I hauled myself up out of my overstuffed armchair’s embrace, then glanced back down at it longingly. I’d only just begun to settle in for an afternoon of binge-watching Netflix, but this was more important. Kennedy was more important. I grabbed my coat off the hook on the door and zipped it up. Coat, hat, gloves—check.
I took one step out of my house and shivered as the wind snaked down my collar and nipped at the back of my neck. The sky was gray and drab, millions of snowflakes gusting about, piling up on the lawn and the drive…and my car. I grimaced and took a deep breath.You got this, Oliver. It’s only a couple of miles away. Just drive slow and you’ll be fine.
I slid into my car and sealed out the cold behind me, and let her run for a couple of minutes to warm up. I cranked the defrost up on high, in hopes I wouldn’t have to get out and scrape, but the windshield wipers were frozen to my windshield.
“Goddamnit.” I kicked the door back open, then grabbed the ice scraper off the floorboards in the backseat. Grumblingunder my breath the entire time, I scraped the front and back windshields.
By the time I got back into the car, it was hotter than hell. I quickly turned the heat down, ran my wipers once to clear the smudges, and I was off and running like a herd of turtles.
Literally. I didn’t go over fifteen miles per hour, not even when people started honking at me. Every time my wheels slipped or skidded, my heart jumped out of my chest. Ihatedwinter. Jesus Christ, I hated this icy white bullshit and everything it entailed. My throat had nearly closed up in terror and my eyes were glued to the road.
As I came to a stop sign, my Nissan fishtailed and I slid at a sideways angle down the road. “Shit!” I grabbed the wheel and cranked it around, gently pumping the brakes to try and straighten it out. Somehow, I managed not to go sailing off the road and into the frozen ditch below.Almost there.
By the time I crawled up the gravel drive of the daycare, I was full-blown shaking. My heart knocked loudly between my ears, thumping like the bass at the nightclub. It rattled me to the bone. I wasn’t exactly sure how long I sat there with my engine idling, my fingers knotted tight around the steering wheel, but I was utterlyexhausted.
Okay. I’d gotten this far. I could make it home. I turned off the car and slowly crunched my way across the wide gravel lot, towards the quaint little building with a pastel rainbow of colors splashed over its sign. Over The Rainbow Daycare. Kind of cute. Maybe the owner was a Wizard of Oz fan or something. I pushed through the front door and bells jangled to announce my arrival.
I stopped just inside the daycare and tucked my trembling hands beneath my armpits. It was warm in here, at least. Maybe I could ask whoever owned the place if I could have a glass of water. I’d say bourbon, but I still had to drivehome.Damn it.
“Can I help you?” called a soft voice, and my head swiveled around.
The minute I laid eyes on him, the world stopped spinning. Good god, he was gorgeous. He was tall with a stocky build, and even though he carried a few extra pounds around his midsection, he carried them well. There was a softness about him and I knew, right away, that he was an Omega.
My heart fluttered. I was staring, but I just couldn’t help myself.
His dark hair was only a few shades away from black, slightly wavy and worn long, to frame his cheeks. His facial hair did little to hide his baby face, but it wasn’t until I got to his eyes that my brain shorted out. Thick, dark lashes fanned his cheeks and surrounded the darkest pair of eyes I’d ever seen.
His brow furrowed. “Are you okay? Do you need help?”
“N-No,” I mumbled, forcing myself to look away. “I… The roads are pretty bad and?—”
“Uncie Ollie!” shrilled a familiar voice, and suddenly, I had a little girl clinging to my legs. She thrust her arms up at me in a silent demand. Needing that contact, I picked her up and settled her on my hip. She beamed at me. “Hi. Where’s Daddy?”
“He’s running behind, but don’t worry. I’m here.”
“Uncie Ollie pick me up?”
“Yep,” I breathed out, meeting the Omega’s gaze once more. “Sorry. Hi.” I offered a hand, well aware that it was still quivering. “Oliver Dault. I’m Kennedy’s godfather. Nathaniel called and asked me to pick her up, so here I am. He said I was on some sort of pick-up list, or whatever?”
His smile was hesitant, but he took my hand and gave it a small shake. Tingles ran up my arm from the touch. “I’m Brinden Faulkner. Do you…wanna sit down for a minute? No offense, but you’re really pale. I don’t need you passing out on me. Come, sit down and I’ll make you a cup of coffee? Tea?”
“Coffee would be nice,” I uttered, following Brinden deeper into the daycare. Everything was so bright and colorful. The walls were painted with cutesy art and finger-paint handprints, like he’d let the kids help decorate the place. There was a plastic table and chunky yellow chairs, a box of oversized Legos tipped over in the corner, and various toys and stuffed animals littered the floor.
Brinden met my gaze, his face flushing pink. “Ah… Sorry about the mess. Kids.”
“Speaking of…” I looked around. “Where’re the rest of them?”
He looked at me funny. “They went home at five-thirty, like always.”
“What?”
“It’s nearly six in the evening. You’re a little late.”
The breath whooshed from my lungs. “Wow. I’m sorry. I don’t handle driving in this shit very well, and I…” I checked my watch. Yep. 5:54 PM. “I guess I am late. Sorry, I meant to be here sooner…”
“It’s okay,” Brinden assured me. “I don’t mind. Just between you and me, Kennedy is one of my favorite kids to take care of.” His smile lit up his eyes, making them gleam like polished onyx. “I was more worried that something had happened to Nathaniel.”
“Oh. No. No, he called and said he was running behind, and I told him I’d pick Kennedy up.” I groaned softly. “Which means I have to go back out and drive all the way home in this shit. Grand.”
