Knot a Good Idea (Bittersweet Omegas #4)

Chapter 9

9

LIAM

“You need to calm down,” Hunter tells me as I sit in the foyer. My foot taps anxiously against the marble floor as I scan our surroundings, looking for any sign of something that may be out of place. Something that wasn’t cleaned properly.

“I’m fine,” I say.

“Bullshit. You look like you’re about to stroke out.”

“I’m fine.”

“Is that why you’ve been stress cleaning for the last hour?” I can sense his smug grin without even looking at him. “It’s not prom night. We’re just meeting her to see if she will be a good fit.”

“I know.”

But I don’t know. Internally, I’m losing my damn mind.

Donovan never makes these types of decisions without us, so she must be special.

He’s even been smiling most of the week, and he doesn’t do that.

She’s already important to him, which tells me she’ll be important to us.

“It’s not even a real date,” Hunter mutters. “Nothing about this is real. It’s strictly business.” He leans against the wall, crossing his arms. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

“It could be real,” I say quietly.

“Oh, fuck,” he groans. “You and your bleeding heart.”

We haven’t had an Omega in years. Donovan hasn’t bothered to find one, and Hunter and I have never been too interested.

So…even if it’s just pretend, it will be nice.

When we hear the helicopter land, I full on panic.

What if she doesn’t like us? What if this doesn’t work, or I offend her?

What if?—

“Dude. Stop .” Hunter bites out. “Your foot tapping is echoing off the fucking walls.”

“I can’t help it.”

My packmate sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Look. If she’s going to like any of us, it’s going to be you. Donovan’s a prick, I’m a prick, and you’re… you . So just fucking stop. ”

I chew my lip and nod.

“I mean it,” Hunter says after a moment. “It will be fine, okay?”

And that’s when I realize it.

“You’re nervous, too,” I murmur, and he scoffs.

“I mean, yeah. When’s the last time we’ve had an Omega here?”

I nod. “You’re not a prick all the time,” I say softly. “She’ll like you, too.”

He snorts. “Yeah, well, if she likes Donovan, I guess so.” But he turns and quirks his lip into an almost smile. “It will be fine. I promise.”

I want to believe him. I really do.

Hunter and I might as well be brothers, even though we’re not blood related. We became friends in high school, and even before we presented as Alphas, he’s had my back.

He’s supportive, even if he wants to come off like an asshole.

And I’m forever grateful for that.

The front door opens, Donovan holding her duffel bag and leading the Omega inside, and my breath catches.

She’s stunning.

Light brown eyes meet mine, and she gives me the ghost of a smile. Her warm chestnut hair falls in loose waves, long and lovely.

I knew what she smelled like before, but her scent is amplified now that she’s in front of us. She’s brown sugar, honey, and the slightest bit of cinnamon.

My body comes alive and my heart beats wildly in my chest.

Donovan notices my reaction and nods at me. “April, this is Liam. Liam, meet April.”

She steps toward me, and I move to her, my hand outstretched, even though I want to pull her into a hug. She takes my hand and her tiny palm is engulfed in mine. I stand at least a good foot taller than her, and a low rumble sounds in my chest.

I stop my purr before I let her hear it.

Purring the moment I meet her? That’s insane.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she says warmly. Her smile widens, showing off cute white teeth, and I’m tempted to pull her into my arms and run away with her.

Donovan clears his throat, and I realize I’m still shaking her hand. I reluctantly let go with an awkward laugh as her skin flushes with pink.

She’s lovely. So, so lovely.

“Hi, beautiful,” Hunter says, moving from his space against the wall. “You really undersold it, Donovan,” he says. “You said she was pretty. Not breathtaking.”

I roll my eyes at Hunter. I’ve never been the smooth talker like him or Donovan. I’m the one that stumbles over words when I’m nervous and blushes so deep my face turns beet red.

But to my surprise, April rolls her eyes, too. “Now I see where Donovan gets it from,” she mutters, and Donovan grins.

“Flattery doesn’t work on her,” Donovan warns Hunter. “She doesn’t take any bullshit.”

