“Well, I kissed him. I can’t believe it. I kissed the cop,” I said. Sergi set down his tools and looked at me, ready to scream with laughter. “Don’t say it, man,” I warned him.

“Told you so,” Sergi said.

“Dammit, man. I guess you did, huh?” I shuffled my feet. I felt a mixture of glee and embarrassment.

“Well, good for you. Now you can forget about getting all mixed up with Sid,” Sergi said.

I laughed, but I didn’t like what Sergi was alluding to. To me, that meant “give up.” Part of me knew that it was better to let the small town beef go, but another part told me that we could make this place better for everyone.

“Yeah. You’re right,” I acquiesced. “I’m not going to mess around anymore. I have a nice life. Why destroy that?” I asked.

The other, more hidden side of me knew that I couldn’t let this go. I had to find out what they were up to. Sooner or later, I was going to expose them all.

Throughout my workday, I couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened last night. I didn’t want to annoy Sergi with my endless gushing, so I kept it inside of my head.

The feeling of his warm lips sent chills through my body. But was I really ready to start seeing somebody again?

Rowan had been pushing me to start dating someone years ago, but I could never really make it outside the front door. I felt semi-ready for something now, but I couldn’t figure out what that meant for the future.

At the end of the workday, Sergi gave me some more sagely advice. He told me, “All of the problems you have here won’t matter if you find someone you love.”

All those nights I spent down by the lake, staring into the cold darkness held a lot of weight. The accident was always on my mind. I could smell the burnt rubber of the car. The red flares shined brightly on the road. A thick fog seemed to rise from the black tar of the road.

I had been working ceaselessly to end that night, but that was a complete impossibility. I couldn’t turn back time, but I sure as hell convinced myself that I could. All I could do was move forward.

In the car, I phoned Elliot. I felt awful for calling him an omega last night. It was an unintended insult, but it stung nonetheless.

As soon as I heard his voice, I poured out my heart. “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I said. “Sometimes, I just say stupid shit and—”

“Whoa, whoa. Tate, slow down. What are you talking about?” Elliot asked.

I let out an exhausted laugh. “Last night. I called you an omega. I can’t stop thinking about how stupid that was,” I said.

“Oh. Right. That’s why you’re calling me?” Elliot asked. “It wasn’t that big of a deal. I already forgot about it. I had a really nice time seeing you last night, Tate.”

I shifted against the car seat. A wave of pleasure pulsed in the center of my stomach. “Oh, gosh. I was hoping you didn’t hate me,” I said. A weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

“Hate you? You’re the last decent alpha in this town,” Elliot said. “I need to teach you to stop blaming yourself because you are one hundred percent awesome sauce.”

“Awesome sauce? That sounds pretty… awesome,” I said.

“Cut the cheese, alpha,” Elliot said through his laughter.

I felt my crotch turn firm. I decided to get to the point. “The reason I called is…”

Elliot cut me off. He was in a frisky mood today. “You called because you want to see me so bad. It’s all you’ve been thinking about. My lips. My touch. I drive you crazy, right?” Elliot asked.

“Well, you nailed it. I can’t stop thinking about last night,” I admitted. “You’re coming to dinner, right?”

“Mmm.” Elliot taunted me by thinking out loud. “I don’t know. Should I go? I mean, I guess it could be fun.”

I frowned. Sergi was standing outside in the heat. He put his arms up into the air as if to ask, “What the hell are you doing?” I put up my hand to silence him, but that only made him kiss at the air.

I pulled my car from the lot and started to drive onto the road. “Come on. Stop teasing me,” I said. I reached down and felt my cock. It was hard to the touch, and I hadn’t blown in weeks. “I need to see you,” I added.

“How bad do you need me?” Elliot asked.

“Well, not as bad as you think,” I joked.

Elliot laughed and changed his tone. “I’m there. In fact, I’ve been thinking about it all day too,” he said.

I blinked rapidly. “You have?” I asked.

“I have,” Elliot said. “A lot, actually.”

