“Alright. I’ll sign up later. Let’s nail down more of the plans first, okay? We’ve got six months to make this the wedding of your dreams.”
It was late by the time we got home. Ricky helped Maddy make cookies to celebrate the new baby. The little girl was so excited about being a big sister. It was adorable.
My phone chimed with a text just as I set it on the counter. I unlocked my device and read it without holding my phone, as if the distance from the message would soften it somehow. I hated being the reason Xavier was in pain. We were both hurting right now. It’d get easier in time.
Xavi
I miss you. I wish I could hear your voice. Please let me know how to fix this.
Instead of ignoring it, like I usually did. I picked my phone and called him.
“Brady?”
“You need to stop doing this, Xavi.” keeping my voice level was near impossible.
“I just don’t understand. I thought things were good with us,” he pleaded.
“Why don’t you ask Gio? He seems to think you’re going to go back to him.”
“What?” Xavier’s stunned voice blasted out of the phone. I had to set it down and put it on speaker.
“He dropped off a gift for you. I think he must have seen pics from the party and known I was there. He told me you broke up before—”
“Early in our marriage because of his parents, not cheating! What else has he said?” Xavier’s anger wasn’t something I’d seen much of. He usually kept a firm hand on his temper.
My body trembled. Tears threatened to fall, making it hard to speak. “He called me worthless. Told me I’d never give you what you want.”
“Fuck!” Even down the phone I could feel his rage.
It took me a moment to get a handle on my emotions. Once I was calm, I spoke. “I’m not getting in the middle of you two. He threatened me, Xavier. Besides, he’s right. I can’t give you kids. Not without bankrupting us both. Not without massive risks.”
“Brady, there has to be a way to make this work. We’re so good together.”
“Maybe we were, but we weren’t meant for anything lasting. I’m signing up for that app Jae used, Mate Match—”
“Are you serious? There could be weirdos on there. Anything could happen!”
“They check everyone. I just want to move on, Xavier. Stop texting and calling me for a bit, or I’ll block you, okay? Give me some space to get over you and find something real.”
“What we had was real—”
“No, we had the specter of your ex behind us, Xavi. Maybe without me in the way you can work it out.” He sputtered out a curse. “Bye, Xavi. Hope you find happiness.”
An hour was all it took to set me on a new path. Part of me would always long for Xavier, but I needed to see what was out thereand put him behind me. Maybe he’d go back to Gio. Maybe he’d find an omega who could give him the kids he wanted. I needed someone who knew what he was getting into.
There were so many questions to fill in, it was utterly exhausting. Marty and Jae had warned me how invasive it seemed, though it had worked out for them. I just had to trust the process, even if it had me rethinking everything I thought I knew about myself. Why were there so many questions?
Once the questionnaires were done, I had a personal statement to write. That part was the worst! Another hour of my life gone. The process made me feel bad for Jae. I’d pushed him into this, and now there I was, making my own profile. It had better be worth the effort.
I had to admit, I liked the sound of my profile.
Mate Match profile summary for Brady Munroe.
Brady is a recessive omega, aged twenty-seven, who works as a publishing agent for a well-known publisher. He is an atheist, a former catholic and comes from a mixed ethnic background, specifically white and Latino.
His likes: Cats, swimming, weight training, eating out, art.
His dislikes: Dishonesty.
