Page 8 of Alpha & Omega

in common. Do you have a large family?

Me: You could say that. None of us are blood-related, but we’re

family just the same. I try to take care of them.

OmegaChef34: That’s amazing. Do you foster?

Me: Nah, they’re all adults now.

OmegaChef34: Cool. I see you love to skateboard. I’mafraid

I’ve never tried it.

Me: Speaking of foster care, I was in the system, so I skated a lot

as an escape. I got a sponsorship and won quite a bit of money in

some competitions, which allowed me to open my bar.

OmegaChef34: Wow. I’m impressed.

Me: Do you have a family?

OmegaChef34: Would it bother you if I told you I have a

sixteen-year-old son?

I paused in my response. Sixteen? He must’ve been really young to have a kid that old. Did it bother me? Not really. We weren’t exactly an item, but what if we really liked each other? I never intended to have kids, but him having one didn’t bother me. Hell, I was already a father figure, regardless, so I knew I could handle it.

Me: Not at all. I’ve been watching over teens since back in my early

20s, which isn’t the same thing, but just… you know, it doesn’t

bother me.

OmegaChef34: I’ve got to admit, that’s a relief. I haven’t been on

this app long, and already, I’m getting complaints about being a

single dad.

Me: I get that not all men want a kid in their lives, but to complain

about it to you is a dick move.

There was a long pause, so long that I thought he’d stopped responding, making me question if I’d said something wrong. I read back my messages, but I couldn’t tell. As I waited, I lit a smoke, ignoring the stares from my crew, dying to know what Omega and I were chatting about, no doubt.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity later, he responded. I let out an easy breath and smiled at my phone like an idiot.

OmegaChef34: I feel really good about this. Let’s exchange pics and

go on a date.

Me: I feel good about this, too. Let’s do it.

We both accepted the agreement on the app to proceed to the next level to get the option to share our pictures.

I scrolled through my phone, trying to search for a decent one, but I didn’t take tons of selfies. After twisting my ball cap backward like an asshole so he could see my face, I took a quick picture, approved it, and sent it on. At least I wasn’t sweating anymore.

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