Finding His Omega (Sweet Beginnings Bakery Book 3)

by Leanne Summers

  Connor guided them through the building, up the stairs, and to a door to the left. “Thank you.” He said softly, and he didn’t meet Gavin’s eyes. “I really appreciate it. I’m just going to…”

  Before Connor could say anything else, the door swung wide open and they were face to face with a stocky omega with Connor’s same brown hair and soft eyes. He had to be related to Connor somehow. “Connor! We’ve been looking everywhere for you, where have you…”

  Gavin could see the moment that the other omega took in everything that was happening in the scene before him and realization hit.

  “Shit, Connor what happened?” The other omega darted forward and tugged Connor along with him.

  Connor’s eyes, which had just began to dry, welled with tears again.

  “His fiancé cheated.” Gavin said softly. If he could save Connor even a little bit of the pain from having to explain over and over and over he was going to. “I found him in a room downstairs crying.” Gavin said, a bit awkwardly.

  It wasn’t really his place to explain, but at the same time Connor really didn’t look to be in any sort of state to do so.

  “Thank you so much for bringing him back here.” The man said hurriedly. “Now we need to…” He pulled Connor into the room and the door slammed shut behind him.

  Jeff and Gavin exchanged a look.

  Well, they probably weren’t going to get any more information from anyone in there.

  In silent agreement, they began to walk back downstairs. They had to find someone to figure out what they were going to do with the cake and all of the pastries, but anyone in the room was probably going to be too busy consoling Connor to be of much help, as it should be.

  “Good job in there.” Jeff said softly when they were out of hearing range of the door. “You were really good at calming him down. What happened anyway?”

  “I honestly don’t know any more than you.” Gavin said. Now that Connor was out of his arms, Gavin’s anger towards Connor’s ex-fiancé had returned in full force. “I just heard crying from the hall and…” He shrugged. “He’s pregnant too.” Gavin said softly. He wasn’t sure why he said it, but he suddenly felt the need to justify Connor’s complete panic.

  Jeff’s expression suddenly darkened even further and he looked back towards the house. Gavin could see a flash of anger flair across the omega’s face.

  “I hope he and the baby are okay.” Jeff said, almost distantly. “It hurts, it really hurts.” Jeff’s voice sounded almost bitter and Gavin tried to pretend that he hadn’t heard the last part.

  Jeff never talked about his family or his past, at least not when Gavin was around to hear it, and Gavin wasn’t about to mention it.

  Gavin could relate to the hurt of being dumped by a long-term partner, but the way that Jeff’s face had turned when Gavin mentioned that Connor was pregnant.

  No, to Jeff this was personal and it made Connor’s heart break all that much more.

  CHAPTER 4 - CONNOR

  CONNOR QUITE FRANKLY didn’t want to talk to anyone.

  His parents and brother had had to fly back out to Denver after a few days and Connor had contemplated going with them, but in the end he had decided to stay in D.C.

  He didn’t want to see the sympathy on their faces every time they looked at him, especially not after Connor had told them that he was pregnant.

  It was difficult to come home to an empty house and difficult to have no one to turn to. Connor was still completely blindsided by Theo and Parker’s betrayal. Not only had he lost the love of his life, but he had lost his best friend too.

  Connor tried desperately to look back on the past few months for signs that Theo was unhappy, and in hindsight they all leapt out at him. Theo had been pulling back for a while, the request for a threesome, but Connor had just chosen to ignore it.

  It still astounded Connor that someone he loved and thought that he knew like the back of his hand could just throw him aside after all these years. Everything was all that much worse because Theo had gone behind Connor’s back with Parker, his best friend.

  Connor felt like he couldn’t trust his own judgement anymore. How could he have been so, so wrong about two of the most important people in his life?

