Chapter 3 #2
“That young man is a force of nature, I’m telling you.
” Jesse bit into his sandwich and chewed before continuing, his mouth full.
“He turned up at the interview with a fifteen-page economic development strategy. I thought it would all be castles in the sky, but he sure did his research. Most of his ideas could actually work.”
“What ideas?”
“Well, there’s a lot. But mainly he says that our turning away developers is a good way to preserve the uniqueness of Beauville, but it’s stifling the economy.”
I sucked in a breath. What the actual fuck? If Oliver started convincing the old-timers to build a tourist resort out of Beauville, we were going to have words.
“We could have, like, a limited number of small developments, he said, not bigger than Monty’s.
They would be marketed as private, exclusive getaways and would bring in money without crowding the town with tourists and changing the atmosphere.
” Jesse was using a truckload of fancy words that clearly weren’t from his own head.
“You’re telling me the guys bought it?”
“They did when Oliver explained it would be great for the town’s other businesses.
Plus, it would bring in more jobs for the younger generation, maybe even tempt some youngsters to come back home after they finish their education, just like Oliver.
He has a few good points. You should read the thing. ”
“He’s fresh out of college and hasn’t even started working,” I grumbled.
Jesse shrugged. “The kid has Phil’s smarts, I’m telling you. He’ll be an asset even if we never move forward with any of his bold plans.”
And so, little Ollie had the council wrapped around his finger before he even began.
That evening, I was too lazy to cook for myself. Besides, it was a lovely, warm night, and Jordy would have the patio open. Honey-glazed ribs, here I come.
As it often happened, it was Hunter and me at the bachelor table. Except our doctor was headed on a cruise the following week. Where he got the energy to date was beyond me.
“Not like I can find a mate on a cruise ship,” he muttered.
“Why do you do this to yourself?”
“One word. Sex.” He smirked at me over the brim of his beer glass and took a gulp.
When he put it like that… When was the last time I’d had sex?
I started counting in my head. Shit . Four months?
No, six. It had been before Christmas, a one-night stand at a conference in the city.
He was a nice guy, cute and keen on a shifter.
We went to breakfast together, and he even blew me in lieu of a goodbye before he left for the airport.
That had been nice. A little impersonal, but more than good enough for a lonely loser like me.
“You should come with me,” Hunter said.
“I don’t have the time.” I couldn’t leave now, when so much was happening at work.
Or was there? Aside from the fiber optic cables being laid in some streets, nothing was going on.
We’d soon have tumbleweeds rolling through the corridors at the town hall.
But Oliver was starting on Monday, and I had to be there, or he would get suspicious.
“Beauville will still stand even if you’re gone for a week,” Hunter pressed. “They make it without their doctor here and there, so why shouldn’t they be able to survive without the mayor?”
I was about to reply, but a flash of bright copper made all my thoughts come to a halt.
There he was. Under the twinkling fairy lights, Oliver’s hair glittered.
The unique, vivid hues made him shine like a beacon.
Sunset and gold and fire. He ran his hand through it, and the soft waves tumbled to one side.
He sat at a corner table with Barclay’s mate, Calvin, who was drinking a soda and stroking his huge, pregnant belly.
Even Barclay, the grumpiest hermit in Beauville, had found a mate, and they were expecting their first baby.
Oliver laughed at something Calvin said.
He really was beautiful. It wasn’t just the unforgettable color of his hair, but his sea-green eyes were clever, twinkling with youth and ideas, and he always seemed to be smirking a little.
Oliver looked somehow knowing , as if he could read my mind across the room.
On Monday, I’d have him right under my nose.
Damn .
“Hey, little Ollie is back. Chickie must be bouncing with joy.” Hunter’s words slapped me back into reality.
“Erm. Yeah. He sure is.”
“I wonder what he’s going to do now. I was convinced he’d come back with a mate. An attractive young omega like him must have alphas fawning all over him. But he’s single, isn’t he?”
“Oliver got a job at the town hall,” I said in what I hoped sounded like a neutral tone. “He’s starting on Monday.”
“Really? That’s great. You got lucky.” Hunter clinked his glass against mine.
“With old Hughes retiring, you’d have had a hard time finding someone reasonable for the job.
Oliver has a degree in economics, right?
Chickie has been telling anyone with ears that his kid graduated with the highest honors. ”
“He’s throwing himself away. He could have gotten a corporate job in the city or studied postgrad.”
Hunter shrugged. “Maybe he was homesick. He looks happy.”
He did. He was chatting away with Calvin, tapping his fingers on the table to the music from the jukebox. Monty sauntered toward them, his big body hiding them from view, but then he turned and waved at us.
“What does he want now?” Hunter grumbled. “Didn’t it occur to him that Calvin and Oliver might want to be left alone?”
