Love at Blind Date Complete Series: Books 1-4

by Lorelei M. Hart

  “Fine. Looking forward to the ultrasound.” I glanced at my phone. Another two and a half hours.

  Time dawdled while I did a load of washing and Dean vacuumed the carpets and made the bed. We arrived at the clinic early and waited for over half an hour.

  I was desperate to pee as I’d been told the image would be better if I really needed to go. I’d been wriggling on the seat in the waiting room and didn’t know if I could hold on. But finally we were led into a tiny room, and we both studied the machine that would reveal our child.

  I was nervous as I got on the examination table and the beta technician arrived and explained the procedure. She did the squirting of gel thing that I had watched many times on mother and baby websites. I squealed as it was cold, and she apologized.

  But as she pushed the probe over my burgeoning belly and tapped at the keyboard, a black-and-white image appeared on the screen.

  “That’s your baby.”

  My eyes filled with tears and a strangled sound came from Dean. “Our baby.” I waved, “Hi, sweetheart. Both of your dads are here, and we can’t wait to meet you.”

  Dean brought my hand to his damp cheek, and I squeezed my eyes together trying not to cry as the technician pointed out the head, spine, and the little one’s legs tucked under its chin.

  Dean’s phone beeped, and the beta glared at him. I whispered, “Ignore it.” But out of habit, he whipped it out and was scanning the message.

  “Oh my God, Jesse. We got it.”

  My eyes had darted back to the screen and I was studying our child, trying to imagine what he or she looked like. “Dean, put it away. You can tell me later.”

  “Oh right. Sure.”

  After measuring the baby and pointing out that his or her size was above average, Dean puffed up his chest. “Takes after me.”

  The technician and I shared a glance, and she rolled her eyes as if to say, “Alphas and their egos.” She handed me paper towels to clean my belly and a photo of our little one and left the room.

  “There’s actually a baby in there.” Dean examined the pic.

  “Were you in any doubt?” I teased. But I got what he was saying. Seeing our child and hearing its heartbeat was significant. It was real. “You were wrong the day we found out I was pregnant?”

  Dean furrowed his brow. “About what?”

  “You told me we were going to be a family. But after today, we are a family, and have been since… you know.” I pointed to his crotch.

  He kissed the top of my head. “You’re so funny.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “We’ve been together for months, had sex countless times in so many different ways, in bed, the shower, in my car…”

  “Don’t forget that day you came to school and we got it on in the janitor’s closet.”

  “How could I forget? You had my pants down and rode me like a cowboy at a rodeo.”

  I eyed the examination table I was lying on. Dean’s eyes opened wide.

  “Don’t even think about it!” The technician poked her head in the door. “We’ve had some nasty accidents when alphas and omegas get frisky in here.”

  Frisky? What a cute way of saying fucking!

  “Yes, ma’am.” Dean saluted her.

  “What were you saying about me being funny?” I heaved myself off the examination table with Dean’s help and got dressed.

  “When we talk about sex, you often blush and get coy. It’s hard for me to balance that with the guy who tackled burly football players or manhandled a class of unruly teens.”

  “Come on. Just because I do or am one thing doesn’t stop me from being emotional or coy. That’s a weird rule society made up about how omegas and alphas should behave and what’s normal.” I put air quotes around the last word.

  “You’re right, babe. As usual.” He flicked my ass as I pulled on my paternity pants.

  “Stop or you’ll get yelled at again.” I jerked my head at the door.

  “Can’t have that.”

  “What was the oh-so-important message you got earlier?”

  “Shit, I almost forgot.” He grabbed my shoulders. “We got the house. Our offer’s been accepted.” When the contractor told us the cost of the renovations Dean wanted, based on the age of the house, it was obvious we needed to make a choice. Leave the home as is or search for another one.

  At first I thought it beyond frivolous to do all that for a shower and tub, but then we found the house, the one we both immediately knew was ours. We’d hardly dared hope our offer would be accepted, but by some miracle it was.