  Still there was nothing he could do but try to keep moving forward in his life. It wasn’t so much for himself, as it was for the sake of the baby growing inside of him. Connor needed to keep everything together so that he could best provide for the little one that would be joining him in a few short months. He wasn’t ready to be a single father, but he was going to do whatever he had to in order to give his kid nothing but the best.

  Connor had to move on with his life, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t still a wreck behind his facade.

  When one of his coworkers eventually asked about why he wasn’t wearing his ring anymore, Connor’s carefully built up facade came crashing down.

  He wasn’t proud of yelling, he was usually the quiet, ‘nice’ one in the office, but in that moment he couldn’t bring himself to care. It should have been pretty damn obvious what his lack of a ring meant, and someone else bringing attention to it was too much for Connor to handle.

  Luckily he had to leave early for his first major doctor’s appointment, so he didn’t have to stick around and look at the undisguised pity that was evident on their faces.

  Just when Connor thought that he had an out, his car wouldn’t start.

  He could practically feel his pulse drumming in his ears as his heart rate increased.

  No, this couldn’t be happening.

  He couldn’t ask one of his coworkers to leave, they were short staffed as it was. Without Theo and Parker, Connor was practically alone in D.C.

  Connor scrolled hastily through the contacts in his phone. He didn’t really know anyone that he could ask to take him on such short notice.

  A name caught his eye as he was scrolling.

  After everything that went down, Connor had called the bakery to thank the employees that had been so kind to him. He hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to the omega that had been there, but the alpha, Gavin, had given Connor his number and said to call any time if Connor needed anything.

  From anyone else, Connor would have thought that felt sleazy or like the alpha was trying to put a move on him, but not with Gavin. The sincerity of the concern in his voice stuck Connor as genuine.

  Connor stared at the contact for a minute, and eventually hit dial. He was alone in a strange city and he needed help, all he could do was try.

  CHAPTER 5 - GAVIN

  WHEN GAVIN HAD given Connor his number, he hadn’t expected the omega to actually use it. Of course Gavin was more than happy to help, but Connor obviously had a supportive family, why would he need a complete and total stranger?

  Well, apparently Connor did, and Gavin wasn’t about to turn down someone in need, especially someone that was in as vulnerable a place as Connor was.

  Gavin had been through heartbreak of his own, and he really felt for what Connor was going through. Gavin had been all alone in a new city with no one to turn to when he had gotten dumped, and at the time he needed a friend the most, the staff of Sweet Beginnings had stepped up for him.

  He could pay it forward and be that person for Connor, if Connor needed it.

  When Gavin pulled up to the address that he had been given, Connor was standing on the sidewalk looking forlornly out into the road. Gavin pulled up to the curb next to the nondescript building and rolled his window down.

  “Hey, over here.”

  Connor jumped but visibly brightened when he made eye contact with Gavin.

  “Oh thank goodness.” Connor looked briefly at he watch. “Perfect timing, I don’t think I’ll be late.”

  The omega opened the door and slid inside, shaking his head. “Thank you so much, I thought any of this couldn’t get any worse and yet…” Gavin could see Connor’s face flush before the omega buried it in his palms. “My parents and brother just went back t
o Denver and then I went out to turn on my car and it wouldn’t start, then…”

  Gavin would have happily let Connor ramble on, the omega obviously needed someone to lend an ear, but there was one problem. “Hey Connor.” Gavin said in the absolute softest voice he could manage. “Could you tell me the address please?”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Gavin saw Connor go from the light pink flush that brushed his cheeks to an almost florescent shade of red. “Oh shit, I’m so sorry.” Connor quickly rattled off the address and Gavin plugged it into the GPS. It was only a ten minute drive, not that bad.

  The rest of the ride Connor was quiet, despite Gavin’s attempts at making small talk, and he refused to meet Gavin’s eyes. Connor was still bright red and obviously embarrassed.

  He really didn’t need to be. Connor was undoubtedly going through a lot right now and Gavin wasn’t going to judge him for being a bit chatty. He had to be lonely.

