28. Zara

As I'm laying out my clothes for the day on my bed, there is a knock on the door. Crossing over to it, I open it and stare at Liam, wet from the shower, a white towel slung around his hip.

"Uhm," I say, putting my hand up. "I agreed to a date, not a jump in the sack."

"More's the pity," he says with that wicked smile. "But I know. I just wanted you to know I told Ben about us."

All the blood drains from my face. "What?"

Liam's smile widens, not missing a beat. "I told him I asked you out, and you said yes. Just wanted to keep everything out in the open, no secrets."

I feel my heart rate picking up. "And how did he take it?"

He shrugs, that grin still plastered on his face as if he knows something I don't. "He took it like Ben takes anything that surprises him; he brooded."

"Oh, God," I mutter, suddenly worried about what this means for my job. I love this job; I love Mia already. I can't lose her. "This isn't going to be a problem for me working here, is it?"

"No way," Liam quickly reassures me. "Ben wouldn't hold it against you. He's too decent for that." He pauses for a moment, as if considering his next words carefully. "But I think there might be more going on in that head of his than he's willing to admit."

My stomach does a little flip at the thought. Ben is... well, he's Ben. Gorgeous, rugged, and a great father to Mia, knows how to growl at an omega when she's purred in his face like a fool. Fuck, a burp would've been the better option. But he's also my employer and I've always been strictly professional—until last night when things got a bit blurry with all the purring.

"Don't worry about Ben," Liam says, snapping me back to the present. "Worry about what you're going to wear on our date, because I plan to impress."

I laugh despite the nervous flutter in my belly. "You already have," I admit.

Liam winks at me before stepping back. "Tonight, I'm going to show you how much I want this."

"Tonight?" I frown. "What about Mia?"

"Ben will be here."

Well, good point, but it's short notice.

"Okay, I guess," I murmur and watch as he walks away, hot, wet and sexy as hell. Fanning myself a little, I grab my towel and my dressing gown and head for the shower. I need it after that little encounter. It's not just to get myself in gear but to cool down, literally. My thoughts are racing, not just about Liam, the kiss, and him telling Ben about us, but also about Ben. His breakdown this morning, me telling him about Eddie and his reaction to that. Not to mention the purr and growl situation.

Ugh! I'm driving myself crazy.

As I step into the steamy water, I shake it all off and focus. I'm here for Mia, not to be off gallivanting with Liam, nor to be thinking about Ben in any other capacity than Mia's dad.

The water cascades down my back, soothing my nerves. I've got to keep things in perspective. But my thoughts won't stay focused. I mean, it's one date with Liam, who happens to be incredibly charming and hot—that's all. Yet, there's this niggle at the back of my brain about Ben and his brooding silences.

I turn off the shower, step out, and wrap myself in my towel and dressing gown. The mirror is fogged up, but as I wipe it clear, I see my reflection staring back at me—my face flushed from the heat and maybe from something else, too.

I hear Mia stirring on the baby monitor, which makes me move. She's going to need her bottle soon, and that's my cue to leave all these confusing thoughts behind for now.

I get dressed quickly, making sure I choose an outfit that is practical for looking after Mia.

I find Ben in the nursery, reluctant to leave, it seems. He is staring at his daughter in his arms and looks up, annoyed when I come in.

"Work," I say gently and hold my arms out for the baby.

He glares at me and refuses to hand her over. But I glare back, and just as I'm about to fold like a cheap tent and drop my omega gaze from his alpha domination, he sighs and hands her over.

"I know you don't want to go, but she's on the mend. I'll send hourly updates, check her temperature and keep you informed. Okay?"

"Fine," he glowers and marches off without so much as a goodbye, have a nice day.

So I decide to be a dick and shout after him, "Bye! Hope you have a lovely day!"

His answering grunt makes me chuckle, and I kiss Mia's head. "Your daddy is a real grouch."

She babbles back at me, which I take as agreement, and set about our little routine which is comforting and fills me with a deep joy just to be here doing what I love and falling deeper in love with this baby girl who has captured my heart.

