One guy has a thing for my voice and suddenly, I can’t stop thinking about relationships. Someone would think I’m fourteeninstead of almost forty. Why’d he have to be so flirty? Why’d he have to be socute?
“Come on, Dad,” Calloway says, waving me over. “Let’s start with this store and go around. We can end at the candy shop,” he says, flashing both of us giant, blinking eyes.
“Maybe if you’re good, we can even stop for ice cream on the way home,” Bruce says with a teasing tone, ruffling Calloway’s hair. Calloway squeaks, doing his best to push his hair back into place.
“I know you’re just joking around but I wouldn’t mind ice cream,” I say, taking a sip of my coffee and sighing happily.
“Not enough sugar for you?”
“Coffee doesn’t count!”
It’s officially summer break for Calloway. He recently went through another growth spurt so the poor kid only has like two pairs of shorts that actually fit. Today, we’re getting stuff for both of our houses so he’ll be stocked up again.
I follow behind Calloway, watching as he looks through racks of clothes. I love that he has my dark hair but Bruce’s light green eyes. As an omega, his features are soft, not unlike my own. I’m almost jealous that those same features on him look distinctively masculine because of the cut of his jaw.
It’s amazing to watch him develop more and more into his own person as he gets older. It feels like just yesterday he was just a potato that laid around and needed me to wait on him hand and foot. Now he’s picking out his own clothes, his own style.
My heart aches with how much I adore and love this kid. It feels like such a privilege to call him mine.
“Did you submit everything Calloway needed for that summer camp this summer?”
I nod my head. “Yeah, it’s all taken care of. Did you ask for some time off so you can come with for drop off?”
“I did but they’re not sure I can swing it. I’ll let you know closer to the day.” Bruce sighs before going on. “Gods, it feels wrong? Like surely he’s still just a baby. He can’t do an entire week at a camp without us.”
“I know, right? It feels fucked up.”
Calloway stops at a sweater that’s the most godawful purple color. He keeps coming back to it, running his fingers over the material. He steps away, grabbing another pair of shorts before coming back to the sweater.
“Hey,” Bruce says softly. “I know you’re gonna tell me to keep my nose to myself, but I have to ask. Are you alright?”
I look over at my ex-mate, narrowing my eyes at him. We used to argue about this. I was so busy hiding myself and feeling miserable that I would lash out anytime Bruce asked me what was wrong. He always talked about being able to smell how upset I was and how nothing would change unless I talked about it. I used to hate the fact that he could smell that sort of stuff on me.
“It’s fine,” I say quickly. Now that we’re just best friends and not trying to force ourselves into the picture-perfect loving relationship, it’s much easier to talk to him. “Just have some stuff on my mind lately. Nothing to worry about though, pinky promise.”
“If you wanted to talk about some of that stuff, I’m here.”
“Thanks, Bruce,” I say, nudging my shoulder with his.
Once Calloway has an arm full of clothes that he’s already tried on and ready to get, I snag the ugly purple sweater and add it to the counter. Calloway blushes but doesn’t say anything, letting me buy it for him.
I pay in this store before we head into the next. Calloway needs some new sneakers as well as some hiking boots for this camping trip.
By the time we’re just about done, I’ve tossed my coffee cup into the trash. I’m carrying all of Calloway’s bags, wanting to feel useful and show off the muscles I’ve been working hard on gaining.
“Hey, Dad,” Calloway says softly, stepping up beside me as we walk through the mall. Bruce is a bit behind us, looking at his phone.
“What’s up?”
“Can you make sure the purple sweater goes to your house?”
“Of course,” I say right away.
“I want it for umm, well. I think it’s,” his voice drifts off and his cheeks are bright red. He rubs the back of his neck. “I think I want it for a nest? Maybe?”
If I thought my baby picking out his own clothes was a sign of him growing up, him talking about making a nest sends me into a brand new spiral. As a shifter, we all have different types of instincts. I’m an alpha so I’ve never wanted to make my own nest.
Calloway is going through puberty, developing not only his primary gender but also his secondary. Nesting is a part of that and he hasnothingto be embarrassed about.
