Grandpa
COOPER
“What’s wrong?” Jon asked.
“Our baby is going to be adorably grumpy.”
Jon’s expression softened. If he was surprised that I was thinking about babies, he didn’t show it.
“Our baby will be a little brat,” he laughed, his thumb tracing small circles on my arm. “Keeping us awake just because they can.”
His words made me smile. We shared a look, the kind that would definitely annoy other people.
“Thank you for coming on this trip with me,” I said, reluctant to leave the car. I almost asked if we could keep on driving, if not forever, then for a few more days.
“It’s okay,” Jon said, like he was a mind reader. “We don’t end just because the trip ends.”
I blushed. He knew me so well.
“I told you I’m keeping you,” he reminded me. I leaned closer to give him a kiss. “Your entertainment value alone is priceless,” he added with an undignified snort.
I collapsed back against the seat with a sigh. “Way to ruin a moment, Alpha.”
The front door opened, and Grandpa stepped out.
He looked the same as always—silver hair, checkered shirt, khaki shorts.
Ian stepped onto the porch beside him, slightly younger than Grandpa and definitely better dressed.
I got out of the car, ready to hug them, when a strong, smoky scent hit my nose.
“Shit.” I’d forgotten to tell Jon about Grandpa being an Alpha.
“Well,” Grandpa said, nostrils flaring. His gaze was sharp in a way I had never seen before. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”
Jon stepped out of the car. He came to stand slightly in front of me, lacing our fingers together. Soon, two heavy, suffocating waves of competing Alpha pheromones flooded the driveway.
Jon assessed my seventy-year-old grandfather carefully. He was measuring him back. Both were ignoring me. Rude. I turned to Ian, who was a Beta, if I remembered right. At least he smelled mostly of soap.
“Inside,” Grandpa said gruffly, his focus still on Jon.
“Take it easy, sweetheart,” Ian murmured.
The endearment warmed my heart. But other than that, I didn’t feel warm.
I felt overwhelmed by their strong scents.
Jon squeezed my fingers, then leaned in to nuzzle my neck.
He pressed a kiss to the spot he’d marked this morning, and it soothed me.
If he was annoyed that I hadn’t remembered to tell him, he didn’t show it.
Grandpa was watching us like a hawk.
The welcoming smell of coffee filled the air inside, but instead of serving us some, Grandpa turned to Jon. Not to me, his beloved grandson, but to Jon. “Walk with me,” he said.
Excuse me? I was literally right here, alive and related. And where was he coming from with that ominous suggestion?
I stepped forward. “Grandpa—”
“You go sit,” he said, his voice slightly softer, but he wasn’t looking at me. “I’ll be right back.”
My jaw dropped. Oh, absolutely not. I opened my mouth, but Jon squeezed my hand.
“Stay here,” he said. I scrunched up my nose, half tempted to argue. But something in Jon’s demeanor made me relent.
“Fine.” I crossed my arms. “Go. Have your exclusive Alpha meeting.”
Grandpa’s expression didn’t change, but Ian’s lips twitched. Good for him for having a sense of humor. That was probably needed in his marriage.
“Don’t forget the secret Alpha handshake!” I called out after them.
“Gerald means well,” Ian said, gesturing toward the kitchen. “Coffee?”
“I—yeah.” I took the mug and thanked him politely, but my attention stayed on Jon as he followed Grandpa out onto the back patio.
They looked like they needed privacy. Which meant I obviously needed to not give it to them.
Creeping closer, I stopped by the open window.
Jon had told me to stay, and I was staying.
Not because he’d asked, but because I—well, because he’d asked.
Who was I kidding? Jon giving me instructions made me feel safe.
“Hmm,” I heard Grandpa say. “And your intentions?”
I bristled. Did he really just ask Jon that? Glancing behind me, I gave Ian an incredulous look as if to say, “Can you believe this guy?” But he just smiled as if Grandpa was a gift to humankind. Weirdo.
Jon sounded tense. “I intend to take care of him, sir. Keep him safe and happy. Cooper’s my number one priority.”
Holy hell, that was sweet. But why wasn’t anyone interested in my intentions? I intended to take care of Jon too. He was my number one priority. I looked at the coffee mug. “Just so you know, mug, my intentions regarding Jon Beckett are both honest and extremely filthy.”
I took a sip, feeling a spark of satisfaction for confiding my intentions, although the mug didn’t seem that interested. Then I returned to my task of spying on the Alpha club.
“Finding the right balance with an Omega can be tricky,” Grandpa was saying, sounding more cautious than a moment ago. “Their instincts can be triggered easily. You don’t get to be careless with them. Especially not a fresh one like Cooper.”
Fresh? What was I, a baguette?
Jon didn’t answer right away. When he did, his voice was angry.
“With all due respect, Cooper’s the same Cooper I’ve known for years. I’m not comfortable talking about him like this—like I’m somehow his superior.”
I smiled. Gold star for Jon—and another kind of reward later.
“Of course you’re not his superior, but maintaining an Omega is a big responsibility—”
I shoved the door open.
“That’s such a bullshit Alpha thing to say!” I declared, gesturing so wildly that a few drops of coffee splashed onto the patio floor. “And I’m technically still inside!” I added, looking at Jon, my sore ass suddenly worried for its well-being.
