by Beau Brown
I studied him feeling perplexed. “You’re here to watch Avery and do some light cooking and cleaning. That’s all.”
“I know. But I like hard work and Avery could help me. It would be good for him to be outside in the fresh air, and he’d be pitching in with the ranch, which I know he’d love.”
“But that’s not what you’re being paid for.”
“Does it really matter? So long as I’m with Avery and he’s happy, I’m happy.”
He sounded sincere and I’d been frustrated that I’d never finished painting the rest of the house. But I’d had so many more pressing matters, I’d let it go for a year. The half painted home made the ranch look like even more of an eyesore. “You sure you’re up to the task?”
He twisted his lips. “I’m positive.” He shrugged. “Besides, you said yourself, life on a ranch isn’t just about fun and games.”
“True.”
He shifted uneasily under my scrutiny. “What do you say?”
I frowned. “Where was this ranch you grew up on?”
He dropped his gaze, his mouth a hard line. “It was on the other side of town and it was a long time ago. I told you, it’s gone now.”
“What was the name of it?”
He lifted his chin. “The Golden Steer.” He braced his shoulders as if he thought I was going to react poorly to what he’d said.
“Never heard of it.”
Relief washed over his features. “It was a long time ago.”
His cagey behavior intrigued me. But it was obvious from the set of his jaw he wasn’t going to share much about his past unless I dragged it out of him. “I’ll have paint and rollers brought over to the house for you tomorrow.”
He gave a tentative smile. “Great. Thank you.”
“If Avery falls off a ladder, I’ll have your ass.”
His face flushed and he moved from the kitchen. “I’d expect no less from an alpha.”
Chapter Three
Hunter
By the end of the second week, I began to get a sense of who Jake was. He was definitely emotionally closed off, but every now and then there were glimpses of his soft underbelly. He hid it well though, and if he caught me noticing he’d shut it down immediately. He worked hard and I didn’t see too much of him during the day. Dinner time was when I got to try and talk to him, although he wasn’t exactly chatty. While I knew it wasn’t essential that I bond with him in order to be a good manny for Avery, I found him interesting enough that I wanted to know him better. Maybe it was the omega in me instinctively seeking the company and approval of an alpha.
“I’m almost an expert now, just like you.” Avery’s voice interrupted my thoughts. He stood at the base of the house with a paint roller. There were spots of the white pigment on his face and overalls, and his little chest was puffed out with pride. “I got the whole bottom part done all by myself.”
“Good job, Avery.” I smiled down at him. I was balanced on the top rungs of a ladder, finishing off the area under the eaves of the roof. “Double check for any spots you might have missed.”
“Okay,” he responded happily.
It was a hot, humid day, and though it was late afternoon, the heat still enveloped me like a wet, warm blanket. My muscles ached from holding the roller over my head much of the day, and I thought longingly of a shower. I knew I needed to cook dinner soon, so I made my way down the rungs of the ladder to the ground.
Tex walked up as my foot touched the dirt, and even though I was safely on the ground, he still put his hands on my waist as if helping me. “Steady there. Wouldn’t want to hurt yourself.” He smiled.
“I’m fine.” I cleared my throat and pulled away.
He was definitely attractive, and my pulse sped up a little at his touch. I was in full heat, and even on the suppressants, alphas could smell my raging hormones a mile away. The main reason I took the pills was to keep my hunger at bay. If I let my heat take over, I’d be insatiable and I’d seek any alpha within a mile to breed me. That’s how overpowering the instinct to have a baby was. It wasn’t easy denying what was expected of one’s kind either. But I knew no one would really want to mate with me if they knew about my family history.
His gaze roamed my body. “Still interested in taking you out some time for that drink.”
I didn’t trust myself to be in heat and drink alcohol around him. “Yeah, maybe in a few weeks.” It should be safe by then.
“Just holler when you’re up to it.” He smiled and tipped his hat. Then he walked back toward the barn, his stride confident.
Of course he was sure of himself. Alphas were the ones with the power. Omegas were lesser citizens in the eyes of the law and society. I sighed and turned to observe Avery rolling his paint brush up and down the walls of the building. He was a great kid and I was already really fond of him. At least as a manny I still got to be around children and get that emotional connection I so craved.
“I think it’s time we cleaned up and started dinner.” As I spoke I moved to the hose nearby so I could wash off my roller. I crouched by the spigot and he approached, kneeling beside me. I did the majority of the cleaning just so it didn’t turn into a huge messy ordeal. Once the brushes were washed, we peeled off our paint splattered overalls and hung them over a porch chair.
I held out my hand to him. “Ready to make some dinner for daddy?”
“Yep.” He giggled and followed me into the house.
We bathed first, just so we didn’t have to do that after dinner. Then we chopped veggies together and I sautéed some chicken breasts in a pan. I knew Jake and Avery were used to eating fatty, fried foods, but I wanted to introduce some healthier meals into the mix too. I was a little nervous that Jake might object, but I figured if I didn’t give him a choice, he’d probably eat whatever I made because he was always starving at dinner time.
