“Then why did Marge think you would want to leave?”
“She thinks, and is probably right, that it is starting to take an emotional toll on me. She fears I will get burned out.” She’d mentioned it a few times over the past month, today the most bluntly and the first time I was ready to hear her.
“And what do you think?” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his hand rubbing his chin with its stubble. I closed my eyes for a moment, schooling the attraction that fueled in me. What was it with this man? He was my potential boss, not a potential mate.
“That she is not wrong. I don’t know how much you know about Omega House, but it’s not all sunshine and roses. The reasons omegas end up here vary, and none of them are any good.” There were many nights I cried myself to sleep over what these men, women, and children had faced.
“My late omega and I were here a few years back for a fundraiser. She was very impressed with the work you did here.”
“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. Losing a mate, a true bonded mate, had to cause a pain like no other and with a small child…I just couldn’t…
“It was a few years ago, but thank you.” He forced a small smile.
“So tell me about your little girl.” I quickly changed the subject to something sure to put a genuine smile upon his face. Why did that idea have me smiling so?
6
Wyatt
I couldn't smell anything but omega from the moment Oliver walked into the room, and for a moment, my mind completely blanked, and I forgot where I was and why I was here. But he took his place behind the desk and started talking to me and I started breathing out of my mouth, letting my head clear as much as it could. I considered asking if he minded if I stepped outside for a breath of fresh air, but dismissed the idea as rude. If he had been a female omega, I would have left immediately, but had few concerns as it was.
Thankfully, Oliver was all business and between my awkward mouth breathing and his focus, I was able to get back on track.
"So tell me about your little girl," he said, and I couldn't help the smile that sprouted involuntarily.
"She's a sweetheart," I said. "But I'm sure every parent says that about their child."
"You would hope," Oliver said, his face darkening a bit, and I remembered where I was, and why most people were here. Because there was a small but nasty part of the population that didn't treat their children well.
"Ah, well. She's three, and she loves fairies and mermaids, but especially unicorns. She may be a tad bit spoiled because she has me wrapped completely around her finger, but her current nanny, Helen, keeps us both in line."
He nodded, a noncommittal smile on his face. His eyes were very green, I realized. They just drew you into their depths if you looked at them too long. I tore my gaze away as he asked, "May I ask why her current nanny is leaving?"
"Well, she's our next-door neighbor, has been for years. But she's moving to Florida to be near her family."
I could see a tiny bit of relaxation around his eyes and realized that as much as I was supposed to be interviewing him, he was interviewing me, making sure I was a good employer. I straightened my back with that realization even as I wondered if his eyes were really that green, or if they were contacts.
"Does Chloe attend daycare?"
"No, she's always had Helen."
"Is that something you want her to do?"
I tilted my head in confusion. "Is there a reason she should?" Would he expect me to put her in daycare to cut down on his hours?
Oliver opened his hands with a tiny shrug. "Not necessarily. Some parents like the structure it provides, and the socialization with other kids. Personally, I probably wouldn't, if I had kids, but that's probably because I'm a fool over them. I never get tired of playing and talking with them."
I nodded. "That's more of what I'm looking for." Someone to care for Chloe with, well, not necessarily a parent's level of attention, but a relative's.
"Does she have any friends her age?"
"There's a little girl down the road Helen took her to play with sometimes, Skylar. Am I a bad parent if I admit I've never actually met the little girl? Her dad has come in with their German Shepherd for checkups. Beautiful dog. They took him in as a rescue when he was about a year and a half."
A truer smile played across Oliver's lips. "You really love animals don't you."
I shrugged. "I can't imagine anyone putting themselves through eight years of school while hating them. Well, seven if you don't count the last year of clinicals."
He laughed. "I don't know about vets, but there seem to be an awful lot of doctors who go through all that schooling and still seem to hate humans."
"I don't blame them," I snorted. "I don't like people a lot of the time, either." I tried not to think of the animals who had come through my practice showing signs of mistreatment or straight up abuse.
"You and me both," Oliver agreed, reminding me once again that he was very familiar with the dark side of humanity through his work here.
He was young, and still had that spark of hope and change the world attitude of youth, but even I, who had just met him, could sense that fading. Chloe would be a breath of fresh air for him. There was nothing dark about my little girl. She was all light and happiness and giggles. And I thought he would do well for her. She and I both loved Helen, but she was older, and couldn't always move at a three-year-old's pace. But Oliver would probably have the energy to keep up with her. As much as any adult could keep up with a three-year-old.
I could feel my gut making my decision for my brain, and I had to bring them in alignment before I offered him anything he wanted to come be our manny.
"How do you feel about living outside of the city? I mean, we're really not that far, about thirty to forty-five minutes, if traffic isn't miserable, and we have all the basic amenities. But if you like being in the thick of the action, Norville will disappoint."
"That's actually a bonus," he admitted. "I've never been a city kind of guy, but, well, that's where the schools and jobs seem to be these days."
