Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 21

“Daddy!”

The child, who had rushed over as soon as he saw Josh’s face, clung to him, refusing to let go.

Ah, my angel.

Josh hugged the child tightly, feeling all his fatigue and stress vanish at once. Pete rubbed his lips all over Josh’s face, smearing him with drool, but Josh didn’t mind at all. Turning his head, Josh showered the child’s cheeks, lips, and forehead with kisses, then scooped him up in one arm and entered the house.

“Josh, welcome home.”

His mother greeted Josh warmly, kissing him on both cheeks.

“Emma said she’ll be late today. She must have a date.”

His mother bustled back and forth in the kitchen as she spoke.

“Can I help?”

As he sniffed the sweet smell of pie, his mother gently chided him.

“Don’t say that, it makes it sound like you’re starving. If you’re hungry, I’ll make you something. Why don’t you take off your sunglasses?”

Unable to hide it any longer, Josh took off his sunglasses as she suggested and lifted his head. When his still-bruised face was revealed, his mother’s eyes widened.

“Good heavens, what happened? What kind of work are you doing that you got so hurt? You didn’t rejoin the military, did you?”

Josh chuckled awkwardly at his mother’s urgent questions.

“No, it’s just celebrity bodyguard work… It looks flashy, but it’s nothing much.”

“Daddy, does it hurt?”

Pete asked, looking at Josh’s colorful bruises around his eyes. Seeing those innocent, blinking green eyes, just like Josh’s own, made his heart pound wildly.

“No, not at all.”

Josh couldn’t resist and showered him with kisses. The child soon giggled and flailed his body. Chase’s face naturally overlapped with the broadly smiling face. He realized anew how similar they were.

Josh’s mother was a Beta, but his grandmother had been an Omega, so his mother had once told Josh that the trait was probably inherited. Perhaps his weak pheromones were due to atavism. Currently, Josh was the only Omega in the family; everyone else was a Beta. Though it was only his mother and sister, people naturally assumed he was a Beta because of it.

Josh quietly looked at Pete’s face. This still innocent child could manifest as a True Alpha, like Chase Miller, or become an Omega like Josh, or neither and live his whole life as a Beta. Whichever it was, he would know before he turned twenty. It was extremely rare for a mutation to occur after that.

Not knowing what the child would grow up to be filled him with more fear than anticipation. The thought of this lovable child growing up like Chase sent shivers down his spine.

Please, only resemble him in looks.

The child, who had somehow climbed up Josh’s tall body and naturally settled into a piggyback ride, played with his hair. His mother craned her neck and spoke to Josh, who held Pete’s legs to keep him from falling.

“Be careful not to let Pete hit his head. With your height and a piggyback ride…”

“Yes, I know.”

Josh said easily and kissed Pete’s chubby calf.

“So, how long is your vacation?”

At his mother’s question, Josh replied, “Two days.”

“I’ll go back tomorrow night.”

“You’re only staying one night?”

His mother looked disappointed, but her gaze immediately shifted to Pete. Seeing the child already clinging tightly and refusing to let go, she could well imagine what tomorrow night would be like. He was at that age, so it couldn’t be helped. His mother shook her head, then her eyes suddenly lit up as if something had just occurred to her.

“Oh, speaking of which, I need to pick up some medicine… Could you go? And pick up these things on the way. The pie needs about an hour more, so go with Pete.”

Josh took the shopping list his mother handed him and nodded. As he lowered Pete from his neck and held him in his arms to prevent him from hitting his head, the child struggled to climb up again.

Josh hugged and restrained the squirming child, but once they were outside, he finally let the child do as he wished. Pete quickly grabbed Josh’s shoulders, climbed up, and took another piggyback ride.

“Kya-hahahaha.”

Pete, in a good mood, wiggled his bottom and let out a child’s distinctive laugh. In Boston, Josh used to take him for walks around the neighborhood with Pete on his shoulders. Josh deliberately parked his car in the shopping center parking lot about a block from the pharmacy, and for the first time since leaving Boston, he began walking with Pete on his shoulders.