He looked bemused.
I turned back to Grandpa. “What gives you the right to interrogate Jon like that? Would you like it if I went and interrogated Ian? Oh, I’m going to! IAN!”
I stomped back into the kitchen, but not before hearing Grandpa blow out a breath.
“I forgot what he’s like.”
Jon followed me inside.
“Ian, what are your intentions concerning Grandpa?” I asked loudly. Ian flashed his wedding ring. Oh, yes. They were already married.
“Well—good. I approve,” I said, ignoring Jon’s snort.
“Sit down, Cooper.” It was Grandpa. He was in the kitchen doorway, looking at me. For half a second, my brain went quiet in that same almost spooky way it did with Jon—but this was different. The impact was duller. I considered the request and rejected it.
“I’m fine like this, thank you,” I said, smiling radiantly. Ian burst into laughter. Grandpa looked half annoyed, half amused.
“Please, sit down,” he said.
“But of course.”
Jon sat down next to me. Grandpa was watching us carefully.
“Late onset runs in the family,” he said, sitting down next to Ian.
“Wait—what?”
He offered Ian a cookie and looked pleased when he accepted it.
“Late onset. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when I noticed your scent. There’s a good chance your brother might present as well.”
I hadn’t even thought of that.
“But Jack’s older than me. Wouldn’t it have happened already?”
“Not necessarily,” Grandpa said. “Late onset is unpredictable. Most secondary genders present during early adolescence, but just last week I heard of a woman who became an Alpha in her forties.”
Ian gave Jon a curious look. “Do you know any relatives who’ve presented as Alphas or Omegas?”
Jon looked guarded.
“I don’t know any relatives, period,” he said curtly. “Foster kid,” he added with a shrug that broke my heart a little. Jon had lost his parents to addiction when he was just a small kid.
“I’m sorry,” Ian said. “I didn’t mean to bring up an uncomfortable topic.”
“It’s okay,” Jon said. I leaned closer to him, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
“How do you know all this?” I asked, looking at both Grandpa and Ian.
Grandpa smiled. “I presented at fifteen. I’m also the Head of Secondary Gender Association here in California.”
“And I volunteer at an A/B/O shelter,” Ian told us. “That’s how I met your grandfather,” he added. “Through work.”
Ian put his hand on Grandpa’s knee and leaned closer to whisper something. Grandpa gave him a smile I could only describe as smitten and then nodded.
“There’s someone we’d like you to meet.”
Ian rose and returned after a few minutes with a slender, dark-haired boy who was probably about my age.
He peered at us from behind Ian, looking like he might bolt at any second.
His hands were tucked into the sleeves of an oversized sweater as if he was trying to disappear inside it.
His brown eyes flicked around the room. He had long, pretty lashes. I liked him instantly.
“This is Oliver,” Ian said. “He recently presented as an Omega.”
“Come in, Oliver,” Grandpa said, his voice softer than before.
Oliver stepped forward carefully.
“Oliver’s staying with us temporarily since there was a falling out with his family,” Grandpa explained. “Just until school starts.”
“My parents don’t accept secondary genders,” Oliver whispered.
“What? That’s insane,” I said, angry on his behalf.
“And unfortunately common,” Ian said with a sad sigh. “But that’s not why I wanted you to meet. Oliver’s starting at Northwestern this fall.” Ian looked proud.
I beamed. “That’s where I’m going!”
Oliver nodded, looking bewildered.
“He’ll be living off-campus,” Grandpa went on. “And since he doesn’t know anyone yet . . .”
I leaned forward slightly, ready to adopt Oliver.
“Calm down,” Jon whispered in my ear.
“I am calm,” I said. “In an enthusiastic way.”
“We were wondering if you wanted to help him settle in,” Grandpa finished.
Oliver visibly shrank. “You don’t have to,” he said quickly. “It’s fine. I can just figure it out. I’m not scared.”
He looked terrified.
“Nope,” I cut in immediately. “We’re not letting you figure it out. That’s how you end up eating instant noodles and crying into your bowl at night.”
Oliver blinked at me. He looked like he’d start crying now.
I sighed. “Sorry. I’m Cooper. I get excited easily.”
“Okay.” Oliver gave me a small smile. “I’m Oliver. I’m shy.”
“I’m Jon.” My boyfriend looked like the reigning champion of calm, and I felt an overwhelming need to get into bed with him, naked. “I’m in charge of Cooper’s maintenance.”
I snorted. Jon was living his best comedian life today. I’d made him funny.
“We just thought,” Ian said carefully. “That it might help if Oliver had someone to walk him through things in a new place.”
“Definitely,” I said, nodding. “We won’t let anyone mess with him.” I winked at Oliver. “My Alpha growls at my command.”
“And you can ignore ninety percent of the things my Omega says,” Jon commented dryly.
That made Oliver giggle. He looked more at ease than he had when he’d stepped into the kitchen. I was ready to pretend it was my doing, although I suspected it had more to do with the soothing Alpha pheromones in the air.
My boyfriend was a human tranquilizer, and that was a scientific fact.