My nose twitches, and I find myself subconsciously leaning closer to Cormac. I’m greedy for more of his fresh rainy scent.
Shit.
I’ve met scent matches before. In fact, Lucky’s dad was one, but Cormac’s scent hits me a thousand times harder than Blade’s ever did.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Charlotte.” Cormac’s eyes glimmer behind his glasses as he nods to the kids’ area. “It looks like they’re wrapping up. I don’t want to keep you. Maybe I’ll see the two of you around the library again sometime.”
I smile and nod, but reality catches up quickly.
I wouldn’t hate the idea of seeing him again. Unfortunately, with my baggage, that can’t happen.
Chapter Two
Charlotte
After the library, I grab a drive-thru coffee and a pastry for Lucky before heading toward home. Only, I somehow forgot that I was avoiding the streets close to the Christmas market until we’re driving by it.
It’s not even lit up, since the market is in the evenings, but Lucky doesn’t miss it.
“Mommy!” he screeches, making me jump. “Santa is there and the elves.”
“Uhh,” I grimace, glancing over. “Actually, Santa and the elves sleep during the day because they work at night.”
“What?”
“Yep, Santa delivers presents at night, and he has to sleep sometime.”
“We can go at night,” he says, clapping. “I don’t mind. We can go at bedtime. That will be okay for me.”
I chuckle.
He’s such a negotiator.
I’ll bet he doesn’t mind.
He’s already created a whole plan in his head.
Now I just have to find a night when I’m not at work and come up with the funds to back our little adventure. Ahh, to bea kid again. All they have to do is dream it up, and it’s Mom’s responsibility to figure out how to make it happen.
“How about tomorrow night?” I suggest. “I have to work tonight, but we can go tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” He pretty much destroys the word. “I guess.”
Man.
He’s a tough crowd for never chipping in on the bills.
Starting from nothing to where we are today wasn’t easy, but I’m stronger for having lived through what I did.
I shed a lot of tears during the months after I walked out of the MC clubhouse where I lived with Lucky’s dad. I had one bag of my things, and I knew I was pregnant, but at that point, I didn’t even know how far along I was.
Hell, I didn’t even know omegas could get pregnant outside of a heat, but once I understood that I had more than myself to look out for, I knew I couldn’t stick around.
It’s taken three years of busting my ass, but I’ve gotten the two of us to a place where we’re stable. Guilt still manages to eat away at me every time I have to drop him off at day care.
It makes no sense because, rationally, I know I have to work to provide for us, but omegas are sentimental. It’s even more complicated by the fact that a lot of jobs shy away from hiring omegas. There are laws that protect an omega’s right to work and be hired like any other designation, but a lot of job opportunities disintegrated when they realized I was an omega.
And it’s not like I can really blame them. Having to give an employee ten to fourteen days off every three months is extreme. It means other employees have to cover the slack, and that can cause resentment. While I can see both sides of the situation,it also really sucks because a lot of desk jobs wouldn’t even consider me. Even knowing that, the mommy guilt catches up from time to time.