My throat tightened with pleasure. My mind instantly ran down a different path. I thought of us curled up together, laying in a hammock under the night sky. I pictured us holding hands and kissing. It felt nice to forget about our problems.

“Good. I’ll see you at six?” I asked.

“Sure,” he said. “But what are you doing right now? I feel like I have to get the heck out of this house. Are you free?”

I perked right up and nearly dropped the phone. I turned the car around and parked. “I was just heading home, but I could pick you up,” I said. Please say okay. Please say okay!

“Okay,” Elliot said. “I’ll ping you my address. I should be ready in about ten minutes.”

“See you soon,” I said.

I hung up the phone, heart racing. The muscles along my jawline hurt from smiling so damn much. Then, I turned around and looked at my car. “Shoot,” I whispered.

My car looked like total crap, so I drove as fast as I could to the nearest self-car-wash. I parked and jumped outside, gathering all of the old Mcdonald’s bags, and other embarrassing trash items. I vacuumed the inside and opted for the most expensive wash.

In the last eight years of my life, I had never been like this before. But since I met this beta that drove me totally wild, I wanted to make sure I didn’t look like a total slob from a dead-end town.

Finally, I arrived at Elliot’s house. He was sitting on his porch, drinking an unsweetened tea. He waved and ran down to my car window. “Hey, you’re kind of cute,” I said. “Need a lift?”

“Sir, that’s illegal in 48 states,” Elliot said. He leaned into the window and lowered his voice. “But if you’re not wearing a wire, I won’t say a word.”

I quickly took out a wad of cash and threw it onto the seat. We both laughed as Elliot stepped inside of the car. “Thanks. I’ve been in need of some extra cash,” he said.

“Ha. Yeah. I’m going to need that money back, officer,” I said.

Elliot threw his arms around me and then quickly let go. “Sorry. I’m just excited to get out of the house. Today has been… well, it’s been difficult,” Elliot said.

“You want to talk about it?” I asked him.

Elliot looked back at the house. “Just normal stuff. You know. I’m taking care of my father, and he barely even recognizes me,” Elliot said.

I felt my heart throb with sadness. I hated that life had to be so hard sometimes. “I’m so sorry, Elliot. You hide your pain well,” I said.

“Years of practice,” Elliot said. “Anyway, it’s not all terrible. There are good days and bad days. It comes down to how emotionally capable you are at the time.”

I couldn’t imagine going through something as slow and difficult as that. My parents passed away a few years ago, but it was nothing compared to what Elliot was dealing with.

“Well, I work most of the day, but any free time that I have, Rowan and I could come by if you ever need a break,” I offered.

Elliot squeezed the bottom of my thigh and smiled. “Thanks, Tate,” he said.

As we drove away from his house, we entered into greener territory. I felt a million times better now that I was with a friend, and I knew Rowan was going to be happy when he saw us together.

As soon as we saw the old lake, Elliot’s eyes widened. “I’m starting to really enjoy seeing that pool of water,” he said.

I chuckled. “Give it a few weeks. You’ll like it even more. It’s almost swimming time,” I said.

“God. That sounds nice. Just hanging out at the lake, drinking beers and listening to music,” Elliot said.

“That’s right. I sometimes forget that you’re a city boy,” I remarked. “What do you guys even do in Dallas?”

“Oh, Dallas,” Elliot whispered to himself. “It’s an oil town, so there is a lot to do. Bars, clubs…”

I smirked. “City boy,” I repeated.

Elliot laughed and shook his head. “Country bumpkin,” he whispered. I crowed loudly.

We pulled up to my driveway and stepped out of the car. The weather was perfect today, at seventy-five degrees, and there weren’t any clouds in the sky. “Beautiful!” Elliot said.

“Isn’t it?” I asked.

But then I remembered the boat from the other night, and how the drivers threatened us by turning off their lights. “What’s wrong?” Elliot asked. “Tate, your face just turned pale.”

I snapped out of it, shaking my head. “Sorry. I was just remembering something,” I said.

“What?” Elliot peered into the distance. “Did something happen out here?”

“It’s nothing.” I smiled and turned around, walking toward my house. Rowan ran outside with his BB gun slung over his shoulder.

