Golden Omega (Disowned Mates #3)

Chapter One

Hema

Every morning, I parked in my spot in the alley behind my shop, but I didn’t go in the employee entrance.

It worked perfectly well, and I did use it multiple times a day, but I liked to approach the business from the front.

To stroll up on my narrow storefront and approach it as a customer would.

My window displays changed every night, so I’d be seeing exactly what potential customers would.

Often seasonal, always fresh, the blossoms and greenery as well as interesting knickknacks I found at estate sales, farm auctions, and thrift stores.

Sometimes those little items were what drew in passersby.

On this particular morning, I arrived to find an elderly woman admiring my bouquet of summer blossoms and a lemonade stand.

I’d run across the glasses and pitcher at a yard sale and they’d been a steal.

I’d paid five dollars for the whole set and had them priced at twenty-five.

Which was also a great deal for someone.

“Good morning,” the lady said when I was unlocking the door. “Is this your store?” She leaned on a cane, a faint shake to her limbs.

“Yes, I’m Hema. We aren’t really open yet, but if you’d like to come in for something, I’d be very glad to have you.”

“Oh, no, dear. I was just admiring that lemonade set. My mother had one just like it, and it got donated somewhere after she died.” She offered a wavering smile. “I wonder if it’s for sale?”

“Yes, it is. Please come in and you can get a better look. See if you’d be interested.”

“I am sure I can’t afford it. If it is like Mother’s, it’s almost a hundred years old.”

“Please? I’m going to put on a pot of coffee, and I’d welcome the company if you’d like a cup.”

“Well, maybe just for a moment.”

I held the door open while she hobbled in then followed her and locked it behind us. “Have a seat and I’ll get us coffee, Miss…”

“You can call me Norma, dear.” She sat at the table where I went over catalogues with customers. “Are you sure I’m not in the way?”

“No. You can keep me company while I do my chores.” I stepped into the back to start the coffeepot then returned. “You said your mother had glasses like those?”

“We only used them for very special occasions. On warm summer afternoons, we’d sit on the porch and drink lemonade and have these little tiny delicate cookies. They were lemon, too. With powdered sugar.”

While I ran through my morning routine, setting up the register, moving flowers out of the big refrigerator in the back, sweeping even though I did it before I went home, the little lady sipped coffee and shared with me what it was like growing up in a nice family.

Where people loved each other and made special occasions out of a warm afternoon.

Before I opened for business, I wrapped up the glasses and pitcher and put them in a handled bag.

I wanted to give them to her, but she insisted I not lose money, so I sold them to her for the five dollars I paid.

And because I hadn’t wanted to charge her anything, I included a bouquet of baby roses in a soft pink hue for her to enjoy.

Visiting with my guest had given me a nice start to the morning.

I set the sidewalk display outside and came back in to replace the lemonade set with some pretty china cups and saucers then found a teapot, and voila!

A fresh white tablecloth and other items and we had afternoon tea.

I hoped my new friend would enjoy her set.

Perhaps it even was her mother’s that had gone through various owners.

Either way, it was a nice reminder of good times in her past.

My own was not as nice. I’d been tolerated until I presented later than the others in my age group.

Unfortunately, an omega was regarded as a burden, and my parents disowned me.

With meager savings, I walked to the highway and hitchhiked to the nearest town where I caught a bus.

On the timetable, I found a town called Pleasant.

A comforting name, and I decided to find out if it was a place I could be safe.

After helping a few early customers, I got to work on the day’s special orders.

Birthday and anniversary arrangements, a funeral wreath, and some orders for local businesses who liked to have fresh flowers all the time.

After saving every penny I could while working two jobs in my new hometown, I had an opportunity to rent this space and decided to open a flower shop.

It was the best thing I could think of. Most times, flowers were for happy occasions.

Prom, Mother’s Day, all the holidays. Even for a sad time, like a funeral, I did my best to bring what joy and comfort I could with the arrangements.

I had worked hard to build this business and a fulfilling life.

One I’d never have been able to achieve at home.

So, in a way, disowning me was a favor. But I was so done with the whole shifter system as it concerned omegas.

My new omega friends said I should seek the safety of a pack of my own, but that was not a good reason for joining lives with others.

Single worked for me, and I planned to stay that way. Forever.