Helen checked her watch, wondering what time Chromium’s friends were going to show up.

She was glad the restaurant was mostly empty, with just a single guy finishing his meal and a drink at a booth in the corner.

But as she watched, he opened the check, slipped cash in quietly, and headed out the door into the night, pulling the collar of his long coat up around his neck to block out the cold.

There was something familiar about the guy, but she couldn’t put a finger on it, and Serena had been his waitress.

“I’m ready to clock out,” Serena said, coming up to Helen as she took off her apron. “I’ve got a date tonight.”

“Not with a patron, I hope.”

“No,” Serena said. “Though, Nathan was in again tonight. He wanted to stay undercover, though, so I didn’t mention it.” She shrugged. “He said he didn’t want to bother you, and he deserves a good meal as much as anyone else.”

Helen looked at the door. So that’s who had just left. She’d been too caught up in thinking about Chromium’s friends to even notice.

“Wait,” Serena said, looking at the doorway. “Maybe I won’t leave yet after all.”

Helen gaped at the huge men trailing through the door of her restaurant in a group, knowing these must be Chromium’s friends.

He was wrong. They did look like him.

Not in hair color or features, but in the way they were all huge, utterly handsome, warrior-looking beings who didn’t quite seem to belong on this planet.

“Holy shit, so much hotness,” Serena said, fanning her face.

Helen tsked. “Go on your date, silly. Those are Chromium’s friends, and I hear they’re all taken.”

Serena sighed, heading back toward the kitchen where she could clock out. “The good ones always are.”

Helen smiled, thinking of Chromium. “Not always.” Sometimes, the good ones were out there waiting for the right person at the right time.

She calmed her nerves and stepped forward, not wanting to make a bad first impression by not even greeting her customers. “Hello, welcome to Three Breadsticks. I’m Helen, and I’ll be helping you out today.”

The man in front, a tall man with black hair and dazzling green eyes, looked at her appraisingly. “Where’s Chromium?”

A blond man with a much friendlier face moved around him. “Sorry for his rudeness. It’s nice to meet you, Helen. If you want to show us where to sit, we can make introductions.” He looked around the restaurant. “Unless this isn’t a good time.”

A group of smiling women was walking in behind the men, and Helen realized she would have to seat about ten people.

She rushed to the private dining area she’d set up and pushed a few more chairs over to the long table. “You can sit here and get a good look at the menu, and I’ll go get Chromium.”

They nodded, and she was utterly overwhelmed by the sea of unfamiliar faces as they began to chat at the table. She wandered back to the kitchen and opened the door to see Chromium’s back to her as he talked to Steve, both of them looking deep in thought.

“Hello?” she called out. “Chromium, your friends are here.”

He jumped slightly. “Oh. Good.” He looked at the kitchen staff. “Are you all good here if I go see them?”

“Sure,” Mario said. “I’ve already prepped the private party menu, and you can come get it when you’re ready.”

“I’ll make sure and help him finish the prep,” Steve said.

“You two get out there with your friends,” Jenny added.

Helen felt an odd, prickly feeling about the way everyone was acting. “Okay,” she said hesitantly.

Chromium took her by the hand and pulled her out into the restaurant with him.

“Your friends are all huge, like you.”

He nodded. “Dragons.”

“Are their mates?”

“No,” he said. “All humans. That works well for us.”

When he reached the table, he pulled out a chair for her, and instead of sitting down, he started making introductions. He introduced every dragon and their respective mate, and Helen did her best to remember each name as they walked around.

“It’s okay if you don’t remember all of our names,” Arsenic said. “We’ll keep reminding you.” He put his arm around his mate, Farrah.

Helen looked around the table at all of them as Chromium sat down beside her, scooting in close. The women were kind and inquisitive, asking about her time with Chromium and the restaurant, and by the time the lasagna and salad came, she was already feeling more at home with the giant group.

“So tell us what it’s like working with Chromium,” Zinc, the gray-haired man Chromium had introduced as their king, interjected.

“It’s wonderful,” Helen said. “He’s a great worker and friend.” She blushed. “And so much more.”

“Does he light things on fire with his dragon breath?” Cadmium asked.

“No,” Helen said. “He cooks like the others.”

“We’ve missed his cooking,” Casey, Cadmium’s mate, piped up. “He was always super thoughtful. I’m guessing he’s that way with you as well.”

Helen nodded.

“Will you two be coming back to the mansion?” Brittany, Lead’s mate, piped up. “We’d all love that.”

Helen looked nervously at Chromium. “I don’t know.”

Chromium shook his head. “I think we’ll stay here and run the restaurant. We can still visit or go back if we’re needed for a mission, but for now, this is my home.”

Helen was a bit worried about his friends’ reaction to that, but they all just nodded in agreement.

Chromium smiled down at her. “A mate is where the home is.”

