A Chance at Love

by Leanne Summers

  Despite his frazzled nerves and racing heart, Patrick couldn’t wait, he had to tell Nathan now. He knew that if he didn’t he was likely to chicken out, and Nathan deserved to know the truth.

  The door had barely shut behind them when Patrick opened his mouth.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  CHAPTER 6 - NATHAN

  WAIT, WHAT?

  Nathan blinked. Surely he had heard Patrick wrong, there was no way that those words had just come out of Patrick’s mouth.

  Patrick didn’t say anything else, clearly waiting for a reaction, and slowly Nathan’s stomach began to churn. Patrick was serious, and there was only one probable reason that Patrick was telling Nathan now of all times.

  It had just been one night, they had used a condom, they had been careful.

  Well, people always said that birth control wasn’t foolproof and now Nathan was finding that out first hand.

  Shit.

  “Is it…” Nathan couldn’t get the words out of his mouth. Was it his? Was the baby his? He had to know. That was the only reason that Nathan could think of that Patrick would be telling him. The timing was right for the baby to have been conceived during their ill fated hookup.

  “It’s yours.” Patrick said softly and avoided meeting Nathan’s gaze. “And yes, before you ask, I know for sure. Before we, ah…” Patrick’s cheeks turned a brilliant red and he continued to look at a point just over Nathan’s shoulder. “It had been over a year, since I’ve slept with anyone else.”

  Nathan had to sit down. He just didn’t know how to handle this, he was going to be a father. A million thoughts were going through his head and he couldn’t wrap his head around any of them.

  Who was going to take care of the baby? Where was it going to live? Would Patrick try to fight for full custody or would he let Nathan have a role in his child’s life without a fuss?

  At least it bode well for future relations that Patrick was telling Nathan now. He could have easily not said anything and left Nathan without a clue that he even had a son or a daughter.

  A thought suddenly come across Nathan’s head and his blood grew cold. “You are going to keep it, right?” He said hesitantly.

  “Of course.” Patrick said vehemently and met Nathan’s gaze for the first time that night. “Do you not want…”

  “It’s a shock.” Nathan interjected quickly, before Patrick could even fully form the sentence. “But it’s my child. Our child.” He amended. “I’ve always wanted kids, and this wasn’t how I had planned on it, but…” He shrugged.

  The tension that Nathan hadn’t even noticed previously bled out of Patrick’s shoulders. “Good.” The omega said softly. “I want the baby, I want them more than anything, but I don’t know I would be able to do this alone.”

  Nathan step forward, slowly so as to not spook the worried omega. He reached out and put a gentle hand on Patrick’s shoulders. “You won’t be alone.” He said firmly. “I’ll make sure of that.”

  Suddenly, Patrick turned and practically launched himself at Nathan, wrapping his arms around the alpha’s much broader torso. “Thank you.” Patrick mumbled against Nathan’s chest, and Nathan hesitantly brought his arms up to wrap around the omega’s smaller frame.

  Patrick just moved even closer to Nathan, and with a start, Nathan realized that the omega was crying softly. He didn’t do anything more than hold Patrick tighter. They had to talk, but now wasn’t the time. Nathan could barely process the news, he couldn’t even imagine how Patrick felt. He was the one that was actually going to be carrying the child.

  Their child.

  It all felt surreal to Nathan. He almost felt like crying himself, but he had to be strong. He was the alpha. Patrick may not be his omega but he was the other father of Nathan’s child and Nathan was now responsible for his wellbeing.

  After what felt like forever but was probably just a minute or two, Patrick pulled back and wiped at his eyes. “I’m sorry, sorry.” He muttered. “I’m just so emotional right now. I was so afraid, I mean I still am, but now I know that you’re going to be here and that makes it better.”

  Nathan just rubbed at his back consolingly, not really sure how else to comfort the omega.

