Against All Odds Ch. 03

Riley couldn't believe his eyes. It made sense now, who Noah was texting when they first began their tour. While they were gone, Thomas had entered Noah's room and set up an elaborate feast. At least, it was a feast to Riley. A small table, just big enough for two had been placed in the middle of the seating area and with it two straight back chairs. Each one sitting across from the other. Plates, silverware, and wine glasses had been placed on the table and in the center, a single red rose. Riley remembered Noah asking him over the phone once what his favorite flower was. Riley was surprised that he remembered. That was nearly a month ago.

Beside the table was a severing cart that, to Riley's surprise, held a large pizza box, a bowl of potato chips, and a bowl of ice with various bottles of different types of drinks chilling within the ice. The room was also lit by several candles that had been placed on the end tables and window sill.

"I didn't know what you liked." Noah explained as they entered the room and Riley stared in awe at the food before him. "So I had Thomas fill the ice bucket with a sampling of different beverages."

"I...uh...wow." Was all Riley could manage at the moment. He had to close his mouth to keep from drooling. It was all so much, so generous, and not anything near what Riley had expected when returning to Noah's room.

Noah chuckled at Riley's inability to form words then walked to the table and pulled out one of the chairs for Riley. "Sit." He said with a slight grin. "Before you faint from shock."

Riley did as he was told, sitting down in the offered chair. Noah joined him at the table and looked across to Riley. "What do you drink?" Noah asked him.

Riley glanced to the assortment of drinks in the bucket. "Mountain Dew." He said quickly.

Noah grabbed a bottle of soda for Riley and a beer for himself then proceeded to pour each into their respective wine glasses. Riley had to suppress a giggle as he watched Noah fill their glasses. He definitely had not been expecting such treatment but the mixture of elegance and commonality was just too perfect. It was as though Noah had brought their two worlds together and found a perfect balance between them.

Riley thanked Noah then picked up his glass and sipped the ice cold liquid inside. He never thought a simple soda could taste so good but drinking it from a wine glass almost seemed to enhance the flavor. Noah then turned back to the serving cart and opened the pizza box. The aroma immediately filled the air and Riley took a deep breath, inhaling the delicious scent. The food was exactly how Riley had told Noah he liked it, even down to the crust, stuffed with melted cheese.

Riley's mouth watered as he stared at the pizza. It was loaded down with cheese, extra pepperoni, and tons of mushrooms. Noah had really gone all out. He'd even ordered garlic bread sticks and chicken wings with a variety of dipping sauces. Riley was in awe of the food and deeply touched that Noah had gone to all this trouble just for him.

"Pizza, a rose, mountain dew chilled to perfection?" Riley teased. "Why, Mr. Reaney, are you trying to sweep me off my feet with your masterful culinary skills?"

"More like luring you in with the scent of forbidden pizza." Noah smirked, "And all the credit goes to Thomas. He's a wizard when it comes to ordering food."

"So, is this like our first date? Candlelight and stuffed crust?" Riley asked, taking on a playful and flirty tone.

Noah raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Are you complaining?"

Riley grabbed a slice of pizza and took a huge bite. He nearly moaned as the melted cheese touched his lips and his eyes lit up with delight. Riley was in heaven and Noah watched, an amused look on his face, as Riley chewed slowly, savoring the taste and appreciating every bite of the fluffy crust, savory sauce, and the perfect balance of toppings.

"Definitely not complaining." Riley mumbled through a mouthful of pizza. "Seriously though, you didn't need to do all this Noah, it's too much."

"I know I didn't have to." Noah said, taking a swig of his beer. "I did it because I wanted to. I figured you'd appreciate something more than just tuna fish and frozen pizza."

"And I do appreciate it." Riley said as he took another bite of his food. "I appreciate everything you've done here. The rose, the candles, the delicious food and, of course, the company. It's a dream come true."

Noah chuckled a bit. "I'm sure you've been on more romantic dates. This, unfortunately was the best I could do on short notice."

"It's perfect." Riley told Noah, looking deeply into the alphas eye's. It's the most romantic thing that anyone has ever done for me. And, I've only ever been on one other date. It didn't go well."

"Really?" Noah picked up a slice of pizza and put it on his plate but he didn't eat. All of his attention was on Riley. "So, what happened that made the date so bad? Did the guy have bad breath or something?"

"No." Riley chuckled. "Nothing like that. He was just a grade-A jerk. Okay so, for starters, he was totally full of himself. For our 'date' he took me to a Wendy's drive through. After we ordered it turned out that he didn't have enough money so he canceled my food and only bought food for himself."

Noah stared at Riley, his eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, it gets better." Riley laughed. "He still didn't have enough money so he had to borrow two dollars from me to pay for his food. I could have bought something for myself but I only had two dollars to my name so I just handed it over and let him get his food. After that we went back to my room at the omega boarding house to watch a movie. The entire time we were there he complained about how small my room was, that I didn't have great choices in movies, and also because I had no beer or soda. He had to drink water. I also didn't have any snacks other than peanut butter and saltines."

