striped bow. He knelt down, bones creaking, and picked her up, taking some time to pet and love on her. “You want to go to Juniper’s with us?”
“Woof.”
“That’s what I thought.”
By the time they reached the restaurant, Lorry and the others were already there. They stood waiting for him around Miss Speckles’s nesting pot. The owner of the diner had somehow gained a speckled hen and a pot-bellied pig as pets. While Porkchop ruled the back yard of the restaurant, Miss Speckles casually eyed each customer as they walked in.
Val nodded. “Good evening, Miss Speckles.”
Clyde scowled. “Can’t believe the man has a chicken guarding the door.”
Val grabbed Lorry in a hug and ignored his friend. Clyde was clearly in a bad mood. Miss Speckles was the absolute best.
“What’s wrong, Clyde? You’re usually polite to Miss Speckles.” Alois shifted Mordy to his other hip. Val’s friend was alone, with just one of his kids.
Clyde rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Where’s the rest of your family?”
“Sai and Salla are spending the night with their friend Rose, and Nina is staying the night with Fasi and Renee.” Alois yawned. “Sebastian is working with Kelly. She’s struggling with their lessons.”
Val shuffled his feet. He really wished he could just say Fasi and Renee when talking about the lord admiral of the station and his wife. Verion was good friends with them and Val couldn’t even talk to them without stuttering.
Clyde nodded at Midge. “I see you brought your purse dog with you.”
“Seriously,” Alois said, giving Clyde an incredulous look. “What is with you?”
“Nothing,” Clyde snapped and crossed his arms.
Lorry snickered and took Midge. “I’ll take her to the back with Porkchop.”
“Thanks, son.” Val spotted a familiar woman seated at one of the tables near the door. Sandra, Verion’s ex-wife, and her husband and kids were enjoying their dinner.
Her eyes met his and narrowed.
He swallowed hard and steered his friends to a table near the window and far away from the woman. “Clyde, I love you, but what the hell crawled up your ass and died?”
Clyde sat down, hunching his shoulders over. “I just worry about you. I know Death is your mate, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Makes me pissy, though. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Val sighed and gave the man a patient look. “If you would bother to get to know him, you’d know there’s more to Veri than his gifts.”
“Gifts?” Poppy’s brows raised. “I’d say they’re more like a curse. He can kill anyone but can’t bring the dead back to life. What’s worse than that?”
“Hey,” Alois said, scowling. “Morrick can’t help what he is.”
“That’s what we mean.” Poppy leaned forward. “What is he really?”
“Enough.” Val gave Clyde and Poppy a hard look. “I get that you’re both concerned about me, but unless you take the time to actually get to know him, you don’t get to talk shit about him. Got it?”
Clyde and Poppy shared a guilty look and nodded.
“He really isn’t that bad.” Alois bounced Mordy on his knee. “Is he super powerful and scary? Yes. Is he a bad guy? Only if you hurt his family.”
Val sighed. “I don’t know if you’re actually helping.”
Lorry sat down and eyed