  “Turn left here.” Connor said quietly when they got to a parking lot with a sign for a doctor’s office at the entrance. “There’s always parking under the trees.”

  Sure enough, there was a space left in the otherwise packed parking lot.

  Gavin wasn’t sure what he should do. He was just the ride. He had gotten Connor safely to his destination and would take him back to his apartment when the appointment was done. Should he just drop Connor off and go drive around or what.

  Before Gavin had the chance to say anything, Connor spoke up.

  “Could you go in with me?” He seemed almost hesitant to ask. “It’s my first appointment and I really don’t like doctors. I don’t want to do it alone.” His eyes widened immediately. “You don’t have to though! Never mind, I’ll just…”

  “It’s fine.” Gavin interrupted Connor’s rambling. “I can go in.”

  It may have been a bit odd to go to a pre-natal appointment with an almost stranger, but if Connor needed comfort then Gavin was going to give it. If Connor ended up getting uncomfortable with having Gavin there, then he could leave.

  Connor’s posture softened immediately. “Thank you.” He said, and began to walk towards the building.

  They had arrived just in time for the appointment so they weren’t waiting long.

  A kind looking nurse ushered them back into a room almost immediately, and Connor hopped up on the bed while Gavin sat down in one of the chairs.

  They sat mostly in silence, other than the strained look that they exchanged when the nurse asked if Gavin was the father.

  For the most part, Gavin tuned it all out, although he did pay a bit more attention when the doctor was going over the foods that Connor should and should not eat, as well as what prenatal vitamins he should add to his cabinets.

  Gavin wanted to have kids one day and it never hurt to learn as much as possible while he had the opportunity, even though that day was probably far, far, in the future.

  The appointment was over quickly and it wasn’t long before Gavin and Connor were walking back out to the car.

  “Thank you so much.” Connor turned to Gavin just as he was about to open the door. The omega rubbed at the back of his neck a bit sheepishly. “I really don’t know what I would have done otherwise. Cancel I guess.”

  “It really was no problem.” Gavin stressed. He would have done this for anyone, much less an omega in the position that Connor was in now.

  “Do you have anything else to do today?” Connor asked, looking a bit shy.

  “No?” Gavin raised an eyebrow. While he was happy to take Connor to a doctor’s appointment he did not particularly plan on playing driver all day. Had he really read Connor so wrong that Connor would keep demanding things out of him after one gesture of kindness?

  Connor rubbed at the back of his neck again. “Do you want to go get lunch? I know a good cafe not far from your bakery, and it’s the least I can do after you went out of your way to help me.”

  Well, that took an unexpected turn.

  Unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome.

  Gavin really didn’t have to even consider it. “I’m free, that sounds good. I don’t really eat out much but I always like trying new places.” He was friends with the guys at Sweet Beginnings, but he didn’t really have friends outside of work. He enjoyed Connor’s company and Connor seemed like he could use a friend as well right now. It was a no-brainer.

  “Oh, awesome.” Connor shot him a shy smile and climbed into the car.

  “What’s the name of the place?”

  “Lenny’s Diner.” Connor said quickly. “It’s close to my work, I go there for lunch pretty often. Just drive to Sweet Beginnings, go up a block, and take a left. There’s restaurant-only parking in the back.”

  “Sounds good.” Gavin said, and got into the car.

  The drive was fairly short, but it wasn’t nearly as silent as the drive to the doctor’s office.

  Gavin learned that Gavin had moved to D.C. after college and worked at an accounting firm just down the street.

  It was a bit difficult to keep the discussion away from Connor’s ex-fiance, because their lives had been so intertwined, but Gavin managed and managed to get Connor to open up about himself a bit.

  Apparently Connor was from Denver and had a twin brother. That must have been the other omega that had taken Connor from Gavin and Jeff at the wedding.

  The diner itself was small and despite being that weird time of day between lunch and dinner, it was nearly packed. They just managed to snag the last open table.