  “Wow!” I clapped. “That’s fantastic. I’m so excited. Our first family home.”

  He wrapped his arms around me and stuck his tongue in my ear, but I pulled away. “What time do you have to be at the office?”

  He waggled his eyebrows. “Not for another two hours.”

  “Mmmm. What can we do in two hours?”

  A voice drifted in through the door. “You can go home and do whatever you’re thinking of doing in your own bed.”

  “Beds?” Dean grabbed my hand. “They’re for boring people.”

  27

  Dean

  “Moving sucks.” Jesse waddled past a pile of boxes. He wasn’t wrong. Moving did suck under the best of circumstances. I couldn’t fathom doing it pregnant.

  “But just think, no stairs in this new home.” Which after living in my place during the renovations this place needed, had to be a relief. I loved my place, but it was all stairs all the time.

  “That is true love. Sorry I am grumpy.” He sighed. “Just not feeling the best today. Junior is doing something to my back.”

  “Or you are doing too much and we should let the people we are paying deal with all of this.” Sure, there would be reorganizing and such, but with Jesse looking about to pop, it was for the best. Not that I would tell him he looked that huge. I had a desire to live.

  “Okay.” And that was when I knew something more than a back ache was going on. He never gave up that easily. Ever.

  But I let it go. The stress of moving had worn on us both. I’d had amnesia when it came to remembering the details of how many things could go wrong in a renovation, and as they came in one after another and the pregnancy progressed, the fear we’d not be moved in before the baby came became far too real.

  There was much relief in having everything on the truck outside our new place. We kept the old house, turning the top unit into a rental as well as keeping the tenant in the basement apartment. So, there would still be cleaning and such to do over there in preparation of future tenants, but that could wait. Settling in here, could not.

  “I have something to show you.” I took his hand and led him down to the nursery, the one I’d had all fixed up and ready to go while they were finishing up the porch, knowing that Jesse wouldn’t risk climbing make-shift stairs while pregnant and accidentally spoil the surprise.

  “What did you do?” he asked as we approached the door.

  “You know all those things you put in the ‘dream book’ under the nursery section when we first started planning the house?” It had been our designer’s idea to put everything we saw that we liked in a “dream book”. I had to thank her for it since it gave me all the knowledge I needed to make this surprise happen.

  “Uh huh,” he looked at me through squinted eyes.

  “Well, it threw up in here.” I put my hand on the doorknob.

  “I thought the baby was going to stay in our room for a while.”

  “I’m sure the little one will.” I opened the door, “but when he or she is ready, I wanted them to have an amazing room.”

  He stepped inside, and true to my word, the room was as if his “dream book” collection had thrown up in the room from the stars on the ceiling to the rainbow on the wall to the rocking chair and the fancy baby monitoring system. I missed nothing, the various bedding sets in the closet for when he wanted to change the theme slightly.

  “The baby d
oesn’t need all this.” He walked around the room, running his hand over everything, taking it all in. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. You picked it all. I just made it happen so you wouldn’t need to worry about it.”

  I pointed to the dresser. “Did you see the fancy feature in the top drawer?” There was no feature, but I did need him to look inside.

  “Did you already fill it with the clothing?” The teachers at work threw him a shower that gave our baby enough clothing for six babies. If he thought they would all fit in there, he very much underestimated the sheer volume of clothing. He was so well-loved at school by peers and students alike.

  “Go see.” He waddled over, and I very unashamedly ogled his ass as he did. Damn he was sexy like that, carrying our child. He slid open the door and grabbed the vile looking pink bag I had miraculously found. “Explain.”

  “When I first gave you back your medal, there was so much more I wanted to say, some of which I didn’t even understand then.”

  “But now you do?”

  “I do. Open it.”

