Her distaste at the word rent was obvious.
“Own. I designed it myself. I’m an architect.”
“You are? How… professional.”
She appeared in the doorway, looking all around the room before her gaze finally settled on Zac.
“I thought someone as professional as an architect would do the right thing, the decent thing, and marry the omega they got pregnant.”
Zac winced, seeing the wide-eyed look on Beckett’s face.
“Hi, Mom.”
“It’s Mother, Isaac. You know how I hate to be reduced to a three-letter word.”
“Sorry, Mother.”
She looked him up and down critically. “Well, you’ve been watching what you eat. Good. Some omegas lose the run of themselves when they’re pregnant, and what alpha husband is going to find that attractive?”
“Mother—” There less than a minute, and she was already showcasing her worst attributes.
“Why don’t we show you around?” Beckett said. “There’s lots to see.”
“I’m sure there is. And while you play tour guide, perhaps you can explain why there’s no ring on my son’s finger, hmm?”
Zac didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Beckett, to his credit, continued as if she hadn’t spoken, walking to the door.
“Well, Zac is still supposed to be resting, doctor’s orders, so we’ll come back and join him for tea after.”
She followed him out of the room, their voices fading into the distance.
Zac sank back down on the couch, fisting his hands in his hair. When this was over—the visit, the pregnancy—Beckett was going to take the baby and run. He texted Harper again, begging the omega to hurry.
It was an agonizingly long twenty minutes before Beckett and his mom returned. He heard her voice long before he saw her.
“Now, my Kevin, he knows how an alpha is supposed to comport themselves. As soon as he knew Martin was the one for him, he got down on one knee and made an honest man out of him. They were married a whole year before Martin was expecting their eldest.”
Beckett led her back into the room, sharing a look of despair with Zac. He looked close to the end of his tether.
“I’ll make tea,” the alpha offered, straining to keep his voice even.
The doorbell rang, and Zac got to his feet.
“I’ll get it,” Beckett said, waving him back down.
“That’ll be Harper,” he told him.
His mother’s head whipped around from where she was examining the curtains.
“Harper? What have I told you about taking care with the company you keep, Isaac? You…”
He tuned her out, nodding now and then to make it seem like he was listening when all he was really doing was frantically trying to work out how to salvage the situation.
“Mrs. Hughes. How lovely to see you.” Harper was all smiles, a small bouquet of flowers in one hand as he embraced Zac’s mother and kissed her cheek. “You’re looking radiant as always.”
“And you, dear. How was your wedding? You were engaged to a pilot, wasn’t it? I don’t recall his name.”
Her eyes flicked uncertainly from Zac to Harper. She was never quite sure of her footing around him. Harper was a little too sharp-tongued and quick-minded. Not to mention unfailingly charming toward her.
“Oh, we broke things off. I’m seeing a zoologist now.”
She made a show of staring at his hands, looking for a ring. “Zoologist? But pilot is such a prestigious career for an alpha.”
“Sure, but he spent most of his week flying off to exotic places, and I’m not the stay at home and keep house kind of person. Much too social for that. Zac, though… if anyone knows how to keep house, it’s him.”
Beckett returned with the tea, setting the tray down on the coffee table and deliberately taking a seat right next to Zac.
“Tea, Mrs. Hughes?”
“Please.” She was staring at them, at how they were sitting, at their proximity. Zac saw her mouth open, readying himself for another tirade.
“You must be so excited to be a grandmother,” Harper interjected.
“I’m already a grandmother, twice over. Kevin has two sons. Martin is a devoted husband.”
“Well, third time’s the charm, isn’t it? I’m sure Zac will be delighted to have you around to help. He’s been having such a tough time, between the morning sickness and being in hospital after his scare last week. You’re such a wonderful mother to come see him in his time of need.”
Zac tried hard not to laugh. The only reason his mother was there was because a distant relative had the misfortune to work at the hospital and spotted him leaving the maternity wing.
