by Ava Beringer
“If you mean it isn’t gaudy and loud, then yes, you’re right, but simple and clean is good sometimes, too.” Colby made a face that said he didn’t believe that, but he didn’t argue. “If you had to pick a few pieces for your living room, which ones would you go for? Please, Colby, I need your help,” Miguel said, holding up prayer hands. Colby relented and looked at the screen, tracing it with his fingers.
“Okay…” He clicked through what must have been several pages of furniture choices.
“I’d do this one, this one, and this one.”
“So for your living room, you’d pick the couch with chaise, model A245…” Miguel read off the specifics of the furniture. I pretended to eat and play with my phone as I took down what Colby wanted. The numbers were so weird I couldn’t keep up.
“Why are you putting it all in your cart?” Colby asked suspiciously.
“Can’t a man save his favorites without being judged for it? Get off my back, omega.” Phew. Miguel was saving it all and saving my butt.
I stood up just then.
“I gotta run to the store for more ice, honey. Be right back. I know you’re in good hands until I get back.”
“More ice?” Colby asked, his brow knitting together. “Isn’t there plenty of it?”
“We could always use more. We’re gonna need it.”
“Ooookay,” he said as I kissed him on the cheek. I got going and Miguel sent me his furniture list. I was on a mission to get it all into the house by this afternoon. It took a few hours, and Clarke had to sneak out to take over for me when I was gone a little too long, but the final part of my surprise was ready.
When we laid down to sleep, Colby was still vibrating with happiness.
“How are you not exhausted when I’m exhausted?” I teased.
“Dunno. Still excited, I guess.”
“Did you have fun today?” I asked, stroking his belly, feeling the baby move. They felt sleepy, too. I couldn’t believe I’d get to meet them soon.
“I had the most fun. It was the best day.” Colby went quiet and still. “I didn’t know how much I missed my family here in PK until today. It’s…it’ll be hard to go back to Chicago.” My heart pounded in my chest.
“Oh, yeah?”
“It’ll be okay, though. Your career is there, the condo’s there, it’s fine. I’ll just have to visit a lot.” There was an awful lot missing from that statement. It was obvious he didn’t think of “the condo” as home, and he hadn’t listed a single thing that made him want to go back. I swallowed the lump in my throat. There wasn’t much left for me there, either, and if Colby wasn’t happy there, I wasn’t going to keep him in that situation. So, I made the right decision with the move. The last question was the house. I hoped the family was right about it.
“Where’d you sneak off to today?” Colby asked, looking at me over his shoulder. I kept my body loose and my breathing even.
“Just running some errands.”
“That’s vague,” he said, just as he broke into a huge yawn. I took advantage of it.
“Get some rest. Alpha’s orders.” Colby snorted but laid his head on the pillow anyway. I whispered, “We’ve got a big day tomorrow.” I kissed his cheek and rubbed his round belly, full with the little person we made that we’d get to meet in a matter of weeks. I couldn’t wait to hold our new baby, in our new house and start our new life in Primrose Keep.
Early the next morning, I had Colby in the car on the way to our new home.
“We’re going to look for Halloween costumes?” Colby asked from the passenger seat of our rental. He looked somewhat amused, but he was still sleepy. The sun was barely up and I’d gotten him out of bed using the first excuse I could come up with.
“Yes.” I carefully avoided his eyes. We were almost there.
“Preston, you can’t think I believe that bologna sandwich of a story.”
“Why not? It’s the truth.”
“No, it isn’t. If it was, we wouldn’t be in this residential neighborhood, far away from any place we could get Halloween costumes this time of year.”
“Oh. I guess I took a wrong turn.”
“Guess you’re up to something.” He squinted at me, playfully.
“Me, up to something? Well, I never.” Colby laughed a little.
“We’re close to Gabe’s house, you know.”
“Oh, yeah?” I pretended to look surprised.
“Are we going to Gabe’s house for some reason? You know my stuff is over there.”
