章節 18: Chapter 18: Breakfast/interrogation?

After ordering, Liam's father was the first to break the silence.

"So... Rex, how are ya doing, kid?"

Since they're sitting next to each other, the pilot didn't even look at Mr. Velison. Instead, Rex opted to pick up the drink menu.

"Great, doc. I've been great." His baritone voice was more awkward than not, and even the waitress stood by was stubbly looking away from their conversation.

"Dear, I heard you got into the Air Force." Liam's mom went to the rescue; her blue eyes looked at the giant alpha even though he's trying to hide behind the drink menu.

Liam picked up the drink menu from the pile of two menus even though he already ordered a drink, and Mar was about to get his own menu, but Meg snatched the last menu available on the table. The black haired alpha gave a look at the female alpha, and then he resigned to awkwardly leaning towards Liam to pretend that he actually needs to order another drink. The platinum blond alpha lowered the menu and pushed it towards Mar's side so that they could share.

The waitress blinked at them, and Liam blinked back at her. She opened her lips, but then closed it back up and looked at the painting on the wall.

Honestly, Liam doesn't blame her. She's serving a table of six alphas with approximately zero social skills shared between them.

It was another moment until the fucker decided to answer the question, and the waitress visibly calmed down from the awkward tension.

"Yeah, yes..." Rex didn't put down the menu as he talked. "I was. For the past six years."

"I thought you were with the marines." Liam added, just to not make silence take over again. "You don't like a plane kinda guy."

Deep brown eyes looked at him, and any second now, the platinum blond alpha was ready to flip the table and run. However, instead of being triggered like a bull seeing a red cloth, Rex just nodded and put down the menu.

"I was thinking about it, but changed my mind." Rex leaned back on his chair, and all eyes in the room were on him. "I didn't work much with jets—"

That's not very assuring coming from your pilot.

"— since I became Sergeant First Class earlier this year. Mostly I'm there for emotional and technical support —"

Rex and the word "emotional" doesn't mix well. Purple eyes met Liam's blue ones, and Mar is definitely thinking the same thing.

"— and babysit the newbies." Rex paused when another waitress came in and brought their drinks.

Liam quickly gulped down his iced tea, and Mar is doing the same. Meg gave the two younger alphas a look, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she started drinking her own iced tea.

"Why did you decide to quit?" Mrs. Velison saved the day again. "Dear, we heard from your father that you didn't even take vacation days. We haven't seen you for years."

Deep brown eyes looked away from Liam's mother, and the pilot took a deep breath.

Purple eyes met blue ones again. Mar just gave Liam a nod, and the platinum blond alpha nod back. After all, Blue said something along the lines of Rex using all of his days off with her every year since he was enlisted.

"I did take vacation days." Rex finally said something, then he immediately took a sip of his own glass of ice tea.

"Ah, but you didn't visit your father. He was worried." Mr. Velison patted the pilot's shoulder.

"We had a fight." Rex clenched his jaw slightly as he took another sip of his drink. "My father and I don't get along."

"Quick question..." Meg leaned her elbows on the table, her blue eyes didn't back down from him. "Where did you spend your vacation?"

Brown eyes weren't fazed by the questions, and Rex took his sweet sweet time answering. "With the Devins."

The platinum blond alpha's eyes snapped towards their pilot. Next to him, he could feel Mar moving in his seat. None of them use their pheromones yet, so that's good.

"My good friends Jake and Rody, and of course, wherever Jake is, Blue follows." Rex acted casual. Well, he didn't lie, and he didn't tell the whole truth either. Jake and Blue's last name is Devin. If Rody, Jake's beloved boyfriend, decides to marry into the alpha's family, then he'll be a Devin, too.

Rex's eyes then glanced at Liam and Mar's general direction. The platinum blond alpha doesn't look which one of them deserves the death stare, probably both. Then, the realization hit.

He knows. The fucker knows. Blue probably told Rex that she divulged their fuck-buddy or friends with benefits or something like that kinda relationship to her good friend Mar, and wherever Mar is, Liam is there, too. With how Meg is acting, Rex is gonna kill them because he's thinking that the two younger alphas are spreading the thing he tired so hard to hide.

"I see. Why didcha quit?" Liam's father didn't stray away from the point.

"That kind of job wasn't for me." There's a hint of tiredness in his voice as he spoke. The pilot looked away from the pair of younger alphas, but his eyes promised that he'll get them later. "It's more draining than I expected."

"And you wasted years of your military training?" Mr. Velison isn't afraid to push the boundaries a little more. Unlike his son, he won't be subjected to petty bullying. "Your father also said you went to flight school. Have ya thought about commercial flights? Surely, you have a backup plan when you decide to quit."

"I do, but not in aviation." Rex clicked his tongue. "You sent your children to universities, I spent my time learning and observing. My book will be published soon."

"That's amazing." Mrs. Velison smiled at the pilot. "What it's about?"

"Mom, that's asking for spoilers!" Meg called out.

"You'll see." The pilot took another sip of his drink.

"Hey," Mar put down his drink and pointed a finger playfully at his older brother. "I want a hard copy of your book with the author's signature in it. For free. I'm your brother, so I get it for free, right?"

"You probably won't read it." A slight smile came on Rex's lips. "Liam's more likely, but I'll give each of you a book so you won't have to fight for it."

Liam rolled his eyes, and he's well aware that Rex likes him as much as the platinum blond alpha likes the pilot. "We don't fight, we share."

Rex snorted and shook his head a little. "Enough about me. Meg, I'm still waiting for the wedding invitation."

"Heh..." Meg chuckled as she twirled her drink around. "You have to either wait for two more years or tell Star to hurry up. Liam, Mar, why don't you tell him about Laura?"

"Who?"

That was the driest thing Rex has said. He didn't even try to cover up the fact that he knows who Laura is because Liam's pretty sure Blue told him about her interactions with the omegas at Tea House.

"Why would I tell him about my ex?" Mar grinned at Meg.

"Your love for her was the only thing you didn't share with my dear brother." Meg shot him back, and purple eyes widened a little.

Fuck his sister's humor.

"I barely had time to sleep. Can't date when I need sleep." Liam butted into the conversation with a straight face. "Also, Laura was hella toxic."

That gained a laugh from both his older sister and Rex. Mr. Velison huffed and shook his head while Mrs. Velison giggled. Of course, his parents know very well that it's their fault that Liam has no time to go on a date, let alone court anyone. His mom insisted that he gets two majors because one isn't enough. His dad insisted that he starts his internship now instead of next year. And they have another internship lined up for him after this summer break, which will be the beginning of his third year.

Education is important, his parents said, you'll find someone during the rush like we and your sister did. They're kinda right in a way, Mar has always been by his side, and they have found each other.