Page 42 of Unforgettable Omega

Dinner was pleasant after the little awkward pause. They both tried to act like nothing happened, and moved on to other topics, but it was very apparent that there was a topic hanging between them that needed to be addressed. And addressed it would be. Maybe not right then and there, but that was okay, it was just the first night. Drew was willing to be a little more patient.

Just alittlethough.

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Shay

Dinner with Drew was nice at first, although maybe nice wasn’t quite the word. It felt kind of like a date to start, with the underlying sexual tension. The coy looks, and flirty banter. Or maybe he just hoped it was a date, his outfit was proof of that since he’d gotten all dressed up.

When Drew had taken Andy to get ready for bed, Shay had nipped into his room to get changed. The fact he was getting changed for dinner in the house had felt kind of weird, but he’d also wanted to look nice, so even though he’d been a little worried that Drew would think he was reading more into it than it was, Shay had gone for it. And he was glad that he’d made an effort especially when Drew had come down looking like the definition of casual sexy.

Sometimes Shay forgot who Drew was, but the beach house, the clothes, kind of brought it home for him, but somehow, Drew was just Drew to him, so he was able to put it aside, as just what it was.

Shay had actually enjoyed telling Drew about the past, about Andy when he was a baby and all those moments that only a parent could truly appreciate. And Drew did appreciate it. Shay had seen that in the alpha’s eyes. The pride he felt for their son, the pride only a parent could have for their child.

Then, they’d fallen into the other part of the past, the part of the past that he didn’t want to talk about, and Shay hadn’t missed the questioning tone in Drew’s voice, or the expectant look on his face. As much as he wanted to put it all out there, what purpose would it serve?

Wasn’t it better to move forward and just let things play out naturally?

But can it really be okay if the past isn’t addressed? Can you really forgive Drew?

Shay had been dealing with those questions since Drew had walked back into his life. Or barged back, he should say. Not that he was complaining.

And the truth was, even though heshouldhave been over everything from way back in the day with all the time that passed, and being older… and he hoped wiser, Shaywasn’t. One thing that had become apparent to him was that he’d simply buried the past, all of it, way down deep, and focused on being the best parent he could be to his son.

Back then, all he could think about was taking care of Andy and not being a burden to his parents any more than he already felt like he was, even though they never made him feel that way. Shay had wanted Andy to be proud of him, and he wanted to be able to take care of his child, so Shay had focused on making that happen, and he’d shoved all the feelings he had about Drew down… way down.

Shay had made Drew a memory he didn’t revisit… often anyway, because as much as he tried, he hadn’t forgotten the alpha, more so the older their son got, and the more he looked like Drew.

He would never forget the first time he’d tried dating. Andy was two and Shay had thought it time to get out there. An alpha, another single dad from where he’d worked at the supermarket, had been asking him out for a while, and Shay decided to finally say yes.

They’d had a nice dinner, and then that was it. Shay felt nothing. Zero, zilch… even after all that time, he’d compared the man to Drew, maybe not consciously at first… but it had happened.

And when his date had kissed him outside his parents’ home… no spark, nothing. Shay had tried dating again after that, but it was the same thing.

Until the other night with Drew. He’d thought his sex drive was dead post having a baby, but it was Drew… always would be it seemed.

He felt like he was at a precipice, like all his years of avoidance were finally catching up to him. He knew that if he didn’t deal with it now, then there was no dealing with it.

If you want a future with Drew, you have to put the past to rest.

Shay hated the flippin’ logical part of his brain. Mostly, because he knew it was right. He had to deal with the past, if only so that he and Drew didn’t have it between them.

Don’t lie to yourself, he’s the only alpha that has ever made you feel.

Shay turned in his bed and looked out the window at the beautiful night sky… he wished… he wished that… Shay sighed, he had so many wishes, but mainly he wished that everything was simpler.

He tried telling himself that they needed to figure things out for Andy, but primarily it was for himself, both for his eighteen-year-old self, and now. Maybe clearing the air would help him move on… even though it raised the question of whether he wanted to… or if all roads would still lead back to Drew.

Shay sighed, tossed in his bed again, this time he looked up at the ceiling. When that didn’t help, he covered his eyes with his arm.

He knew what he had to do. Now, he just needed the courage to do it. Maybe he would wait till the end of the vacation, so he didn’t ruin it.

He ignored the part of his brain screaming for him to remember how much of a mess he was after leaving Drew.

It was time to put the past in the past. Right?

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