“Did you see the nursery? Beckett’s been working on it whenever he has a minute to spare. And there’s a guest room right next door.”
Zac could feel Beckett growing tenser and tenser next to him, probably wondering if Harper had lost his mind. But Zac knew exactly what the other omega was doing—saving them. He did his best to play along.
“Yes, it’s so good of you to come all this way to check on me, Mother. We’ll really need the help once the baby’s born. You could stay for a few weeks, make dinners, keep an eye on Luca.”
“Luca?”
“My son that I had with my late husband,” Beckett said hesitantly. He gave Zac a sideways glance, aware that he and Harper were up to something.
“Yes, that’s how Beckett and I met, actually. I’m Luca’s nanny.”
His mother went pale. “Nanny?” She turned to look at Beckett. “You got the nanny pregnant?”
Behind her, Harper choked on a mouthful of tea, turning away as he struggled to hide his laughter.
Zac froze, realizing that he might actually have to explain the truth of their crazy situation. He really didn’t want to have to sit through another of his mother’s tirades about the evils of putting chemicals and toxins in his body instead of finding himself a nice alpha to settle down with.
“People find love in the strangest places,” Beckett said, putting an arm around Zac’s shoulders. “We were so lucky that Zac came into our lives when he did. And now our little family is almost complete.”
His mother’s face was getting paler and paler.
“Isn’t this what you wanted for me, Mother? I’ve got my alpha, a son, and a baby on the way. And now you’re here to help us out just when we need it most.” He leaned into Beckett, hamming it up. “What are family for?”
His mother opened and closed her mouth, but no sound escaped.
“I’ll send you my due date,” Zac added. “We could start a message group. Maybe Martin will join in?”
Mentioning Martin was the final straw, and she finally found her voice. “Oh, look at the time. Is it really that late? I should be going.”
Zac stood when she did, Beckett following his lead.
“It was so lovely to see you, Mom. And I’m so glad you got to meet Beckett. He’s wonderful, isn’t he?”
“Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Hughes. I hope we’ll be seeing lots of each other.”
She looked between them before her gaze focused uneasily on Zac’s pregnant stomach. “I expect wedding bells will be in the near future?”
Neither of them answered.
“Why don’t I walk you out?” Harper offered. “Here, don’t forget your flowers.”
He hustled her out the door before she could utter another word, and Zac sank back onto the couch with a groan. A few seconds later, they heard the front door close and Harper’s footsteps heading back their way.
“What was that?” Beckett asked. “What just happened?”
Zac scrubbed a hand across his face, exhausted beyond belief at the brief encounter. “That was my mom.”
Harper stood in the doorway. “Yeah. Put any sort of responsibility on her shoulders and she bails like clockwork.”
Beckett looked between them. “Should I take it she won’t be babysitting? Or staying over after the birth to help out?”
“Nope,” Zac said.
“No chance,” Harper echoed.
“Thank fuck for that.”
Zac blinked in surprise. He wasn’t sure he’d ever heard the alpha curse before.
Beckett sat back down next to him, and Zac patted his knee. “When I tell her the due date in a week or so, she’ll let me know that her new husband has booked some all-expenses paid, non-refundable cruise to god knows where that just happens to be exactly that same week.”
“What a pity,” Harper said with a grin.
“I’ve learned not to count on her,” Zac added quietly.
Beckett’s hand found his, squeezing gently.
“Who needs a grandma when you have the best uncle a kid could hope for?” Harper declared, sinking into an armchair.
Beckett still looked a little shell-shocked, so Zac tried to distract him.
“What about your parents? Will they come see the baby?”
“They’ll meet him at their next visit, I guess. They won’t go out of their way to see us.”
“Parents, huh?” Harper said. “You just can’t count on them.”
Zac was watching Beckett, wondering what was going through the alpha’s head.
Beckett caught his worried look. “I’m not running.”
“Do you want to?”
