He stayed over most nights when neither of us was working. I still had Lilianne babysitting, but she’d be graduating soon, and then she’d be off to have a career in child development, and I’d need to find a regular sitter to replace her. But one thing at a time.
“That would be a big help.” I leaned over and kissed him. “You look a little tired.”
“Oh, thanks for that.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s nice to hear I look like something the cat dragged in. I’ve worked two extra shifts this week, you know.”
“I didn’t say you looked bad. Just a little tired. And you haven’t touched your dinner.” He had touched it, pushing food around, but he certainly had not put anything in his mouth.
“My stomach is a little off.” He lifted his fork, with a miniscule amount of mashed potatoes on it, toward his mouth but put it down again. “Maybe I am tired.”
“Can you try not to take so many extra shifts?” It was a big ask, since his work was so important to him. “I hate to see you working yourself into the ground.”
“We’re awfully shorthanded, and it seems like every time we start to get enough nurses, someone leaves. We have two out on paternity leave right now.”
“Paternity leave?” That made me think. “How upset is your stomach?”
“Don’t start. I’m not pregnant. How could I be?”
I arched a brow. If I had to explain to a NICU nurse where babies came from, I was concerned for their department.
“Andreas, you don’t really think…”
“Well, you are tired, yes?”
He nodded.
“And sick to your stomach?”
He closed his eyes. “And a little bloated and cranky.”
“We need to pick up a test.” I stood up. “In fact, I’m going to get one now.” Before he could argue, I was tucking my wallet in my pocket on my way out the door. I didn’t want to wait to find out if we were having a child. Reed’s bio dad had taken full control of everything and blown it all out of proportion until a real and important thing happened. While I didn’t see how I could have been more helpful, if Julian was having our child, I wanted to be part of everything.
I knew he’d be an amazing father, too, and hopefully would welcome my help.
When I got back from the store, I heard him reading a book to Reed, and my heart swelled. My family.
I left the bag holding the pregnancy test in the master bath and went in to kiss Reed good night. After he was all tucked in, I read him another book while Julian took the test, and then it was time to read it.
“Before we do,” he said, “will you be upset if I’m pregnant?”
“Oh, omega, I would love to have a child with you, now, later, anytime if the Goddess grants us one. How do you feel about it?”
“We haven’t tried not to have one,” he mused. “So, I guess we opened the door to the possibility from the first night together. I’d be thrilled.”
“Okay, ready to look?” I took his hand and led him into the bathroom. “Let’s look on three.”
We counted down together. “One, two, three…we’re pregnant!”
We hugged and kissed and cried, but it was all happy tears.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Julian
“You’re sure you don’t want your furniture?” Andreas stood in my mostly bare living room with his hands on his hips. Since finding out I was pregnant and now moving into his home, he wouldn’t let me pick up anything. It was cute.
“The couch I got from the thrift store and the chair I got from the side of the road? I think I can say goodbye to them in good conscience.”
“You don’t have a lot.” He had counted the boxes. Twenty-three of them.