“Hey, straight-shooter,” I said.

“Howdy,” Rowan said, saluting. He aimed the rifle at a target he placed high in one of the trees. Rowan fired and got a bull’s-eye. “Yes!”

I ruffled his hair and kissed him. “You’re getting a little too good with that thing,” I said.

“I have to be prepared. If anyone messes with you, I’ll know what to do,” Rowan said.

I glanced over at Elliot, hoping he didn’t hear my son’s naïve comment. “Son, I love you. But we can’t stoop to their level. It’ll only make things worse,” I said. “Remember when you gave me that lecture the other night?”

Rowan was passionate at his core. “Yeah, but I was wrong!” he exclaimed. “Those people were going to hurt us the other night on the lake. We had no way to protect ourselves.”

Elliot walked up beside me, looking worried. “What happened on the lake?” he asked.

“I said, nothing,” I muttered. I started to walk through the front door, but my son quickly told him what went down.

“Officer, look around us. Do you see any boats?” Rowan asked.

Elliot scanned the horizon. Sure, there were some canoes and small boats without engines, but there weren’t any boats like ours. Most of the houses looked empty too.

“Doesn’t look like it. I suppose there could be some at the far end there.” Elliot pointed in the distance. The lake was too massive to take in.

“Rowan, don’t scare Elliot. He’s got enough on his plate right now,” I said.

“A bunch of troublemakers live on the other side,” Rowan said. I groaned. “I’ve seen them throw bags of crap into the water. Everyone in school knows about it.”

“Sid?” Elliot asked me. I let my hands fall to my sides. I didn’t know how to answer him. It was more complicated than “Sid.”

“Maybe,” I muttered. “Or people he knows.”

“We were followed. The boat was on the other end, but they were trying to communicate to us. They flashed their lights, and then quickly turned them off,” Rowan said, out of breath.

I shut the front door and stood outside with them. “It could have been nothing,” I said. “We don’t know who the hell it was. We left before we could find out.”

“Damn straight you did,” Elliot said. “You could have ended up in this lake if you didn’t.”

“So you believe me,” Rowan said. My son looked at me with disappointment. “Dad, you know what happened. You were more freaked out than I was.”

I nodded. “I was trying not to think about it anymore. Sergi gave me a lecture on how I need to let it go,” I said.

Elliot sighed and kept his eyes focused on the lake. “We just give up?” he asked, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to do that.”

Rowan high-fived Elliot. I couldn’t hold back my laughter. “So this is the detective squad, huh?” I asked.

“Yes, dad,” Rowan said, judging me.

“I just don’t want to involve my family in some really heavy crap,” I said.

“That’s why you have me,” Elliot said. “I’m a real cop.”

“Yes, you’re a real cop. But your only friend is me,” I said.

Elliot frowned. “We’ll find a way. If the rumors are true, I have to clear them out,” he said.

I wanted to let the past go, but there was just so much here that kept the past open. No one knew who killed my omega that fateful night, eight years ago. Part of me never wanted to find out.

I felt my nerves tighten. I glanced down at my hands, and they were shaking uncontrollably. “I can’t think about this right now,” I said.

Elliot patted my shoulder. I wanted to lean back into his chest. It would have been nice to feel his hand slide over me, warming me up. “I’ll help you start the oven. Other than that, I’m a terrible cook,” Elliot said.

I laughed and hugged him. Rowan caught eyes with me, and I witnessed him smiling real big. “I thought we could grill some steaks in the backyard,” I said.

“Perfect!” Elliot said, happily.

Rowan had latched onto Elliot. I think he admired what he did for a living. It was obvious why. My son grew up with a lot of hardship. To Rowan, Elliot was a symbol of strength and protection.

“What’s it like being a cop?” Rowan asked Elliot.

“A lot of paperwork,” Elliot said. “I spend half of my time sitting in my car, typing on the computer.”

“You’re lying,” Rowan said. “You’ve never been in a police chase before?”

Elliot laughed. “Man, I love those. When they show them on the news, I get pretty excited. Not going to lie,” he said. “But the answer is no, unfortunately. I haven’t been in a chase.”

