Page 59 of Blizzards and Brews
“Cheers to Lindsay getting dicked down properly!” Riley said, holding up his glass. We all burst into laughter even as my cheeks flamed red and I clinked my glass to theirs, taking a long drink of mine.
“Now, onto the next order of business,” Autumn said solemnly, even though her eyes sparkled. “Who do you think is going to make a fool of themselves at the winter festival? My money is on whoever Janet hires to dress up in a mascot costume.”
The conversation turned to gossip and laughter as we finished making the pizza and drank our wine. Alice had been spot on. I needed to relax and I needed my friends.
But now, I was more sure than ever that I was all in. There was no looking back now.
Chapter Twenty
Ollie
Dreams are strange things.
They can turn your far-fetched desires into a momentary reality but they can also leave you with an ache so deep that it never goes away.
I’d lived with that ache for the past decade, ever since my designation had ripped me away from what I’d wanted the most.
One day, I was living with my brothers and best friend, the woman I’d always secretly been in love with, and the next I was being carted off to an omega clinic in the city. It turns out I’m one of the sensitive ones, something that my brothers razzed me about until they saw the toll it took on me.
Unable to take suppressants, blockers, and prone to more painful heats, I’d ridden them out in the clinic with alpha volunteers I’d rather forget. My first heat I had to stay a month so that the doctors could help regulate my system and ease the pain.
I never expected a different kind of pain when I’d arrived home, finding out that Lindsay had drawn a line between all ofus and moved out on her own. Insisting that she didn’t want to lose us as friends and that it was for the best.
Things had been stilted for a while but we made them work. I lived for the moments we were together.
And then dad had passed and left the four of us the business. In a way, he brought us closer together again, the four of us wading through grief and taking over the reins.
We built back better.
Stronger.
And now, my dreams were becoming a reality.
Actually, they weremorethan that now. The alpha in front of me a sweet surprise I hadn’t seen coming.
“I should be offended that you seem lost in thought, sweets,” Spencer said. “But you smell and look so damn happy.”
“Oh god, I’m ruining our first date,” I moaned, focusing back on the alpha in front of me.
“Two things. One, this might be our first date out on the town, but it definitely won’t be the last. And two, nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever ruin what the two of us have.”
Spencer wrapped an arm around me and slid me closer to him in the booth, the possessive outward display making me feel all kinds of happy.
“Did you ever think you’d be here, though?” I questioned him. “I’m so happy it feels kind of surreal.”
“Did I ever think I’d be here with one of the sweetest, most kind men I’ve ever met? And that I would have the privilege to call him mine?” Spencer questioned, smiling down at me. “No, sweets. But I did hope.”
“I never thought I would feel this…gushy,” I confessed, reaching up and running a hand through my hair.
Yes, I was an omega, and yes I enjoyed my creature comforts, but I’d never been so damn swoony before.
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Spencer said, placing a kiss on my head. “I’m pretty spectacular.”
A laugh spilled from my lips. “Modest too.”
“No need to be modest when it’s the truth,” he said. “Pretty sure you said something similar to me during your heat.”
“You’re incorrigible,” I said, elbowing him in the side.