Chapter 23 #2
Her image?
My eyebrows rose. “You’re worried that dating a country music star is going to tarnish your image, yet you left me in a bar at the mercy of strange alphas. Do you know how people would react to that?”
Her look went stricken. “Please don’t. I’m so sorry.
” She sighed. “My manager doesn’t want people to know I’m dating because it ruins the fantasy that I’m obtainable.
I don’t like it, but I don’t want them to ruin my career simply because I fell in love.
” She sniffed and buried her face in Jackson’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her.
“You have me. I know how things work. Like I’ve said, we can figure this out,” Jackson assured.
“Wow, that’s shitty. I’m not gonna blast you on social media.
I understand that you were trying to protect yourself and the person you care about.
You had good intentions. You just didn’t think through it very well and hurt me in the process,” I replied.
Honestly, I could see that happening, too.
I had an actor friend back in LA who’s agent made her date her co-star for the press.
“I’m sorry we hurt you. I’d like to let you know that you were never in any danger. Those two are good guys,” Jackson replied.
“I forgive you. I’m just really upset.” Where did I even go from here?
“I’m really sorry, Kai. If there's any way I can make it up to you, please let me know. I was just doing for you what I would want someone to do for me. I should’ve just been honest from the beginning,” Claire pleaded.
“You would want someone to hook you up with hot random strangers to go do fun things over spring break after you had a break up?” I gave her a puzzled look.
“Of course. That’s what friends are for. Omegas stick together.” She nodded brightly.
Everything made sense now. I truly believed that Claire thought she was doing this out of kindness and omega solidarity, even if she didn’t do it quite right.
Even if I got hurt along the way.
Her good intentions didn’t absolve her, but it did explain her actions. Part of me rested easy knowing that there were absolutely no ill intentions, just recklessness. A spoiled omega used to getting her way and not facing consequences.
She put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m really sorry.
I just wanted you to have fun and have nice pictures for your socials.
Make everyone jealous that you had a holiday hook up with two hockey players.
They may have originally mistaken you, but you’re not the wrong omega, Kai. Everything led them right to you.”
“I’ve got to go.” I sighed.
“Do you want us to walk you back to your seat? Do you need anything?” Jackson said
“I’m fine.” No, there was nothing that they could do. I left the fancy box and went into the bathroom and cried again.
I wanted to believe everything that she said was absolutely true. After all, if there weren’t sparks, they didn’t have to continue taking me out. Yet they did.
It still didn’t make me feel any better.
Before I left, I had to tell them the truth. It was only right, especially since they wanted to make plans to do things this summer. I didn’t want them to feel obligated to do that. I didn’t want them to continue doing things with the wrong person.
I returned to my seat right as the game restarted.
“Who made you cry?” Auntie Kiki demanded. “If it was those boys, I’ll throw things at them while they’re on the ice.”
“Thank you, Auntie, but I think that might get us thrown out. It wasn’t them.” I leaned into her and stayed quiet.
I watched the game. Like last period there was a lot of punching of people, skating around with knives for feet, and the puck flying across the ice, so quickly that it was hard to keep track. Both teams scored again. Intermission started with the score now at 2-2.
“Will you tell me what happened now?” Aunty Kiki demanded.
An abbreviated version of what I discovered tumbled out.
“I’m the wrong omega.” I sniffed. But if I was the wrong omega, why did being with them feel so right?
“I can understand you’re upset. But how does this impact anything? We’re going home tomorrow,” Auntie Kiki said.
“I wasn’t who was chosen. I wasn’t the person they were supposed to meet,” I explained. “Everything is based on a lie. Relationships based on a lie only work out in the movies. I mean look at me and Logan, we exploded because he’s a big liar.”
“This is nothing like you and Logan.” Auntie Kiki looked confused. “It’s okay to be mad at that girl, but I don’t understand, there were no lies.”
“It was an innocent mistake on the boys’ part. Probably fate,” Auntie Cookie agreed.
“You’re not getting it. I was the wrong person again,” I implored.
“Oh, Kai.” Auntie Kiki held me to her. “You were never wrong.”
“Maybe.” I sniffed. Everything was starting to make sense, but I wasn’t ready to see reason yet.
“You thought it was us?” Auntie Tiff asked.
“Yes, because you’d absolutely do something like that,” I replied.
“Me?” Auntie Mimi put a hand to her chest like she would never.
I rolled my eyes. “Actually, I thought it was Auntie Cookie.”
Auntie Cookie laughed. “Not me. But I like this idea of setting everyone up to win. I should do that with my team at work, so we become the best-selling team in Vegas.”
She worked in real estate. Honestly, she could probably pull it off.
Auntie Kiki squeezed my shoulder. “I can see how you thought it was us. Why didn’t you ask us earlier?”
“To me it felt like you wanted it to seem natural, so I was letting you have your fun.” My shoulders slumped. If only I had asked earlier.
Auntie Kiki pushed up my chin. “None of that. You met nice boys. Nice boys you weren’t planning to keep.”
“True.” I hadn’t planned on keeping them.
Part of me wanted to.
“We’re leaving tomorrow and you’ll probably never see these boys again,” Auntie Kiki assured. “Let’s get some cocktails. You’ll feel better.”
Her words echoed through my head. I was leaving them behind. My heart twisted. But honestly maybe finding all of this out was for the better.
As amazing as they were, it wouldn’t erase the fact that their life was here and mine was in Hawai’i.
I stood and followed them up the stairs.
A hand laid on my arm and I turned. Carys.
“Are you alright? You look like you’ve been crying?” Carys frowned.
“I’ll be okay,” I replied. I had to be.