Page 41 of The Wedding Planner's Manny
R H Y S
Christmas Day, my brother Dean was having the whole family over for dinner and the house was packed. Especially because everyone brought not only their kids but also their dogs. Nick and Zander were the only ones who left theirs at home. “Old Betty doesn't like crowds. Or young dogs,” Zander told me. The other dogs—Eli's Labrador, Conner's Retriever and Griff's Boxer—were all sniffing each other's butts in the living room,. Griff was taking pictures, making me wonder if the dogs were going to end up on next year's Christmas card. It was going to be either that or the picture Griff was taking of Mary trying to paint little Livvy's nails. With crayons.
The fun only ended when dinner was served. But even then, with eight children in the house, it wasn't exactly a quiet affair. Still, as I ate my meal and focused on the flavor of mashed potatoes on my tongue, I was happy. After all the time I'd spent in Crystal Bay, it was good to be around family again.
Especially around myloudfamily. Dinners in Crystal Bay weren't like this at all. Over there, children and omegas were supposed to be quiet but at our table tonight, Bastian and Livvy were arguing loudly over who stole whose peas while Kade and Nick tried to talk Dean into preparing all the food for their wedding.
It was different from what I was used to, and it was good. I knew I'd made the right call by leaving Crystal Bay, even if it put me in a difficult situation in other ways.
Ways that I had to discuss with my twin.
After dinner, I liberated Nick from his husband-to-be and dragged him up to my room with me. “I gotta tell you something,” I said as I closed the door behind us.
“Something you couldn't tell me in front of everyone else?” My brother sounded intrigued. “Wait, does this have something to do with your budding romance?”
“Maybe a little bit,” I admitted. I knew I should be worried about all the ways my relationship with Ethan could go wrong, but I was grinning anyway. I couldn't help it. Ethan made me feel good, and thinking about him made me feel good too.
“Spill!” Nick grabbed my arm and made me sit on the bed with him. “Did something happen?
Something happened, didn't it? Oh God, I've never seen you so giddy!”
“I'm not giddy!” Okay, maybe I was. A little bit. But who wouldn't be? I was datingEthan Probst, for God's sake. My teenage dream! “Ethan gave me a gift. And then he kissed me.”
Nick grinned. “That's great. Well done, bro.” He elbowed my side. After a moment, though, his expression turned more pensive. “Have you told him yet?”
“No.” With a heavy sigh, I got up from the bed, my mood suddenly swinging fromalmost giddyto restless. Nick was right. I had to tell Ethan about the baby before we could seriously start anything.
But how to do that? And what if he reacted badly? What alpha wanted an omega pregnant with another alpha’s child? Especially when he already had two children of his own.
“How do you think he's gonna take it?”
“I don't know,” I said, honestly. “This is all so new. I wish I didn't have news like this to spring on him.” I walked over to the window, which overlooked the yard, just to stop myself from pacing the room. “You were right,” I told my brother. “I should never have let Jeremiah touch me again after I left Crystal Bay.” If I hadn't, I wouldn't be pregnant now. I wouldn't be wearing hoodies all the time, hoping one would notice the baby bump I was developing. I was lucky in that I wasn't showing too much, even though I was in my second trimester, but I wouldn't be able to hide this for much longer.
Unconsciously, I rested a hand on my belly. Every now and then, I could feel the flutters of my baby moving. “Ethan wants me to come to the dance lessons with you,” I said to Nick.
“Oh?”
“He thinks it's going to be fun. But,” I glanced down at my belly, “what if I’ll be super noticeable by then?”
Nick rose from the bed to stand beside me. “You have to tell him before.”
“I'm not going to see him again before the dance date. I don't want to tell him about this on the phone.”
I could have kicked myself for not having done this sooner.
“I get that.” My brother rubbed his chin, brows furrowed in thought as we both looked out the window at the yard below, even though there wasn't much to see. The sun had set an hour or two ago.
“Maybe if you keep wearing your hoodies it won’t be so bad, and then you can drag him out during break time to tell him. If all else fails, I’ll act like a total klutz and draw all attention to me.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, because my throat had gone tight. The next time I saw Ethan, I would tell him of my secret. And then I might lose him.
“It'll be fine.” Nick laid an arm around my shoulders. “He's not a scumbag. At least, I hope he's not.
I'd hate having to fire him. Did I tell you about the venue he's picked out for us? It's amazing. It's this small hotel by the lighthouse a few miles out. The way we'll arrange it, it'll feel big and intimate all at the same time. Your man's a genius.”
I had to laugh. It was so weird to hear Nick approving of an alpha I liked. “I'm sure your wedding is going to be fantastic.” I wanted that for him. He deserved it.
“Yeah, I'm just glad he found a way to give both me and Kade what we want. He's good at what he does.” Nick squeezed my shoulder. “And if he's a good wedding planner, he knows how to deal with abrupt changes to the plan. Believe me, I’ve been testing his patience.” Nick said the words with a small grin, obviously trying to cheer me up.