When the big orange sun was almost behind the mountains, Jake came stomping in the house. He looked filthy and his eyes stood out brighter than ever against his dusty skin. He glanced down at himself and grimaced. “I’m gonna go clean up first.”
“Sure. I’ll keep everything warm.”
I saw no reason not to feed Avery, since he was hungry and he looked beat after painting all day. His little cheeks were rosy from the sun and his eyes seemed droopy. I smiled at him as he ate slowly, yawning every now and again. By the time Jake was back downstairs, Avery was almost asleep and face down in his broccoli and potatoes.
Jake’s hair was still damp, and the scent of coconut shower gel filled my nose as he sat across from me. He hesitated before scooping food onto his plate, giving the chicken a suspicious look. No beef tonight?”
“I thought we could try something new for a change.”
“But I like beef.”
“Gotta try something new once and a while.”
“It’s good, Papa. You should taste it.” Avery clamped his hand over his mouth as another yawn hit him.
“You’re a tired boy.” I smiled at him.
He nodded, his eyes half-mast. “We worked hard today.”
I nodded. “Yep. I think we might even finish up by tomorrow.”
“The house looks ten times better already,” Jake said quietly.
“Thanks.” I was flattered by the compliment. Jake didn’t hand them out too often.
Avery drained his milk glass and set it down with a bump. “I’m so sleepy. May I be excused?”
Jake’s lips twitched. “Don’t you want to have dinner with me?”
“Oh.” Avery nodded. “Of course I do, Papa.” He sat up straighter and yawned again.
Jake smiled and kissed the top of his son’s head. “Go to bed, kid. You can barely keep your eyes open.”
Watching Jake with Avery got my heart all warm and fuzzy. Jake rarely showed affection and it seemed twice as poignant when he did. He caught me watching, and I quickly wiped the vapid smile off my face and looked away.
“Will you come kiss me goodnight, Papa?” Avery crawle
d off his chair and took his plate to the counter.
“I will later.” Jake’s voice was gruff. “First I want to eat my dinner.”
“Okay.” Avery glanced to me. “Will you come say goodnight to me?”
“Sure.” I laughed and followed him out of the kitchen. Once I’d made certain he’d brushed his teeth and was safely tucked in bed, I left him to return downstairs.
Jake was eating the chicken and veggies when I got back to the kitchen. He didn’t look repulsed, which I took as a good sign. His cheek bulged as he chewed, and he watched me with a curious expression. I took my empty plate to the sink and I washed some dishes as he ate. I was so pin-pointed on my task I didn’t notice he’d come up behind me.
“You seem pretty domestic.”
Jumping at his husky voice, I turned, pressing a hand to my chest. “You startled me.”
“Sorry.” He set his plate in the sink and started to wash it.
“I’ll get that.”
He stepped back and let me take over rinsing his dish. “Like I said, you seem domestic. Why is it you don’t you want kids?”
My face heated and I concentrated on my chore. “I have my reasons.”
I thought he’d leave the kitchen like he usually did after dinner, but instead he leaned against the island and watched me work. “I can’t quite figure you out, City Boy.”
“Oh, really?” I responded over my shoulder.
“On the one hand you seem like a regular omega, you’re good with kids and you cook and clean adequately. But there’s this undercurrent that seems rebellious.”
I snorted. “I’m not rebellious.”
“Then why don’t you want kids? Most omegas live for that.”
I exhaled roughly and faced him. “Why do you care?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t have any bearing on my job.”
Rubbing his jaw he said, “Does every conversation we have need to just be about your job?”
“I don’t notice you spilling your guts about your past.”
He screwed his face up in a frown. “I don’t have much else to say about my past that you don’t already know.”
I lifted my chin stubbornly. “Why didn’t you want kids?”
His jaw tensed, but then seemed to soften. “If I tell you what my hang up was, will you tell me why you don’t want children?”
“Do I have to?”
“It only seems fair.”
I lifted one shoulder. “I suppose.”
He sighed. “I didn’t want children because I was afraid I’d be a horrible father.” His gaze darkened. “And I am.”
“No you’re not.”
He chuffed.
“You’re overworked and tired. Kids are a lot of upkeep. No alpha should have to raise their kids by themselves.”
His gaze flickered, as if surprised I’d defended him.
I grimaced. “You got a raw deal with your omega dying like that. I’d bet money that, with Felix beside you, you’d be a different kind of dad. Right now you have to be both parents. That’s rough for anyone.”
He shifted uneasily. “At least I’m here.”
“Absolutely. There are alphas who wouldn’t have even tried to do it on their own. I respect that you did.”
“Thanks,” he said gruffly.
“You’re not alone anymore. I’m not like some of the help you’ve had. I’m organized and efficient. You can rest easy knowing Avery is taken care of. You worry about the outside of the ranch and I’ll worry about the inside of the house. Maybe that will allow you a little more time to spend with your son.”
He looked flushed and almost confused by my response. “I assumed you’d be only too happy to criticize me.”
“No. I just want you and Avery to connect. I know you love Avery and you’re trying really hard. Isn’t that all any parent can do?”
“I guess.” He watched me in silence for a moment.