But Monty, the owner of the Beauville B&B and the pub, thought that good service meant making as many people as possible talk and laugh as loudly as possible. Since Jordy stood behind the bar tonight, Monty had way too much time to wander around and harass his guests.
Oliver glanced at me from across the room, and his smile fell a notch.
Yeah. This was going to be awkward more than just once.
Calvin and Monty were just as oblivious as Hunter, and before I could talk my way out of it, I was sitting on the edge of the patio at a bigger table, facing Oliver. The night was cooling down, and a soft breeze picked up. Hunter brought Calvin a blanket.
“Where’s Barclay, huh?” he asked as he put the blanket over Calvin’s shoulders.
“On his way. He wanted to finish something at the woodshop, and I wanted to meet with Oliver.”
Oliver grinned at Calvin, and it felt as if he was studiously avoiding looking at me. Or maybe I was reading too much into it. I was relieved the breeze came from the side, and I couldn’t smell him. Instead, the scent of the forest and barbecue filled my nose.
“Oliver, so you’ll be working for this old grouch starting Monday,” Monty said, and slapped my shoulder.
Oliver’s eyes flickered my way, but only for a split second. Did I imagine the faint blush on his cheeks? His smile looked calm and confident.
“Actually, I’ll be working for all of you, trying to keep Beauville as prosperous as it was when Mr. Hughes was in charge of the budget.”
It was a diplomatic reply worthy of a seasoned politician. But I knew Oliver was sharp as hell.
“We won’t mind if you can make it more prosperous,” Monty said, winking. “Nothing bad about Hughes. He’s a good man. But we need young folks with fresh ideas, isn’t that right, Frey?”
“Sure.” I swallowed more beer.
Oliver looked at me, a challenge in his gaze. The beer felt suddenly too fizzy and heavy in my stomach. I put the glass down, watching the bubbles on the surface.
“I have a few ideas,” Oliver said, “but we’ll see what the council says.”
“The poor guy hasn’t even started yet,” Hunter said. “Leave him be.”
Monty made a dismissive sound. “Bah, he’s fine. We’re just chatting, aren’t we? Hey, Oliver, did you find a boyfriend in college? Should we prepare for some classy city slicker moving into town?”
I looked up. Oliver took a sip from his drink and swallowed before replying, “No.”
Was that all he was going to say? But I didn’t have to press for more, not with Monty right by my side.
“Really? With those pretty eyes of yours and this body? You must have been swatting away alphas like flies.”
Oliver chuckled, shifting uncomfortably. Calvin jumped to his rescue.
“Jeez, Monty, when you say shit like that, nobody wonders why you are still single.”
Hunter guffawed, and Monty grunted. “Touché, Cal. Touché. But I’ll remember that.”
Calvin patted his hand. “One day, a pretty omega will walk into this town, your gazes will meet, the sky will open, and angels will sing… And you’ll know he’s the one. When that happens, just don’t say anything. Not a word.”
The entire table burst out laughing.
“I miss the times when you were too afraid of bears to join in on the ribbing,” Monty said, but there was no malice in his tone.
Oliver’s laugh rang above the cacophony of snickers, not louder, just somehow more distinct and melodic. My gaze got stuck on his face, and for a moment, I couldn’t look away.
Yeah, he was beautiful. Like a damned picture.
Shining eyes with long lashes, a smooth jawline, and dimples in his cheeks.
Those lips. He stopped laughing, and they were full, parted just a tad, as if waiting for something, the pink hue and the plump shape so innocent yet seductive at the same time…
Those deep eyes flashed to mine and widened a fraction.
My heart thumped, and I was suddenly hyperaware of my dick in my jeans, thankfully soft.
“A burger? And glazed ribs?” Sedric asked loudly, and I looked up. Jordy and Monty hired the omega a month ago. He was a good server, quick and friendly, but he’d been making eyes at me since he’d started. For once, the intrusion was welcome.
Hunter moved his beer aside to make space for his burger.
“The ribs are for me, thanks,” I said, and took the plate from Sedric.
Then I dug in, not looking up until the food was gone.
Barclay arrived, so I exchanged a few words with him. He looked a decade younger as he smiled and hugged his mate. And even as I couldn’t help but envy him, it was nice to see Barclay happy.
When Monty began ordering rounds of drinks, it was my cue to get out of there. I excused myself, paid at the bar, and hurried home.
As soon as I closed the door behind me, I dropped my clothes and shifted. Running would have been best to relieve my strange frustration, but I’d eaten too much.
Instead, I lay on the living room carpet and slept in fur. In bear form, my dreams were peaceful. If I saw any blue-green eyes and plush, kissable lips in them, I didn’t remember.