Page 9 of Lucky Dance Date
They’d never uttered the words, but they didn’t have to. They’d wanted a businessman alpha for a son, and ended up with me: a theater-loving omega. I could never be what they wanted, and they made sure I knew it.
“Here they are,” Mama said.
I turned to see Margaret and an alpha whom I assumed was Cameron entering the restaurant.
My heart sank. He was good-looking, but I felt nothing at all.
He wasn’t José. He wasn’t my alpha.
The hostess escorted us to the table, and I cringed inwardly as my parents and Margaret sat so that Cameron and I were forced together. Then they started their own conversation, leaving us in an awkward silence.
Cameron cleared his throat. “So… Hi… I’m Cameron.”
“Wes.”
Another pause. “I hear you’re a teacher?”
Of course my parents tried to make my job sound better than they thought it was. “Dance instructor, actually,” I replied.
“Oh?” he asked. “What kind of dance?”
I blinked several times. It was the first time that one of the alphas my parents tried to set me up with showed even that much interest. Usually they dismissed my job as ‘cute’ or something to do until I had kids. “Ballet and jazz,” I answered.
“Is that all?”
“I teach some couples’ dances too. And I participate in the local theater. I also do video tutorials online.”
Cameron smiled and seemed on the verge of asking another question when my dad cleared his throat.
“And… um…” I quickly started. “What do you do?”
Cameron’s smile faltered. “I work in commercial real estate.”
“Is that interesting?” I asked, feeling my dad’s eyes on me.
“It can be,” Cameron replied, a touch of concern in his voice. “Sometimes it’s boring. It depends on the business.”
“I see.”
“Do you want children, Cameron?” Mama asked.
Cameron picked up his water and took a sip. “Once I find the right omega,” he replied diplomatically.
“We can’t wait for grandchildren,” Mama continued. “Wes has already waited so long, and that clock is ticking.”
“I’m sure it’ll happen when he’s ready,” Cameron replied, and I detected a bit of ice in his voice.
“He’ll be ready as soon as he finds a good alpha,” Dad said, taking a sip of his beer.
“I see,” Cameron said.
“You said you were free on Thursday, didn’t you sweetheart?” Mama asked me.
“Yes,” I replied, knowing where she was going but hoping I was wrong.
“You two should have dinner,” Mama ‘suggested’ with the tone that it was more a command.
“Thursday’s good for you too, isn’t it Cameron?” Margaret asked.