I felt self-conscious from the intensity of his stare and so I moved to the stove and started putting the left overs in plastic containers. “You can have this for lunch tomorrow if you liked it enough.”
“Sure. It was pretty good.” He cleared his throat. “So, now it’s your turn to tell me why you don’t want a family of your own.”
My heart thudded against my ribs. I dreaded telling him about my family because I knew from past experience it would change everything between us. “My situation’s different.”
“Meaning what?”
“Mine is more personal.”
“Are you trying to back out of telling me?”
I stacked the food in the fridge and then I faced him. “Maybe.”
“You’re watching over my son. Seems like I should know more about you.”
“I’d rather you just judged me for who I am.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What are you hiding?”
I sighed. “The sins of my father. Literally.”
“What does that mean? Come on, Hunter, talk to me.” His tone was coaxing.
His cajoling tone wormed its way into me, and my senses felt on edge. It was hard to ignore an alpha when they set their sights on you. Instinct pushed me to give him what he wanted and trying to ignore him wasn’t easy. “If I tell you what happened, I need you to remember that I didn’t do anything wrong.”
His eyes were a lighter green as he stepped closer, and his musky, clean scent filled my nose. “Tell me.”
I shivered, my skin prickling with unwanted arousal. “You should keep your distance, Jake. I’m in heat.”
“Well aware.” His voice was a rumble in his chest. “Your scent is difficult to ignore.
I gave a nervous laugh and circled the island, putting it between us. My heat suppression pills were wearing off this late in the evening, and that would make it hard for him to ignore me on a sexual level. I didn’t want to lose my job because we got carried away by instinct. I reminded myself that I didn’t really need to worry about any of this. In a minute he’d know the truth about my family history, and he’d lose all interest in me anyway.
I sucked in a big breath and said, “My father… my father murdered a man.”
He blinked at me in disbelief. “What?”
“He stabbed someone in a bar fight.”
“Why?”
“He was drunk and he fucked up.”
“Who was your father?”
“His name’s Frank Thomas. He’s still in prison up in Houston. I haven’t spoken to him in years.”
He widened his eyes, looking shocked.
“We lost everything because of what he did. I was fourteen years old at the time, and my mom and I couldn’t work the ranch alone. We tried, but it was a disaster. Nobody wanted anything to do with us anymore. Not the vendors. Not the town’s people. The bank ended up taking the ranch and my mom died a year later.”
He looked away, his jaw clenched. “That’s horrible.” His lust from earlier was snuffed instantly, like someone blowing out a match.
“Yes. It was.”
He returned his wary gaze to me. “I’m glad you told me.”
I’ll just bet.
I’d been through this many times before; an alpha would come on to me, find out who my father was, and it was like a bucket of ice water was thrown on them. I should have been immune to it by now, but for some reason it stung more with Jake. I wasn’t sure why exactly, perhaps I’d hoped because he’d fallen on hard times himself that would make him more empathetic to my family’s sad story. But his sudden aversion was obvious and painfully familiar.
He turned his back on me. “I can see why you don’t like to tell people.”
“Just keep in mind I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Of course.” He cleared his throat and faced me. “It’s good you told me because with you being in heat and all--”
“Got it.” I interrupted. “You don’t need to explain.”
He grimaced. “I’m sure you’re a good person.”
<
br /> I hardened my jaw. “Yeah, I am.”
“It’s just; I have enough problems being a single dad to Avery.”
“I understand. I’m not looking for anything either.” I made sure to keep all resentment out of my voice as I continued. “Regardless of what my dad did, I hope you’ll still trust me to watch over Avery?”
He bit his lip. I could see him struggling with what to say. Now that he knew about my dad, he didn’t really want to be associated with me. I was the bottom of the social ladder and no self-respecting alpha wanted to be around that. But he needed me. I could read the desperation on his features. If he’d had any other option, I was positive he’d ask me to leave. But for now he needed me as much as I needed this job.
“I reckon it’s probably okay for you to work for me.” He didn’t look at me. “Anything more is of course out of the question.”
I held my anger in check. Only seconds ago he’d have taken anything I offered happily. Now he couldn’t distance himself fast enough. “Naturally.”
“Well, I know Avery is fond of you so of course you should stay.”
“Thanks.” I hesitated. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone else. People treat me differently when they know.”
You know… kind of like you’re doing right now. Asshole.
“I won’t say a word.”
“I figured.”
I expected him to scurry out of the kitchen, but he didn’t. I finished up the last few dishes and mostly ignored him. It was impossible not to feel resentful. Maybe this was how it was in our society, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.
He spoke into the thick silence. “I respect your honesty.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m sure it was obvious I was attracted by your heat earlier.”
“Yeah. I know the signs.”
“You could have let nature take its course. Then you might have been pregnant with my kid and therefore my responsibility.”
I grimaced with distaste. “As I’ve explained, I’m not looking for that sort of situation.”
“People say things like that when they don’t really mean it.”
I gave a hard laugh and crossed my arms, facing him. I glanced around the dated kitchen with the peeling wallpaper and dusty old ceiling lamp. “And what was in it for me in your scenario? You’re not rich, and this isn’t exactly a palace. In fact, it’s more like a sinking ship.”
