Page 65 of Choosing Their Omega

We get back to town and I try to figure out what I’m going to say, how to ask them, but then Cruz gets a phone call.

“Looks like good news,” I tell him when he hangs up, smiling.

“Oh, yeah.” He grins at me. “Andrea’s visiting. I’m really excited for her to meet you.”

Andrea. “Your sister?” I ask, remembering what Cruz has told me about his family.

“Yup. You’re going to love her, and I’m sure she’ll love you.”

I don’t doubt Cruz, but I am nervous about meeting his family. Cruz is really close with his sister, and if Andrea doesn’t like me for any reason, I don’t want Cruz to be torn between her and me. I can’t ever ask someone to choose between me and their family.

Andrea visits a lot, as much as she can, and apparently she usually stays at the house but has insisted on a hotel this time when she learns they’re courting an Omega.

“I’m not going to get in the way,” she teases Cruz over the phone. “And I definitely don’t need to be scarred by whatever you all will be getting up to in the house.”

She sounds amused, her voice sweet and warm, and I really hope she likes me.

Andrea shows up in the early afternoon, pulling her car into the drive—she hates flying, insisted on driving, apparently—and hurling herself out of the driver’s seat as Cruz exits the house.

Cruz envelops her in a bear hug while she grouses at him about how long his hair is getting, how he looks like a caveman, and how shitty the traffic was on the way here. He rapid-fires right back at her, telling her that her own hair needs a cut and that if she’d actually gotten her ass up in the morning instead of sleeping in, she would’ve beaten the traffic.

My chest squeezes a little as I watch them. I never had a sibling. I never got that back and forth with someone where you’re insulting each other on the surface but really, it’s because you know them so well, and care about them so much.

It makes me ache.

Ben watches them, wrapped around my leg. He’s opening up more and more, but he still gets a bit quiet and clingy among strange people or crowds. I look down at him. Ben deserves a sibling.

Before I can pursue that train of thought and let it knock me flat, Cruz is leading Andrea up to us. “Andrea, this is Lily, our Omega.” Cruz is beaming with pride. “And Lily, this is my sister, Andrea.”

“Don’t listen to a thing he’s told you about me,” Andrea says, breaking away from Cruz to take my hand and squeeze it fondly. “It’s all lies.”

“Oh, odd, because he said you were wonderful,” I blurt out, my sass taking over.

Andrea shakes her head conspiratorially. “Don’t lie to make him look good.” She winks and then tugs me farther into the house, still keeping her grip on my hand. “But it’s so good to meet you! Cruz has told me so much about you. I’m so happy he and his pack have found an Omega.”

My face feels like it’s on fire. “Well, I’m… I’m just trying to be the Omega they deserve.”

Cruz walks past me, and I see him roll his shoulder. Huh. He just picked Andrea up, that must be it, but I feel like this isn’t the first time I’ve seen him do that.

“Oh, Andrea.” I crouch down and put my hand on Ben’s back. “Ben, you remember your Aunt Andrea, right? Cruz said you’d met her.”

Ben nods, still a little shy. Andrea crouches down too. “It’s lovely to meet you again, Ben. You have a lovely Omega here. Do you like her?”

Ben nods fervently. “I love Lily. She’s the best.”

My heart feels like it’s swelling until it’s too big for my chest. “Well, lucky you, I love you too. You’re the best.” I kiss the top of his head. “Why don’t you go find your uncles?”

Ben grins and hurries off, and Andrea and I stand up. “Let me make you some coffee.” I lead her into the kitchen. “I was going to make it ahead of time but I wasn’t sure exactly what kind you liked.”

“You’ve got enough types here to power an army.”

“Yeah, uh, Cruz didn’t know what kind I liked, when I first got here, so I think he cleared out the entire store.”

Andrea laughs and leans back against the counter, watching me setup the coffee machine. “That sounds like Cruz, all right. He’s always about taking care of others, to the point of overcompensation, sometimes.”

“It’s sweet.”

“It is,” Andrea agrees with a warm smile. She gazes up and down at me as I work. “I hope you know how happy you’re making him.”

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