Rowan frowned. “Okay, but you’ve been in a gunfight, right? You’re from Texas. I heard there are lots of guns in Texas,” Rowan said.

I fired up the grill, and let it heat up. “Son, enough questions. Elliot has a lot to deal with,” I said.

“It’s alright,” Elliot said. “I haven’t been in a gunfight, fortunately.”

“Dang,” Rowan whispered. “So why are you a cop?”

I handed Elliot a beer and whispered in his ear, “You’re going to need this.” Elliot chuckled and sat down, taking a sip.

“Well, I guess because my dad was a cop. I didn’t go to college. I didn’t have much of a future ahead of me. It just made sense,” Elliot said.

“That doesn’t sound nice,” Rowan said.

“Rowan. Come the heck on. Don’t pry,” I said.

Rowan smiled defiantly. He was at the age where he loved to poke peoples’ buttons. “Sorry, dad,” he said.

“Don’t apologize to me, buddy. Apologize to Elliot,” I said.

Rowan rolled his eyes and pushed his back forward as if apologizing was the equivalent to a hard day’s work. “I’m sorry, Elliot,” Rowan said. “But it doesn’t make sense. You should do what you love.”

“Dang it!” I scowled.

“I’m kidding!” Rowan laughed and ran to the edge of the back deck. He aimed his BB gun at a bush and shot. Then, he jumped down and ran into the forest.

“Jeez, Louise,” I whispered. “Sometimes, he’s a hyper maniac.”

“He’s a good kid, though. He’s inquisitive. Tells me he’s going to learn a lot throughout life,” Elliot said.

“Yeah. He’s great. I have to get him off this gun kick, though. He stresses me out carrying that thing around town,” I said, shaking my head.

“He wants to feel safe,” Elliot said. “We can’t have people like Sid around here terrorizing people. I can’t believe someone would just throw a torch into someone’s home like that.”

“Welcome to America,” I muttered. I loved this place, but shit like that happened all of the time. Our town didn’t have the right funding to stop it.

“I guess,” he said. “Hey, at least we have this friendship, right?”

Elliot held up his bottle. I knocked mine against his and drank some more. Then, I threw the meat onto the grill.

An hour later, we grabbed plates and sat down at the outside table. For once, we felt connected. We hadn’t done something like this in years.

Rowan ate a big chunk of steak and chewed loudly. “So, are you in love with my dad? Or is it a lust type of thing?” he asked.

Elliot spat out his drink, quickly covering his mouth. “Rowan!” I exclaimed.

I knew that my face was bright red with embarrassment, and Elliot’s discomfort shown through too. Rowan merely smiled and waited for an answer.

“We’re friends,” Elliot said to him.

“But like… best friends?” Rowan asked.

I glared daggers at the young boy. I couldn’t believe the crap coming from his mouth. “We’ve known each other for like a week,” I said.

“I like your father,” Elliot said, clearing his throat. “And I like you too.”

“Right,” I said. “We’re friends.”

“Friends,” Rowan whispered, nodding. “Okay. Got it. Friends that kiss.”

I dropped my steak knife and closed my eyes. My stomach plummeted. Rowan must have seen us kissing the other night. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned the kiss.

Elliot ignored his comments. “Rowan, do you like paintballing?” Elliot asked out of the blue.

Rowan looked really excited. “I’ve never been, but it sounds awesome!” Rowan exclaimed.

“I drove past a paintball place the other day. It’s supposed to be one of the best in the nation,” Elliot said.

Rowan grinned tightly. He looked over at me for approval. “Dad, we have to go,” he said.

I laughed. It did sound fun, but I was a little worried about getting plastered with hard balls of paint. “You go,” I said.

Elliot frowned at me. “You heard Rowan,” Elliot said. “You have to go too.”

“You’re going?” I asked Elliot.

Elliot shrugged. “I’m pretty badass with a gun,” he said.

Rowan finished his steak and sloppily muttered, “What’s the matter, dad. You scared?” He started squawking like a chicken.