“And I never will,” April retorts, walking up to Hunter to shake his hand. “I’d rather you be honest with me.”

Hunter’s eyes light up, and I know she’s already won him over.

“Well, that’s fucking refreshing,” he says. “But I was honest. I have no reason to lie to you. You are breathtaking.”

April shifts on her feet, her scent warming with buttery vanilla.

My mouth waters.

“Thank you,” she mutters, biting her lip.

She’s clearly not used to being complimented, and it’s a tragedy.

I want to blurt out that she’s gorgeous, and I would take such good care of her if she wanted to be a part of our pack.

And despite Hunter and Donovan’s arrogance, they’re great people, too.

We would be good to her.

But I keep my mouth shut, knowing vomiting up a word salad would only make things awkward.

“So,” she sighs, turning to Donovan. “What’s the game plan for this weekend? Is there anything we need to prepare? Names I need to know?”

My brow furrows. “Prepare?”

She turns to me. “I’m pretending to be your Omega, right? I’ve got to at least know the basics about all of you.”

“Oh.” The reminder that this is only pretend makes my heart hurt. “I mean, I thought we could have dinner first…”

“I’m not really hungry,” she says.

Donovan frowns. “When did you last eat?”

She shrugs. “I don’t remember. It’s fine, though.”

Alarm bells ring in my head.

It’s not fine. She hasn’t eaten.

Why not?

She should eat.

Take care of her.

I share a look with Hunter, who notices my panic. “That’s fine. We’ll just set up some snacks,” he says. “And if you want anything to drink, we have that, too.”

She nods. “Actually, I would love some water.”

I spring into action. “I can do that.”

I head out of the foyer and into our kitchen, my palms sweating.

It’s like I’m a teenager again.

There’s a pretty girl in our house, and I don’t know what to do.

I want her to like me.

I want to know more about her.

But I especially want to be the one to bring her a glass of water.

There shouldn’t be such a sense of triumph in my chest as I fill her cup with ice-cold water from our fridge, but there is.

When I make my way back to the foyer, the three of them are talking with Hunter animatedly waving his hands. April laughs, her head tilted back in delight, and her sweetness surrounds me.

The word lovely repeats in my head.

There’s no other way to describe her.

I hand April her glass, which she takes appreciatively. “Thanks,” she says, before downing it in three big gulps, her delicate throat bobbing as she swallows.

Donovan clears his throat and shoots me a pointed look, as if saying get it together.

“Is that lemon water?” she asks after finishing the glass. I take it from her and place it down on an end table while she mutters a thanks .

“Lemon and grapefruit,” I say proudly.

“That’s a brilliant idea,” April replies. “We should do that at my café. This is the best water I’ve ever had.”

I beam.

“I could send you home with some,” I blurt out.

Hunter snickers, and I glare at him.

But April doesn’t laugh at the idea. “Hell yes,” she says, grinning. “Bottle that up. You just made my weekend, Liam.”

My cheeks hurt from smiling, and Hunter mutters something under his breath.

Even if April doesn’t want this for real, I think I could become good friends with her.

“Really? I thought the helicopter ride would have done that,” Donovan murmurs, amused. “But all it took was some grapefruit water?”

April shrugs. “I guess so.”

“I haven’t even had time to impress you yet,” Hunter says. “The weekend’s just beginning, beautiful.”

But I don’t care what they do.

I’m already April’s favorite.

And as strange as it sounds, it feels like I’ve met her somewhere before. Maybe in passing, but I could swear I have seen her before.

I just can’t quite figure out from where, and voicing it would probably make me appear more awkward than I already feel.

But I make a mental note of it.

“We’ll see,” she murmurs to Hunter, but I can tell by the slight hunch in her shoulders that she’s still not comfortable with his compliments.

But she keeps the smile on her face as she turns to me, even if it’s not entirely genuine. “Your home is stunning,” she says. “Where can I put my bags?”

“You should show her to her room, Liam,” Donovan says. “Hunter and I will set up downstairs.”

My breath catches, and I look at the beautiful woman in front of me.

“I would love to,” I say.

I would also love to see her give me a true smile, not a forced one.