  He looked over at the time that was displayed on his clock and winced. It was way too late for Patrick to take the bus, and Nathan wasn’t about to stick the omega on a cab. He didn’t like the thought of Patrick being all on his own this late at night even under normal circumstances, much less when he was pregnant.

  Middleton was a safe city but Nathan would much rather er on the side of caution than risk it.

  “Hey,” Nathan said gently. “It’s pretty late. You can spend the night in my guest bedroom if you want.”

  Patrick looked up, his eyes wide. “Oh no, I can take a cab. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

  Nathan shook his head. “It’s really no trouble. You can stay here and I can drop you off at your place in the morning. You should stay home tomorrow and get some rest, it won’t count against any of your sick days.”

  “Thank you.” Patrick said softly. “For everything.”

  “It’s no problem.” Nathan said dismissively. It really wasn’t. He cared about his coworkers, he would have done the same for any one of them, it just so happened that he cared about Patrick a bit more than he cared about the majority of the faceless massed that happened to work in the same office.

  When he got Patrick all squared away in the guest room, Nathan couldn’t help but think how much he wanted Patrick with him.

  It had been easy to keep his attraction at bay when the omega was just working for him. Nathan could keep his distance and keep it professional, but now they were going to be raising a child together.

  Nathan hadn’t been looking for a relationship, but he couldn’t help but wonder how he could make it work with Patrick. The omega was smart and kind, not to mention he was absolutely gorgeous. During their one night of passion, Nathan had felt a spark, an instant connection, that he had never felt with anyone before.

  He wanted to know more about Patrick, get him to open up and really trust Nathan enough to show the sharp, witty, omega that Nathan had gotten glimpses of.

  Nathan had held himself back, not only for Patrick’s comfort but in an attempt to keep Nathan from getting too attached to someone he shouldn’t be. Now the barriers that Nathan had erected for himself were purposeless, and he couldn’t see the point in maintaining them any longer.

  No, he wanted to be friends with Patrick at the very least, their child deserved as much, but Nathan knew then and there that he had to give it a shot, give them a shot.

  If they were anything like that first night, any risks were going to be more than worth it.

  Nathan felt himself drifting off, and all he could think about was how much he wished that Patrick was lying next to him, rather all the way down the hall, tucked away in the rarely used guest bedroom.

  —

  Nathan woke up, rather confused, to the smell of bacon.

  He groaned as he pulled himself out of bed and padded down the hall, only to see Patrick standing in front of the stove, a plate of bacon next to him and eggs in the pan.

  “Oh, hey.” Patrick said shyly. “I woke up and I couldn’t go back to sleep so…” His voice trailed off as he gestured to the spread of food before him. “I remembered where you had everything from last time. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, not at all.” Nathan said roughly. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

  The telltale flush appeared on Patrick’s ears and he looked content.

  Over the course of the next hour, all throughout breakfast and through the drive back to Patrick’s apartment, they made small talk and carefully avoiding the topic of the future baby, for which Nathan was immensely grateful for.

  He didn’t quite know what he wanted nor how to ask for it when it came to the child. He needed time to processes, and time to research.

  Nathan also couldn’t help but think about
the feeling of Patrick breaking down in his arms last night. Nathan wasn’t ready for the necessary conversation, but Patrick sure wouldn’t be either. It wasn’t the time nor the place to push it. Patrick needed just as much time to process and understand the new situation he found himself in as Nathan.

  No, they stuck to light topics of conversation and that suited Nathan just fine.

  He learned that Patrick was an only child, and that he had made it into business school on a scholarship. His parents lived across the country, but they were very very proud. Patrick had been the first omega in his family to go to college.

  Nathan had felt a pang of envy, which he quickly pushed away. His parents had died when he was still too young to remember, and he had been pushed from relative to relative his entire life. Growing up, people never thought that he would amount to much, but he had been determined to prove them wrong. Looking at where Nathan was now, he was pretty sure that he had.

  Talking to Patrick like this, casually with no strings attached or the reality of work looming over them, was nice.

