It wasn’t the first time he’d heard it. He didn’t know how to navigate life the same way everyone else did.
Frey rubbed Bowie’s shoulder as he took another bite of the pecan pie, working on filling the void inside him.
“You go at your pace, you always have. Answer me this, do you get the job done for the alphas in the allotted time frame?”
He considered his reply, chewing the pie, then nodded. He had developed his own way of getting things done to stop him from getting overwhelmed.
Frey gave him a look of approval. “There you go. How does that make you dumb? You’re thorough and definitely a details person. If you don’t keep step with others, is that wrong?”
Bowie stared at Frey, his head tilting to the side as he finished chewing on the pie, considering what Frey was saying. A flutter developed in his chest. “I’ve never thought of it like that.”
Frey grinned at him with approval. “Whatever works. No one way is right for everyone. Be you, Bowie. You’re absolutely adorable.” He came forward and kissed Bowie’s head.
Bowie stiffened when Frey sniffed at his hair. Did he smell funny? He’d bought a new shampoo that he thought smelled great. Had he been wrong?
Bowie touched his head where Frey had been sniffing, trying to sniff without being obvious.
“Your hair smells of bubble-gum!”
Oh, was he…“It’s a new shampoo I found.” He clutched the plate in front of him and eyed his friend with some trepidation. “Erm… you aren’t flirting with me, are you? I like you an all, but… you know… not like that.” He could feel how hot his face was, but he never could tell if Frey was being serious, and he flirted a lot.
Bowie loved Frey as a friend, and the tiny omega didn’t come across as the type of man who would be attracted to Bowie. And Bowie had a boyfriend—sort of dating, he supposed—though he wasn’t allowed to mention it to anyone. Bowie feigned interest in the rest of the half-eaten pie, having no idea what he’d do if Frey was hitting on him.
“Are you sure?” Frey asked, running a hand over the silky strands and making Bowie wish he’d not eaten the pie.
Alarm ran through Bowie as he looked at Frey, his mind unable to come up with a way to let Frey down and not hurt his feelings.
“I’m joking. I like big, hot alphas.” Frey laughed.
Bowie sagged in relief and took a breath he’d been unable to manage a second ago. “Thank God,” he said without thinking.
Frey snort-giggled. “How to make an omega feel unwanted.” Then Frey bent over and giggled in earnest.
Bowie grinned at Frey, giggling right along with him.
The hurt Kodi had caused was, for now, pushed aside with Frey’s logical view on things. He just needed to remember that going at his pace wasn’t wrong so long as he got the job done.
Kari couldn’t find fault in that, could he?
Chapter Three
Kari
Kari grinned as Bowie placed a coffee cup next to his elbow, along with a divine smelling plate. He glanced sideways, his grin widening at the sight of the brownie. “Someone’s been baking again.”
Bowie’s cheeks went a pretty pink, his hands going into his slack pockets. A sure sign of his nervousness.
“You don’t have to eat it,” he said softly, looking down at the floor.
Kari kept the smile in place, having had plenty of practice doing so. He hated the quick defence tactic Bowie used, suggesting years of learned behavior.
“Do I look like a fool to you?” He realized the error of his wording at the frown that Bowie now wore when he glanced up. He was very literal in his thinking. “Popi’s love of all things sweet he passed along to me, so I’m not foolish enough to turn down treats as good as yours,” he explained, hoping to dispel Bowie’s uncertainty and stop him from chewing on his own lip.
Kari wasn’t sure when he’d become an observer of all things Bowie. It was a habit he seemed to have formed in the last two months. The omega had worked with him on and off over the last four years on several major advertising campaigns, and Kari had enjoyed the way Bowie’s mind worked, and the straightforward process he had in approaching things. He didn’t rush full speed ahead like Wilder; he took his time to consider all the variables, then laid out plans to combat them one at a time. He had never failed to meet a deadline or miss any important targets.
A solid employee. Solid, much like his compact body, which filled out the shirt he wore.
Kari shook off the inappropriate notion and reached for the plate, not sure why he was thinking about what was under Bowie’s clothing. He used the plate under his nose as a distraction and inhaled the strong chocolate and nut aroma. “I bet you’d make a killing with these.”