  He reached in and pulled out his hand clasping a little velvet box as I fell to my knees. “Jesse, I have known you since before I understood what love was. Please do me the honor of being my husband.” His hand reached down and he crooked a finger indicating he wanted me to stand.

  “Do you think we can get married before I have this baby?” he asked.

  Like I was going to say no to that.

  28

  Jesse

  “When?” I’d just received a proposal. New house, baby coming, and being asked to marry the love of my life had my mind reeling. I had to sit down. Or maybe lie down. Sitting was becoming increasingly difficult at this late stage in my pregnancy.

  In hindsight, buying a new house and doing renovations so we couldn’t move in until they were finished wasn’t the smartest move. But we’d never taken the easy route.

  “Whenever you want? Monty has connections at the courthouse.”

  “He’s a Jack of all trades is Monty. When does he find time to work at the office? He's a matchmaker extraordinaire with friends in high places.”

  “He’s got skills—I’ll give him that,” Dean agreed.

  “Can he deliver a baby?”

  “Huh?”

  I moaned and arched my back. “Because I’d say this little one is coming sooner rather than later.”

  Dean was rummaging in a box and yelled over his shoulder, “What was that?”

  “Baby. Coming. Now. Dean.” I panted each word and rubbed the small of my back.

  The books in his hands slammed onto the floor, and he swung around. Pale cheeks. Mouth gaping. Fingers trembling. Appears to be in pain. “I’d say you’ve got the alpha-in-labor look, my love.”

  He raced over and held my hands. “I can’t believe it.”

  I patted my huge bump. “Did you think the little one was going to stay in here forever?” My voice rose, and part of me felt bad at getting annoyed. If this was early labor, I wasn’t looking forward to the later stages. But I’d go through an ocean of pain in order to meet our little one. I screwed up my face and grunted.

  Dean ignored my snarky question. Smart man. “I’ll get your bag.”

  “It’s in the car. You put it there last week.”

  “Oh, right. I forgot.” He rested his forehead against mine. “We’re going to meet our baby today?”

  “Yeah. How weird and cool is that?”

  “I can’t wait,” he said

  And I agreed. “Me neither.”

  “What now?”

  Oh, Dean! “In the movies they boil hot water.” Oops. Stop being tetchy. He’s doing his best. First time for both of us.

  “I can do that. You want tea?”

  I grabbed his hand and pulled him close. As close as we could get considering my huge bump. “Sorry. Ignore me. I don’t know what I’m saying.”

  He put a finger against my lips. “No need for apologies. I’m a big boy. I can cope with snark!” He patted my belly. “Besides, you’ve been nurturing our child for the past nine months. Hit me with whatever you’ve got.”

  I might take you up on that offer. “Dean, instead of heading to the hospital, I’m serious about getting married before the baby makes an appearance.”

  “Really?” One eyebrow went up.

  “Yeah. No sarcasm this time. Do you think Monty can work his magic?”

  “Are you sure? I’d prefer we were at the hospital where you can be monitored.”

  “We’re good for a while. Aren’t we, little one?” I rubbed my belly.

  “I’ll see what he can do.” He got on the phone, and after having to explain things to Monty a few times—poor Dean wasn’t making much sense—he turned to me and said, “Let’s go. But if your labor gets more intense, we detour to the hospital.”

  “Don’t worry. Our son or daughter won’t be born in the car.” I hope you’re listening, little boy or girl. Please don’t make a liar out of me.

  “Fine.”

  “What was that you said to Monty about money?”

  “Caught that, did you?” Dean replied as he helped me into the car.

  “I’m pregnant. Not deaf.”

  “It was nothing. Monty asked about a client’s account.”

  Sure he did. I suspected Dean was promising large amounts of money to get the license. Normally, I’d have protested but not today. I wanted this done.

  Dean hunched over the wheel and drove slowly to the courthouse. I was tempted to shove my foot on the gas but folded my arms as I stared out the window.