  Patrick seemed lighter, freer.

  Perhaps it was the apparent revelation that Nathan did not, in fact, harbor some weird, misplaced, grudge against him which Nathan still felt guilty about. He hadn’t realized that his attempts to distance himself for his own sake had been negatively impacting the omega.

  Perhaps it was just that they were going to be linked together for at least the next eighteen years (and a few odd months) and it made the conversation flow smoother.

  Nothing could be hidden over those next years, which meant that there were no secrets to hide. Nathan felt more free with his words than with anyone else, save perhaps Johnathan.

  Nathan got to see hints of the vibrant, exuberant, Patrick that he knew existed, but had been hidden from him the past month.

  One hour does not make a relationship, but it’s a start, and by the time that Nathan dropped Patrick off at his apartment building, he was confident that he was actually starting to know Patrick in more than just the carnal sense.

  When Nathan walked into his office, he knew that he had a wide smile on his face, but he didn’t care enough to school his features. He had no meetings planned, just a stack of paperwork. Emmett may have given him a bit of a strange look when he walked past the front desk, but knowing the office, Nathan walking by grinning ear to ear would be far from the strangest thing that Emmett saw that day.

  Nathan was distracted thinking of all the things he would have to research and all of the things that he would have to buy, because he was going to have a baby. He was so distracted, in fact, that he didn’t notice Johnathan sitting on his desk until he almost set his brief case down on the other alpha.

  “Wow, you’re in a good mood today.” Johnathan teased as he slid off the desk. “You know, I really didn’t expect that, not with whatever happened to Patrick last night. Hey, do you know if he’s okay?” Johnathan seemed completely innocent, for perhaps the first time in his life. He was genuinely concerned for Nathan’s PA, he didn’t know the immense weight behind the questions that he was asking.

  Nathan froze. He had a good poker face, at least when it came to strangers, but Johnathan knew him like the back of his own hand, Nathan wouldn’t be able to keep a secret from him, much less one this big.

  Sure, he had planned on telling Johnathan that Nathan was going to be a father eventually, probably fairly soon in fact, but he hadn’t expected to do so today.

  Well, Nathan really didn’t have any other choice at this point. He knew that once his friend knew that Nathan was hiding something, he would stop at nothing to find out what it was.

  “Yeah, Patrick is fine. More than fine actually.” Nathan said cagily. “He, uh, he’s pregnant.”

  Johnathan’s eyebrows practically receded into his hair line. “Patrick is what?” He practically screeched, and Nathan made frantic “quiet down” gestures with his hands. He knew that his office was insulated against sound, but he didn’t know quite how far the soundproofing extended, and he didn’t really want the way he found out to be a whole host of nosey coworkers barging into his office.

  “He’s pregnant.” Nathan repeated. “It’s mine.”

  Johnathan groaned and collapsed into one of the chairs that sat across from Nathan’s desk. “You’re kidding me, this is an April Fools' Day prank right? Well I think you’re a few months too late with that there buddy. Time it better next year.”

  “Johnathan, I’m being serious.” Nathan said firmly, raising an eyebrow at his over dramatic friend. “In about eight months I am going to be a father.”

  Johnathan’s expression sobered up almost immediately. “You really weren’t kidding were you?” He said softly, and Nathan shook his head.

  “It would be easier if I was, but I’m going to take this surprise and enjoy it for everything I can. I’ve always wanted to be a father. This may not be the avenue I would have chose on my own, but my kid shouldn’t suffer just because I wasn’t prepared. No, he’ll have two loving fathers.”

  “Wait, hold on a moment.” Johnathan squinted at Nathan. “I thought you said that you and Patrick weren’t together, that you couldn’t even think about trying to pursue him.”

  Nathan winced. “We’re not together, not right now. I’m going to try though. We’re going to have a baby together, I have nothing more to lose. He deserves to be courted right.”

