Page 36 of Accidental Orc Daddy

"Oh, you know, trying to keep in the lead," Meiko's father replies politely. "My fellow golfers are quite competitive, you know."

"Perhaps we could go a few games?" my father suggests.

Alton nods and chuckles. "Only if we start with human golf if orc golf is as difficult as you say. "

Meiko and I exchange an amused glance before she leans in closer to me.

"I think our fathers are trying to bond," she whispers, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Yeah, it's adorable," I whisper back, grinning.

“No, this is an orcish tradition, and it needs to be served first,” my mother insists stubbornly, drowning out the sound of my father as he attempts to explain his most recent course.

“Oh, boy,” Amina says as she walks by me, shooting me wide and knowing eyes.

With my hand on the small of Meiko’s back, I guide her toward our brand-new living room sofa.

“Take a seat, yeah?” I murmur. “Give your feet a rest.”

“But there’s so much we have to do!”

I ignore her protests, sitting beside her, pulling her feet onto my lap, and giving them a light massage. She sighs contentedly and lets her head rest on the couch. The gentle smile on her full lips widens to the sound of Amina and Omar jumping into our mothers’ feud, only to egg them on.

This is quite the family we’re creating.

CHAPTER 21

Meiko

“Are you sure he knows what he’s talking about?” Mustaf asks unsurely for what must be the fifth time since we left the doctor’s office.

I laugh gently, shaking my head as he opens the door to the high-end boutique. “He’s one of the best physicians around here, Mustaf. You don’t need to worry about it.”

He follows me as I head over to a rack of baby clothes. “But if you ever feel like he’s not treating you right–”

“I’ll let you know,” I assure him with a nod.

He nods back and finally relaxes a little bit.

Placing his hand on the small of my back, he guides me through the throng of baby products with an eagerness to point out anything we might need.

“A crib,” he announces, sounding like it’s some sort of novelty. “We’re going to need a crib, right? And blankies, and pillows…”

Did he just say blankies? I hold back a giggle. The hesitance that had built up in my gut is being slowly chipped away by his infectious excitement, and the more he presents to me, the more I find myself nodding along.

“What?” he asks, his brows crossed in confusion.

“Oh, nothing, dear,” I reply, smirking so hard my cheeks hurt.

He shrugs and returns his attention to browsing the items on display. His gaze is studious. I can’t help but admire the effort he’s putting in. He may not realize it, but his gestures are heartwarming and bring me a sense of warmth and protection.

As we move through the aisles of the high-end boutique, Mustaf listens intently as I talk about the different colors and themes I'm considering for the baby's room. He nods along, his eyes focused on the various items we pass by.

"I was thinking about doing a neutral color scheme," I say, picking up a soft gray blanket and holding it up for him to see. "What do you think?"

Mustaf takes the blanket from me and rubs it between his fingers, considering it for a moment. "I like it," he says, nodding. "It's calming and neutral but still has a bit of warmth to it."

I smile, glad that he agrees with my choice. "I was also thinking about adding some pops of color with accessories," I continue, pointing to a display of brightly colored pillows. "What do you think about these?"

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