Page 30 of A Baby for the Firefighter
“How’s it coming along?” the theater teacher asked me, yanking me out of my reverie.
“Coming along okay,” I said. It wasn’t hard work. All they wanted me to do was paint an image of a forest and some mountains in the background on a big wooden canvas. Still, as I looked around myself, I realized that I’d stayed longer than all the other parents. Sometimes I just completely lost myself in a task. Especially when there was paint involved.
“Good, good.” The teacher nodded approvingly. Him, I knew from when I was still in school too. Eric Zimmerman. He’d been three years above me, and always a bit of an eccentric kid. Liked to stand in the limelight. It was no surprise, really, that he taught theater now. “Say, Griffin,” he continued. “It’s your nephew in the play, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. My nephew Jake.”
Eric nodded again. “No children of your own?” he asked, even though he had to know. He regarded me with this half-speculative, half-pitying look that I knew all too well.
“No, no children of my own.” I suppressed a sigh. I got this question far too often. People just couldn’t fathom that omegas my age would not have children. They weren’t wrong to assume that something wasn’t quite right with me, of course, but it was stillrude.What I did with my life was my choice and mine alone, even if I did feel something missing.
“I don’t have children either,” Eric said. “No partner. Somehow never happened.”
“Yeah, but you’re not an omega, so it’s not expected of you,” I said before I could stop myself. To my knowledge, Eric was neither an omega nor an alpha. He was what some people called a beta. There was no weirdly intoxicating scent coming off him to drive me crazy. But nothing about him particularly attracted me, either. Betas just didn’t really show up on my radar. A shame, really. Something told me I’d have an easier time dating a beta rather than an alpha, if I was into them at all.
“I guess you’re right,” Eric said. “Doesn’t mean I don’twantchildren, though. I became a teacher because I like children.”
“I see.” I looked away from him to paint some more green on the canvas.
“Is your nephew looking forward to the play?”
“I guess,” I said, keeping my attention fixed on the work I was doing. Didn’t Eric have some work of his own to get done? He was starting to get on my nerves for reasons I couldn’t even explain.
“Good, good,” he said again. “It’s good to have him on the team. You know, I’ve been thinking maybe you and I should get together sometime and discuss our work over a cup of coffee.”
What?I turned around. Eric had my full attention again. Was he seriously asking me out? The guy couldn’t take a hint, could he? “A cup of coffee?” I asked just to make sure. “You mean like going to a coffee house together and having a cup of coffee?” I must be coming across like an idiot, even though he was the actual idiot here if he seriously thought I’d be going out with him. Then again, he didn’t know about Dean, so maybe it was a fair assumption to make?
“Just a cup of coffee, Griffin. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“I’m not making a big deal out of it.” Was I? “I’m just asking. I’m not really sure what we would have to discuss. I’m only doing a bit of paint.”
“Don’t underestimate the importance of your work.” He gave me a smile, but it had something sleazy to it, something that creeped me out. What did he want with me?
“Sorry,” I said. “I don’t think I have time. And actually, I’m done here for tonight.” Definitely done.Sodone. “I think I’ll have my boyfriend come pick me up.”
I saw shock register on Eric’s face, but only for a split second, then he covered it up with the same sleazy smile he’d had before. “You have a boyfriend?” he said it like the idea amused him.
Oh, great, he didn’t believe it. I tried not to roll my eyes. “Yeah, in fact, I’m going to call him right now.”Because you’re making me really uncomfortable, dude.I dug through my pockets for my phone and finally fished it out. Eric watched me curiously while I dialed Dean’s number.
Fortunately, he answered quickly. “Hey, Dean.”
“Griff?”
“Yeah. Listen, could you come pick me up? And maybe hurry? I’m done here now.”
“Where are you?” Dean sounded slightly concerned now because we hadn’t made any arrangement for him to pick me up from anywhere. But Eric didn’t have to know that.
“Yeah, I’m at the elementary school.”
“I’ll be right there. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Thank you.” I hung up. Thank God Dean wasn’t busy right now. Then I would have had to find another way to get rid of the creep.
“Was that the Dean who went to school with us? The firefighter who came back to town?” Eric asked.
“Spot on.”
Eric’s grin widened. “I remember him. You guys are friends. You’re not dating.” He sounded almost relieved. Like he’d figured this all out.