  “Well, when I came in here this morning that was not at all the news I expected to hear.” Johnathan admitted. “But good luck. You know I helped raise my little sister, if you need any help or advice, I’m always here.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate it.” Nathan said softly. He really did. Johnathan was bold and a bit loud, but he was a good friend and had stuck by Nathan through thick and thin. If anyone was going to have Nathan’s back through this it was going to be him.

  Johnathan left the office quietly, and Nathan busied himself with his paperwork again.

  The work was mindless, and he found himself planning how exactly he was going to court Patrick. He had to prove to Patrick that Nathan wanted him for more than just sex, he needed to do it right and do something to show just how much value he placed on being a part of Patrick’s life.

  Nathan already knew that these next few months were going to be difficult, but in the end, it was going to be more than worth it.

  CHAPTER 7 - PATRICK

  PATRICK HAD WORRIED about how Nathan would take his startling revelation. Sure, Nathan had acted fine with it at first, but Patrick had been holding his breath on the off chance that the alpha would come in one day and completely change his tune.

  In Patrick’s worst nightmares, Nathan would come in one day and tell him that he was fired, and that Nathan didn’t want to hear from Patrick and their child ever again. Nathan was a lawyer, and a very good one at that. If he wanted something, Patrick was practically powerless to stop him.

  Patrick waiting and waited, but his fears never came to light. In fact, the more time passed, the closer he and Nathan became.

  The Nathan that Patrick had come to know as a coworker was quiet and reserved. He carried his power silently. He may not speak unless he had something important to say, but every word he said carried a weight of importance and made you listen.

  The Nathan that Patrick had gotten a glimpse of here and there was fun and spontaneous. He was more apt to tease and speak his mind, yet he still had the same powerful presence that made Patrick want to cling to his every word.

  Ever since that night, it was like the barrier that existed between them had been broken.

  Maybe it was the fact that they were pretty much stuck together for the next eighteen years, but Nathan became much more open and relaxed around Patrick.

  Patrick had been pretty sure that Nathan had been avoiding him previously, but this new friendly, almost clingy, behavior pretty much confirmed it.

  They had yet to talk more explicitly about the baby, but Nathan started turning up to work with the
most random things. First it had been pre-natal vitamins that had appeared on Patrick’s desk. Then it was a special pillow that Patrick was supposed to use to help support his stomach when it grew more prominent.

  Patrick capped it off when a set of headphones and a series of CDs appeared on his desk. If he was reading the directions right, and he was pretty sure that he was, he was supposed to put the headphones on his stomach, and the CDs were supposed to teach the baby english while it was in the womb.

  That particular day, he had picked up the box and walked right into Nathan’s office. “What,” he set the box down on the stack of paperwork that Nathan was staring at blankly. “Is this.” He stepped back and crossed his arms.

  Patrick tried to keep the amusement off his face, but he knew that he was failing miserably.

  Nathan looked up at him with the most mournful expression that Patrick had ever seen on an alpha on his face. “You don’t like it?” He said softly, then looked down at the box. “Oh, okay. I guess I can take it back.”

  Patrick shook his head. “No, Nathan. I appreciate it, just…” Patrick gestured with his arms, trying to come up with the words to express the bemusement and confusion that he felt over this entire thing. “What are you trying to do?” He finally settled on, and looked Nathan straight in the eye.

  “I just want to give you nice things?” Nathan tried, then took a breath when Patrick just raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, that and,” Nathan rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly. “I want to provide for you, and care for you and the child like an alpha should. I like you, a lot, and I thought that maybe if I could prove to you that I was someone that you could trust, that I was someone that you wanted to raise a child with, you would be willing to give us a chance.”

  Patrick had to bite back a gasp. Out of all the things he had expected, that was not one of them.

  He couldn’t say that he hadn’t thought about it though, or that the thought of Nathan being his alpha didn’t awaken a fierce longing deep deep within Patrick.