"And the live-in part of the job? I sometimes get called away on emergencies at night. Chloe is generally a good sleeper, so it shouldn't be difficult, but I do need someone in the house in case. And you'll absolutely have your own space. We have plenty of extra room."
"Also a bonus."
I tried to think of any other reasons this might not work out and drew a blank. "Well then, Oliver, I'd like to offer you the job. What do you think?"
7
Oliver
“I think it sounds perfect, but do you want to think about it or have me meet her or something?” What I wanted to shout was all the yesses and run to pack my bag. The way he talked about his daughter, even if it was through rose colored glasses, let me know that if nothing else, I was going to be in a house filled with love. I needed that. Marge had been right about that. I might come back to the shelter in the future, even if only as a volunteer, but I needed a break, a break filled with giggles, smiles, and all the love.
We tried to give that here. Make this a place of joy for the kids we housed for as long as they were here, but their baggage was heavy and never left most of their sides. And consequently, the weight on their shoulders often tugged on mine as well.
“Thinking too hard on decisions like this instead of going with your gut often leads to rational, yet horrible choices.” He bit his lip, his eyes somber. Wyatt was speaking from experience.
“You, are a wise man.” He was spot on in his assessment. I had planned and thought and made checklists before Dave and I agreed to mate. My initial gut had been to run and I pushed it down as cold feet. After all, he was offering me my dream.
“I speak from experience.” His honesty was refreshing, even if he seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve, letting me know before his words were out.
“As do I.” I blinked slowly before schooling my face. My former alpha had no place here. “My gut says yes
. I accept the offer.”
“Mine does too, for what it’s worth.” He offered his hand for a shake before we hashed out the details. The more we discussed things, the more at excited I became. I was going to embark on a new adventure, one that included a family, even if it weren’t mine.
Wyatt’s terms and conditions were simple to follow, at least for me. I was to take care of Chloe, do some very light housecleaning, as he already had a maid come in twice a week. The one most people would probably have an issue with was not anything that would concern me: I would refrain from bringing dates back to the house. In return, I got room, board, and more money than I made now. Worked for me. It wasn’t like I was in the market for dates, anyway. No one wanted a broken omega.
The hours would be weird because his hours were, but that was true here as well. My one week a month on call had become more as the place grew. Only here, middle of the night issues meant getting up and dealing with heavy stuff. There, it meant putting the child monitor in my room and going back to sleep.
After we made arrangements for me to begin, we exchanged information, including copies of my criminal background checks and medical releases, because even though he said he was fine without them, I felt more comfortable with him having them in hand. In that way, he was far too trusting. Although, I also trusted him more than I should. Something about the combination of his open body language, his honest words, and his, frankly, luscious and enticing scent might have contributed to that.
That scent kept me seated as he got up to leave. I acted like I was going back to work, but the truth was, my erection had only intensified as we continued to talk. I was going to need to shut that shit down if I was going to stay in his employ.
No one wanted a nanny walking around with a boner all day. Maybe it would simmer down once we were not in an enclosed space. If not, I was going to become very friendly with my hand to keep that shit tempered. And it wasn’t like he’d even understand, seeing that he was married before… to a woman. I was a lot of things, but a woman was not one of them. If he liked boobies and vaginas, I was not the one for him. Not that I would have been even if he was into guys, because… boss.
Fuck. I was already thinking thoughts far too dirty. I turned on the news radio. That was sure to de-escalate things, especially with the way politics were going lately. Sure enough, three stories in, I was ready to go. Well, ready-ish. I could at least hide a semi as I found my way back to Marge. Knowing her, she was outside waiting to pounce.
Sure enough, I made it halfway down the hallway before she waved me down. I was going to miss a lot about this place, especially Marge.
“So?” Marge called out before she even made it to me.
“Sewing class is next week, Marge you know that.” I held in a chuckle. One nice thing about Omega House, that wasn’t true for all shelters like ours, there was always a learning opportunity. When I could pun around with them, that made them even better.
“Wise ass.” She elbowed my side. “So, the interview, how did it go?”
“It went.” I shrugged and made my way to the bench. If we walked, we were bound to run into the dinner crowd and I wasn’t ready for this to be common knowledge just yet. I wanted to get my ducks in a row first.
“It went? You need to give me more than that.”
Good old Marge. Not that I would ever call her old to her face. Okay, I would but only in fun.
I sat, but she stood over me, her arms crossed. “I need to do no such thing.” Her pout was hilarious. “You fired my cute butt not too long ago.”
“Do I need to backsie it?”
“Yes. But only for two weeks,” I reassured. Two weeks. It was starting to become reality. There was so much to do in that short period of time. I need to train someone, probably Leo, on the awful paperwork I did, and pack, and I didn’t even know what, but things needed doing. Of that I was sure.
“You took the job.” She gave me a brief hug, her face beaming.
“I did.”