  “How did you end up here anyway?” Connor asked Gavin after they were seated and Gavin winced.

  He had tried to stay away from the subject of ex’s, but…

  “I moved here with my fiancé a year ago, well my…”

  “Oh really?” Connor’s face did something complicated and then he seemed to brighten up a bit. “When’s the wedding, I…”

  Gavin felt bad, Connor obviously wanted some sort of good news and Gavin was about to burst his bubble.

  “Um, ex-fiance actually.”

  Connor’s face did the same complicated maneuver and then he looked at Gavin in sympathy. “So we’re in the same boat then.”

  Not really.

  Gavin getting dumped may have been sudden and unpleasant, but it was nothing compared to being left pregnant at the altar. He wasn’t about to tell Connor that though.

  “Yeah, kinda.” Gavin said instead and rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly.

  “I’m sorry, I know it sucks.”

  “It did, but the guys at work have been great and…” Gavin just shrugged.

  The conversation quickly devolved into talk about baking. Apparently Connor had baked a lot growing up and his brother actually ran a restaurant back in Denver, which was one of the reasons he had needed Gavin’s help. Neither Connor’s parents nor his brother were able to take any more time off to stay with Connor.

  “I went the corporate route, he decided to take a risk and it worked out for him.” Connor said with a shrug. “How did you get into baking anyway? No offense, but there aren’t exactly many alphas in the cake decorating industry.”

  Gavin launched into the story about how he had been wandering around downtown trying to kill time before the newest episode of his favorite show was supposed to air, just after he had been laid off, and he had wandered into the shop. Everything had fallen into place from there.

  As it turned out, he and Connor had the same taste in shows, and ended up going back and forth over different theories for the last season for what only felt like a few minutes, but when Gavin checked his watch, they had been at the restaurant for a few hours.

  The waitress must have noticed that Gavin had finally broken away from Connor’s thrall, because she brought the check over with a smile.

  Connor took the check before Gavin even had a chance to object. Gavin shot him a glare but didn’t object.

  “Well, that was fun.” Connor said with a smile when they finally got back out into the open air. “If you w
ant to hang out again sometime…” His voice trailed off, and Gavin couldn’t help but melt a little.

  Connor looked so hopeful, but so lonely at the same time. Gavin couldn’t help but want to be his friend, and shelter him from the world just a bit.

  Gavin could feel the beginnings of attraction burn deep within his belly, but he squashed them down immediately. He couldn’t even think about Connor like that, not when the omega was in such a vulnerable state.

  “Yeah, that would be nice.” Gavin said with a smile. “Just text me whenever, and if you need any more help let me know.”

  “Oh thank you!” Connor grinned, and something in Gavin’s chest did a little flip.

  Oh, oh no.

  He had only known Connor for a very brief amount of time, but he was already so, so, screwed.

  CHAPTER 6 - CONNOR

  CALLING GAVIN HAD been a last minute, emergency decision. Connor had expected to get a ride and then never talk to Gavin again, but that wasn’t the case.

  Connor would be the first to admit that he was lonely. He had work acquaintances, sure, but they were all much older than him and didn’t quite understand what Connor was going through. Gavin on the other hand was immediately understanding and hadn’t hesitated to drop what he was doing to help an almost complete stranger.

  The lunch idea really had just been a way for Connor to thank Gavin for going out of his way to help, but by the time they had left the diner, Connor had learned that they really had more in common than he had thought initially.

  He couldn’t help but start texting Gavin. Just about stupid things that people had done at work or the latest episode of the show series that it had turned out they both really enjoyed.

  Connor tried to forget about Theo, he really did, but it wasn’t just Theo that he had lost that day, it was Parker as well.

  Connor may have been a bit loud at times but he was an introvert at heart. Sure he had his work acquaintances, but most of his time had been dominated by Theo and Parker. He didn’t need anyone other than them and is family.