“We met five months ago at a restaurant,” Royce says, fixing his tie. He’s been struggling with the damn thing for nearly ten minutes. “It was love at first sight, and we’ve been dating since.”

Will his parents believe that? He’s honestly not sure. The only thing he has any interest in his job. His parents set him up on blind dates, but he usually does his best to avoid them. Once he’d hospitalized himself just so he wouldn’t have to go. His mother stopped setting them up after that.

“You can be honest with any other answers,” he continues. Maybe he won’t wear a tie. He’s struggling with it enough as it is. Stupid thing. His mother likes them, that’s why he’s attempting to put it on.

Royce’s original plan was to get out of going to his cousin’s wedding. His parents insisted he went, though, and that he brought a date. What’s worse is that he had to use his PTO just to attend. Finding a date would’ve been impossible had it not been for his coworker.

‘It’s like a fake dating service,’ his coworker had said. ‘You can hire an omega as your date.’

And that’s how you ended up in his house. Royce didn’t like strangers in his home, but he wasn’t left with much of a choice. Better to bring you than have his mother try to set him up with someone at the wedding.

Royce tugs the tie off, tossing it back onto the couch in his irritation. He’s already dreading being there, surrounded by relatives he hardly knows. He’ll have to make small talk, too. Shit. He rubs his forehead.

“How much am I supposed to pay you?” he asks to take his mind off of the stupid wedding. “I’ll pay half right now.”

Because, honestly, he won’t blame you for leaving during the ceremony.