After settling Mia down for her morning nap, I'm left alone with my thoughts again, and they stubbornly drift back to the two men in my life. Liam with his laid-back charm and easy smile, and Ben with his brooding intensity and fierce love for his daughter. I don't have much time to ponder, though, as my phone pings with a message from Liam:

Got anything specific you need from the shop?

I reply back: Food.

To which he sends a laughing face emoji and then: Don't blame us then if we arrive with beer and bread.

Shaking my head, I know he's joking. Ben has been fending for himself, so he knows what he needs to buy.

The rest of the day passes in a blur of baby giggles, nappy changes, and bottle feeding. Her temperature stays at a steady 38.5, which is worrying but not an emergency, so I keep texting "no change" to Ben. He replies with that fucking thumbs up emoji which everyone knows is the condescending symbol for fuck you.

So, I leave him to it. I'm not digging deeper into his feelings after this morning. That was plenty for one day.

By late afternoon, I start to get anxious about this date with Liam and leaving Ben here with Mia. It seems cheeky and a bit rude.

You're allowed a life, though.

Well, yeah, but something doesn't feel right about this, and I pick up the phone to cancel with Liam.

But then something else stops me and I chew my lip as I shove my phone back in my pocket.

After making sure Mia is safe and sleeping, I head downstairs. The front door opens, and the guys stroll in, beaming like they did something amazing.

"Food!" Liam announces.

"Great. You want a medal?"

He snickers as Ben gives me a narrow-eyed stare. "What an ungrateful response for the hunter-gatherers." His lips turn up into a smirk, and I giggle.

"Is that how you see yourselves? Tackling the aisles at the supermarket?"

"You don't know what it's like out there for two single alphas doing the weekly shop," Liam says with a laugh. "Dodging omegas like they're sabre-toothed tigers."

"Yeah, I bet," I chortle as I take a couple of bags Ben hands me, glad that his mood has lightened considerably. I guess bonding time with Liam outside of work has been good for him. Maybe they should go out tonight instead?

"But why dodge?" I ask lightly, cursing myself and my runaway mouth. What am I doing?

Liam's eyes find mine with a curious stare. Ben, on the other hand, snorts in disgust.

"Huge pass," he grumbles and stalks past me to the kitchen.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," I say with a sigh.

"Back to that question," Liam says, ignoring me. "You don't want me to dodge?"

I do! I do! But I shouldn't want you to.

I shrug nonchalantly and turn away from him.

"Whoa," he says, grasping my arm lightly to halt my progress to the kitchen. "What's brought that on?" He searches my eyes earnestly. "Have you changed your mind about our date?"

"It's just a date," I murmur. "You are free to do what you want."

"Is that what you think?" he asks with a frown that worries me I've made a really serious error in judgement here.

Ya think, bitch? Even my brain is shaking its metaphorical head at me.

I hesitate because this tiny moment feels like the cusp of something significant. It's not just about a date; it's about what it represents. Liam's looking at me like he's trying to read the headlines of my soul, and I'm suddenly conscious that I might be broadcasting all sorts of signals I hadn't intended to.

"Look," I find myself saying, "this is coming out all wrong. But there's a lot going on, yeah? Mia's ill, Ben's going through his thing, and I've been caught in the middle of all this."

Liam nods slowly. "I get it," he says, releasing my arm gently, respecting my space. "So, do you want to cancel?"

I'm on the verge of saying yes, but looking into his soulful green eyes that are portraying a genuine fear that I might say yes, I gulp. "No," I say more firmly than I feel. "But let's keep it low-key tonight."

His eyes light up. "Well, it's a good thing you said that because low-key and I are old friends. I've got just the thing."

"Okay," I say and head into the kitchen where Ben is putting away the groceries with that methodical nature of his that tells me he likes order even when his world is spinning out of control around him.

"I'll finish up. You go and get changed and see Mia."

He nods and, without saying a word, heads upstairs.

I crack on with putting away the rest of the shopping, sliding vegetables into baskets and stacking yogurts into the fridge. As I work, my mind wanders, and I think about tonight with Liam—our attempt at a low-key date is what can only be described as an abnormal situation. But what is normal anyway? I feel like I've lost the plot on that one.