8. Chad
CHAPTER 8
Chad
Rejection.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow. That’s what my life is. One big rejection. No one wants me. Not my parents. Not Richard. Not the pack on Omega in Paradise. And certainly not Dean.
Damn, I deluded myself on that one. I knew better. The no alphas rule went out the window the second he pressed his lips to my throat. Who am I lying to? It went out the window the second I saw him dripping in sweat. And I went to the country club because I wanted to see if he still stayed late like he did when we were teens. I asked for this pain.
Four days later and it still aches just behind my rib cage. Four days later and I’m still hiding in my parents house like a loser that can’t handle rejection.
I’m a bad bitch. Anyone would be lucky to even talk to me. If I give someone my attention, they know they’ve won the lottery. I’m the best they will ever get. I snort. Right. I don’t even believe me. But I can fake it. Right?
I could use a hit of sunshine right about now. With that thought firmly in mind, I put myself together, after a quick shower to wash the bitter scent of my perfume from my body and dress in a new outfit of designer jeans and a soft t-shirt that my omega self loves. Then I head to the garage to pick out my transportation for the day.
Going for normal and low-key, I snag the keys for the bronco. It has all the bells and whistles, but at least it blends in on the street. The drive to the city doesn’t take long. And before I know, it I’m stepping into the tiny diner Lakelyn works at. The waitress from the first time is behind the register, and I cross the space with a smile in place.
“Is Lakelyn working today?”
Her eyes run down my body, clearly liking what she sees, but I dismiss her attention. I only have one woman in mind that has caught my interest.
She pops her gum and looks toward the double doors that lead to the kitchen. “She’s on break.”
“I’ll wait.”
She shrugs like it doesn’t matter one way or another, then she greets the new couple stepping into the diner as I settle at the counter.
“Chad? Is that you?” a voice says from a booth near the window. I glance over to find my mother’s friend, Jenny, smiling back. I’m not in the mood to do the fake flirting with her, so I just give a small wave and brief smile before I move to the counter, effectively dismissing her.
I don't wait long before Lakelyn pushes from the back, her eyes land on me, and a welcoming smile pulls at her lips. It's exactly what my soul needs.
She nibbles shyly at her low lip as she comes to a stop in front of me. “I haven't seen you in a few days…”
She trails off, and I know she's silently asking where I've been, telling me she missed me. Warmth spreads inside my chest, and I lean toward her, drawn to her in the same way Dean pulls me in. Only it feels mutual with her. Something I might want to explore.
“Too long,” I admit. “I won't make that mistake again. Seeing your smile is like a hit of happiness to my system.”
She blushes, her cute freckles darkening adorably at my blunt words. Shaking herself out of it, she fishes her order pad out.
“What can I get for you today?”
“All of today? Or just lunch? Because I have some ideas—” I trail off suggestively and am rewarded with another perfect blush. How far would it spread? My gaze dips to her collarbone, down to the curve of her shirt that clings to her breasts.
Slowly, I drag my eyes back to hers, taking in all the details of her face as I do. From the dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose to her lashes that are the same color of her hair. As they drop and caress her cheeks, they hide the brilliant sky blue of her eyes from me.
Damn, she makes my heart race.
“So, just lunch, got it,” I say when she stares at her order pad. I’d be lying if I didn't acknowledge the slight pang of disappointment. But she doesn't owe me anything. “I'll have a soda and cheese burger with fries.”
She scribbles the order down then brings her curious gaze up to me. “What about later?”
Her soft words have butterflies waking up in my stomach as I suppress a smile. “How about a few hours of your time?”
She grins then sinks her pearly white teeth into her lip again as she nods her agreement. When she spins away from me, I catch the slightest hint of blueberries. Mouthwatering. Is that a natural perfume or a spray? Not that it matters, either way I want…no, need to smell it again.
Five hours later, I pull up outside of an upscale apartment complex not far from Main Street, and seconds later, Lakelyn appears from the door and excitedly bounds down the stairs. In simple tennis shoes, a comfortable-looking sweater, and jeans that hug her curves—she’s able to do the one thing that no other female could…make my perfume bloom in the small space.
I slip out of the Bronco and make it to the passenger side door before she does. Pulling it open for her, I gesture at the leather seat. “Your carriage awaits.”
Her smile lights up the growing darkness, and I can't help my answering one as I secure her inside the vehicle. She inhales deeply but doesn’t mention the fact my pheromones are bleeding from me so strongly that even she could smell me. I only hope she doesn’t hate my scent, because I didn’t take a blocker, and I don’t plan on taking any for a long time.
“Where are we going?” she asks as I slide behind the wheel.
