Chapter Five
Kai
Monday
I’d had another amazing day, despite the hotel being full of doctors and finance bros.
Last night we went line dancing. They’d had an amazing time, and I’d managed to not get set up with anyone… not even a rancher or an oil baron’s daughter.
After another lavish breakfast at the hotel and some more swimming and day drinking by the pool, I had my spa day with Auntie Kiki and Auntie Mimi. I’d gotten a massage, facial, manicure, and pedicure.
Back up in the room, I’d put on a new outfit. This one was a dressy jumpsuit with little jeweled dragonflies on the top. Dragonflies were my favorite. I even used some of the makeup they’d gotten me yesterday.
We were eating at the hotel’s restaurant on the patio today, so I grabbed my sunglasses.
Feeling cute, I kicked up my heel and struck a little pose, taking a mirror selfie. I didn’t post it to my socials, just to my lab group, who were continuing to worry about me. They also kept me updated on the drama.
Auntie Kiki rapped on my door. “Timeliness is important.”
“Coming.” I made sure everything important was in the wallet attached to my phone, because I didn’t feel like bringing a purse or my mini backpack today.
We had another delicious meal, this one not quite as fancy as last night. But there was live music and good vibes. Perfect. Yes, this was more fun than being lonely.
“What are we doing tonight?” It wasn’t even seven yet.
“We have tickets to a concert, but we couldn’t get another ticket for you. I can give you my ticket if you want,” Auntie Tiff offered.
“Or you can go to the bar? We all know that’s where all the important things happen at conferences,” Auntie Cookie joked.
Honestly, I didn’t feel like going to a concert–or the bar. I really just wanted to curl up with some ice cream and watch some trash TV.
But I knew the aunties. They wanted to feel useful.
“If I go to the bar for a little bit, will you stop trying to fix me up? I’m serious. I need just a little break.” I could have a drink or two, scroll on my phone, then go up to the room, and order ice cream from room service.
Auntie Kiki thought for a moment. “You have to stay down for an hour.”
“Sounds good. Have a nice time. Don’t stay out too late,” I replied. An hour? I could do that.
They left to get a car to their concert.
The art deco bar gleamed with polished wood and beautiful fixtures.
Alphas in suits packed it, sipping drinks while laughing a little too hard.
There were people who looked like they’d already had one too many cocktails, handshakes and business talk, and of course, romantic liaisons.
There were also packs and couples sharing an appetizer or having a drink.
As I looked for a place to sit, I took in the chaos. It had been a while since I’d been in a bar, especially one where I wasn’t rushing to meet anyone or having to make sure I left at a certain time, because I still had to study for an exam or turn in a paper.
It was nice.
While what Logan and my ex-friends did to me stung, I wasn’t quite as heartbroken as I probably should be. What hurt wasn’t the lack of love–it was the lack of trust.
That made me think. Did I ever really love Logan? Or was I just in love with the idea of Logan? Or perhaps even just the idea of having an alpha in general. Given society conditioned us omegas to think we needed one, that an alpha meant safety and security.
Same with my friends. Obviously, they never were actually my friends.
Grabbing a seat at the bar, I ordered a lemon drop and charged it to Auntie’s room. If I was hanging out in a bar because she wanted me to, she was paying for my overpriced drinks.
A couple of alphas looked my way and I avoided eye contact. I might be sitting here to make the aunties happy, but I wasn’t interested in meeting anyone.
An alpha approached the bar, leaning a little too close to me as he ordered a whiskey, his presence and scent invading my space.
He looked over at me and shot me a smile as polished as the fancy watch on his wrist, which cost more than my tuition.
“Drinking alone, Sweetie? I can fix that,” he slurred.
“Just waiting for someone,” I waved off, not interested in some drunk alpha with a wedding ring.
“Why else would a little thing like you be sitting alone in the bar?” He took a step forward.
Inwardly, I recoiled. Yeah, not his little thing.
“I told you, I’m just waiting for my friends.” I picked up my phone and acted like I was texting someone. Then I looked around the bar, both as if looking for my imaginary friend, and to see if I could spy anyone I might be able to pretend was said friend.
There she was–blonde and blue-eyed, wearing a floral dress that looked right out of a sorority rush video, along with heels and perfect accessories.
“There she is.” Waving, I grabbed my drink, glad I’d already paid for it, and went right over to her.
“Could you play along? Some alpha won’t leave me alone and I said I was meeting my friend,” I whispered.
