Page 10 of The Omega's Fake Mate

“Bad things can happen anywhere, any time.”

Conner sighed. I felt bad for the kid. This really wasn't about him at all, but he had no way to know that. “Fine,” I said. “I'll take him.”

“Great.” Kade gave me a wide smile. “I knew you'd come through.”

I stuck my tongue out at him. Not super adult, but neither was my friend right now. Shoveling another forkful of potatoes in my mouth, I resigned myself to my fate. Worst case scenario, I could always wait outside the store.

4

Nick

The next day, I drove Conner to the bookstore in the old car I'd rented. As I parked, I studied the store from outside. Kade didn't know it, but this wasn't my first time here. I'd come here the Thanksgiving after my brother's wedding, too. For what felt like an hour, I'd stared at the lettering on the window.Tall Tales.

I'd wondered whether Zander was inside, and how much the place might have changed since I'd last been here as a child... I’d tried to visit when I was in town for Thanksgiving about two years ago, but the store was closed for the holiday. I doubted that I would have entered even if it wasn't.

I had so many memories of this place. Zander always hung out here when we were little. I remember his grandmother bringing us cookies and telling us not to get the crumbs on the books. Zander took that to heart. Helovedbooks.

I only liked books when Zander read them to me.

He had a knack for it, even as a child. He'd tell the stories to me, and if they were good, we'd act them out—with sticks that turned into swords in our imagination. Before I could stop myself, I sighed, wishing life could be that simple, that magical again.

“Is something wrong?” Conner asked from the passenger seat.

“No, nothing.”

“Okay. Let's go in.” The boy gave me an excited grin, the money Kade gave him in his hand.

“I'll wait in the car.”

“Really? I might be a long time.”

“That's okay.” So long as I didn't have to face Zander.

“All right.” Conner climbed out of the car and vanished into the store. I heard the soft chiming of the bells even in the car. Or maybe, I heard them in my memory. I used to run through that door a lot, no matter how often I was chided for it. One day I ran into a bookshelf and the whole thing toppled over with me on top of it. I still remembered how Zander's grandmother fished me out of the pile of books with a look of matronly resignation on her kind face.

“You're a wild one, aren't you? But maybe that's what he needs.”

I never quite understood what she meant by that.

While waiting for Conner to come back, I drummed my fingers on the stirring wheel. He sure was taking his time. I glanced at the time on the dash. Had it really only been five minutes?

What was Conner's research project anyway? I should have asked.

Blowing some hair out of my face, I looked at the time again. Then I groaned and got out of the car. Who was I kidding? I really wasn't good at waiting at all.

Glancing up and down the quiet street, I wondered if I should go for a walk. But then my eyes caught on the bookstore again. The outer wall was in bad need of a paint job. Someone should go in and tell them.

Someone who wasn't scared to run into an old friend.

I took a deep breath. This was stupid. I was being stupid.

Besides, if I didn't go in, Kade would hear from Conner later and he'd never stop trying to set me up. Maybe after I did this he would leave me alone.

Okay, Nick. Be a big boy. It's just a bookstore.

Before I could change my mind again or think too much about it, I put my hand on the door and stepped inside, accompanied by the familiar sound of jingling bells.

At first, nobody noticed me. Conner stood by a shelf near the back, and Zander... Zander sat behind the register, completely absorbed in a book. I’d seen him like this too many times to count—lost in whatever world he was reading about. He didn't even look up at the sound of the bells.