Or I could enjoy an evening with the gorgeous omega who’d placed a beer in front of me. “Thank you.”
“Andy.”
“Harry.”
“You didn’t answer my question, Harry.”
I closed one eye and racked my brain trying to recall what he’d asked. “Sorry.”
Andy placed his hand over mine. “Bad?”
Putting the glass to my lips, I gulped my drink as I played for time. “I’ve had my moments.” It didn’t take a clairvoyant to know where this was headed. The guy was clearly into me or the idea of me. Or he just wanted to fuck. Anyone. I wasn’t sure I cared.
Sleeping with someone and having mindless sex might take my mind off Richard. The one that kept getting away. But was it worth it? “I’ll get us another round of drinks.”
Another delaying tactic as confused thoughts rattled through my head. I glanced over my shoulder, and Andy’s eyes were on me. Or specifically on my ass. I wiped sweat from my forehead and offered up a wan smile, before carrying the drinks to the table.
“Nice,” Andy said as his eyes traveled from my face to my crotch. I sucked in a sharp breath and plonked myself opposite him. “Cheers.” Our glasses clinked, and I observed him over the rim of the beer mug.
It’d be so easy to take his hand and walk out. No need for words. A quick drive to my place, but on the way, he’d undo my zipper. With one hand on the wheel, I’d shove the other one between his legs and fondle his huge cock. The aroma of slick and expectation would fill the car as he’d push my hand away and put his mouth on my engorged dick.
“Hey, Harry. Where’d you go?”
I blinked, and the vision vanished, leaving me facing my future. Meaning the next few hours. I wasn’t naïve enough to think Andy was the one. But I needed to forget Richard, if just for one evening.
“Wanna get out of here?” my companion asked, his eyes twinkling.
And there it was. What was the harm? A quick fuck and a goodbye. No problem. I was tired of rubbing one out in my bed and the shower. Andy and I might meet up again. Become fuck buddies or even go on a proper date.
But the exquisite face on the other side of the table wasn’t the one my heart pined for. It wasn’t the one I saw in my dreams or the one I thought about when I woke up each morning. “Andy, I…”
He held up his hands. “No strings.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem,” I sighed.
“Huh?”
“I’m not looking for a random hookup.”
“It’s just sex, Harry. No commitment.”
I got up. “I’m sorry, Andy. You seem like a great guy.” I had no idea if that were true. We hadn’t exchanged more than a few words. “It's not you, it’s me.” He groaned as tired old clichés tumbled out of me. “There’s someone who… never mind.”
How could I explain I’d fallen for someone I didn’t know but who’d turned my life upside down? It didn’t make sense. “Thank you for the drink,” I mumbled and pushed my way through hordes of people.
I got outside and leaned against the wall, taking huge gulping breaths of cool night air. What in the hell is wrong with me? I was chasing a ghost.
I’d been attracted to Richard, but other than our two very brief meetings, I knew nothing about him. I’d built him up in my head as superhuman, someone who’d wash away the loneliness. And yet, in reality, he might be a nose picker and leave toenail clippings on the coffee table. Or worse, an ax murderer or a thief. And Sophia was his accomplice who distracted people.
Fuck this. I stumbled to the car, unsure how much I’d had to drink. After fumbling with the keys, I fell into the back seat and covered myself with a coat I’d forgotten to take to the dry cleaners. Merry Christmas to me!
This has to stop. I had a demanding job, supportive family, and a circle of close friends. It had to be enough for now. If another omega wanted to have sex, I was going to take him up on the offer.
Fuck Richard and his gravelly voice that sent shivers up my spine and his sexy swagger. Yeah, fuck him.
37
Richard
“Sorry I’m late.” I sat down next to Enrique in the only spot without food or a drink in front of it. “Where is everyone?” I couldn’t have missed the entire thing...there were still barely touched appetizers at the table.
“Just wait and you’ll see.” He winked. “Where were you? I was beginning to think you got a better offer.”
“I didn’t know there were two Jack’s,” I confessed. I’d been living in town for over half a year, I should know things like that or, you know, could have looked it up.
“Ahh, yes, my nephew likes the other one, says it has more character or whatever. He’s single, you know.” Yes. I did know. He’d mentioned him to me at least once every couple of weeks lately. I wasn’t sure who I should feel worse for, him or me.
“You may have told me, but as I have said before,” a gazillion times, “I am happy being single while I establish my career.” Maybe not happy, but knowing it was the price to pay, so same difference.
“Shhh.” Enrique pointed to the little stage in the far corner and there, standing in all their glory, was pretty much everyone from work.
“Should I be up there?” Was this some tradition or something? Damn me for being late.
“Shhh, you’re too late.” And then the music kicked off and the entire crew did a pretty hilarious version of the 12 Days of Christmas, Muppets style. I was bent over in laughter by the time they got to the last verse.
“You guys were great,” I stood and applauded as they returned to their seats.
“Rich, you made it.” Isaac held out his hand and I shook it. “We thought maybe you changed your mind.”
“I went to the wrong Jack’s,” I admitted with a shrug.
