Page 41 of Unforgettable Omega
Drew saw the wince that Shay tried to hide. He wasn’t trying to make Shay feel bad. That wasn’t what this was about.
“I’m sure he loves it,” Shay said, in a low voice.
Drew decided it was time to change the subject, “You were telling me about how things were when he was younger.”
“I was,” Shay said, the amusement in his tone clear.
“Well, more like I asked if you had to leave him alone a lot when he was younger. I should have probably asked you this before, but we haven’t exactly had a lot of alone time since that first night.”
At the mention of that night, Shay’s eyes heated, and he licked his lips in a gesture that was probably not supposed to have Drew’s body reacting. But it did.
Drew shifted in his seat trying to find a more comfortable position with his now hard as steel cock in the mix.
When Shay spoke, his voice was higher than it had been previously, and his skin was flushed. Drew knew from memory that it wasn’t just his face that would be that color.
He tried to block out those thoughts and listen to what Shay was saying.
“My parents were great you know,” Shay said, “well, they were after they got over the shock. They had trouble having me, so a grandbaby… well, they got on board quick.”
“I’m glad. I would hate to think of how that could have gone wrong.”
“I know Riley, he’s the one married to your friend,” Shay said.
“Grayson’s omega, I know who Riley is. He was a godsend to Gray, especially after his first marriage.”
“I don’t know if you know the whole story…” Shay trailed off, and bit his lip like he realized he might be spilling a secret that wasn’t his to share.
“I know Riley is Max’s dad, and he gave him up when he was younger.”
Shay breathed a sigh of relief, “Yeah. I couldn’t imagine having to give Andy up, you know, but my parents, they never… well, let’s just say they made sure I knew all my options, but they also let me know that they supported whichever one I made.” Shay’s face twisted, like he had a bad memory, then he added, “Well, they supported almost all my decisions.”
“Let me guess, they didn’t support the part where you had to leave school,” Drew said. He groaned, “I bet they hated me, or maybe I should say hate me.”
“They don’t hate you,” Shay said. He looked away towards the beach that was visible from where they sat. In the silence, the wave sounds were all that could be heard.
“They never supported me not telling you,” Shay said. His voice was low, his eyes not meeting Drew’s.
Drew anger flared again at the mention of the lost time with his son, and Shay’s disappearance.
“I’m sure you had your reasons.”
But, even Drew could hear the question in the sentence, because he sure as fuck didn’t know what Shay’s reasons were.
If Shay hadn’t left, they would have spent the weekend, and he would bet way more, together. Shay could have moved in with him, and continued in school. When he found himself pregnant, he could have taken a year off, or enrolled in online classes. Drew would have hired whatever help Shay needed.
The silence between them grew as neither of them spoke. Drew was waiting, hoping for an explanation from Shay. Maybe then he would finally understand.
Luckily, or maybe unluckily, Ruth came out with plates for both of them. Her interruption managed to break the charged silence.
“Thank you,” Shay said, the relief in his voice clear as day.
“You’re welcome, hun,” Ruth said.
Drew’s eyes were fixed on Shay, but the omega started eating rather than meeting his gaze.
“Thank you, Ruth,” Drew said. His former nanny and housekeeper gave him a look he couldn’t quite interpret, but he knew the gist of it. At least he could guess, since Ruth, his usual gruff no-nonsense former nanny, seemed to have taken a shine to Shay and especially Andy.
After the interruption, they seemed to stick to a less charged topic, mostly about Andy and how he was as a baby. Shay shared stories and even showed him some pictures on his phone.