  A little old lady zoomed past us, her huge dog studying us from the back seat. “I’m not going to break if you go a little faster, love.”

  “I’m not taking any chances of us having an accident,” he said.

  By the time we arrived and parked, I was experiencing a lot of discomfort. But didn’t want to let on to the Nervous Nellie beside me. Luckily, Monty had come through and the license was ready, which we both signed. Dean’s hand was quivering as he put his signature on the line.

  “You’ll have to wait for the judge,” the clerk sniffed and eyed me up and down. This guy is pissing me off. I guessed he wasn’t impressed we’d used Monty’s connections to jump the queue.

  I leaned over the back of a plastic chair in the waiting area as people lined up to collect their licenses. A contraction gripped my belly, and I moaned and scrunched my eyes closed. Dean was behind me, rubbing my back and whispering, “We need to go, Jesse.”

  I loved how he’d arranged this and how concerned he was. He’s going to be the best husband and father. After the cramp passed and I caught my breath, I told him, “It’s a first baby, love. It’ll be ages.”

  He turned me around and held both sides of my face. “I don’t want to take any chances, babe. You’re my everything. You and our little one.”

  I rested my head on his chest and listened to the comforting thumping of his heart. There was a rustle and whispering behind us and the clerk barked, “Judge has been held up. Don’t know how long he’ll be.”

  But as Dean took my arm and shook his head, I tensed. And froze.

  “What is it?” Dean asked. “Not having second thoughts, are you?”

  “Nope,” I answered and peered at the floor. “But we’d better hurry up. My water just broke.”

  “Clean up in aisle 9,” the clerk hissed.

  Seriously? Sarcasm was fine from me but not from him.

  29

  Dean

  When Jesse’s water broke all over the marble floor, the last thing I was thinking about was getting married. My omega was having a baby, and I wanted it to happen in a hospital surrounded by—hospital things and not on the floor of the city clerk’s office waiting for a call from a judge who might or might not be willing to rush on over because my omega decided that marriage before baby was suddenly the best plan.

  And that thought right there had me stopping dead in my tracks as I led him to th
e door.

  “Let’s go to the car, and I’ll call Monty on speaker, okay?” He mumbled his agreement and out to the car we went.

  I’d daydreamed of marrying Jesse years ago and then spent months waiting for the right time to ask him, discovering a little bit later than I should have that there would never be a perfect time to propose, but every second was the perfect time to be his husband, and suddenly his rush made sense to me.

  It had not as much to do with the baby, although society did have weird hangups about that, but more to do with a sense of we waited long enough and our time was now.

  I buckled him in, thanking the gods that the stars aligned and he didn’t have a contraction along the way, although from what his midwife Barry had said when we called him about possibly being in labor, back labor is its own thing with its own rules.

  I climbed in, setting my phone in the holder and calling Monty.

  “Is the little one here?” I swore Monty was more excited than even my parents, and they were all about the baby to the point of me rolling my eyes every time they called which was non-stop since the doctor gave us the “baby can come anytime and be perfectly ready for this world” talk.

  “There will be no baby until I am married!” Jesse barked back.

  “He’s finishing up a hearing. He said he’d meet you in the clerk’s office as soon as he can.”

  “Hey, Monty,” I spoke over the groans of Jesse who was either hit with another contraction or about to lose his shit on Monty. “Jesse’s water broke in the office so we are heading to the hospital, see if you can get the judge there.” He agreed and disconnected the phone, both of us smart enough not to correct Jesse on the whole “holding in the baby” plan. He’d figure that out soon enough.

  One last phone call to Barry letting him know we were enroute, and we were pulling into the hospital entrance.

  “So much for birth plans,” Jesse mumbled as I helped him from the car. “I was supposed to be laboring in peace, aromatherapy and all that jazz, and here we are walking up to triage with my jeans soaked, an indescribable need to get that damn ring on my finger, and most of our stuff sitting on a truck.