Riley rolled his eyes as he thought back to the events of the night. He could laugh about it now but at the time he had been pretty upset by the entire thing. "If all that wasn't bad enough, he spent half the night talking about himself. What a great catch he was, how he could have any omega that he wanted, and how lucky I was that he chose to take me out. When he wasn't talking about himself he was talking about his truck. The guy was really hung up on his truck.

By the time the movie was over I was ready to throw the guy out. Of course he thought that he was such a gift to omegas that I would immediately rip my clothes off and jump on the bed, ready for him. He was pretty pissed when he found out that I had other plans. He said that had he known I wasn't going to put out he wouldn't have wasted his time on me. I told him that we wasted each others time then I shoved him out into the hallway, shut and locked my door."

"I bet that hurt his ego." Noah laughed. "Sounds like you dodged a bullet with that guy though. He sounds like the kind of guy that would just use you for sex and then move on."

Riley nodded. "I think you're right about that. Luckily, I never saw him again. Never did get my two bucks back though."

"I'd say the two dollars was worth it just to get him out of your room." Both laughed at that and Riley agreed. "I'd have paid twice that just to never see his stupid face again."

Noah raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Four dollars? You big spender you."

"I've talked with a few other guys online." Riley said after taking another sip of his soda. "I never did meet any of them in person though. I could tell right away that they weren't what was a looking for."

Noah set his glass of beer down and looked across the table to Riley, his expression more serious now. "While we're on the subject, what are you looking for? And please, you can be honest with me, Riley. I'm not going to judge you or think badly of you, I just want to know your mind and what it is you want out of a relationship."

Riley paused for a moment. Looking down at his place setting, he began to run his finger along the edge of the plate. When he looked back up and again met Noah's gaze, his expression had become as serious as Noah's. Riley was disappointed to see the mood of their conversation change so suddenly but he also knew that this was a discussion they needed to have.

"Well," Riley began, "I suppose I want what most people want. I want someone to share my life with. Someone to be there through all my ups and downs. I want a partner, someone I can build a future with. I want a family, maybe kids someday. I want...I want to be loved and cared for and I want someone that I can love and care for in return."

Noah sat silently, listening as Riley spoke. He was genuinely interested in what Riley had to say but there was also a hint of concern in Noah's eyes.

"That really sounds amazing, Riley. And yes, I would suppose that most people do want a family and a partner in life but what about financial security? Isn't that what you're really looking for? You said earlier that you wanted someone who could give you a decent life, keep you from having to sleep on the streets. It seems to me that money would be a huge factor in whether you chose to pursue a relationship with someone."

"But not a deciding factor." Riley took another drink from his glass, slowly, as he considered his next words. "I do want stability, I won't lie, but it's not the only thing I'm looking for. Honestly, I don't care if my future mate makes a lot of money or not. He can be a short order cook for all I care. I can work outside the home if I had to and actually prefer to. I like earning my own way. It's nice to have money and not worry about things like rent and food but money isn't the most important thing in a relationship. What I really want is a connection, a genuine bond with someone who accepts me and loves me for who I am. I want a partner in life, not a benefactor."

Noah listened carefully as Riley answered his concerns. A thoughtful look crossed his face as he considered all that Riley had said. He didn't really think that Riley was after anyone's money. Riley didn't seem the type but Noah did want to hear Riley say it himself, as confirmation. Listening to Riley now, any doubts that Noah might have had about him were quickly laid to rest. What's more, the things that Riley wanted were exactly what Noah had been looking for as well. He may not have gone into a chat room looking for a mate as Riley had done but the subject had been on Noah's mind for quite some time.

Noah wanted the same things that Riley wanted. He had money but what good was money, and a fancy house, when you had no one to share it with? Thomas had thought Noah was crazy for inviting Riley to Reaney Hall but there was just something that Noah saw in Riley that perhaps others did not. Now, he was glad that he'd taken the chance on the young man. It seemed that both men were on the same page. Noah just had to figure out where to go from here. One thing was certain. He didn't want to lose Riley, he really felt a connection to the omega and had enjoyed their time together very much. He just didn't know if Riley felt the same way about him.

"I appreciate your honesty." Noah said. "And, if I'm being honest too, I've been thinking about similar things. I've got money but it's not enough to make me happy. I want more. I want to be with someone who sees me for me, not my family name, and not my wealth. I want someone that can look past all of that and past my eccentricities and see the real me hidden beneath. I want a real connection to someone. Like you said, someone I can build a future with. I want love and happiness and those are things that money can not buy."

