“Sorry, man. I know it was shitty timing, but we really owe you one.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m glad to help, I justreallyhate winter.” I huffed a laugh, then clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s all good. I’m sure you’ll make it up to me.”
“Actually, yeah. Here.” He dug out his wallet and fished out a gift card to one of the nicer steakhouses in Destiny. “Once the weather clears, enjoy yourself a little. Maybe invite a date? There are plenty of eligible singles who would be more than happy to share a steak dinner with a handsome Alpha.”
I scoffed. “Right.”
“I mean it, Ollie.” His dark eyes were so soulful. “I found my happily-ever-after. Maybe it’s due time for you to find yours? Worth a shot, right?” He laughed and bumped his shoulder into mine. “You wanna stay for dinner? We were gonna order a pizza and watch something, just have a chill night. You’re more than welcome to stay, even stay the night if you want. I’ve got adult beverages for after the little one goes to sleep.” He winked exaggeratedly at me.
My chest squeezed. Ididsay I’d come around more…
“Yeah,” I said, after a moment. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
CHAPTER 4
Brinden
I’d always been the “awkward” kid. Awkward at school, awkward at making friends andespeciallyawkward when it came to love. It took me awhile to warm up to someone, let alone jump into bed with them after a couple drinks. Sure, Icoulddo it, but it wasn’t really enjoyable for me.
I always got so nervous being naked around Alphas, self-conscious of my body, which was too soft all the way around. I’d struggled with my weight since middle school and I’d been relentlessly bullied for it. Try as I might to put the past behind me, every time I attempted to date someone, it always ended with me being uncomfortable and blowing it.
Yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the handsome Alpha who’d come into my daycare to pick up his goddaughter. He’d been shaken up, but we had definitely shared a moment…right before I screwed everything up and shut down on him. I was still kicking myself for that one.
Why couldn’t an Alpha like that exist in my life? I wanted a mate, a doting and loyal Alpha of my own. A man who would happily get down on one knee and marry me. I didn’t expect diamonds. My man could propose with a Ring Pop and I’d be thehappiest Omega in the world. I wanted a family. I wanted kids of my own. I wanted them so damn badly. How many more failed attempts would it take before I found The One?
And why couldn’t I get Oliver Dault out of my freaking head?
“There’s a Valentine’s Day dance coming up, you know?” my bestie Jillian announced one crisp early-February afternoon. We sat cross-legged on the floor with the kids, doing some crafts with the new paints I’d purchased.
They were so pretty, a pastel rainbow of watercolors—perfect for Valentine’s. I’d walked past them at the store and just couldn’t help myself. I’d even bought some new brushes to go along with it, and Jillian and I had chewed through nearly an entire printer’s worth of ink printing out cute pictures for the kids to paint.
I groaned. “No thanks.”
She pouted out her bottom lip. “You haven’t even heard what I was gonna say!”
“Yeah, but I know you, Jilly. You’re gonna wanna set me up on some dumb blind date, then cross your fingers and wish for the best, but let’s face it. I’m hopelessly single. Every Valentine’s Day has come and gone without so much as a kiss or a card, or even a single heart-shaped lollipop.” I heaved a sigh. “This one’s not gonna be any different, I promise you.”
I heard the familiar jingling of bells at the front door. Since I had a lapful of toddlers, Jillian jumped up. “I’ll get it,” she chirped, scurrying off towards the front of the building. A few moments later, I heard her chattering away at the unlucky visitor. I couldn’t help but grin. I loved her to death, but Jillian was a talker. It didn’t matter if you were a friend or a complete stranger at the grocery store, she’d chat your ear off if you let her.
To my surprise, she came prancing back with a big, dopey grin on her face. “Um, Brin? It’s for you.” She widened her eyesand bit her lip, like she’d just been let in on the biggest secret of the century and she wasdyingto tell me.
I groaned again, softer now. Whoever it was, it had Jillian’s g-string in a twist. I handed her Chuckie, who squalled because he dropped his favorite red paintbrush, then hauled myself to my feet. My knees popped in protest when I stood. Man, I was only thirty but it seemed like I had the joints of an old man.Maybe I really should join the gym…
“Welcome to Over The Rainbow. How can I…” My sentence trailed into nothingness as I realized who was standing there, waiting for me with a small smile on his face. And, like the awkward idiot I was, I stared. “Um. Hi, Oliver. Are you here for Kennedy?” I glanced up at the clock. It was only half-past two.
“Actually, I?—”
“Uncie Ollie! Looky what I made!” Kennedy ran up to us, grinning from ear to ear. There was purple paint smudged on her cheek and dried in her hair, and her lips were chalky, like she’d been eating the candy hearts instead of using them for arts and crafts. Her sneakers lit up with every step she took, and she did a little twirl. “I made Daddy a card!”
Oliver glanced at me, as if asking permission to follow his goddaughter and I figured, why not? With a shrug, the two of us walked back over to where a couple of the kids were painting. Kennedy crawled back into her seat and pointed at the piece of construction paper she’d been working on.
It was a heart made out of candy hearts, you know, the ones with the little sayings on them like “Kiss Me” or “Txt Me.” They were glued onto the page in a jagged line, with a smudged purple handprint right in the center.
“Wow, peanut-butt. It lookssogood! You did a great job.” Oliver’s grin was so damn genuine, I might’ve swooned. He met my eye, a twinkle in his. “This is a really cute idea, Brinden. Where’d you come up with this?”
I shrugged. “Pinterest, mostly.”
“Well, it’s awesome. Keep it up. I know Mac’s gonna flip his lid when he sees how creative his little girl is.” He chuckled and gave Kennedy’s dark pigtails a little ruffle. She squeaked at him, then grabbed another piece of paper and began meticulously creating her next work of art.