“Uhhhh…”
“This works out really well, honey. I can get my grandma’s blanket.” I wasn’t sure what to say. We were only blocks from the house. “Know what else?”
“Huh?” I asked, the steering wheel groaning from me gripping it so tight.
“We’re close to my dream house.”
“Your what?” My heart rate ticked up to about one thousand beats per minute. The Flowers Family said the house we picked would be exactly what he wanted. What were the chances?
“My dream house. I’ll show you. Wow, I forgot all about it. Never thought I could have it, you know?”
“Yeah,” I squeaked, hoping and praying I got this right. If I bought the house next door to his dream home, I didn’t know what I’d do.
“You take a left right here, then go down two blocks…it’s like you already know where we’re going, babe,” he said gleefully as I made the left turn. My heart thudded faster. It was on the right street, on the right block. Please, I thought, please let it be the one. “It’s the little white one on the corner.”
“Yes,” I banged my head on the steering wheel in relief. Thunk. I brought it back up immediately because I was driving my mate and child, but I wanted to rip a few donuts in the intersection to celebrate. I wanted to yell, cry, do cartwheels. All of it. I was a good alpha, making my love’s dreams come true, making him happy.
We pulled up to Colby’s dream house, our house, and watching him buzz with excitement made this all the sweeter. I pulled my phone out like I wanted to take pictures of the house, but really I wanted to capture some of his excitement.
“Look, Preston, it’s for sale!” He jumped out of the car faster than a pregnant person should be able to move. “Isn’t she beautiful?’
“Gorgeous.” I smiled, so happy I could burst. “You know, I was thinking we should buy a house.”
“You were?” He asked in wonder. Hope and disappointment showed on his face in equal measure. We’d straighten that out soon.
“Yeah. A yard would be nice for the kids, right?”
“Kids-zuh? One at a time, alright?” He took a foot out of his keds and touched the thick grass with his toes. “This place has a nice lawn,” he said softly. I went up the walk to the red door and discreetly unlocked it with our house keys.
“The door’s open. Wanna check it out?”
“Doesn’t somebody live here?” Colby asked. He was cautious but already halfway in the door behind me, lit up like a Christmas tree.
When he saw the inside, he gasped. “Oh…my…” he trailed off. We came into the living room, taking off our shoes so as not to track up the pristine floors. “It’s perfect, just like I remember. Look at the floors. Look at the moulding. Look at the furniture.” He stepped closer and examined it. “It looks familiar. I swear, I was just looking at this couch with Miguel yesterday.”
“Hey, let’s check out the kitchen.” I put an arm around his waist and guided him in. He cradled his belly as he practically bounced into the kitchen.
“Look at the breakfast nook. Look how bright it is. Look at these French doors onto the deck.” After that, I let him wander into the dining room, where I was sure he’d figure it out. He balled up his fist and set it on his hip. He rubbed circles on his belly as he stared at the dining set. The gears were turning.
“This is the same dining room set I told Miguel I liked yesterday. What are the odds of this turning up in this house…” He turned to me, hope and fear in his eyes. “Preston, what�
�s going on? Am I going crazy, or…?”
“What would you think about living here?”
“What would I think…” Colby put a hand to his forehead, and I stepped up and gripped his elbow in case he fainted on me. “Preston, please don’t kid around about this. Please don’t say I’m getting excited over nothing.”
“Maybe this will make it real.” I guided him to one of the lower-level bedrooms.
“Those are my things,” He whispered. “My bed, my lamps, my couch…I think this room is bigger than my apartment was. Preston,” he blubbered, the tears already starting, “Is this really our house?”
“It sure is, honey.” Colby covered his eyes with his hands and his shoulders shuddered. “You haven’t seen the best part. Come on next door.”
“You have to help me. I’m crying so hard I can’t see.” I put a hand to the small of his back and guided him down the hall. He wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands and peeked in. When he saw what was there, he broke down totally. He covered his face again, turning to me and tucking himself in against my chest, his belly pushed up against mine, the baby moving languidly between us. I smoothed my hands up and down his back as he sobbed until he hiccupped.
