Chapter Six
Ashton
“Idon’t like this,” Steven grumbled as we entered the fancy hotel. It was lavish, the kind where expensive fundraisers were hosted at.
I squeezed his hand in sympathy. I didn’t like it either, but what choice did we have?
People in suits were everywhere in the lobby.
“There must be a party or a convention, or something.” Steven ran a hand through his messy, dirty-blond hair.
“Doctors and finance,” I replied as I caught it on the digital screens that indicated what events were held in which ballrooms.
“Ugh, I can’t believe I lost that bet,” Steven added as we looked around for the hotel bar. He’d been beating himself up over it.
“Marilyn would’ve found a way regardless. You know that,” I assured.
Part of me wanted to tell him that it was a dumb bet. The moment he mentioned it, I knew that he’d lose, because I knew him.
But I didn’t, because, I told you so, wouldn’t do anything but cause a fight.
“You’re right. Maybe it’ll be fun. She could be nice. It was considerate of Marilyn to say that we were just supposed to show her a good time, and it wasn’t really a date. Oh, this way.” He tugged my hand, leading me across the lobby toward a sign for the bar.
Steven spoke quickly, like he did when he was nervous. He was the talker of the two of us. The one that was rasher and more temperamental, but not in a bad way. With Steven, everything he did was big. He loved big, fought big, and oh, he could get big mad, but that was part of why I loved him.
Steven and I met in junior hockey. We played for rival teams. The sparks were there so much that we risked being shunned by both of our teams to sneak out and be with each other.
It continued in college. By some stroke of luck, we both ended up on the Scorpions.
We knew we were finally being rewarded for our patience and had been a couple ever since.
I pulled him close, reassuring him. While Steven wasn’t a small guy, I was even bigger. Not just taller at six-foot-four, but bigger.
It might not be a date, but we knew Marilyn’s standards and had dressed the part. I wore a nice plaid button-down and I’d probably spent way too much time putting my hair up in a bun, giving my beard and the sides and back of my head a good trim.
Steven looked like a surfer who’d been forced into slacks and a blue button-down that matched his eyes, though he’d never surfed. I’d tried to teach him, but he thought the water off the Washington coast was too cold. Still, he looked nice. We both did.
Be good, she said. We’d certainly try.
Honestly, part of me was a little annoyed that Marilyn was putting this on us with the finals in a couple of days. Did she really want to distract us by having us show some omega around town?
At the same time, we couldn’t afford to piss her off, or we might find ourselves sidelined, which was the last thing either of us wanted.
Rhett, who was the other half of my defensive pair, would be pissed if somehow, I got myself removed from any of the games.
Especially if it was for not cooperating with Marilyn.
I wasn’t really ready to meet a new omega. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to make any omega friends. Though part of me was a little jealous after seeing all the happiness some of my teammates now had.
Maybe we could've had that if we didn't have such bad judgment last time.
What Steven and I had together was good. Really good.
I was pretty sure Steven was ready to try again. But he wasn’t saying anything, because he knew I wasn’t.
We were in our mid-twenties and had plenty of time to find an omega. Our careers were solid, but not flashy. We had a lot to offer the right someone.
The bar was noisy and crowded. I didn’t like places like this. I didn’t even like our usual team bar, but I went because of my team–and Steven.
There were a few places I did like… but this wasn’t it.
“Do you see her? Dragonflies and sunglasses aren’t really specific. I don’t know why Marilyn’s being so weird about it,” Steven muttered, as we did a lap.
It made it more stressful. I didn’t want to stare at anyone too long, because I didn’t want to come across as creepy. Especially to whoever it was that we were supposed to meet. I’d been told my stare was a little intense, especially since I didn’t talk much when I didn’t know people well.
While there were a few people alone at the bar, it was a little hard to tell if they were an omega or not. There were just too many smells in here for me.
“I see a lot of sunglasses, but I’m not seeing any dragonflies on someone alone,” I finally replied.
We started our second lap, trying not to be too obvious. A few people recognized us as hockey players and invited us to sit with them.
“Thanks man, but we’re looking for someone,” Steven replied.
“Us?” a group of women asked, flirting.
“Not unless you are wearing a dragonfly?” Steven asked.
They looked baffled. I tugged on his arm and we continued on.
“If we don’t find this person by the end of this lap, I say we just leave,” Steven added.