“I've been back over a week, and I haven't made a single stop to Mountain Mama's coffee shop. I heard they moved. And I have a craving for a Peanut Butter Chia. Unless you want to go somewhere else?” I look over at her and lift my brows in question.
“Sounds good.” She settles her hands in her lap, and instinctively, I reach over and tangle my fingers with hers.
The distance to the coffee house is so short we probably could have walked. But she’s been on her feet all day. So I didn’t bring it up. Once parked, I slip out of the Bronco and meet her at her door as she pushes it open.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that—” she says as her feet touch the ground.
“Do what?”
“Open doors for me. I’m just a beta.”
I pause, catching her eyes as they widen slightly. "Doesn’t matter to me what you are," I say, my voice low but firm. "I want to open doors for you."
Her lips part, and she blinks up at me, clearly taken aback. I don’t give her a chance to respond, sliding my hand into hers, my fingers brushing her skin lightly before curling around her palm. "And I want to hold your hand too," I add, my voice softening. "And get to know you. More than just a coffee shop visit."
She stares at me, uncertainty written across her face, but she doesn’t pull away. The hesitation lingers, though, and I know why. I’ve felt the uncertainty of not belonging before. But she belongs. I’ll make sure of it.
As we step into the cozy warmth of the coffee shop, the scent of roasted beans and cinnamon filling the air, I gently guide her to a small booth in the corner. The soft lighting casts a golden hue on her skin, and I can’t help but notice how she looks around like she’s trying to avoid the weight of what I said.
Her voice comes out in a whisper, almost like she’s talking to herself. “Omegas don’t date betas.”
I lean forward, resting my arms on the table between us. "I’m not really a rule follower, if that were a rule. It’s not by the way. Besides, I want to know you." My tone is blunt but not harsh. “If that means opening doors, holding hands, and seeing where this goes, I’m all in. But that’s only if you want it too.”
Her fingers fidget with the edge of the menu, her eyes avoiding mine. “I just… I don’t know. People don’t?—”
I cut her off, leaning a little closer. "Forget people. This is about what you want. What do you want?"
She lifts her eyes to mine, her cheeks burning with that blush that’s becoming my favorite thing to see. “This. I want this.” Her words come out steady, but there’s a softness to them, like she’s still figuring out how to handle the moment.
A real smile spreads across my face, the kind I don’t have to hold back. “Yeah?” I lean in just a little, enough to close the distance between us but not push her too far. “You want this ?”
Her blush deepens, and it takes everything in me not to tease her more about how cute she looks like this. But I keep my tone light, even as I feel the intensity of the moment settling between us.
“I want to kiss you,” I admit, my eyes dipping to her lips.
Her breath hitches, and I watch as her lips part just slightly, her fingers going still where they rest on the edge of the menu. The space between us feels electric, charged with something neither of us can quite name yet. The same something that’s been there since I first saw her on that tennis court. She doesn’t say anything, doesn’t have to. The way her eyes flick to my mouth tells me everything I need to know.
I lean in a little more, closing the distance, just enough to let her feel the shift, to let her know what I’m about to do.
My perfume would be filling the space if the place didn’t have a diffuser set up to eliminate perfumes and musks. As it is now, once we leave, my desire for this beta will be obvious to anyone that’s close enough to smell me.
My heart’s beating harder now, and all I can think about is how soft her lips look, how badly I want to taste them. Her breathing quickens, and I take that as a sign, my hand sliding across the table toward hers, ready to take this moment.
“I’m going to kiss you,” I say again, my voice low, just for her.
Her eyes flutter, and I’m close enough now to feel her warmth. She doesn’t move, doesn’t pull away—if anything, she’s leaning toward me too, drawn into whatever this is between us. Just one more inch, and?—
“Hi there! What can I get y’all to drink?”
The waitress’s voice shatters the moment, and I jerk back like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t. My heart’s still pounding as I blink up at her, this girl with a bright smile who has no idea she’s stepped into something that had nothing to do with coffee.
“Uh—” I clear my throat, forcing a grin as I lean back in my seat, trying to act casual. “A Peanut Butter Chia.”
She scribbles something down on her notepad, and I glance over at Lakelyn, who looks just as flustered as I feel, her cheeks a deeper red than before.
“And for you, hon?” the waitress asks, turning her attention to her.
Her voice comes out softer than I expected. “Same.”
The waitress nods and disappears, leaving the air between us buzzing with everything we didn’t get to finish. I sit back, exhaling slowly, trying to ease the tension in my chest. I glance back at her, catching the shy smile playing on her lips, and I can’t help but laugh softly.
“Well,” I say, my voice still low, leaning in slightly again, “that was... bad timing.”