“This is-hic-perfect. My dream house in my hometown with my-hic-dream alpha and my dream baby. This is everything I ever wanted and I’m-hic-standing right in the middle of it. It’s happening, right here, right now.”
“Music to my ears, Colby.” I held him for a few more moments, then he straightened up and floated into the nursery. It was painted in sunshine yellow, with an antique crib with a solar system mobile hanging over it. Draped over the edge was his grandmother’s quilt. Clinging to the quilt was Blue, my grandmother’s koala. Colby ran his hands over our grandmothers’ heirlooms to our child. They were humble creations, but the power of the love they contained was untouchable.
As Colby ran his hands over our child’s gifts, I reached in my pocket for the final surprise. While Colby’s back was still to me, I dropped to one knee.
“Ahem,” I said, clearing my throat dramatically. Colby turned around, losing his balance a little because of his belly, and gasped.
“I told myself I wasn’t going to weep again,” Colby said, shaking his head. “What are you trying to do, dehydrate us?” We laughed and tears ran down his face anyway.
“I never believed I’d find an omega who was sweet, open, vulnerable, caring, and let’s not forget, as sexy as you. I thought love at first sight was a myth, then I stumbled into a flower shop full of party animals.” Colby snorted and wiped at his tears. “Thank you for those precious few days that sparked an undying love in me. Now I’m down on one knee, asking you for a lifetime. Colby Dalton, will you marry me?”
Colby grabbed my hand and pulled me up, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing.
“Yes, I’ll marry you and have your baby and live my dream life with you right here in this house. I love you, I love you, I love you.” Again, we held each other and again, Colby wept into my shoulder.
Suddenly, he froze.
“Ohhh…”
“What?” I asked, taking a step back. Colby looked down. He was leaking on the nursery’s golden carpet.
“Somebody knows we’re home.”
“And wants to come join us,” I said in wonder. Colby grinned at me and slipped his ring on. It fit perfectly.
“Let’s have a baby, future hubby.”
Four hours later, he wasn’t quite so happy, but we were minutes away from being parents.
“I’ve been pushing for like, twenty years,” he moaned.
“You’ve been pushing for like, twenty minutes,” Miguel retorted. He and Gabe were in the delivery room with us, the two of them bracing Colby’s legs.
“Same difference,” Colby said.
“Need I remind you-” Miguel started.
“That you gave birth drug free in an FBI cell on your way to save your alpha? No, we haven’t heard that one before,” Gabe said, rolling his eyes as he laughed. Miguel grinned.
“I should tell the story again, then.”
“No!” Colby and Gabe said at the same time.
“I haven’t heard it. I wanna know,” I said.
“Me, too,” said Sam, the sweet omega midwife. “Sounds all full of action and intrigue,” he said, doing an awkward little waving motion with his hands.
Miguel started; “Once upon a time, there was this hero omega-”
“No!” Colby and Gabe said again, and we were all laughing.
“Colby my dear, time to get focused. Baby’s almost here,” Sam announced.
“You can do it,” I said gripping Colby’s hand as he pushed, his legs straining against Gabe and Miguel.
“Here they come!” Gabe squeaked.
“Push, Colby. You can do it.” Colby pushed, and in that peaceful, beautiful, serene moment, I witnessed the birth of my child.
Sam immediately placed the baby on Colby’s belly, wiping at their little body with a clean cloth.
“Congratulations, dads, it’s a beautiful little girl,” Sam said. She coughed a couple of times, then screamed, waving her arms as Sam cleared the fluid from her airways. “Got some good lungs on her, too. Tiny but powerful.” She was a little premature, but Sam assured us she’d do just fine.
“What are we gonna name her?” I asked. Her squished little face was the best thing I’d ever seen. I could stare at her all day.
“How about Daisy?” Gabe said. Colby and I looked at each other and just knew.
“It’s perfect. She’s Daisy.” Colby rocked her and kissed her face all over. “What do you think of that? How do you like being Daisy?” Daisy chirruped and twisted her head toward the sound of Colby’s voice.