“Isn’t he hot?” She winked my way. I was so not taking that bait, even if he was the hottest man I’d ever laid eyes on. I shook that image from my head, not needing to go back to my aroused state, which imagining him would surely do and in record time. What was it with that alpha? Or more accurately, with me?
“I think you might be outside his age bracket.” I shoulder bumped her with a wink.
“What are you talking about? Sixty is the new twenty.” She feigned shock and we both belt out joyful laughter. I had a feeling I owed Marge far more than I even knew.
“Whatever gets you to sleep at night,” I spit out between laughs.
8
Wyatt
Even though I had to drive through traffic, I was cheerful. Finding Oliver had been a one in a million chance. He was smart, caring, loved kids, and had no issues with any of the parameters of the job. If I had time or options, I would have had him and Chloe meet before making a decision, but I felt fairly confident that they would get along well. Oliver seemed like the kind of guy kids would flock to, and who could resist my sweet Chloe? I called Helen and let her know I was on my way. I loved the woman, but she couldn't text to save her life, even though it would have made my life easier. That was another side benefit to Oliver; he was young enough that most technology, like cell phones, were second nature to him. It was much easier to dash off a quick text than hoping Helen could hear her phone and answer it, since she also had no idea how to access her voicemail, which, consequently, was full.
I whistled along to the radio. There were a lot of ways having Oliver could work out better than Helen. Did I have concerns about sharing a house with another adult again after nearly three years of it just being me and Chloe? I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any, but we were both adults. We would work it out.
The drive took an extra forty minutes, but even that didn't hamper my attitude. Helen professed her relief that I had found someone over and over. I knew that she felt guilty for leaving us, even if it was best for her. And maybe it was best for us too, in the long run.
After Helen left I sat down to put together a puzzle with Chloe and talk to her about Oliver.
"So, sweetie, you know Ms. Helen is moving away."
"Yeah. She gonna go see her grankids."
"But not just for a visit."
"She sent all her stuff away, Daddy! Even her pictures of the kitties."
I'd forgotten Helen's obsession with pictures of cats. I wondered if anyone had ever introduced her to YouTube... Probably not. When my mother discovered YouTube, she spent three days straight watching cat videos. I suspected Helen would do the same.
"That's right, sweetie. We probably won't see Ms. Helen for a long time."
Chloe looked up at me, her eyes wide. "Does that mean forever?"
"Oh, I hope not!" I rushed to reassure her. "Maybe we can go to Florida to visit her. But it does mean she won't be here every day to play with you. But you're going to have a new friend. His name is Oliver, and I'll think you'll like him."
She looked at me curiously. "Do you have a picture?"
I...hadn't thought of that. But wouldn't it have been awkward for me to ask Oliver for a picture, anyway? But, I had a flash of inspiration, maybe they had a picture of him on the Omega House website. "Let me look, sweets. Just a moment."
She crawled into my lap as I found the website on my phone and typed Oliver into their search bar. The page for Child Care Services popped up, and I went to it. There was definitely a picture of Oliver, right at the top. But he was bent over, his face in profile only, helping a child. It seemed a little bit of a risque photo, with his butt sticking out like that and emphasizing the smooth lines of his slender form. I mean, it wasn't like he was wearing a mankini or anything. I was probably over reacting. But I wanted Chloe to see his face, get used to those eyes. I scrolled down the page and found what I was looking for: headshots for all of the child care staff.
"Here he is, Chloe. This is Oliver."
She loo
ked at him for a moment and then slid off my lap, saying, "Okay."
Well...I don't know what kind of reaction I had expected, but something a little more than that. But I had been closed in a small office with him, the pheromones swirling around us. It made sense that I would respond more positively to his lavender and honey scent than Chloe would to a picture. As edgy as I'd been it hadn't done much to calm me down until he accepted my offer.
What would I have done if he had said he wasn't interested? Who could I have asked? I didn't have to wonder anymore, thankfully. Everything was settled. Helen could finish her move to Florida without worrying, I had someone who could look after Chloe pretty much whenever I needed, Chloe would have a new person to play with. And Oliver...he would be able to preserve that light spirit that so obviously drew so many people in. I could see why Marge wanted him to get out while he could. That had to be a hard decision, choosing between such a noble purpose and protecting your heart and sanity. He would probably be dealing with some guilt over the first few weeks.
Chloe placed the last piece in the puzzle and looked up at me, beaming.
Well, I knew a little ray of sunshine who was good at banishing just about any negative feeling. I highly doubted Oliver would be able to resist her smile. I certainly couldn't.
9
Oliver
Today was the day. My beater was packed with my minimal belongings. I didn’t have much when I came to Omega House three years ago, and I had made a concerted effort to donate an item every time I bought something new. It worked out well for both myself and the residents. I’d had a period of my life where my clothes meant more to me than they should and was glad I outgrew that. I still liked to look good, but having fifty choices each morning no longer felt important.
His Manny Omega Page 3