“Next time, we’ll just tell her we’re out for the day. Every day. Permanently.”
Zac laughed and sagged against him. “The funny thing is, for all that she talks up Kevin and Martin and their perfect relationship… they haven’t spoken to her in over a year. She said some terrible things about Martin, things that really upset him, and Kevin wouldn’t stand for it. He wanted her to apologize, but she refused, so he cut contact. I don’t think she’s even seen her youngest grandchild.”
“That’s kind of sad,” Beckett said.
Harper didn’t think so.
“She made her own bed, and she can damn well lie in it. Just because she holds opinions about omegas from the dark ages doesn’t mean anyone needs to entertain them.”
“Hear, hear.” Beckett slipped an arm around Zac’s waist, and he cuddled into the embrace. “Are you staying for dinner, Harper? Luca is eating at Sarah’s, so we were going to order in. Your choice. Consider it a thank you for coming to our rescue.”
Harper grinned at them. “My pleasure. There’s nothing I like better than to wrangle Zac’s mother when she starts poking her nose in. I’ll eat whatever Zac wants.”
With two pairs of eyes on him, Zac considered his stomach. “The baby wants ice cream.”
“How about a compromise? Thai food for dinner, ice cream for dessert.”
“Sounds good to me.” He yawned widely, struggling to keep his eyes open. “Maybe a nap first?”
“Great idea.”
Beckett stood up, and Zac found himself coaxed into stretching out along the couch, a blanket laid over him.
“Sleep,” the alpha said, brushing a hand across his forehead. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Do you promise?”
“I promise. And Zac?”
“Yeah?”
“About what your mom said…”
He pushed himself up on one elbow, seeking Beckett’s eyes. “Don’t let her get in your head.”
“I won’t, I haven’t. You and me, we’re on our own timetable, following our own path. We don’t need a ring to prove that we’re meant to be together.”
“No,” Zac agreed hoarsely, trying not to let his disappointment show.
“I’ll go order dinner.”
The alpha left the room, and Zac settled back down. He felt inexplicably close to tears, all his emotions right at the surface.
Harper moved closer, perching on the arm of the chair next to him.
“He asked me your ring size a few weeks ago. And whether you were more a white gold or platinum person,” he murmured quietly, stroking a hand through Zac’s hair. “Naturally, I told him all about your teenage obsession with mood rings.”
“Harper!”
“All I’m saying is, don’t fret, duck. I couldn’t have imagined a better man for you to marry. He’s perfect for you. Get some rest now. We’ve seen off the dragon, and your prince awaits.”
Chapter Thirty
Beckett knew waiting for the perfect moment to propose was a fool’s errand. There would always be something: a cranky toddler, a rain shower, the shrill sound of his phone ringing. He chose a Sunday morning, the day they were taking Luca on a proper outing now that he’d finally completed his treatment. They decided on the zoo, and not even the dark clouds gathered in the sky could make Zac change his mind.
“There’s a ton of indoor enclosures and exhibits and play areas,” Zac told him as they got their tickets and headed inside. “If it rains, we’ll do those. If it doesn’t, we have the run of the place. Besides, all Luca’s talked about for weeks is elephants. They’ve got two calves in the herd. He’ll love them.”
“We might never convince him to come home,” Beckett said with a laugh as the little boy ran off ahead of them, bubbling with excitement.
Beckett had a bag slung over his shoulder with a picnic lunch for the three of them, and he’d picked out the perfect place in the zoo to have it and pop the question. And a backup location under cover in case it rained.
“Luca, wait!” Zac called, and they hurried after him.
Despite the clouds, it didn’t rain, and they got to see the elephants and a bunch of other animals. Beckett locked eyes with a lion, feeling an odd connection to his kindred animal. When he mentioned it to Zac, the omega didn’t seem surprised.
“Why wouldn’t you? There’s been a lion inside you since before you were born. He’s a part of you.”
