Carter only half heard Jax's chatter about his session with Dr. Tyler and the bad jokes he and Brandon had shared. Not Brandon, Dr. Delaney. The man was driving him crazy. What was he waiting for?

It was hard keeping his distance from Brandon the longer time went on.

Aaron and Carter had been friends who had grown into lovers. Carter had never believed that fated mate crap, and neither had Aaron. They had been in love, of that Carter had no doubt, but the first time they had walked into Dr. Delaney's office, young and full of nervous excitement, Carter had suffered the shock of his life. One scent, that's all it took. He'd known that he and Brandon had been meant for each other. But Brandon had showed no reaction, and so Carter kept his cool. After the first shock had faded and he'd been able to reason through it, he knew it didn't matter. He was mated to Aaron, whom he was trying to have a child with and whom he loved. That trumped everything, even biology. Brandon drew him, there was no denying it, but he would never leave Aaron.

And then Aaron was gone. Jax was broken. And Carter had been left picking up the pieces of his life. When Brandon had started dropping in on Jax's physical therapy appointments about a year and a half ago, Carter assumed he was waiting for the right time to finally talk to Carter, a bold move for an omega, but not an unwanted one.

Then nothing happened.

And nothing happened.

Okay, yes, Carter needed the time to grieve, to get used to his and Jax's new reality without Aaron, and Carter appreciated Brandon being sensitive to that. But with no more barriers, what was keeping them from following their biological imperatives?

But he couldn't come out and say that, could he? That sounded like he had just been waiting for Aaron to get out of the way, and that was the last thing on his mind. Aaron had been his everything, along with Jax. It still killed him every day to wake up in an empty bed. But… he was ready to move on. Or try to move on. On his good days, he was definitely ready to move on. On his bad days, he felt guilty for feeling that way. But he knew what Aaron would want, even though Carter had never told him about Brandon. Aaron would want him to try. That had always been Aaron's thing. Try.

He was the reason they had started dating. "Why not just try?" Aaron had said. How many times had Carter heard those words in the ten years they were mated? In the thirty years they had known each other before Aaron's death?

Why not just try? The words echoed around in his brain. Aaron would smack him upside the head for waiting for Brandon to come to him. He was the alpha, dammit. If he wanted to pursue a relationship with Brandon, it was up to him to try.

Carter tried to reel his thoughts back in to focus on Jax's endless chatter as he began the drive home. Chances were, Brandon would be there for Jax's appointment next week. It was time for Carter to try.

* * *

Normally, Carter left during Jax's appointments so as not to be a distraction, but this time he lurked. He could have easily walked down to Brandon's office, but that felt awkward. Accosting a man in his office about a potential romantic relationship? Stalker much?

Like waiting for him at his son's physical therapy appointment wasn't stalkery.

Carter was getting fidgety waiting. He didn't know when Brandon usually arrived during Jax's appointments; Brandon was nearly always there when Carter arrived to pick him up. About halfway through, just as Carter was about to give up on not charging into his office, Brandon finally appeared. He smelled amazing, like always, like a pine forest after a cold morning rain. It had taken Carter three prenatal visits with Aaron to figure it out, the smell always lingering in his nose long after they left.

Brandon greeted Carter with a big smile. Damn, he had a gorgeous smile. Carter couldn't help but compare him to Aaron. Aaron had been taller, skinnier, more like a bean pole. When he'd been pregnant with Jax, it had taken forever for his belly to pop and then all of a sudden, he looked super pregnant. Brandon was stout. Short and thick limbed, but strong and dexterous. They were both fair haired, though Aaron had been more of a dirty blond, while Brandon's hair was more of a honey gold.

Brandon stuck out his hand out. "Carter, it's been a long time since we actually talked. How are you doing these days?"

With anyone else, Carter knew the question would have meant, "How are you doing since Aaron died?" It would have been pity laden. Not Brandon. He left pity at the door.

"Much better, now that Jax is making so much progress."

"He's a hard worker," Brandon agreed. "It just took a little while for Ty to get him to believe in himself. But Ty's really good at that."

"That he is."

A silence fell between them as Carter tried to think how to broach the subject.

"Well, I better get in to see Jax. Don't want to miss my cheerleading session," Brandon joked.

"Would you like to go out for coffee with me? " Carter asked.

Brandon looked at him with confusion.

"I was hoping we could talk." Damn it, Carter's cheeks were flushing.

Brandon's eyes flashed in understanding. Finally. Yes.

"I'm sorry," he said, surprising Carter. "I think you're a great guy and all, and maybe you'll think this sounds naive, but I don't do casual dating."

"Oh," Carter said. That was quaintly old fashioned, but that didn’t bother Carter. "I'm not looking for casual dating."

Brandon started looking very uncomfortable. "Ah, I don't do casual sex either."

Why would he think Carter was looking for either of those? "Well, that's good. Because that's not what I had in mind either."

Brandon's face relaxed. "Oh. Just as friends, then?"

Now Carter was confused. "No, uh, I was hoping we could talk about the thing."

The thing. Great. That was helpful.

"The thing?"

"Yeah, the thing, the scent thing. The scent thing between us. The scent mate thing," Carter finished lamely. He sure hoped he had built some cred with Brandon before now, because this surely was not his finest hour. Thankfully, Carter wasn't attempting to make a first impression.

"What are you talking about?" Brandon asked.

Carter took a deep breath and started again, wondering why Brandon was making him spell it out. "I scented you the first time I walked in your office. I mean, clearly I couldn't and wouldn't do anything about it while I was mated to Aaron, but I knew even then that we were meant to be together. That's never gone away."