That sounded good to me. But Marilyn would probably have issues if we stood the omega up.
“Just keep looking,” I said softly as I saw Jackson, one of Rhett’s friends, talking to a couple of people, including a pretty blonde, who I think might be an up-and-coming singer.
By the time we finished our lap around the bar, Steven was quite annoyed.
“Let’s get some beers and do one more? Maybe the omega is in a group for safety,” I suggested.
We went to the bar and got beers. If anything, it gave me something to hold on to besides Steven’s hand. There were some texts to the group chat, but I ignored them. No one knew what we were doing tonight, unless Steven told them. I just said we were busy.
While people knew about the bet, no one needed to know that we were out tonight. We had tomorrow off anyway.
I saw Jackson and the blonde leaving. Where are you, omega?
My eyes flickered over the person sitting at the high-top where Jackson had been. They were small, with light-brown, wavy hair, an eyebrow piercing, and a nose piercing.
The person was on their phone, sipping a drink and they wore some kind of jumpsuit with dragonflies. A dragonfly clip sat in her hair next to sunglasses. Their hair? Marilyn had said she but I didn’t want to assume. Tan skin. A cute nose that reminded me of a doll with yarn hair my sister had.
Steven followed my gaze. “You’re staring.”
“Sunglasses and dragonflies.” I nodded towards them.
Steven’s jaw went slack as he took in who we hoped was the right omega–otherwise we were just being creepy. He sucked in a breath. “I think that might be the omega? Stunning. I bet she looks hot in flannel.”
Always with the lumberjack jokes. Yes, I liked flannel. Yes, I had an axe in my truck. Yes, I rocked the man bun and beard.
Didn’t really make me a lumberjack.
The fact that I came from a family of loggers did. But I only did that in the off-season to help out my family.
“It’s got to be her.” He took my hand and tugged me towards the high-top.
They looked up, slightly annoyed. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. Please tell me that you’re the omega we’re supposed to meet.
We’ve been around this bar three times. Otherwise, we’re just super creepy and I really apologize.
We were set up, but all we know is that we’re meeting an omega with sunglasses and a dragonfly,” Steven babbled, staring at the omega with moon-eyes.
“You’re meeting someone with sunglasses and dragonflies?” The omega looked down at the dragonflies on their jumpsuit.
“Yeah,” Steven added.
The omega sighed heavily. “Did one of my aunties put you up to this?”
“I think your aunt got in touch with our PR director? Marilyn has been setting everyone on the team up all season. Anyway, I lost a bet and now I have to take out her chosen omega. But don’t worry, she said that this isn’t actually a date, that we’re just supposed to show you around a little while you’re here in town.
I get that you’re probably not interested, but maybe we can just have drinks and then maybe show you something tomorrow, since we have it off?
That way we’ll fulfill our duty, and no one gets in trouble. ” Steven fidgeted nervously.
“I don’t want anyone to get in trouble.” The omega frowned. “You really have to show me around because you lost a bet?”
Steven nodded. “We can call her if you think we’re faking.
But if you look up our hockey team, the Scented Scorpions, you can see that Marilyn has been setting up players from the team.
Also, you can find proof that we’re part of it.
I’m Steven Andromeda and he’s Gary Ashton. But everyone just calls him Ashton.”
The omega’s look went thoughtful, looking something up. They raised the phone and peered at us.
Steven posed, but I just stood there holding his hand, patiently letting the omega do due diligence to feel safe.
“I believe you. Wow, I have matchmaking aunties, but you have a matchmaking boss. Sucks to be you.” The omega laughed.
“Sometimes.” I suppressed a smile. I liked this one. “Can we sit?”
Their head lolled from side to side. “I suppose.”
I took a seat. “Hi, I’m Ashton and this is Steven. If you don't mind me asking what's your name and your pronouns? I don’t want to use the wrong one.”
“Yeah, Marilyn didn’t give us a name or show us a picture, just the time and place to find you, and that you’d have sunglasses and a dragonfly,” Steven added.
“That’s dramatic. I kinda love it?” The omega took a sip of the drink. “Thank you so much for asking. I’m Kai Silva and I use she/they pronouns.”
Ah, so I was right.
“Oh, sorry,” Steven said. “She/they? So sometimes you feel like a girl and sometimes you don’t? Not trying to pry, trying to figure it out so I don’t say the wrong thing.”