He could probably screen his clients, but... what if someone like Ulric hired him? Someone who had seemed so vulnerable suddenly kicking him where it hurt?
Gage scowled. He didn’t have much left. Just his car and some random things. So no, he wasn’t selling his body, despite whatever the bastard thought about him.
And then his stomach started to growl. Gage sighed. He’d stashed some food in the gym’s staff pantry, but he was running low. Maybe he’d go back later tonight to microwave his frozen dinner leftovers—no full kitchen there. At least he still had a bit of protein powder left.
Gods, if Ulric were to see him like this... he would scoff, wouldn’t he? Gage fumed. Stop thinking about him.
His phone buzzed. It was a message from his cousin, Jesse. Gonna be a barbecue party at the lake tomorrow afternoon, the station guys are inviting family. You in?
Gage’s stomach growled louder. Well. He wouldn’t say no to food. I’m bringing my appetite, he texted back.
Jesse’s answer was a LOL, but that was good. Gage could stuff his face a bit at the party. It’d tide him over for a while.
He grabbed his blanket from the backseat, pulled it over himself, and tried to sleep. It eluded him like it had been doing lately.
The last person Gage expected to see at the barbecue party was, of course, That Bastard.
Chubby was from New York. How the hell did he know any of the Meadowfall firefighters? Gage stopped at the edge of the pavilion, staring at that figure as though it would go away. Did he really need this crap?
He blinked again, but O’Neil was still there. All heavy curves and plain appearance, but it was definitely him. Just that he was in a different shirt from before.
Gage was about to turn away, but O’Neil must’ve felt his stare. He glanced up—straight at Gage—and tensed. He looked surprised. Wary.
Well, good. Gage was glad he wasn’t the only one.
“What’s wrong?” an omega asked O’Neil. “Ulric?” He glanced between Gage and Chubby, and touched that alpha cautiously—not an intimate partner.
Before Gage could hear his answer, Jesse bumped into his side. “Gage!” They bumped fists. “Thought you were gonna get here sooner,” Jesse said. “Have you grabbed a drink?”
Jesse Sinclair was one of the cousins Gage had grown up with, until Jesse had disappeared one year. He’d returned a decade later, silvery scars on every inch of his body. Then he’d gotten married to a fellow alpha from the fire station, and they had a kid together. Gage thought it was weird, Jesse falling in love with an alpha. Things like that actually happened?
Actually, Jesse seemed to have a beer belly now. That was fast.
“You been drinking?” Gage could’ve sworn that Jesse looked perfectly trim some months back. How did he maintain his toned biceps while still having that belly? It went against all of Gage’s knowledge as a physical trainer.
Jesse laughed, glancing at his husband, Dom. “I’ll tell you in a couple months.”
Dom sauntered over and slipped his arm around Jesse’s waist, kissing his lips. Gage didn’t know how to feel about that. Two alphas kissing. It didn’t seem right.
Then they shared a look that was tooth-rottingly happy. Gage almost wanted to gag, except... He’d never felt anything like that before. He’d had relationships, he’d had multiple girlfriends and boyfriends, but... in the end, they’d let him down, or he’d let them down, or it was a combination of both.
Dom was older, and Jesse was scarred. Maybe that was the key to a relationship. When you weren’t so handsome that people fell over each other trying to get into your pants. When you didn’t have so many options that you were forced to make a relationship work. Maybe Chubby O’Neil had better luck with relationships because his looks weren’t everything.
Was that why he’d scoffed at Gage?
Gage found himself looking back at Chubby. Who was also staring at Jesse and his husband.
For a moment, something flickered in his eyes—the same vulnerability that had snared Gage’s attention in the first place. O’Neil looked... lonely. Like he wanted a person to be with.
Gage’s instincts murmured, Protect.
Right after, Gage shook that thought off. What the fuck? He didn’t need to protect another alpha. Chubby could hold his own perfectly fine. He wasn’t the least bit vulnerable.
Gage was fuming at himself when Jesse showed up back at his side. “Something wrong?”
Gage scowled. “No.”
“You keep looking at him.” And now Jesse seemed smug, or maybe too knowing.
“Fuck off.”
“Nope. Want a drink?” Jesse made for the drinks table; Gage followed him. “Beer?”
“Nah. I won’t be staying long.” Gage watched as Jesse poured himself a soda. “Not drinking, yourself?”
Jesse smiled a secret smile, one that got on Gage’s nerves. He punched Jesse’s arm; Jesse grabbed him in a headlock, and they wrestled for a moment. Then Gage swung his fist at Jesse’s beer belly, and Jesse blocked that blow so fast, Gage almost didn’t see him move.
“Ow, fuck.” Gage hissed, his arm pinned behind his back.
“Not in the belly,” Jesse growled.
Why was he so damn protective over some fat? Gage tapped out. Jesse released him, scowling a little. Dom returned and kissed Jesse hard on the lips, growling something. Gage decided he’d had enough of their sap.
He stalked over to the grill, assembled a sandwich with the leftover ingredients, and scarfed it down. There was a variety of party food to the side—hash brown patties, pizzas, fries, finger sandwiches... Nothing particularly healthy, but after a whole night of hunger pangs, Gage wasn’t about to be picky.
He found some wings slathered in BBQ sauce. Then some salad. He took some, added ranch dressing for the calories, and emptied his plate.
When he turned back, he
