12. Trey
12
TREY
(SIX MONTHS LATER)
The display case in the bakery was looking a little bare, but I managed to scoop up a selection of snacks for me and Knox. They really needed to rebake the stuff they sold out of in the afternoon so I wouldn’t always get stuck with the leftovers when we had our post-nap snacks.
Since I hit the second trimester, I felt like I was eating for ten. The doctor had confirmed on several occasions that I only had one little girl growing inside me, but I was sure there was an entire litter of goats that could eat their body weight by the hour because I was always hungry.
“Slim pickings, but they had a lemon bar.”
“Ooh, thank you!” Knox reached for the lemon bar, and I sat down across from him with the rest of the muffins and cakes I’d snagged. Whatever we didn’t eat would go home to our alphas.
Knox cradled Henry on his lap, cooing softly to the one-year-old who gurgled back with all the enthusiasm of a master communicator.
"I still can’t believe it." I plucked off the top of a chocolate chip muffin and took a bite. "I really didn’t think they’d buy it.”
“Of course they’d want it.” Knox put a small piece of my muffin in Henry’s mouth. After that, the toddler reached for the rest of it and began to tear it into a million pieces. “It’s a great premise. They would have been crazy not to offer you a fat advance for the new series."
"Yeah, it’s just too perfect." When Knox gave me a questioning look, I sighed. “My life. My friends. You. Luca. The rest of the family.” I inhaled deeply. “Walt. Everything is just so amazing. How do I get to have another book deal too? I’m just so grateful for it all.” I wiped a few tears away with the heel of my hand. I’d been so emotional that even a dew drop on a leaf could bring me to tears.
"You get to have it all because you deserve it." Knox was such a good friend. He gave me a lot more credit than I deserved, but I appreciated it.
Just then, my little soccer player decided to kick me. "Only six months along, and she's already making her presence known." I placed a hand over my rounded belly and tried to distinguish the body part I felt pressing against my hand. "This little girl's gonna take after Walt, for sure. She’s too much a brute to be like me."
Knox laughed. “Well, she needs to be tough to keep up with all her cousins.” He pulled a sippy cup of water out of his bag and handed it to Henry. “I’m sure this one will get her into all kinds of trouble.”
I had no doubt. “I’ll let Walt know he’s the official disciplinarian. I’m sure he’ll love that.”
“Yeah, right. Those alphas are all talk when it comes to their kids.” Knox leaned back, and Henry reclined against his chest. “You better learn how to use a deep voice because you’re gonna be the bad cop.”
“Probably.” I gave him a hopeful look. “Or maybe she’ll just be a sweet angel who never gets into any kind of trouble.”
Knox shook his head. “Speaking of fantasies… Have you started writing this new mountain mafia series I’m dying to read?"
"It’s going pretty good, actually. Better than good. I think she's fueling my creativity.” I rubbed my belly and smiled. “I just want to get as much done before she arrives. Then I can take some time off to just be a dad for a bit."
"Best-laid plans, huh?" Knox shrugged. “Don’t worry. I’ll be happy to babysit when I can so you can get writing done. Now that I’m only working on special projects, my schedule is a lot more open.”
"Thank you. I’ll definitely take you up on that. Writing has never been as much fun as it is now. The words just seem to flow so much easier than when I was alone."
"Well, you have a whole new perspective to draw from now. New experiences and feelings.” He waggled his eyebrows. “New positions you can reference…”
"Knox!" I looked around the bakery to make sure no one could hear him. “I never should have told you about the swing.”
“Of course you had to tell me. If you didn’t, then we wouldn’t have gotten one too.” He put his hands over Henry’s ears to shield them from whatever inappropriate thing he was about to say to me. “And I never would have gotten to play the alpha.”
My jaw dropped. “You mean…you…to Luca?”
He laughed. “Don’t you dare tell Walt.” After a moment of thinking about it, he changed his mind. “Actually, if it’ll help you get a turn, then go ahead and tell him. I can even share some of my favorite ways to get it just right.”
"Sounds like fodder for a bestseller to me." And I had to admit I was a bit curious. Maybe when Walt was in a particularly horny mood, I’d suggest it.
Knox was a kindred spirit, someone who understood the complexities of being an omega in this family and had been instrumental in helping me balance my place in it.
"Come on.” Knox scooted back and then stood up. “Let's get you home before you start nesting in the booth."
I stood and stretched out the kinks from sitting too long. "And um, if you want to text over a few suggested positions, I wouldn’t mind that."
"I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist." He put the diaper bag strap over his shoulder and headed toward the door. "Take care, Trey. And tell Walt he can thank me in wine."