It was official, dating apps were for the birds. Sure, I got enough dick pics to wallpaper my living room, and I didn’t really hate that—not most of them anyway. There were a few that had more jewelry than a mall kiosk, which had me feeling sympathy pain—those I could do without. And there was the one guy who thought I might be interested in a picture of him being sounded but...nope. I worked in a hospital and just...nope. It just made me think of sick people not sexy times.

The worst part about the app was losing hours to a search for Ren, which was all kinds of dumb since he obviously didn’t want to be found. I still kept thinking about the stranger who saved me on my birthday.

I kept my account up, just in case. But after I told myself I’d completely given up, the foot pictures started popping up. Okay dick pics might not be for everyone, but really—feet? Not the courtship I was looking for. Not that I was looking for one at all with the way I kept rejecting requests. I was never listening to Joaquim about dating again.

Probably.

“Did you get any good ass shots today?” Joaquim walked into the break room, catching me checking my blasted phone. Again.

“Only once did I get a decent ass. Mostly I get dicks. But if you want to see my most recent, here.” I handed him my phone with some giant foot with sparkly toes displayed. So not my cuppa.

“What did you put in your profile to warrant that?” He tossed me my phone, barely containing his laughter.

“Not a clue.” I deleted the picture before putting away my phone. “Hey, you’re getting off work now, right?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” He opened his locker and started rifling through it as I changed out of my scrubs into jeans and a t-shirt. My laptop had gone and died, and I needed to get a new one, which was pretty much one of my least favorite activities.

“Do you need to get back home?” I looked up, giving him my best puppy dog eyes as he pulled his t-shirt on.

“Naw, Brent is doing something with that crazy mother of his.”

“I love Vivian.” And yeah she was crazy in that wonderful why-can’t-I-have-a-crazy-aunt-like-her kind of way.

“I do too, but she’s nuts.” The affection in his voice was unmistakable. He was lucky. So many mated friends of mine couldn’t stand their mother-in-laws, and he had one he adored, craziness and all.

“Okay, fair enough.” I shrugged, standing up and shoving my scrubs into my duffle. “My computer died. Can you pop over to Oak Grove and help me not get screwed while picking out a new one?” Again, I went straight for the puppy dog eyes.

“You buying breakfast first?” The joy of working third shift was getting off when everyone else was getting started for the day. It meant shopping when others were sitting in their cubicles and eating huge, yummy breakfasts midweek. As a single omega, it was ideal. For Joaquim, I knew it was only a short term shift switch with a colleague who was taking classes at the local college. He had a reason to be home at night—his mate, his husband, his omega.

Not that I was jealous, except I completely was. I wanted that too...which was probably why I held on to the idea of Ren, my knight in shining denim, so hard.

“Of course.” My eyes rolled of their own accord. Like we could begin any awesome adventure or boring errand without fueling up on bacon. “But let’s wait until we get there and go to Waffle Jacks. I love that place.”

“Maple pecan waffles with extra thick bacon it is.” He flicked his locker shut, grabbing his duffle before we headed to the parking garage to put his stuff in his car and climb into mine.

The drive was intense as Joaquim tried to school me in all the things I needed to consider when purchasing a computer. No matter how many times I told him I only wanted to be able to buy things, watch movies, and create basic documents, he kept explaining all the other features I needed to consider.

By the time we got to Waffle Jacks, my mind had pretty much been made up—I was going to have to go to the i-store or whatever they called that little corner of tech meca and plunk down a good chunk of change. But I felt good about the decision, which allowed us to have a wonderful breakfast of waffles and bacon. So very much bacon. I had no regrets.

“Thanks for breakfast, man.” Joaquim slapped me on the back as we left the restaurant, my jeans a little tighter than when I went in. Totally worth it.

The i-store was only a block away, so we decided to hoof it. We’d timed things just right so we would get to the store just as they opened, and since we weren’t aware of any huge new releases, chances were good we would be in and out with no problem. If it had been a release day, the line would have made it all the way to Waffle Jacks if history repeated itself.

“Don’t let them talk me into things I don’t need, Joaquin. I beg of you.” I was only half kidding. I had ignorant sucker written all over my face when it came to electronic purchases, and my television the size of Nebraska that I never watched was exhibit A.

“I got you. But fair warning, if you dally too much, this is going to be parlayed into second breakfast and possibly lunch.” He held open the door, and I stepped inside.

I’d not even made it all the way inside when some salesperson pounced. I was prepared though and told them exactly what I wanted. They were none too pleased when they couldn’t upsell me, even going so far as to ask Joaquim if he was comfortable with me not having the four bazillion years worth of warranty.

“Heck. I only came with him for free waffles.” Joaquim shrugged as he looked up from his phone, probably watching one of the many videos his mate uploaded for him anytime their kid did anything—old, new, cute, gross, silly, sad, it didn't matter—Brent documented them all and Joaquim loved it.

“He did,” I reassured as I ticked of the refusal boxes for all the bells and whistles. I just wanted my computer. Done.

“Hey,” Joaquim whispered over his phone. “That hot alpha is checking you out. Want me to slap you on the ass to get him to stop or go over and give him your number?”

I didn’t even pretend to not check out the alpha in question. I was in shock and out of my mouth poured, “Get him my number. That’s Ren. Better yet—here.” I slapped my credit card in his hand. “Take care of this if she comes back.”

I walked slowly over to Ren, who kept looking back and forth between Joaquim and I. Shit. Of course I was looking like a taken omega.

“Hey, Ren, I can’t find you on the apps.” Because nothing says desperate loser like confessing your stalking tendencies.

“I shut them down when I couldn’t find you.” His eyes never left Joaquim.

“Oh, right. I got kicked off the one because—never mind. It’s good to see you. I’m here with my coworker, who is beyond blissfully mated. You might know him from #ifyouseemyJaysendhimmyway. He knows computers and mine died and Waffle Jacks is here, so I bribed him to come so I wouldn’t buy a computer that can take over the world...and I’ll stop now.”