“Okay, okay. I’ll go,” I said.

It would be nice to get away from the lake for a day. Plus, I hadn’t been spending as much time with my son as much as I should have.

“Yes!” Rowan yelled. “I’m gonna whoop you.”

“Yeah, right,” I said.

Elliot leaned back, looking about as smug as ever. “You’re both going down,” he said. “Plain and simple.”

It was a relief to see Elliot getting along with Rowan so well. The best part about it was that it felt authentic. He wasn’t being nice just to get in pants. That was just who he was.

“Let’s move this party inside,” I said. “Here, I’ll grab your plates.”

We made our way inside the house. It hadn’t been that lively in ages. Elliot and I were feeling really good, so I made some more drinks. This time, we settled on a glass of whiskey and Coke.

Lucky for us, Rowan could hardly stay and hang out with some adults. He silently dipped inside of his room to play on the computer. When we were alone, we both had one thing on our mind.

Elliot sat next to me on the couch in the living room. I put on a record by one of my favorite artists, Sadé. “Oh my God. I love Sadé,” Elliot said.

“Really? She’s so great,” I said.

Elliot scooted nearer to me. His body warmth made me feel relaxed, but his scent was driving me crazy. I wondered if my son was right. Maybe Elliot was an omega, but he didn’t know it yet. I didn’t press the issue.

“I didn’t think people still listened to records,” Elliot said.

“I’m not like most people,” I said, winking. So suave. “Listening to records makes me feel more involved in the music. Does that make sense?”

“You actually have to flip the record? The generations today won’t understand. Do you ever think about the fact that we’re like the last ones from the analog age?” Elliot asked.

“All the damn time,” I said. “My kid is always on his phone, laptop, or another type of tablet. I have no idea what it’s doing to his brain.”

Elliot shrugged. “We’re probably just too old to understand. People thought books were evil at one point too,” he said. “At the same time, it’s just weird that Rowan will never know what it feels like to go shopping for a record or CD. He’ll never go to Blockbuster to pick out a movie. I’m all for change, but it’s a little sad.”

“Man. That takes me back. Sometimes, I forget that the past existed,” I said.

I used to focus on the past as hard as I could. In fact, I lived in the memories. I hated the present. I was a burnt-out alpha, and I was bitter for the cards I had been dealt.

But time moves on. We learn to forgive and let go. Once that happens, the future starts to look a little brighter.

I admired Elliot’s smooth skin, the freckles that could be seen in certain lighting, and the way his lips curved at hard angles. He was handsome. He was present with me. And I wanted him.

At the same moment, we both closed our eyes and leaned our heads forward. I gently wrapped my palm around the bottom of his cheek. My thumb grazed his temple as our lips met.

That kiss was the kiss of a lifetime. It did a number on me, as quick pulses of exhilaration shot through my heart. I got the sense that anything was possible, as long as I had someone with me such as Elliot.

I didn’t want to pull away. Every muscle in my body was telling me to keep going, to take off his shirt and really feel close to him. But I couldn’t do it. Not yet.

I pulled back and tasted my lips. Both of us smiled, breathing heavy. Elliot’s eyes were glazed with desire and serenity. “Damn, I really enjoy kissing you,” I said.

I leaned my forehead against his. “I’ve been waiting for you all day,” Elliot admitted. I gulped and kissed the side of his cheek.

“You have?” I asked.

Elliot slowly nodded. The tension between us was astronomical. My cock was aching, and I had a feeling that we both wanted to pounce out of our clothes, but if this was real, I wanted to wait.

The truth was that I was starting to fall for Elliot. In the week that I had known him, he had come through for me in ways that were unimaginable around this town. He felt like family.

I didn’t tell him any of that, but I was sure he felt it too. Even so, emotions sometimes faded. I wanted to give this time.

We kissed again, passionate and sweet. I held Elliot’s hand on the couch and closed my eyes. We both listened to Sadé’s voice as she took us into the violet corridors of love. And then….

We both fell asleep. With all of the drinks in our system, we must have dozed off. When I woke up, the record was skipping. Elliot was gone.