“We’ll take that as a yes,” Miguel said, his voice choked off.
“Daisy, want to meet your A-Dad?” Colby said. My stomach did a flip. I was about to hold my daughter for the first time, the baby I didn’t know I wanted so badly until three days before her conception. Colby held her out to me and I carefully bundled her in my arms. I couldn’t believe how small she was, or how feisty. She waved her hands and squawked like she didn’t want to let us live this whole “bringing her into the cold, loud, world” thing down.
“You’re a miracle, Daisy. The second I learned my heart’s greatest desire, your O-Dad appeared. So did you. I’m so grateful. I love you so much. I promise to protect and love you forever.”
“What about me?” Colby said, laughing. I leaned down and kissed him.
“I love you, Colby. Thank you for bringing our child into the world.”
“Thank you, Preston. I finally get my happily ever after.” Daisy yawned, done with our talking and ready for a nap. All was right with the world.
Epilogue
Colby
“Wish us luck, Daisy.” I kissed the top of her head, which was thick with soft brown hair. Our baby had grown rapidly, I was back at work, and since we were back in Primrose Keep, Kaplan hired Preston as his top man. Three months ago we moved into our dream home, Preston proposed, and our first child was born, all on the same day. Today, we were getting married. The ceremony was small and simple, right in our backyard. It was a perfect California day. “No rain,” Preston had joked.
I passed my baby to Gabe, who was sitting in the front row along with the rest of the Fabulous Flowers Family. Miguel and Hunter were there in nice suits- Miguel’s was pink, of course- with Carter bouncing in Hunter’s lap, getting bigger every day. Clarke was sobbing into Ginger’s shoulder, while Buster looked on from beneath his huge white sunhat. Even some of the Heartstone family was there.
Having them all there with me, knowing they supported me through thick and thin, good times and bad, made the day that much more special.
I took my place at the altar, a simple iron arch with white and yellow daisies covering the whole structure. Beneath it was a little stand that held a simple red-and-blue quilt and an old, worn stuffed koala; our grandmothers were with us today.
I stood in front of Preston, both of us in simple black suits with daisies pinned to our lapels.
Miguel’s friend Martha, who’d officiated his wedding and all of the Heartstone weddings, stood between us in a simple yellow shift dress. There was a slight breeze as she lifted her voice and began.
“Today we unite Colby and Preston in holy matrimony. Theirs is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime love, one that was clear from the very first moment. When the universe sends you a sign and the pieces fall into place in just the right way, you know you’ve got a love worth fighting for. It’s worth the sacrifice. It’s worth the risk. This kind of love can only blossom and grow, as it already has with the birth of little Daisy.” Tears filled my eyes as I looked into Preston’s. I thought back to flying to Chicago to right my wrongs with Preston, to fight for what we had. I thought of his sacrifice to move back to Primrose Keep with me. I peeked over at the perfect baby we made together. “Reserve your heart for the one who deserves it,” Miguel said a lifetime ago. I had done just that. Everything about this was right.
Martha led us in our vows. Preston gripped both my hands in his. They were warm and strong.
“Do you, Preston, take Colby to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” Preston said with no hesitation and a goofy, love-drunk smile on his face. Martha looked toward me.
“Do you, Colby, take Preston to be your lawfully wedded husband?” I bet I looked even more goofy, even more drunk on his love.
“I do.”
“I now pronounce you alpha and omega. You may kiss your groom.” As soon as we got the green light, Preston and I were on each other. He cradled my face in his big hands and I grasped his wrists. Our lips met, and it was like the first kiss all over again.
“We’re married,” I whispered. “If you told me nine months ago this is what my life would be like, I would never have believed you.”
“Believe it, Colby. This is the start of our new life together.” Preston interlaced our fingers and held up our hands. Our little audience cheered.
“I can’t believe someone finally let me get through the vows first!” Martha said, laughing in delight. Miguel and the Heartstone family had a good laugh.