She put her hand in his and squeezed it as the others finished their dinner. She had quickly eaten something earlier and wasn’t hungry for anything but a bit of relaxation next to her man.

When everyone was wrapping things up, Chromium told them they had to try dessert, and they put in an order.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, heading to the kitchen. “Chocolate cake for you?”

She was about to say she shouldn’t but saw the warning in Chromium’s eyes. “Of course. I’d love that.”

She watched him with a smile as he walked back to the kitchen, and Farrah nudged her with a grin. “You’re really into him, aren’t you?”

Helen nodded vigorously. “Of course.” She let out a sigh. “I know it’s fast, but…”

The dragon mates all looked at each other and laughed.

“Yeah, we get it,” Leanne said, leaning in against Zinc as he smiled down at her. “When it happens with one of these guys, it goes fast. But I promise that once you’re mated, it only gets better.”

Helen felt a shiver of anticipation. “Really?” She looked toward the kitchen. Where was Chromium?

And then Steve was walking out of the kitchen, holding a giant tray of chocolate cake, and Chromium was behind him, looking nervous.

When Steve reached the table, he lowered the tray graciously so that he could serve a piece of cake to everyone at the table.

Helen looked up to see Mario and Jenny peeking around the door to the kitchen.

What was going on?

Chromium came up to take the last piece of cake from the tray, and instead of handing it to her, she was shocked when he got on one knee.

She put her hands to her mouth as he held the cake up in front of him, and she realized there was something sparkling on top.

Suddenly, it all made sense. Her friends watching from the kitchen. His friends glowing supportively. Steve stepping back in amusement, pleased with the situation.

And Chromium looking so handsome and so hopeful as he knelt there with the cake out in front.

“Oh my God,” she said softly.

“Helen,” Chromium said softly. “You’re everything to me. You’re sweet, kind, and I knew I wanted you to be mine almost from the first moment I saw you. I know you aren’t ready for everything yet, but I want you to know I am. Take this ring and be mine.”

She realized what he was offering her. An engagement. More time to get used to the idea of mating him and being with him without rushing her before she understood.

She nodded her head yes, feeling a few tears squeeze out of her eyes, and then threw herself into his arms, nearly knocking the cake aside.

“Oops,” she said, reaching over for the ring. It had been placed on a little stand on the cake so it wasn’t covered in chocolate. When she slid it on her finger, she was surprised to see it made a perfect fit. “Oh, Chromium, it’s beautiful.”

The diamonds had to be fake, but the man offering them was perfect.

He pulled back and stared down at her. “They aren’t fake.”

“Oh God.” Still, she could worry about that later. Right now, she wanted to kiss her man. “Yes, Chromium. Yes.” Then she kissed him, and he tasted like chocolate.

He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her, and everyone in the restaurant cheered.

She couldn’t ever remember being this happy, and though the future seemed uncertain and somewhat scary, she couldn’t wait to see what would come next.

“All right,” Steve said, picking up the tray again. “The rest of us are going to head out. Congratulations, you two.” And then he went back to the kitchen, and he and Mario and Jenny all took off, leaving the restaurant full of only dragons and their humans.

All Helen could think about was her ring as she sat there listening to the dragons babble happily about all of them being mated.

They’d come from another planet to find happiness, and now all of them had.

She twisted her ring and looked up at Chromium, who seemed happier than she’d ever seen him.

When the night was over, she knew he was sorry to see his friends go, but she could tell by his fervent looks in her direction that he wanted to celebrate their engagement as much as she did.

Maybe with some alone time up in her room…

As Chromium gave the last of them a hug, she heard Arsenic turn to say something to Zinc just before the door closed.

“Thank heavens the last of us is safe. No more worries about poison.”

She froze for a second, then followed his friends outside. “Wait. What do you mean about poison?”

Arsenic looked back at her calmly. “You know, the reason we came to Earth. We have to find mates in order to not die. I’m sure Chromium told you.”

She looked slowly up at Chromium, who appeared to be choking on his own lies. “No, he hasn’t.”

“Damn,” Arsenic said, looking at Zinc, who shoved him. Arsenic looked genuinely regretful. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, thank you,” Helen said quietly. “It was something I should have known.”

Zinc shoved his hands in his pockets. “We’ll give you some time to talk to your mate. We’ll be outside if you need us.”

The door swung shut behind them, and Helen whipped around to face Chromium, heart pounding, brain begging for some other explanation to be true. For her to not be tricked or used again.

It would all make too much terrible sense. He’d come out of nowhere and always felt too good for her.

“Tell me it isn’t true.” She stepped closer to him. “Please, say they were mistaken.”

“I can’t,” Chromium said. And as he stared at her, panicked, Helen was suddenly glad the restaurant was empty, because she was pretty sure things were about to get ugly.