Page 9 of Romancing the Omega
“I’m sorry, Yeo. I really didn’t think about how it looked.” He thought for a minute. “Wait. I’m not dating Zoe. You heard her, right?”
“We saw Zoe in your lap, and Mrs. Haverty told me you were seeing three different omegas. She said you even went out with all three sometimes.” A tear fell down his cheek. “You shouldn’t have been nice to me, Caden. It’s not right.” He growled. “Damn baby fever. That’s what this is. I don’t like you.”
“Baby fever? You want babies?” He was a little embarrassed at how eager he sounded. “Wait, three omegas? What in the hell is she talking about?” He thought for a minute, and his eyes widened as he realized what it was. “Oh. She must mean Grey, Abel, and Justin.”
“You forgot you had three omegas?” Yeo stared at him in hurt disbelief. “Is this some kind of sister wives thing?”
“They aren’t my omegas,” Caden said, laughing. “I can’t wait to tell them about this.” He made sure Yeo’s wet eyes were watching him. “Grey is married to Harper. Justin is dating a cop, and Abel is like Zoe. He is basically my little brother. They all are. They’re my best friends so we go places together all the time.”
“You’re friends with omegas?” Yeo watched him curiously. “You’re not like any alpha I’ve ever met.”
“Hobson Hills has a lot of good alphas,” he said, then realized what he said. “None are as good as me, though. I’m the best and the most handsome, so don’t go looking at them.” He pressed his face into his hands. “I can’t believe I just said that.” He couldn’t bear to look at Yeo’s face, so he ran out the door, forgetting about Sassy and Huckleberry.
For two hours, Caden walked up and down the cold streets of Hobson Hills. He couldn’t bring himself to go back inside the bookstore to get his pets. Yeo had to think he was either an idiot or a pompous jerk.
“Caden? What are you doing pacing the streets?” Gramps Wilson was a tall man with white hair and kind eyes. “What’s wrong, son?”
“I’m an idiot,” Caden said. “I don’t know why I like Yeo so much, but being around him turns me into a complete nincompoop.”
“Yeo, huh? Elijah told me you fancied an omega here in town.” He watched him with amusement. “The romance novelist can’t figure out how to romance his omega?”
“Don’t laugh,” Caden said. “Writing about love is much easier than feeling it.”
“Don’t I know it,” Gramps said. He wrapped an arm around Caden’s shoulders. “Listen. No one and nothing is perfect. You’re going to say stupid things. He’ll say stupid things. There will be miscommunications and misunderstandings all around. The important thing is that you don’t run from him. You don’t give up on him. Well, unless he tells you too. Don’t be a stalker, son.”
Caden’s lips twitched. “We haven’t even really talked yet. I can’t even get to that point.”
“When I met Laurel for the first time, her and her friends were swimming in the lake. I thought I’d impress her, so I jumped in, off a cliff. I lost my shorts,” Gramps said. “I’ve never been so embarrassed in all my life. That water was cold, son.”
Caden laughed. “Really? That happened?”
“Yes,” Gramps said. “I didn’t give up, though.” He eyed Caden. “You haven’t lost your pants yet, so you shouldn’t be so worried.”
“Alright,” he said. “I need to go get Huck and Sassy any way. I left them in there.”
Gramps chuckled and gave him a little push. “Get moving.”
Caden walked back into The Book Worm and stood awkwardly at the register. Yeo eyed him as he worked with a customer. Caden noticed the bag of gifts wasn’t in the garbage can anymore. The scarf was again wrapped around Yeo’s neck. Linc was napping in his nap roll. Huckleberry and Sassy’s heads both poked up out of the roll too, right next to his.
“Forget something?”
He turned to Yeo, blushing. “A few things, really. I’m glad Linc likes animals. Does he have a pet? He’s so gentle with Sassy and Huckleberry.”
“We don’t,” Yeo said. “My parents never let me have any pets and my ex-wife hated animals. I’ve always wanted a pet, and I know Linc would love one too.” He shot his son a fond look. “One day.”
“I’m sorry I’m an idiot around you,” Caden said.
“Well, I’m an idiot around you too,” Yeo said, softly. “Did you forget I actually cried when I thought you were dating someone else? We’re even on the embarrassment level.”
“Where does this leave us, then?”
“You know where I work, right?” Yeo smiled shyly.
Caden grinned. “Yes,” he said. “I do.”
“We’ll start there.”