Page 30 of Saving Nevin
I took his hands in mine, lacing our fingers together, before bringing them up to my lips so I could plant kisses on his knuckles. His porcelain skin flushed a pale pink, but it won me a smile. “No more talk of the past. It’s behind us, yeah?”
“Yeah,” he whispered. “You’re here now.”
I pulled him to me and crushed him to my chest. I wrapped both arms around him in a fierce hug, kissing the side of his head and breathing in the sweet scent of him as I did so. When I finally let him go, he seemed much lighter, and it made my heart happy.
I raised a brow. “So, what do you think about getting some new clothes? Not that I don’t love Xan’s taste in fashion on you, but I noticed your shirts are getting a bit tight.”
Nevin bit his lip and looked down. “Sorry. They are.”
“No, don’t be sorry,” I said. “You’re pregnant, Nevin. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. This is what you’ve always wanted and I’m so happy for you. For us. I mean, hell, I didn’t expect to be a dad so soon, but it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t supposed to, right?”
“Right.” His hands caressed the gentle swell of his stomach, something he’d been doing more and more often. I knew he still couldn’t believe it. It hadn’t fully sank in that this was real, that we were going to have a child of our own in a few short months. We had a lot of work to do before then, but I wasn’t going to stress him out with those details. Sevran, Pike and I could figure it out, I was certain.
“Well, I’m not big on shopping, but Xan would totally go with you to the mall, if you’re up for it?” I offered. “Want me to text him and ask if he’s game?”
Nevin’s smile bubbled bright once more. “Yes, please.” He and my little brother had been hanging out, which was a good thing. I wanted Nevin to make friends among the pack. Xan might’ve been a little spicy, but he was the kind of person who loved everyone, no questions asked. The two of them had hit it off right away.
And of course, Xan was more than willing to take Nevin shopping. He showed up on our doorstep twenty minutes later dressed in leather pants so tight they were practically painted on, a pair of fuck-me boots, and a tie-dyed crop top that showed off his belly button piercing. His dark hair stuck up in artful spikes with styling gel, and he wore too many bangle bracelets to count.
He must’ve seen me staring at his outfit, because he stuck his tongue out at me. “What’s wrong, bro? Just becauseyouwaited till you were ancient to get laid doesn’t mean that I wanna follow in your footsteps.” He barked out a laugh and waggled his painted fingernails at me. “Maybe I’m looking for Mr. Right…or Mr. Right Now. I’m not picky.”
I grumbled at the thought of my baby brother fooling around with strange Alphas, but he was an adult. Still young, but an adult nonetheless, and he could make adult decisions. “Just be careful? Please?”
“Like you weren’t?” he teased, then laughed. “Don’t worry, Kace. I know how to take care of myself. Besides, I doubt I’ll be picking up anyone at the mall, anyway.”
Nevin chose that moment to come trotting into the kitchen, pausing when he saw Xan. He glanced between me and my brother before biting down on his bottom lip. Xan flashed a one-hundred watt smile and rushed forwards, throwing his arms around Nevin in a big hug.
“Hey, babe! You ready to shop till we drop?” He wiggled his butt like an excited puppy. “I know I am. Papi needs a new pair of boots! C’mon!” Taking Nevin by the hand, he headed for the door, throwing a wave up with the other hand. “Don’t worry, bro. I’ll have him back by curfew.”
I snorted. “Have fun, guys. Bye, Nev!” I called after them as the door swung shut. I walked over to the storm door and watched as Nevin and Xan piled into Xan’s blue Chevy and peeled off down the driveway, kicking up gravel in their wake. I shook my head at my brother’s antics. Always one to make a big fuss.
I shut and locked the door behind me. Time to buckle down and get some work done.
I went into the office and booted up my work PC. I’d been putting in extra hours where I could, but with all the stress and excitement over the past few weeks, my work performance had been flagging a bit. I’d gotten a text from my boss the other night telling me she needed me to “step it up” so I really needed to focus.
Besides, it might’ve only been mid-July, but I wanted to start banking overtime for the holidays. I got the feeling that Nevin had never had a true Christmas—at least not a Howell Christmas—and I wanted to spoil my mate rotten this year. And every year after that. Him and our future pups. I smiled at the thought.
An hour or so later, there was a knock on the door. I glanced up and frowned. Were Nevin and Xan back already? But why wouldn’t they just come in? Xan already did it on the daily, and Nevin knew this was his home. I’d only assured him of that a thousand times.
Scooting the chair back, I left the office and wandered down the hall, to the front door. One peek through the peephole had my lips curving into a smile, though. I flipped the deadbolt and swung the door open.
“Hey, Mom. What brings you to my humble abode?” I joked, stepping aside so that she could come in. She was still wearing her Snoopy scrubs and her dark hair was pulled up in a bun that had loosened over the day, letting a few stray strands fall free to curl around her face. She had a small gift bag in her hands, which she offered to me once I closed the door behind us.
“This is for you. Well, for you and Nevin both,” she said, by way of explanation.
I peeked inside, past the buttery yellow tissue paper, and pulled out a tiny gray onesie with white and black cartoon wolves on it. The feet even looked like little paws. I had to admit, I melted a little.
“Mom. This is precious,” I murmured. I tucked the little outfit back inside the bag so that Nevin could have the joy of unwrapping it later, then set it on the kitchen counter. When I turned back to Mom, she was looking at me in a way that had my heart skipping a beat. “What’s wrong?”
She took a deep breath, then asked, “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Her brown eyes searched mine for answers—answers that I wasn’t even sure I had. “A baby is a big responsibility, and you two haven’t known each other that long. I feel like all of this happened so fast. I just worry, you know? It’s what mothers do.”
“I know. Yeah, things went pretty fast, and the baby was definitely a surprise, but Nevin swore he was barren. How were either of us supposed to know that my blood had healed more than just his wounds from the attack?” I reached out and grasped one of Mom’s hands in mine, giving it a squeeze. “But I’m an adult. I know how to take care of myself, Mom. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m happy.”
“Are you?” she countered softly.
I smiled. “I am. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I feel like my life finally has a purpose. No more searching,” I said. “I’ve finally found him, and he’s perfect for me…and our baby will be perfect, too.”
She stepped close and looped her arms around my waist in a tight embrace. “I love you, Kace. You’ll always be my baby, and I’m happy you found what you’ve been searching for.” When she pulled away, her eyes were a little teary. She wiped at them with the back of her hand, then beamed up at me. “And I can’t wait to meet my grandchild. I plan on spoiling them rotten, you know.”