“I did that last year,” Fran admitted. “I should have thought to mention it to you. Honestly, these guys like this one only because they’re too lazy to drive to the good one,” she added conspiratorially.
“Henry says it has character.” Enrique snatched a nacho, giving me the look as he did. Henry, being his nephew, of course.
And for a second...no, a half a second, I considered his offer. It would be nice to have something to look forward to, it wasn’t like people had blind dates during the holidays. But then what? We have the date and worst-case scenario, I really like him and need to walk away. No, thanks.
I almost laughed at my own insanity, thinking a blind date being good as the worst-case scenario.
“You still trying to hook that poor nephew of yours up, I see,” piped in Melinda. “Does he even know what you are up to?” She slanted her brow at the older man.
“He knows I care about him and his future, if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s a no,” giggled Fran.
“I’m ignoring you,” Enrique said indignantly, this time grabbing a cheese stick that had to be lukewarm at best.
“Sorry I was late. Did I miss anything good aside from being part of the performance?” I wanted to think about anything but blind dates and my sort-of kind-of boss's nephew.
“Only Melinda begging someone to work Christmas Day for her so she could go to her new boyfriend’s house.” Fran got an elbow in the side from Melinda.
“It’s not like that.”
A few “uh huhs” were heard around the table.
“Fine, it is exactly like that, but since you all have lives...wait, Rich, you don’t have a...I mean, pleasssssssse?”
And just like that my day went from being late, to turning down someone I was hating myself for turning down, to working on Christmas.
Merry stinking Christmas to me.
“I owe you!” she squealed as Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer came onto the karaoke scene, and we found ourselves singing the song along with the very drunk woman who knew only about every tenth word of the lyrics.
We laughed, ate junk, and had a good time. I’d have had a better time if my mind hadn’t been across town wondering what a
sexy near-stranger was doing.
Did he already go home?
Did he meet someone else?
Was he thinking about me?
Fair to say he had gotten under my skin. Not like I could do anything about it now, even if I changed my mind, which I wasn’t altogether sure I had. All I knew about him was that his name was Harry, he was unbelievably sweet when it came to my Sophia, he wanted more than a fling while his roomie was less put off by them, and he liked the Jack’s across town better than this one, which I was pretty much on the same page as he was as far as that went. This place was more drunks than anything else.
Goodness, I didn’t even know what he did for work and here I was what-iffing the night away.
As soon as the first person said they had to get back home to their family, I said goodnight citing an early morning shift and Sophia as my reason for heading home before midnight.
It was all I could do not to drive back to the other Jack’s in the hopes of running into Harry before he left. It was better for me to just head home to Sophia.
Or so I kept telling myself.
38
Harry
February 14. A day for lovers or some such shit. I was at home eating frozen pizza and facing a night by myself. Matt and an alpha he’d met were now a thing. They hadn’t discussed the future from what I could gather, but he was always at the guy’s place.
My laptop sat beside me on the couch. Stop giving me the evil eye. There were a few things I could catch up on for work, but none of them were urgent. I was planning on blocking out the world and streaming a new series that had excellent reviews.
Big problem. There was no beer or snacks in the house, and I considered whether the short drive to the nearest convenience store was worth it. A night of watching TV had to be accompanied by a cold beer and corn chips.
As I drove to the store, my thoughts flashed to Richard, as they did at least once a day since that night at the bar. Was he still the one-night-stand kinda guy? Or had he fallen for someone.
The week after we first met, I went to Dave’s every night, until Sam finally gave me free beer saying it was the lonely hearts prize. While he wasn’t one to gossip or give out personal details about his customers, he said the omega hadn’t been back since that night. “I probably scared him away when I told him his dog was cute but she couldn't come in again.”
I doubted that was the reason. He couldn’t take Sophia everywhere, but as she’d been abandoned, he’d been doing his best to keep her close when he wasn’t at work.
After parking in front of the store and watching people making last-minute trips to grab wilting red roses and cheap boxes of chocolate, I rethought my desire for snacks and alcohol. I hated the commercialization of Valentine’s Day, but it was great for restaurants, florists, and makers of fine chocolate. And the not-so-fine stuff sold at my local 24-hour store.
I’m here. I may as well grab what I came for and go. But as I pushed open the door, a familiar face smiled and waved. “Uncle Enrique.” He was one of many waiting to pay. “How are you?”
We hugged, and he gave me the once-over. “You’re too thin, Henry, and those shadows under your eyes tell me you’re working too hard.”
“Look who’s talking!” He spent long hours at the clinic and often missed family get-togethers or raced in at the last minute.
He ignored me and glanced over my shoulder. “Are you alone?”
Here we go. My uncle was our family matchmaker. Always meddling in my, my siblings’, and cousins’ love lives. Though he didn’t see it that way. “Yep. But I’m hoping to find someone here. Long, tall, with a scent that makes me go weak at the knees. Someone I’ve taken a fancy to.”
My uncle rolled his eyes. “You can’t fool me.” He jerked his head at the cold beers lined up in the coolers to his right. “You’re talking about those.”
“I might be.”