Luca searched fruitlessly for lion cubs, disappointed when they didn’t find any. To help fix that, they detoured to the gift shop. While Zac kept Luca distracted looking at shiny postcards, Beckett found and bought a cuddly lion cub toy. It was soft and the perfect size for Luca to cart around. Outside, he crouched down on the ground and gave it to Luca. “A new friend for you, huh?”
Luca hugged the stuffed toy tightly, beaming up at him and Zac. “He’s just like me, Daddy!”
“I don’t know about you two,” Zac said, checking his watch, “but I’m starving. I think it’s time for lunch.”
“I know just the place,” Beckett said, leading them past the red panda enclosure.
There was a small, enclosed area nearby with a handful of picnic tables, ivy growing along all the walls, and peacocks strutting about proudly. It was almost empty, and there was a small play area with a set of swings and a slide in one corner to keep restless children busy. They managed to coax Luca into eating half a sandwich before he raced off to play. There was another little boy there with his grandparents, and he and Luca took turns on the slide.
Beckett sat next to Zac, enjoying the warm sun and the happy atmosphere.
Zac leaned his head against Beckett’s shoulder. “Luca’s doing so well. It’s hard to believe he’s as sick as he is.”
The treatment had bought them some much-needed time, and the chance for Luca to just be a kid for once.
“He’s doing great,” Beckett said. “I haven’t seen him this well in such a long time. And it’s not just the treatment. I think a part of it is down to you.”
Zac shook his head, snorting in disbelief. “The miracle of modern medicine did this. I just did what any parent would.”
Beckett’s smile widened when he heard Zac refer to himself as a parent, not a nanny.
“Yes, you did. You’re a wonderful dad. And a wonderful mate.”
He pulled the ring from his pocket, got up from his seat, and went down on one knee.
“I love you, Zac, and I want you to marry me. Will you be mine, forever and ever?”
Emotions flickered across Zac’s face: surprise, pleasure, happiness. He closed his hand over Beckett’s. “Yes. Of course. I—”
There was a panicked
screech from the other side of the garden. Beckett spun around, pushing to his feet, and searching for Luca. The swing was empty, the slide too—but right next to it, there was a lion cub staring up at the small boy Luca had been playing with it.
“Oh, no.”
The little boy’s grandmother—the one who’d screeched—grabbed the boy and shouted at Luca.
“No, get away!”
Beckett raced toward them with Zac on his heels, but Luca, frightened by the shouting, took off in the opposite direction, out of the garden and into the zoo beyond.
“Follow him,” Zac shouted. “Don’t let him out of your sight. I’ll tell the zookeepers.”
Beckett left the garden and spotted Luca racing along the path.
“Luca, kiddo, come back.”
He guessed Luca couldn’t hear him in his panic to get away. And the cub was moving fast. Afraid of losing sight of him, he sped up. As they rounded a corner, he heard screams and turned to see Luca scrambling under some bushes and squeezing under a gap in the fence. It trapped him between the path and an enclosure. Beckett, afraid to look and see what enclosure it was, focused on his son.
“Luca, kiddo. It’s okay, I’m right here.”
People started to crowd around, wondering what all the fuss was about. Luca looked even more panicked at all the noisy people, trying to find somewhere to run to, to hide.
“It’s okay, buddy,” Beckett said, getting as close to him as he could but still separated from him by the fence.
Just then, a whistle sounded, and he turned to see two of the zoo staff race around the corner, followed by Zac.
“Folks, this area is now out of bounds. If you can all follow the path back toward the penguins, please.”
One of the staff started herding the crowd away while the other crouched next to Beckett.
“Can you talk him out of there?” the man asked, getting a good look at Luca’s hiding place.
“I think so, now that there aren’t so many people.” He turned his attention back to Luca. “It’s alright, kiddo. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m sorry you got a fright back there, but it’s all okay now. It’s safe to come out. We’ve still got lots to see today. There’s a leopard here that looks just like Zac. Will you come on out?”
Expecting You Page 19
