“You need to just man up and tell him, you stupid fucking idiot. Seriously, it isn’t very hard to simply open your mouth and say the two words that Hugo needs to hear—I’m pregnant. See how easy that was? Let’s say it again. I’m pregnant.”

I glared at myself in the bathroom mirror but I knew damn well that this private lecture wasn’t going to go any better than any of the dozen other ones I’d given myself over the past month.

After I’d run my fingers through my hair to neaten it up and checked my teeth, I couldn’t think of any more reasons to delay going back out to where Hugo was visiting with his way-too-hot ex. I wasn’t even into women, and I could see how sexy she was. Obviously I’d figured out long ago that Hugo was bi, but having his past paraded in front of me had made it real in a whole new way.

How would Hugo react when he found out that I was also going to have his child? I was in no way similar to his other co-parent. There was no way that an average guy like me could possibly compare to his sex-in-heels ex. Hell, would anybody be able to compete with that?

And I couldn’t help but wonder just how ex she really was after the greeting I’d witnessed. Hugo had been fast to push her off, but she’d obviously felt comfortable enough to cozy up to him the way she had. Shit, I couldn’t think of a single former lover that I would greet by jumping into their lap and kissing them.

And then after that, he hadn’t even introduced me as a friend. He’d simply referred to me as his boss. It wasn’t like I’d expected him to tell her that we were seeing each other—since that wasn’t exactly the truth at the moment. But, calling me a friend would’ve been nice.

Well, shit. None of that mattered. We didn’t have to eat together to co-parent, right? Obviously he was interested in me on some level, since he’d just gotten done asking me out before we’d been interrupted. And how crazy was it that every single time I was about to find the courage to tell him about the baby, something or somebody would interrupt? Either I had a knack for choosing the worst possible moments, or fate was trying to tell me something.

Screw it. Enough of the pity party, it was time to get back out there. I shook my head and took one last look in the mirror before pulling the door open and rushing out of the bathroom.

“Oof!” A large pair of breasts slammed into my chest when I walked right into the sexpot herself—Victoria. She took a step back, whipping her hair over her shoulder in a practiced move as she sneered at me with a curled lip. “You should learn to watch where you’re going, you thoughtless fool.”

I held my hands up, not wanting to start anything with her. And yet, I also wasn’t anyone’s doormat. “Hey, I may have been walking out a little fast, but then again, I wasn’t the one lingering outside of the men’s room. I believe you’re looking for the room next door.” I cocked a thumb over my shoulder to direct her toward the ladies’ bathroom. When I started to sidestep to go around her, she moved right along with me, effectively blocking my path.

Crossing her arms under her chest, she glared at me. I wanted to tell her that propping up the girls did nothing for me since I was completely gay, but I decided not to go there when it occurred to me that this was obviously an ingrained pose that she likely struck every time she wanted attention. It couldn’t be anything less when she’d adopted it so easily.

Victoria’s eyes narrowed as she leaned in close enough to kiss me, her coffee-scented breath fanning over my face as she hissed in a voice just above a whisper, “I don’t know you, but I have to ask. What exactly are your plans with my husband?”

“Your what now? Did you say husband?” My mind raced. Had Hugo ever told me that he was actually divorced, or had I just assumed it? Shit. If they were still married… No. I definitely wasn’t going to get involved with that shit.

“Yes, my husband,” she purred triumphantly. “Do I need to speak slower so you can understand? Where else did you think that Simon came from? Sorry to break it to you, omega boy, but you’re not exactly his type.”

I would beg to differ about whether or not I was also his type, but I definitely wasn’t going there. Instead, I asked the obvious question. “If he’s your husband, then why are you living apart? From all appearances, you guys aren’t together anymore. In fact, Hugo himself told me that he’s a single parent.”

She sniffed. “I suppose you’ve never heard of a legal separation? Take some friendly advice, honey. Don’t be a homewrecker—they never fare well in the end. Just run along back to whatever rock you crawled out from under and leave my family alone.”

Yeah, we were definitely done here. I shook my head at icky Vicky, as I now decided I would think of her. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, or why you’re launching an attack, but the only person who can take your family away from you is you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to be leaving.” With that, I firmly stepped around her and headed back for our table.

Hugo stood with a nervous smile as I approached. “There you are, I was getting worried. Are you ready to hit the road? I think I’ve had my fill of Victoria for one morning.”

Since I wasn’t sure what to say, I simply nodded and followed him to the car. Neither of us spoke during the tense ride home. Instead, Hugo turned up the radio while I spent the entire trip staring out the window.

When he pulled into the parking lot outside of the restaurant, Hugo parked the car then glanced my way with an apologetic smile when I paused to look at him, one hand already on the door handle so I could make my escape. “So, that was Victoria. Awkward, am I right?”

There were so many things I wanted to say to him, starting with those two major words I’d yet to say, but I found myself blurting out the last thing I wanted to address at this moment. “I thought you guys were divorced? Or did you not say that and I just assumed it because you told me that you’re a single dad?”

Hugo blinked several times, his mouth forming a round O that brought guppies to mind. “Where is that coming from? Of course we’re divorced.”

“Are you sure about that?” I pressed.

“Why are you even asking that?” He blinked again as a look of confusion crossed his face. “Is this because she kissed me? No, man. We’re just really good friends. She sucked as a wife and isn’t much better as a mom, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. Why, is that going to be a problem for you?”

“No, but…” I wanted to tell him about the confrontation in the alcove outside of the bathrooms, but I also didn’t want to come across as a whiny omega who couldn’t wait to run to the big, strong alpha to tattle on the mean girl.

But why would she lie? I didn’t know what to think, so I decided to just let it go for now. As I opened my door to step out, I glanced back over my shoulder with an easy smile. “You know what? You’re right. It doesn’t matter anyway. Come on, we should get to work.”