“If you let me introduce you to someone…”
I cut him off. “Uncle, we’ve done this dance before.” We were interrupted as he got to the head of the line. I waved and got my beer and stocked up on snacks.
By the time I was done and had paid, I was hoping he’d given up on me and had left. No such luck as he was leaning on my car as I got outside. That’s mean. Don’t wish him away. He was my favorite uncle, and I adored him. But he was like a puppy with a new chew toy. He never gave up. As long as he didn’t pee on the carpet, it was all good. I grinned.
“Glad you’re in a good mood.”
“Always happy when I see my favorite uncle.”
“Why don’t you come for dinner next week?”
I narrowed my eyes. Unless it was a birthday, anniversary, or holiday, he never had time for dinner parties. “Why?”
“You have to eat, right?”
“Uncle, I recognize that look in your eye. You’re planning on inviting someone you think would be perfect for me.”
He threw an arm around me. “But he would. He’s a doctor and very single. And, I suspect, very lonely. I really like him, and the two of you are made for one another.”
“Remember the last time you said that and set me up? At our Easter celebrations a few years ago?”
“That was unfortunate. A misunderstanding.”
“When the guy arrived he was wearing a rabbit costume complete with a huge white, fluffy head that he couldn’t get off. He stumbled onto the table and upended it as well as scaring the kids as they were hunting for Easter eggs. You had to take him to the hospital to have his head—I should say the rabbit head—removed.”
Uncle made a face. “Let’s not dwell on the past.”
“I agree.”
His car keys jangled as he got them out of his pocket. “You’re going to die alone.”
Should I say something to get him off my back? “I did meet a guy a while back.”
His eyes widened and he leaned in close. “And? Go on. Don’t keep an old man in suspense.”
I scoffed at the reference to old. He was, I suspected, fitter than me. “And nothing.”
“That’s it?” He sagged against my car.
“He wanted a one-night stand, and I didn’t. Or should I say, I was looking for something serious and he wasn’t into it.”
“I’m sorry.” He patted my shoulder. “But as I said…”
“Let it be, Uncle.”
“I hate seeing you lonely.”
“I’m not,” I lied. “Alone doesn’t necessarily mean lonely.” I was. Lonely. But there was an omega somewhere in the city, one who owned a cute dog and who’d stolen a piece of my heart. And until I got it back, there was no one else I could consider.
“Your eyes are deep pools of sadness, my boy.” He ruffled my hair as he used to when I was a kid.
“Really? Have you been reading badly written poetry?”
Uncle reacted with a rueful laugh. “It’s weighing you down. The unhappiness. Maybe it’s time to let the guy go and move on.”
“Perhaps.” I wrapped my arms around him. “Love you.”
“And you. Don’t be a stranger. Come and have lunch at the clinic one day.”
“Clinic canteen food. How can I resist? Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll wait for you to cook me something yummy.”
39
Richard
March. The wonderful month where spring taunts you only to say, “just kidding,” as the snow begins to fly once again. Why did it have to fall on the night I was parked in the farthest part of the lot?
“Looking at the wonder that is snow?” Enrique asked as I stood at the window wondering how long in the future it would be before teleportation.
“Wonder isn’t quite the word I would use for it, but yeah.”
“It’s supposed to stop in the next hour, how about I treat you to dinner at the cafeteria. It’s Tuesday.” He took my arm in his. “I’m not taking no for an answer. I’m on my own for dinner tonight and that simply will not do.”
“Didn’t you get off an hour ago?” I asked as I
walked with him, not even pretending to put up a resistance. Even if it hadn’t been Taco Tuesday, I’d have been happy for the dinner company and lack of needing to cook. It had been a rough day with two patients taken to the connected hospital, needing more care than we could provide.
“I did, but...paperwork.” I knew about that one and groaned in reply. It was at least half of my job. I couldn’t begin to guess how bad it had been before all of the computerization efforts the clinic had undergone.
“Good times.” We took the elevator down one level to the cafeteria we shared with the hospital although the clinic was adamant it was theirs. People were weird.
“Tacos?” Enrique asked with a lilt in his voice.
“Always tacos. I’d forgotten it was Tuesday or I’d have probably already been here.” We each grabbed a tray and hit the taco bar, me grabbing a glass of water and Enrique a cup of tea.
“Thanks for supper,” I said as he took his receipt from the cashier. “Booth or table?”
“Table,” he decided, and we found a nice corner table with no view of the snow, just how I liked it.
We sat there eating our tacos, making small talk about the office and Sophia and the weather. It was nice. Just having dinner with someone.
I never realized how much having a roommate had staved off loneliness. We weren’t even doing everything together kind of friends, even. But there was someone there when I woke up more often than not, at least until Jesse met Dean. And even then, he was around most days for part of the time.
Now? Now it was just me and my dog. I couldn’t begin to fathom how much worse it would be without her, which was probably pretty unhealthy, but there it was.
“That’s great.” Enrique clapped his hands once. Brilliant, I did that thing I used to do as a teen that drove my parents bonkers—I “uh huhed” while I was completely tuned out.
Love at Blind Date Complete Series: Books 1-4 Page 14