As they walked, people in cars or walking their dogs frequently stared at them. Pete was so excited to see people passing beneath his gaze that he didn’t know what to do.

“Daddy, head.”

Pete playfully patted Josh’s head with his small hands and rubbed his cheek, acting spoiled. Josh felt guilty for making the child lonely, given his unusually clingy behavior. Pete wiggled and patted Josh’s head all over, but Josh just let him. It didn’t take long for them to reach the pharmacy.

“Pete, let’s get down for a moment.”

Before the child could even be surprised, Josh quickly scooped him into his arms and went inside. While he picked up his mother’s medicine and a few items from the list, Pete remained perched on one of his arms.

It didn’t take long to find all the items on the shopping list and put them in the basket. As he scanned the barcodes of the purchased items at the machine, one item stubbornly refused to scan. The employee, who had been watching Josh repeat the process several times, quickly came over to help and struck up a conversation.

“Your child is so cute.”

Her gaze, looking up at him with a smile, was full of warmth. Josh, unable to help himself, became a doting parent and kissed Pete’s head, which was resting on his arm.

“Isn’t he?”

“Yes, I think he’ll grow up to be very handsome, just like his dad.”

“Thank you.”

Josh inserted the banknotes into the slot and collected his change.

“Goodbye, Hannah.”

When he called out the name on her nametag and said goodbye, the employee’s face brightened considerably. Josh turned to leave, then paused, having spotted a familiar face.

“Emma.”

He smiled and approached his sister.

“I heard you were going to be late, why are you here?”

“My plans were canceled. Mom asked me to pick something up, so I stopped by… but Josh already bought it.”

Emma glanced at the bag he was holding and subtly nudged his side with her elbow.

“Stop charming women, you scoundrel. You look like that, and you still want to?”

“What did I do?”

Josh protested his innocence, but Emma wasn’t fooled.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t hide it, does it? You have a mark, and with Josh, Alphas wouldn’t dare underestimate you and challenge you just because you’re an Omega. If women knew you were an Omega, far fewer would talk to you. You’re not enjoying it, are you? You absolute scoundrel.”

“Scoundrel, scoundrel.”

“You shouldn’t say things like that.”

Josh, feigning strictness, chided Pete, then winked at Emma.

“Watch your mouth in front of the kid. There’s no need to reveal it, and it interferes with my work.”

To prevent the child from learning unnecessary things, Josh deliberately gave him a piggyback ride again. Pete began to play with Josh’s head again. Walking side by side, Emma spoke.

“Is work manageable? The pay must be enormous, but that kind of work is always tough.”

She was referring to the injury on his face. Josh replied nonchalantly.

“You get what you pay for, I guess. Ow.”

“Pete, Daddy’s going to go bald.”

Emma stopped Pete, then continued.

“Still, it’s a good thing it’s relatively close. It would be nice to see your face like this every time you have a day off.”

Though I don’t know when my next day off will be.

As Josh added that thought inwardly, Emma brought up a new topic.

“Mom subtly asked if you’re seeing anyone these days.”

“And?”

“I said I didn’t know, of course. Because it’s true.”

Right, he thought, and continued walking. Emma glanced up at Josh and asked.

“It must be hard raising a child alone, right? Any introductions, or are there any good people among your colleagues? You said everyone’s an Alpha except for one married guy.”

“You don’t date at work.”

When he said it with feigned strictness, Emma scoffed and clicked her tongue.

“Romance always blossoms at work. Well, you wouldn’t know, having never had a proper relationship. You don’t stop those who come and you don’t chase those who leave, do you? It’s a miracle you even had a child.”

Emma, who had spoken carelessly, glanced at Pete, then lowered her gaze. Pete was completely uninterested, playing with Josh’s hair.

“That, Pete’s papa… Is it true you can’t contact him? Are you lying?”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask…”

Emma rolled her eyes slightly.

“Someone as meticulous as Josh wouldn’t just sleep with anyone and get pregnant. He must have known the person, so it’s naturally strange that there’s been no contact until now.”

