I have to tell Lucas.
I need to figure out what this all means.
I need to get a fucking grip.
Seamuse Beach at lunchtime is the opposite of the bakery. The sun is harshly shining today after last night’s storm, and the hum of holiday-goers is layered with gull shrieks and the crash of surf. I jog down to the beach on my lunch break hoping to catch Lucas. Sure enough, there he sits in the northernmost lifeguard chair in the full sun, king on his resin throne.
He spots me before I reach him and raises a hand in greeting. His ocean-blue eyes are shaded by mirrored sunglasses, but his smile’s visible from orbit. He’s shirtless except for the red-and-yellow vest, which looks comically small across his chest and arms. I guess that’s what you get for lifting since childhood.
“Early lunch?” he calls.
I shake my head, catching my breath. “Even better. Remember that omega you rescued? She came in this morning.”
Lucas leans forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. His eyes go wide. “No way. Did you talk to her? How are you sure?”
“Said her name’s Helena, and she was shadowed by an alpha. Touristy-feeling. It’s her.” I hesitate, grinning at the memory. “Better yet, I actually know her alpha. Zane’s from Seamuse.”
Lucas whistles. “That’s a hell of a coincidence.”
“Might be.” If the three of us alphas are all scent-matched to the same omega, Zane and I knowing each other from childhood might just be fate. If you believe in that kind of stuff.
I honestly didn’t until today.
Lucas tips his head back, considering. “You gonna make a move?”
I snort. “With Zane shadowing her? No thanks. I value my limbs. But…”
Lucas lets logic fill in the gap. “I’m with you, Cole. I want to, too. Did she give any inclination she knows about the scent-match? Maybe she’s on blockers or something.”
“That block only her sense of smell and nothing more?” I chew the inside of my cheek. “I just want to see her again. Not, like, track her down or anything. See her somewhere and chat.”
Lucas grins from ear to ear. “We will.”
I study him. “You sound very confident about that.”
Lucas points down the beach. “They’re here right now. Haven’t come by to sayhi, but I spied them earlier.”
I follow where he points and, sure enough, there Helena and Zane are. A few hours ago, they were in my bakery buying breakfast. Now, they’re decked out in swimwear catching some warm sun.
Lucas shrugs. “Arrived half an hour ago. That’s probably long enough now where they won’t mind being interrupted if we go sayhi.”
I nod. “Yeah, sure. That sounds reasonable.”
Tell me why I’m nervous as fuck.
A timer goes off on a clock nearby. Lucas slides off his chair and dusts sand from his shorts. “That’s my lunch break.” The lifeguard replacing me appears. “And that’s my cue for freedom. Let’s go sayhito Helena.”
We weave through the crowd. It’s impossible to ignore the honey notes of Helena’s scent as we approach. It’s subtle, but it hits like a shot of adrenaline.
Helena glances up, eyes narrowing before recognition lights her face. “Cole! Hello again. And Lucas!”
Zane glowers, only slightly so. But I don’t think it’s truly territorial in nature. “Hey.”
“Did you survive the coffee?” I ask her.
She laughs. “Barely. I see you weren’t exaggerating about the strength. It was definitely an adventure.”
Zane’s glower is momentarily exchanged for a chuckle. “Try keeping up with her when she’s that caffeinated.”
