Chapter Two
Hollis
I wasn’t sure if hiring Eddie was a good idea, but it wasn’t like there was a line out the door for the job. It had taken me several trips to York’s store to get that flyer put up in the first place. Mavis followed me around the store every time I went in there for groceries. The only way I’d been able to post the flyer on the board was by going in when I heard at the farm supply store that Mavis had a doctor’s appointment in the city. It was the one time that everyone in Silver Springs being in everyone else’s business worked to my advantage.
Now she’d found the flyer and torn it down. I had no idea if I’d be able to hang another one, so since Eddie seemed like a decent Omega, I’d hired him for a trial run. I needed three or four more able-bodied workers, but that was a pipe dream. If I worked extra hard and Eddie didn’t mind long hours, we could probably make it work for a while.
I’d put an ad in the local paper in the nearby city, but I’d only gotten one call. That guy had asked me if I had any sheep in a tone that just didn’t sit right with me, so I’d hung up on him.
Part of me worried that hiring Eddie would keep him from pursuing things that would help him achieve his goals in life. He should’ve been in college or traveling the world. But that was my lack of confidence in my own venture talking. In truth, I’d presented him with a wonderful opportunity to get into my company on the ground floor, and he could do it without accruing any student loan debt. After all, who was I to assume what his dreams were?
My plan after dinner had been to kick back with a beer and watch a movie, but something about my encounter with Eddie had energized me. Instead of plopping down and relaxing, I went out to the main warehouse to work on the irrigation system issues I’d been having.
As I examined the components and tested the flow, I couldn’t help but admit to myself that part of my reservations with hiring Eddie was that I found him attractive.
Not many people around Silver Springs acknowledged that I was an Alpha. I guess for a less secure person, some Alphas could be wound up tight with self-doubt and narcissism, that would have bothered me. There was a time when an Alpha would have commanded a great deal more respect from those around him just because of his status, but the people of Silver Spring didn’t seem to care.
I guess I didn’t care much either. I could have demanded their respect, but instead, I just tried to work on my farm in peace. That didn’t mean I was immune to the charms of an Omega as gorgeous and sweet smelling as Eddie. Even the thought of another Alpha taking in Eddie’s scent made me feel a little… unsettled. That’s the best way I could think of to describe it.
There hadn’t been an Omega in my bed since before an IED ended my military service. Once I’d been released from the hospital and discharged from service, I decided that I had too much baggage to let anyone else into my life. I’d also lost the taste for one-night stands and empty sexual encounters.
I cursed myself for even letting my mind wander to sex. Eddie was too young for me. Sure, there was only an eight-year age difference, but I felt a thousand years old. Eddie seemed so innocent and naïve, and he had just enough attitude to get himself into big trouble with an Alpha like me. I felt my blood heat as I imagined having to take Eddie over my knee because of his smart mouth. I didn’t want to admit that I could be completely undone by an Omega who shared my desires.
Either way, Eddie most likely wouldn’t be around for long. He’d probably be run ragged by the work in a few days. I wouldn’t even have to try and drive him away. The issue would most likely resolve itself.
And that’s what I wanted. Right?