Riley smiled, feeling the tension leave his shoulders as he looked across the table at Noah and saw the sincerity on the alpha's handsome face. "Sounds like we want the same things." He said.

Noah nodded. "Indeed. The question is, where do we go from here?"

"I suppose that depends." Riley told him.

"On?"

"On whether or not you potentially see me as that 'someone.' I know there are plenty of men or even women who would jump at the chance to be with you. Most of them are probably better suited for you than a down-on-his-luck omega living in a crappy motel room." Riley glanced over at the grey duffel bag sitting against the wall by the door. "Everything I own is in that bag." He explained. "When I leave here tonight I'll either end up back at the motel or sleeping on a bench somewhere. I have nothing, and I come from nothing. I do really like you Noah and I would love to see where this relationship leads but, well, I'm just afraid that I'm not good enough for you."

Noah leaned forward then reached out across the table and took Riley's hand. "Riley, Listen to me. Your worth is not measured by what you have or don't have. I enjoy our time together and that's all that matters to me. The past three months that we've been talking, have been the happiest that I've felt in a very long time. It's why I wanted to finally meet you in person. I care about you and I feel that we have a real connection. I'd like to see how this relationship develops as well but I also want to make sure we're both comfortable with how we proceed."

"I don't want to be a burden." Riley said. He looked down to the hand holding his own. If he walked away from Noah now, he knew that he'd regret it for the rest of his life. There was something, deep inside, that told him this was it. Noah was the one he'd been searching for. He wanted so badly to give this relationship a chance, he just wasn't sure that he belonged in Noah's world. "You deserve someone who can match your lifestyle Noah. Not poor, white, trash."

Noah frowned. "Firstly, never refer to yourself as white trash again. Secondly, I deserve someone who makes me happy, and so do you. And thirdly, you are not a burden. I care about you, and what happens to you. I want you in my life, in whatever capacity you're comfortable with. So, let's just try and figure this out together, okay? Maybe we can find a middle ground here."

Riley looked up, narrowing his eyes a bit as he tried to figure out exactly what Noah was saying. "What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, I don't want you going back to that motel. It's not safe. And, I certainly don't want you sleeping on a park bench. So, how about you stay here tonight? We can figure out the rest as we go along. And as for our relationship, we'll take it one step at a time. No rush, no pressure."

Riley looked up with fresh tears forming in his eyes. He wasn't sure if he'd actually heard Noah correctly but then the look on Noah's face told Riley that he had, he just couldn't believe it. "You...you would do that for me?" Riley asked.

Noah smiled and gave Riley's hand a gentle squeeze. "Of course. Riley, I want us to be open and honest with each other so if this is something you're not comfortable with just let me know and I can make other arrangements for you. But, I think we may have the start to something special here and I'm willing to try and make it work."

"I'd like to try as well." Riley told him. "I just hope I don't disappoint."

"I don't think that's even possible." Noah said. "Riley, seriously, you're a breath of fresh air and yeah, we come from different backgrounds but maybe that's exactly what I need. I'm around rich snobs with overinflated egos all the time. I like that you're so down to earth. I like that you speak your mind and you're not afraid to be yourself. You're real and genuine and I really appreciate that about you."

Riley blushed and smiled warmly at Noah. "Alright." He said after carefully considering Noah's offer. "It is getting late and I really wasn't looking forward to sleeping on a bench tonight. I'll stay the night, if you're sure it's okay."

Noah shrugged." It's my house." He said, giving Riley a mischievous wink. "What I say goes."

"Oh really?" Riley grinned playfully as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Is that supposed to impress me?"

"I don't know." Noah laughed. "Are you impressed?"

"Not one bit." He picked up his half eaten slice of pizza and before stuffing it in his mouth said, "I am hungry though."

"Eat up." Noah laughed. "Afterward we can watch a movie if you want. I'll even let you pick."

"Oh, then I want it to be a sappy love story." Riley said, unable to hide his amusement.

"You got it." Noah said. He then grabbed a few wings and some dipping sauce while Riley took another slice of pizza. The pizza on Noah's plate had already gone cold but he didn't mind. Sharing the meal with Riley in the privacy of his room was worth the room temperature pizza.

Their first meeting had gone better than either of them had hoped. Noah knew that when Riley had first entered the car with Boyd that he'd been prepared to give up his identity and maybe even his body just for a hot meal and warm bed. Noah hated that they lived in a world where anyone felt that they had to give up their most basic human rights just to survive. Though Riley probably felt that he would be better off living as someone's property than living on the streets. Noah was determined to change that though, at least for one small omega. Noah wanted an equal partner, a companion, and a friend, not a pet. And Riley deserved so much more. He deserved some happiness for once in his life.

Noah wasn't sure if their relationship would ever develop into anything romantic but he was hopeful. If nothing else, they had at least started to form the bonds of a strong friendship and maybe, that was something that both of them so desperately needed.