1. Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Bren
Life was perfect.
I hummed to myself as I swayed my hips to the rhythm of a song I totally made up. I poured the steamed milk into the venti coffee cup, keeping a careful control so that it mixed just perfectly with the espresso. The cup had two shots of espresso and several pumps of vanilla that the customer requested. After the whipped cream and garnish were added, I handed it over with a smile.
"Enjoy your day," I told one of my regulars.
They smiled a bit at my American accent that didn't quite meet their more distinguished way of speaking in Swena. It was part of my charm.
"Don't tell me you're leaving anytime soon, Bren. It's been such a treat having you here."
I grinned, though I was a bit sad about the fact that I was going to be leaving the country that had captured my heart. When I'd chosen Swena as my location for a study abroad, I barely knew anything about the country. Now, it felt like it was more my home than the States had ever been.
"Two more weeks," I said. "But if I have it my way, I'll be back."
They reached over and patted my cheek. "That's good to hear. You are a nice young man. Find yourself a nice, young Swena woman to settle down with."
I chuckled. "Well, I suppose I could try, but honestly..." I trailed off, unsure of how much I really needed to reveal to this customer. I was an omega, so generally people assumed I was looking for alphas. That assumption was correct.
"Oh, pardon me for my assumptions, dear. What I mean to say is, find yourself a nice partner in whatever form is most meaningful to you."
"Thank you," I said. And darned if that wasn't just my ultimate fantasy come to life—a young, hot Swena alpha to sweep me off my feet? I'd go for that in a heartbeat. But instead, at the end of two weeks, I would be returning back to the United States.
My finished coursework was in the past. I had missed the graduation ceremony because I had been here on my work-study abroad. The program was pretty much just a formality, and I had aced it with flying colors. Now I could just use the next two weeks to relax and have fun. Whatever that was.
I had been focused on learning so much here, trying to understand the nuances of Swena's social systems in comparison to what was most familiar to me. It had been eye-opening, and for the first time in my life, I definitely considered leaving my home country in favor of another one. Something about Swena just felt like home.
My sister felt the same way, which was why she had extended her study abroad to last two years, with the option to extend her contract even further. She was teaching science at the primary school near the city center. Luckily, I would have plenty of opportunities to visit during that time, as long as my wallet could afford it. Which, at the moment, it could not. I'd had to pick up a part-time job at the coffee shop attached to my apartment complex while I was on study-abroad just so I could have some money saved for when I got home and had to face the reality of starting my adult life.
My co-worker, Blake, hip-checked me. "No daydreaming on the job."
"Sorry," I said.
"No worries, man. We're at a bit of a low. So how are you going to enjoy your next two weeks?" He busied himself with cleaning up any spills we had had during our morning rush while I restocked some of the pastries.
"Not sure. There are a few restaurants I want to check out before I leave. I'd like to go to the beach." As much as I had enjoyed my time in Swena, I hadn't had a chance to leave the city much, besides the day trip to hike the Emberfall Mountains to view the waterfalls. That had been a gorgeous trip and really solidified my desire to move to the country permanently.
Blake looked around, then leaned in closer to me. "You need to get laid, man. You can't come to a foreign country and not hit some of the locals. You know what I mean?" He winked.
I thought for a moment he was hitting on me, but I knew he had a steady girlfriend. "I went on a few dates when I got here." Along with a few fumbled attempts at getting off with an alpha in the club bathroom. It had been satisfactory but ultimately not my thing. It was an experience I could say I'd had with no intention to repeat. The dates had also led nowhere. There was no spark, no connection. I wanted to be swept off my feet and left speechless when I met the alpha for me. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
"Come on, man!"
"So you're saying that you'd be living it up if you were on study-abroad to another country?"
"Yeah, if I was single, but I'm not. But if me and my girl were to travel abroad… we'd live it up together."
I laughed. He wasn't wrong, though. It would be nice to at least meet someone. Get to know another person.
"Oh, you're thinking about it. Perfect. The next guy who comes in or person who strikes your fancy, give him your number. Ask him to take you out to dinner."
"I can't just ask a person to take me out to dinner. That's not how dating works." At least it wasn't in my experience. It wasn't typical for an omega to ask an alpha out, and I wasn't that bold. I wished that I was.
Blake rolled his eyes. "Listen, man, there's no need to play hard to get. You're only here for two weeks. You don't have time to beat around the bush. Just ask."
The chime sounded, letting me know that a customer was walking in. Blake grabbed my shoulder and settled me in front of the order counter. "Do it," he said. "Don't think twice, just do it."
When I looked up, it was to meet the gaze of one of the most attractive men I'd ever seen. He had a bit of a beard. Not long, but just like he hadn't shaved in several days. He wore a baseball cap on his head, and his cheeks were smudged with dirt and grease, so were his faded jeans and raggedy T-shirt. A construction worker, maybe? Or maybe a carpenter of some sort? He looked like the type that worked with their hands. An alpha that knew his way around an omega.
My mouth dropped open. I tried to speak, but no words came out.
He stopped at the counter, staring at me. "Hello, can I get —"
"Number!" I shouted just as he was starting to speak.
"Pardon?"
Oh shit. What had I said? Nothing coherent. "Me? No, not—oh, that's not—"
He grinned, and my knees went weak. "Are you on the menu?" he asked.
Screw it. I was only here for two weeks. "I could be," I said. "Really, I mean." I squared my shoulders. "I wouldn't be opposed if you wanted to take me out to dinner."
His smile widened and damned if my knees didn't turn to jelly. Was it possible to melt into a puddle of goo? Because I was sure that was happening to me. "I'd like to, right after I have a regular coffee. Two creams."
"Perfect. Don't throw away the cup," I said with a wink. The idea of writing my number on his cup came to me out of nowhere. I had no idea what had come over me. That wasn't the type of person I was. But I was here in Swena, where I could be a somewhat different person. At least a little bit. I might as well enjoy it.