Page 10 of Omega Dragon Manny (Shifters For Hire #3)

CLARK

The kids were in their cribs, sound asleep, looking so peaceful.

I found myself standing by their cribs, just watching them, enjoying the quiet time with them.

How different my life had been before I got the horrific news.

I would do anything to have my cousin alive so they could grow up with their father.

But not once had I regretted taking them in, not even before Beau, when the days felt impossible.

I loved them in a way I didn’t know one could love another.

Beau came in behind me.

“What do you think they’re dreaming about?” I asked. “Do you think it’s colors? Or sounds? Or memories?”

“I don’t know.” He was close beside me now, nearly touching me. I wanted to lean into him and not because he was hot and I wanted him, though both of which were true. But more because we were in this together and it felt right for us to be that close.

“I hope it’s not memories,” he said softly. “At least not the bad ones.”

“Today, they’re probably dreaming of those geese.” I chuckled, wanting to divert the conversation from where my mind had just been and Beau’s now was.

“They did like them.”

“Baby giggles are officially the best.” I had video of them laughing away at the park, and I’d already watched it numerous times.

“There’ll come a time when they know better,” he said.

“Know better?”

“Clark, do you really not know?” Beau asked, and I shook my head. “Geese are so mean.”

“I don’t understand.” They were so cute, especially when the babies followed them around the pond. How could they be mean?

Beau grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room, whispering that he was going to show me how wrong I was or something to that effect. I wasn’t really paying enough attention to the details. All of my focus was on the warmth of his hand holding mine.

But as quickly as he grabbed it, he dropped it when we reached the hallway, looking up at me and mouthing, Sorry.

He had nothing to be sorry about. If he weren’t my employee, I’d have already asked him out. I’d already have reached up and brushed my thumb along his cheekbone countless times. I’d already have brushed my lips against his and more.

Just thinking it had me getting hard. I needed to learn to control myself better. A whole lot better.

He led me the rest of the way to the kitchen, where he grabbed his phone from the charger, opened it up, tapped away, and pulled up some reels.

“Here. This is what I mean.”

One after another, videos played of geese attacking people at the park. Children, adults, dogs… they didn’t care. They were ruthless, and they were liars the way they looked so cute.

“That’s really disturbing,” I said, half laughing, half horrified.

“I know, right?”

“Introducing the kids to the meanest beasts on the planet aside, thanks for today. I’m sorry it got a little weird when people thought we were family, but I didn’t know how to…you know, talk around it without making them feel bad for the comment.”

“No need for sorrys. It wasn’t weird.”

Maybe not, but it was something.

He set the phone back on the charger. “It was… I don’t know. I suppose we kind of are family, even though we’re not related.” His eyes dropped to the floor.

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “I can see that.”

But I wanted us to be more than kind of a family. And that was a lot to want and far too much to express. So instead, I switched topics.

“There’s something I need to tell you. Let’s go sit down.”

He walked straight to the table and took a seat, not saying a single word until I, too, was seated. “I kind of thought something was up when you came home.”

“Really?” I thought I’d hid it better than that. Guess not.

“Yeah.”

“I got a text today from the pediatrician. I completely missed one of the triplets’ appointments. It was a wake-up call.” I sighed. “What’s the point of me being their guardian if I’m gone all the time? There isn’t one. I’m no better than a foster family.”

My voice cracked, and I hated the way my emotions were getting the best of me.

Beau reached across the table and put his hand on mine, grounding me. “You’re doing amazing. You’ve given them a safe, loving environment. When you’re here, you’re hands-on. And yes, you have to work, but work is what’s providing for them.”

“Yeah, well, work doesn’t have to be all-encompassing.

I told my boss that today. I told them I was going to do half days at the office, half days at home.

But then, on the way home, I realized that wasn’t enough.

I’m not even going into the office next week.

Half days at home, and that’s it. I need to make the triplets my priority. ”

I looked down at our joined hands.

“I don’t know why my cousin put them in my care, but he trusted me with something so precious, and I’m going to make him proud. But that’s only part of the reason why we’re having this conversation.”

I looked up at Beau, waiting until he met my eyes. This was important.

“I’m expecting too much of you. As much as I work, you work, and you need some downtime, too.”

“I’m fine,” he said too quickly. “I can just sleep in tomorrow.”

I scoffed. “You wouldn’t. If you are here when those babies wake up, you’re up.”

He smiled faintly. “Yeah, I suppose that’s right.” He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand.

“You can go home. See your family and friends. When was the last time you did that?”

“It’s been…it’s been a minute.”

“Then do that. Please. Alleviate my guilt. I feel awful that I’m putting you through this.”

“This?” He laughed softly. “This is nothing. Ask me about the Crayon Breakfast one day.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.” I stood up, needing to get away from him before I leaned in for a kiss. “I’ll put on a cup of tea.”

Beau went to his room while I waited for the kettle. When I told him to take the week off, I hadn’t expected him to leave right away, but he did, coming down with a suitcase ten minutes later.

“I’m gonna go now,” he said quietly. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “Okay.”

He walked out the door, and the door didn’t quite click shut.

And as much as I wanted to shrug it off, to act like him leaving immediately didn’t bother me, it did.

I went to close the door all the way and heard what sounded like him saying, “ You’re not supposed to like your boss. You’re not supposed to like your boss.”

Every part of me whispered back, “Yes you are. Yes you are. Yes you are.”

Instead, I locked the door, leaning my back against it, waiting to hear his car back out and leave.

He hadn’t even left the neighborhood, and I already missed him.

Maybe I should have shouted back like I wanted to, told him that him liking me was okay. That I liked him too.

Because this…whatever we were doing wasn’t working. It was time to put everything on the table and see what happened. After he got back, I was going to make sure that was exactly what we did.