Martha’s expression changed. Her face softened around the edges and the initial fear disappeared. “Oh, yes, he is, actually. Do youknowhim?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I met him here yesterday. I didn’t catch his last name so I had some trouble finding him, but I thought maybe I would find himbackhere.”
“You’re in luck,” Martha said with a smile. “John’s a bit of a regular around here.” She gestured to the playroom door down the hall. “Go on ahead. He should be inthere.”
“Thanks,” I said, giving her aquicknod.
Following the hall down to the playroom, my heart began to race. John was inside - the omega man who I’d only met once, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about. This time Ihadto get his last name. There was no way I would lose himagain.
The brightly colored walls and toy-strewn floor greeted me. A few children who could walk were chasing each other across the room, while others who were still young were being taken care of by volunteers and employees. I scanned the room until I found who I was looking for. My heart leapt into mythroat.
TherewasJohn.
He sat alone in the corner again, but this time he was helping a child with her coloring. His hand was wrapped gently around hers as she struggled to draw a straight line with a bluecrayon.
My legs suddenly felt stiff. I forced myself to take a step, then another until the initial panic wore off. I made my way over to John, who noticed my presence withwideeyes.
“Vincent?” he asked, sounding incredulous. “What are youdoinghere?”
I cleared my throat, which suddenly felt hoarse. “I’m here toseeyou.”
His eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. “Me?Why?”
Why? How am I supposed toanswerthat?
“I… forgot to ask your last name yesterday,” I said slowly. “In case I wanted to see you again. My friend Markus - he knows everybody - had no idea who you were, so I - “ I realized how horrible the words coming out of my mouth sounded. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Sorry. Let me start over. Hi, John. May I ask what your lastnameis?”
John smiled, a slow smile that lit up his face. “It’sTurner.”
“John Turner,” I repeated. “I won’tforgetthat.”
A blush crept across John’s cheeks. “Is that all you wantedtoask?”
Panic spread through me as the image of John with another alpha flashed in my mind. It made my stomach tighten with anxiety - I didn’t want to lose John. I prayed he wasn’t already taken. The words came up before I couldstopthem.
“Are you in a relationship?” Iasked.
Everything in the room disappeared except for John and I. He stared at me with his big blue eyes, his lips parted slightly. In that moment I’d never seen a more beautifulomega.
His words came out in almost a whisper, like he was experiencing the same surreal dream-like quality that Iwas. “No.”
Its now or never. Don’t lose thischance.
“John,” I said. “Will you go on a datewithme?”
There. I said it. Now he can say no so I can walk away from this and forget about himforever.
“Yes.”
I thought my heart would stop. I stared down at him. His smile was radiant; his eyes shining. Something clicked inside me. I knew I hadn’t made amistake.
Just theopposite.
“Great,” I said, finally able to speak. “That’sawesome.”
“Yeah,” John said, sighing. “Um. When do you wanttomeet?”
The thought of having to wait one more day to spend time with him was unbearable. I didn’t want to seem too forward, but at the same time I didn’t care. I wanted to hang out with John and I wanteditnow.
