The quarterly Nut Bowls were always my favorite events of the year. We started The Nut Bowl six years ago as a way of weeding through the skunk beers that kept trying to find a home on our menu. From the very beginning, Justin and I wanted to showcase the best local craft and microbrews, but it was hard to know what our customers wanted. Having a large selection of beers on tap was a must, but what I was in the mood for on any given tasting day wasn’t always what Justin liked. This contest allowed us to rotate in trendy flavors on a quarterly or annual basis once our customers got tired of the old ones.

So, every quarter, we accepted hundreds of applications and tasted dozens of beers before enlisting some of our regulars to narrow down the top six finalists. Half the companies we brought in were seasoned vets who already had a beer on tap with us and were trying to get more bar space. The rest were new guys, either just starting off or trying to expand their distribution beyond their friends and family.

I was just about to do a lap in front of the display tables to see if our contestants needed anything when my watch buzzed with a call from Justin. I answered it from my ear stick with just a tap of my finger. “What’s up?”

“Can you come up front for escort?”

“Yep.” I turned and immediately headed toward the main bar to see what was up.

We still had a while until official voting was supposed to begin, but the bar was filling up fast. I could see over the heads of most of the people in the room, and it only took a few seconds for me to find the problem.

Justin had his arm around a sobbing omega while Allen was shielding the two men from a burly dude in a baseball jersey. I reached the group in just a few strides and extended the wall between my brother and the drunken brute in front of him. “Everything okay?”

Allen hit the button on his earpiece to let the rest of our security detail know he had back up then he raised his fist and flashed the hand signal what was used to indicate a potentially violent customer.

That’s all I was waiting for. “Okay, buddy. I think it’s time for you to head out.” I held one arm up toward the front door then stepped toward the man. “I’ll walk you out.”

The guy lifted his hand and came dangerously close to shoving me in the chest before thinking better of it. “I don’t know what your problem is, man, but we’re just having a drink. Everything’s cool.”

I shook my head slightly. “I don’t think it is. Let’s go.” I reached for the man’s arm and tugged him back while Allen walked toward him, essentially herding the guy out the front door.

We didn’t make a habit of kicking out customers, but we had zero tolerance for violent, or potentially violent, situations. The omega’s bathroom had posters on the walls that listed the names of cocktails a person could order to indicate to the bartender or server that they needed help. Obviously, the man standing near Justin with tears rolling down his cheeks didn’t feel safe and ordered an angel shot dirty.

That meant his date needed to be escorted out.

Angel shots weren’t new, but people were still just realizing they had the power to protect themselves before a situation got out of hand. That’s why it was so important for Justin and I to keep our customers safe. When I looked back at my brother, he seemed to have the frightened omega under control so I backed off, not wanting to cause any more stress on the poor guy. I could see him shaking from where I was standing, but I knew he was in good hands.

My brother would move mountains to protect the innocent, so I headed back to the judging tables to see what was going on.

Terrance and Xavier were already passing out samples of their beer, so I grabbed a cup and kept walking. We’d been pouring their brews for the past two years and this new one was decent. They were definitely the favorites to win, but a few others would be strong contenders.

I looked across each table for the one I preferred over all the rest. It’s from a craft brewer named Ike but I couldn’t find him anywhere. Instead, sitting at his table with his hands folded across the top and a terrified expression on his face, was my new fantasy.

This guy was completely different than most guys I was usually interested in. The opposite in fact because I often dated alphas, and this guy was clearly an omega. But there was something about his awkward presence that made me want to gather him into my arms and give him a hug. Preferably naked...but even with clothes on, I wanted to touch him.

I made a beeline straight for him and was about to clear my throat to get his attention when Saul handed me a microphone and a spotlight was pointed in my face.

Fuck. I guess we were getting the party started whether I was ready or not.

“Ladies and gentleman, I’m happy to welcome you all to this year’s third quarter Nut Bowl. My brother and I look forward to sharing some of our favorite local brews with you tonight. Please taste each beer and leave your voting chip in the box of your favorite one. As you know, the winner will be offered placement at the bar and the opportunity to become your beer of choice for the next year. So, my friends, choose wisely or it will be a long year.”

Everyone laughed and clapped as I walked to the voting boxes to point them out. “Let the tastings begin!”

The crowd was always wild at these things, so I quickly skulked away from the crowds and watched from afar. As much as I wanted to say I had no personal favorites among the actual brewers, my interest in the guy in the middle had been piqued, and there wasn’t much I could do to quell it other than go and talk to the guy.

So, that’s exactly what I did.