I frown. “Why do you have to wait?”
Her brows knit together. “Well, I’m unbonded. I’m not allowed to have a retail job on my own. I can only work when my dad or brothers are around. The whole omega protection laws. You probably know all that stuff, right? Because of the lawyer thing?”
Heat creeps up my neck. “Uh, not really. I mostly prosecute criminal cases—murder, theft, whatnot. I don’t interact with that side of the law too much.”
“Well, except for that suppressant case. With the heiress,” she says. “I think I saw you on the news for that one.” There’s no judgment in her voice. Somehow, that makes it worse.
“Yeah, the mayor sort of strong-armed me on that one,” I admit. “For what it’s worth, I think the suppressant laws are bullshit. We should be funding real research instead of punishing the people who need them.”
Her eyes light up. “Oh my god, yes. I bet if we had real suppressants, we wouldn’t have to plan our whole lives around heat cycles or panic about alphas losing control. The laws about where we can work or go to school would have to change, too.” She sounds so hopeful, like she can already visualize a different world.
It makes me feel… gross.
I think about the donors I charm at fundraisers, the ones who smile and nod when people talk about ‘protecting omegas’ like it’s some noble cause. Does it really go this far? Limiting where and when they can work? How did I not know this?
Saying it’s not my area because it isn’t criminal law feels like a cop-out. I probably did know, in some vague, abstract way. I just never stopped to think about what it looked like in someone’s actual life. Because I didn’t have to. I don’tknowany omegas.
Jesus. I’m such a stereotype. Typical white man, comfortable enough in my privilege that I don’t have to think about what other people might face.
And then I think of Ava. She knows all of this. She fights it. Loudly. Constantly.
I say I love her, and yet I’ve never really sat with the thing she cares about most.
Marnie’s voice breaks through. “You just suddenly got quiet. You okay?” Her voice is full of genuine concern, and she reaches across the table to place a hand on top of mine.
I nod, trying to refocus on the conversation. “Yeah, sorry. I guess I got lost in thought. I’ve never really considered how much oversight there is on the day-to-day for omegas. And I feel like an asshole.”
Her smile is alittle sad at the edges. “You probably don’t know very many then, huh?” she says softly.
I grimace sheepishly. “No, I don’t. I’m from a really small town, and there weren’t even many alphas, let alone omegas. When I moved away for college, I was too busy to get to know anyone properly. Plus, um,” I blush, rubbing the back of my neck. “If I’m being honest, most of omegas’ scents are kind of a lot to me. So I tend to avoid them.”
Her laugh is gentle and understanding, and I realize I’ve just admitted something I’ve never told anyone else. I smile at her. “You have a knack for getting people to open up to you, huh? I’ve never said that out loud before.”
She lifts her shoulders in a shrug. “I’ve been told I have that effect on people.”
She guides the conversation to a different topic, and I find myself relaxing and enjoying talking to her. There isn’t anything romantic here, so I won’t pursue another date. But there is something refreshing about her straightforward honesty and positive outlook. I hope she’ll consider being my friend.
Marnie chats about her plans to eventually run the new shop, the quirks of her family, and the odd mix of their customers they see. I laugh, contribute my own anecdotes, and find myself genuinely sad to bring the evening to an end.
By the time we finish, the setting sun is spilling across the wooden floors, and the coffee shop is starting to wind down. I stand and offer her another hug.
She returns it warmly and sincerely. “Thanks for meeting me,” she says. “I hope we can do it again sometime. I know we aren’t mates or anything, but I enjoyed this.”
I nod. “Yeah. I’d really like that. Maybe we could be friends? I admit, I don’t have that many.”
She grins. “Well, if you do have any alpha friends, send them my way. I’m not getting any younger. But yes, I’d like that very much.”
I see her safely into a ride share and then take a deep breath of cool air. I need to clear my head. It’s early enough; I think I’ll just walk until I get tired. Catch a cab or the subway from wherever that may be.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I snatch it out quickly. I groan when I see that it’s just Brad about an upcoming case. I knew it wouldn’t be Ava, but I’d still been hopeful.
As I walk, I consider what Adam said yesterday. How he’d wondered what could be holding Ava back. With my conversation with Marnie fresh on my mind, I have to wonder—is it because she thinks our morals are misaligned? Does she believe the campaigning bullshit?
Have I ever given her a reason not to?
I blow out a frustrated breath. Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t make it any easier to be shut out. If she’d have just talked to me, maybe we both would have realized some things.
I want more from her than I’ve allowed myself to admit. I want the nights where we fall asleep in each other’s arms and the relaxed mornings afterward. I want to fight over theTimescrossword. I wantto make love in the sunlight and then take a midday nap.