“…I’m not that meticulous.”

“Anyway, this isn’t like you, Josh. You’ve always gotten through your heat cycles without any trouble.”

Of course, he had. That was a single, unexpected incident. The heat cycle itself had been unplanned at that time.

If it hadn’t been for that man, my cycle wouldn’t have been forced.

Josh suddenly thought, then immediately felt guilty. It was the greatest fortune of his life. Thanks to it, he had Pete, didn’t he? His one and only treasure.

Josh drew a cold line.

“We just don’t need to meet anymore, so we don’t. I have no intention of trying anything with that man again. And I’m sorry, Emma, but I hope you don’t forget that until I presented, I was the most popular quarterback in high school.”

“For just one year?”

“Yes, and in that one year, I had many girlfriends. As you know, even before I had Pete.”

Emma glared at him resentfully. In truth, Josh had never been without a girlfriend for a single day until he met Chase Miller. Emma knew this well.

“Oh, I’m sure you did. You had a different girlfriend you kissed in the morning than the one you dated in the evening.”

“I broke up with my girlfriend at lunchtime and got confessed to by someone else after class.”

He corrected the facts, but Emma didn’t seem to believe him much. She scoffed and turned her head, then continued.

“Well, you suddenly cut off all your relationships, then one day you showed up with Pete, didn’t you? I was wondering how long you’d stay so chaste. Why don’t you get another girlfriend while you’re at it? Everyone says it doesn’t matter if you’re an Omega, right?”

He couldn’t possibly say that the moment he saw Chase Miller, everyone else in the world turned into a stale Halloween pumpkin. And just when he thought he was finally forgetting that man, he was back to square one. Josh feigned ignorance and said.

“I’ll have to live chastely until Pete grows up a bit.”

Emma blinked.

“Are you really thinking of dating a woman?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Josh chuckled.

“Neither of us has to worry about getting pregnant, isn’t that the best for enjoying ourselves? If it weren’t for my job, being an Omega wouldn’t be bad. Of course, that’s assuming the other person thinks the same way.”

“…You’re not thinking of dating another Alpha or Beta? You’re not still hung up on Pete’s papa, are you?”

At Emma’s cautious question, Josh paused for a very brief moment before answering.

“I don’t plan on having another child.”

Sleeping as an Omega was with that man, the first and last time. Josh had no intention of sleeping with a man again. In fact, he was closer to being heterosexual. Before, and even now, he was more attracted to women than men.

Except for Chase Miller.

His brow furrowed instantly at the thought of him. Of all people, the only man I slept with had to be that bastard.

Just then, Pete giggled above his head, shaking his body. Josh’s expression softened at the child’s loveliness. He gently lowered the child into his arms and faced him, a smile naturally appearing on his face. As Josh smiled and looked at Pete, he suddenly paused. He had just recalled the face of a very unwelcome man on the face of his beloved child.

For a moment, complex emotions surfaced on Josh’s face. Emma looked up at him, puzzled. Josh pretended not to notice, held Pete in one arm, and stared straight ahead. If only this job is over, I’ll never come back to California again, Josh vowed once more.

Nevertheless, what came to mind again was the sight of him looking up at Josh with tears in his eyes. His fragile, faint breaths echoed clearly in Josh’s ears.

No one knows about that night. Only Josh knew.

And another memory, just for him, had been added.

Just as he thought that, Emma spoke.

“Won’t Pete get curious about his papa when he’s older?”

“He probably will.”

Josh mumbled indifferently. There were plenty of families with only one parent. Pete would naturally accept it too.

And that man can live freely, just as he has until now.

He unconsciously furrowed his brow, but Josh didn’t realize it. He didn’t want to delve deeply into why something he had always taken for granted was now making him so uncomfortable.

But even as he tried to forcibly erase it, Chase’s terrified face and tear-filled eyes stubbornly refused to disappear, continuously swirling in his mind.

Even the kiss that had made him burn inside.