Page 30 of His Surrogate Omega

“How are they enjoying it?” Jamie asked.

“I think they’d both rather be sitting at home, playing video games and eating junk food all summer… but after everything, I think it’s best they keep busy.”

Jamie nodded, his smile faltering some. “How areyoudoing?”

Gray paused a moment, feeling another swell of sadness come over him. “To be honest? A little lonely. I miss my brother more and more each day.”

“I assume you two were close?”

“He was my best friend.” Gray paused as the kettle whistled. He rose and crossed the kitchen, taking it from the burner. As he returned to the table, he finished, “He was my confidant… the person I could tell anything to.”

Silence fell between them as Gray poured the water over the tea bags.

“I know we’ve only just met… but if I can ever lend an ear, I would be happy to.”

Gray smiled. There was something safe and comfortable about Jamie. He almost felt compelled to share his secrets with the man. But the decision that faced him… he needed to keep some separation between them until he made up his mind. He set the kettle back on the stove before walking back to the table and taking his seat. “I appreciate that. But you’re here to share good news. Not be caught up in my melancholy.”

Jamie tugged the tea bag lightly, his nervous energy unable to be fully contained. He lifted his stare. “If I can be honest?”

Gray nodded.

“I feel this kinship to you. I can’t explain it… but I feel like we’ve known each other forever. And even… even if you decided you didn’t want to be our surrogate… for whatever reason… I think I would be sad to lose your friendship.” Jamie lifted his stare and met Gray’s. “I haven’t felt this comfortable around someone… well… since I met my alpha.”

Gray grinned slightly, a tiny glimmer of jealousy flaring deep down. He wished he’d had his own alpha to make him feel like that… but that wasn’t his future. And he, too, felt the odd kinship Jamie had mentioned. “I wouldn’t want to lose your friendship, either.”

There were too few older omegas in the Quad. They came and went… leaving him behind to meet the new batch of omegas consigned to live there until their alphas whisked them away, too. After a while, making new friends felt almost too difficult. They would only leave him there alone at some point—so he’d just given up.

When Avery had come to live there, it had been his first friend in ages… but there was still only so much he could share with his nephew. And with Avery looking for work and applying to colleges… he had little time left over anyway.

“So tell me… what’s been on your mind?” Jamie asked.

Gray stared down at his cup… knowing he should keep everything to himself… “This decision… it weighs on me. Though now, I suppose your news today helps some.”

“I can’t even begin to imagine the thoughts running through your mind,” Jamie said. “I’m asking the world of you… when all you can think of is providing for your family.”

“There’s more to it… than that.”

Jamie cocked his head to the side.

“Heat Repress… it has begun to fail me.”

A frown crossed Jamie’s face. “I didn’t know that was possible.”

He took a sip from his cup. “My reasons for this aren’t fully motivated by my nephews. I’m hoping nearly a year off the drug will reset my body and allow me to return to it once the babe is born.”

“Couldn’t you just go off it for a month or two?”

“I can barely get by with the drug now. I’d lose my mind without it.”

Jamie frowned. “You do have someone… who helps you… a beta?”

Gray shook his head. “What do you mean?”

“I just assumed you had a lover… or someone who helped you through your heats,” Jamie said, his eyes widening. “I mean… you said you didn’t think you had an alpha out there… so I guess…” Jamie’s frown deepened. “No one? So you’re a…”

“A virgin. Yes.”

Jamie looked stunned.

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