The next day, Boone arrived at the inn and parked next to Felix’s truck. He was the only one who needed to drive to the inn from his new home. The omega’s vehicle was worn, but well-loved. The dark blue crossover parked next to it was completely unfamiliar. When he saw the Florida plates, he started grinning. When he heard a deep, booming laugh coming from the inn’s kitchen, he started jogging. Sure enough, seated at the small round table with Demarien and his friends was a large man with black hair and dark eyes.
Patrick grinned at him, eyes sparkling. “Hey, golden boy. I hear we’re building fences today.”
“You’re here,” he said, still a bit in shock.
“Sure enough. Met your Demarien and his friends. They’re just as charming and handsome as you told me.” Patrick’s smile was smooth as silk.
Boone frowned. “Hands off my omega and his friends. They’re too good for the likes of you.”
Patrick sniffed, giving him a hurt look. “Some best friend you are.”
Demarien gave Boone a soft look and held out a cup of coffee. “Have a seat and catch up. Patrick has been telling us all about his time served in Florida.”
The large alpha shuddered. “Never again. Tourist season here can’t possibly be worse than spring breaks in Florida.
Puck snorted. “Missing hikers and dumbasses looking for Bigfoot.”
Milo smiled, sipping his tea. “Oh, remember when Tyler Payne got stuck in Karen Bright’s second-story bedroom window? The tourists started taking pictures of his bare ass, and Mr. Bright kept jumping to reach him with a baseball bat. The sheriff wanted to resign right there.”
“Pinatas are fun,” Felix whispered from where he sat, curled against Puck’s side. He was almost in the other omega’s lap as he tried to get as far from Patrick as he could.
“You’ll enjoy it here,” Demarien said, patting Patrick’s shoulder.
“I feel so lucky.” Patrick smiled weakly.
Demarien leaned up and kissed Boone’s cheek. “Sit down. I made waffles.”
“Yes, sir.” Boone sat between Felix and Patrick, noting that the omega instantly relaxed. It hurt his heart to see Felix like that, but he would soon get used to Patrick, just like he did with Boone.
Demarien brought him a plate and sat in his lap as he ate, laughing at the stories of their time in the army.
“You should have seen his face when Gina beat him in the PT test,” Boone said, chuckling. “Patrick was determined to show off for her, but she kicked his ass. It was great.”
Patrick sighed, smiling fondly. “Never underestimate women or omegas. It’ll only make you look like a fool.”
Milo snorted. “I get the feeling you make yourself look the fool enough as is.”
Patrick clutched his heart. “That hurts, love. How can you be so cruel?”
Laughing, Puck stood and put his cup in the sink. “It’s time to work on that fence, suckers – oh, I meantfriends.”
Boone slapped Patrick’s back. “Welcome to town. Let’s get to work.”
Patrick sniffed and pulled Demarien into his arms. “Why does your man hate me, beautiful?”
“Oh, you poor thing.” Demarien snickered.
Boone narrowed his eyes and pulled Demarien away from Patrick. “Ignore him. He’s hopeless.”
A drizzle fellas they worked. It was chilly, but not too cold yet. Another month, and the wind would cut to the bone. By lunch time, a half-built fence stretched crookedly along the hill around the vineyard, posts leaning.
“Alright,” Felix said, squinting down the line, one hand on his hip. “I’m telling you, that post is off.”
“It is not off,” Puck shot back, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his glove. “It’s character.”
“Character doesn’t keep sheep in, beautiful,” Patrick muttered, dragging a roll of wire across the ground with a metallic scrape. “Straight lines do.”
Boone leaned against the tailgate of Felix’s truck, sipping from a water bottle, watching the three of them argue like it was a weekly show. “You know,” he said, fighting a smile, “if the sheep get out, I’m naming the first one that escapes after whichever one of you set that post.”