The omega nodded and smiled at me. “I’m here, I’m here. You know all this takes time.” Leaning in she whispered, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you. I’m Claire.”
“Kai,” I replied.
Claire led me to a high-top table. She had sunglasses hanging from the neckline of her dress and the most beautiful dragonfly clip in her hair.
“The clip is pretty.” I took a sip of my drink.
“Dragonflies are my favorite,” she shared as she waved a server over.
“Me, too.” I gestured to the ones on my jumpsuit.
A server came over and took her order.
“I’m not here for long. I’m just meeting someone. But we can hang out until then. I come to Nashville a lot. What about you?” she replied.
“Spring break. I’m down here in the bar because my matchmaking aunties made me and I didn’t feel like arguing.” I took another drink.
“Ugh, mine’s on my back, too. She seems to think she has to find me an alpha. I don’t need her help. But she won’t listen.” Her eyes rolled. “Matchmaking aunts, am I right?”
“I feel that. Mine aren’t being super pushy. But they’re paying for the trip, so I guess I can go along with a little of it? They’ll stop if I tell them.” Though listening to my elders was sort of ingrained in me.
“I wish mine would stop. It’s unbearable. Is this where you’re staying? This is my favorite hotel in Nashville.” She texted someone. “Are you having fun? The shopping here is amazing.”
“Yes. Look at some of the things they bought me.” I showed her pictures of the bag and some of the highlights.
She whistled. “I think spending an hour pretending to meet alphas is worth that bag. You can always hook up with somebody. After all, you’re single and on spring break.”
“True.” That was something I hadn’t considered. I wasn’t averse, for the right person. But maybe not an alpha. Perhaps some sweet beta?
“Is this trip a distraction?” She took her drink from the server and paid for it.
“More like a replacement.” I quickly told her what happened.
“The audacity! I hope you stranded them all in Bali.” She texted someone again, probably whoever she was meeting.
“I’m glad you think so. There definitely are people who want to know what I did to make him replace me,” I grumbled.
“I canceled the hotel reservation, and I may have canceled their return airplane tickets. They figured something out. I’m sure they’re still having a good time without me. ” My shoulders slumped.
“You need to have the best time and document everything,” she assured.
“I plan on it,” I said as an alpha in a cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and jeans came over to us. He looked a little familiar.
“There you are.” He flashed Claire with the giant smile of someone who hadn’t seen their favorite person in a while.
“Jackson,” she squealed, wrapping her arms around him while staying in her seat. “This is Jackson. Jackson, this is Kai, who also suffers from matchmaking aunts.”
“Nice to meet you.” He gave me a nod.
He joined us at the high-top, sitting there for a few minutes as Claire finished her drink.
“Don’t tell my aunt, but I’m really in Nashville to meet him.
I met him at a party, and we’ve been doing the long-distance thing.
My friends are totally covering for me, and my aunt doesn’t even live here.
But you know how it goes.” She laughed as she squeezed Jackson’s hand and gave him a look that wrenched my heart.
Once, I looked at Logan like that.
“I won’t tell her.” I studied Jackson, trying to figure out why he looked familiar.
“Maybe it’s time we tell her?” Jackson asked.
Claire’s brow furrowed. “You know what the media will be like.”
“I don’t care–and you shouldn’t either.” He leaned in and kissed her.
Awww. Media. Someone must be famous.
Two guys wandering around the bar caught my eye. One had a man bun with shaved sides and the other had wavy blond hair. I wasn’t sure what it was about them that drew me to them, other than they looked like they really didn’t want to be there.
“We’re going to head out. It was so nice to meet you, Kai,” Claire said.
“Should we stay a little longer?” Jackson frowned.
Claire shook her head. “Kai, have a great spring break and enjoy everything. You don’t need him.”
“It was nice meeting you.” Jackson tipped his hat at me.
“Thanks for keeping me company.” I checked my phone. Okay, I could endure the rest of my time. I should probably order another drink though.
She took the dragonfly clip out of her hair.
“Here you go. I think it suits you.” She clipped a piece of my hair back.
“Are you sure?” I was slightly weirded out by the fact she just put it in my hair. But it was pretty and she did seem really nice. She was probably one of those omegas that didn’t quite understand personal boundaries.
“It’s yours. It looks fantastic. You have fun.” She took Jackson’s arm and they left the bar.
I waved the server over and ordered another lemon drop, then checked the time on my phone. Now I just needed to keep anyone else from talking to me until my hour was up.