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“Ready?” He bends to fasten his ankle leash, and I definitely don’t look at his ass. “Or do you need to buff your board one more time?”
I push my lips to the side in a thoughtful pout, pausing as I slip on my leash. “You know what? Maybe I should.” At his crestfallen face, I add, “Joking,” and pick up my board.
“Finally!” He races past me, nearly jousting me with the tip of his board on the way to the shore break. “Last one past the waves buys breakfast.”
“Asshole,” I mutter fondly, and hurry after him.
Hopefully a dip in the Pacific will douse the embers of my desire.
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.
Surfers clutter the waves as the sun rises higher in the sky. This year’s El Niño keeps bringing massive waves and people to surf them.
Alden and I float out beyond the breakers. We can surf here anytime, so there’s no point elbowing our way in line.
“Hey, Ty?”
A wave gathers. I let it pass, then swivel my board toward him. “Yeah?”
“Remember that app I was telling you about?”
My shoulders tense. “Which one?”
Alden has successfully managed his family’s philanthropic efforts for years, but he has a knack for investing his own money in doomed start-ups.
“Heat Seekers.”
“I see.” I point my board toward the beach, setting myself up to catch the next worthy wave if I need to. We had a huge argument the last time he tried to sell me on the dating app. When I pointed out the potential safety concerns and how dystopian it sounded, he accused me of never taking him seriously and suggested I use it to find an omega to fuck so I’ll stop being an asshole. Naturally, we both went to bed angry and never spoke about it again.
The current nudges us closer until our thighs touch.
“Anyway,” Alden says, “I have exciting news.”
I groan. “Don’t tell me you found an omega for me.”
“Please,” Alden scoffs, rolling his eyes to the cloudless sky, then back to me. “As if I’d inflict you on some innocent omega.”
“And that’s why I don’t like that app. It’s dangerous for omegas to order a random alpha like a pizza when they’re in a vulnerable headspace and can’t consent.”
“Call me a pizza then,” he says in a breezy tone.
“Wait, what?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “Yeah, I thought I’d give it a try, and matched with a cute omega.”
“Congrats,” I say with droll sarcasm and let another wave pass.
“We’ve been talking for a few weeks.” He looks at his board, then up. “I really like him.”
“Oh.”
The contents of my stomach curdle. I don’t know why I’m so shocked. This was bound to happen eventually. But I’m not ready for him to carve me out of his life like he did when he was with Niall, and during the weeks after they broke up.
I should have moved out when Alden and Niall started having problems, but Alden was against it, and rent in Orange County is expensive. I should probably start looking for an apartment now. I can’t get in the way of Alden’s happiness again.
“Okay. Well, that’s… That’s good.” I scan the horizon, searching for a more enthusiastic statement. “Sorry. I’m just surprised.”
Why didn’t he mention the omega sooner? He’s been closing himself off more and more over the last few months, and I don’t know how to fix it.
