“It’s just like Drew to do this.” Alec griped about his older half-brother, his arms crossed as he sulked beside JT.

Good thing he allowed JT to drive his car. Alec wasn’t in the mindset to be focusing on the road while he fumed about Drew’s sudden invitation. From what JT had seen from Alec’s half-brothers, he would have preferred they skip this ruse of a family dinner. The way they’d treated Alec alone boiled his blood all over again, as if he were sitting across from them in that bistro, trying to choke down an expensive lunch.

“Say the word, and I’ll turn the car around. We don’t have to do this.”

Alec sat straighter at JT’s statement. He sighed heavily then, waving his hand in front of him as though he meant to swat a fly. “And have Zander and Drew foam at the mouth?” He snorted. “It’d be easier to go, and suffer whatever they have planned this time.”

JT nodded sharply, once. He didn’t want to overdo it. Push Alec into doing something he didn’t want to. They had been getting along famously since their fun adventure in the park. That had been two days ago. So, he hadn’t been too happy to hear from Alec that his half-brothers had invited them both over as guests of honor.

“They weren’t at the wedding,” JT pointed out.

“Neither were any of your friends,” Alec said matter-of-factly. There was a defensiveness to his tone that had JT backing off, though none too happily. They rode in silence the rest of the way.

Zander lived on the other side of Pittsburgh, where the suburbs looked like a replica of the shaded neighborhood Alec called home. Alec didn’t speak again until JT slowed to lookout for Zander’s house number.

“It’s that one. The bronzed gates,” Alec said, pointing to a house a few doors away. The gates were thrown up onto the circular drive, and so JT drove in and parked behind a white Jeep SUV.

Alec led the way to the lit porch, his finger pushing for the doorbell, his hand finding the knocker next when the doorbell didn’t fetch an immediate response. JT felt stiff in yet another of his pricey suits. He wished he didn’t have to be wearing one so soon. Couldn’t the world knock it off and leave him and Alec alone to enjoy their new coupledom?

They could have been having sex right now, working off the dinner they might have enjoyed making together. Alec was no better than JT in the kitchen, but together they managed to create edible cuisine. Not to mention how much fun it was being in Alec’s company.

JT’s chest warmed at the memories he’d already made, happy he would still have them after this relationship with Alec terminated.

The front door swung open and Lachlan beamed at them. “Come in,” he said, waving for their entrance. “It’s chilly out there.” He shuddered animatedly, his eyes twinkling as he gestured for them to hang their jackets on the coat rack. Guiding them to the dining room, Lachlan said, “I’m glad you came. And congratulations on the marriage!”

“Thanks,” Alec said, with more pep than JT felt necessary. His exaggerated light mood carried into the dining area, where Drew and Zander waited.

Jason stood to greet them, drawing Alec in for a quick embrace, and shaking JT’s hand. If he hadn’t acted brotherly to Alec in the past, JT would have cuffed him for trying to touch his omega.

Mine.

He thought, snapping his scrutinizing gaze to the half-brothers.

Zander finally stood from his spot at the head of the ten-seater table. “A congratulations is due,” he said, his tone clipped, edgy. He offered Alec his hand, drawing him in for a side hug and a clap on the back. “And an apology,” he said when he faced JT to shake his hand. He squeezed him tight, his grip fast and hard. If he meant to crush JT’s hand, he clearly didn’t have eyes. “I do regret how our last meeting ended. It haunts me.”

As it should. Baring his teeth in a mockery of a smile, JT nodded. “All good here.”

“No hard feelings?” Zander squeezed harder, his own smile all teeth.

“We’re cool.”

Zander dropped his hand, relinquishing JT and turning to the table. “Please, sit. Appetizers should be on their way.”

A wait staff hovered over them for half the evening then. It felt different than the time Alec had hired people to wait on them. At least the omega had been honest about being uncomfortable with the situation. Zander appeared at peace with having others waiting on him. In fact, the whole table did.

JT didn’t think he’d ever get used to being in this family.

Good thing you’re going to leave one day then.

Dessert couldn’t come around fast enough. JT managed to swallow the sweet flan down, wishing he could wash the taste away with a can of beer. Better yet, if someone had a keg around—some draft would be nice.

Once they cleared their plates, Zander had coffee brought over to the living room. JT declined a cup, and Alec barely touched his. No one else seemed to notice the rise in his shoulders, the tension gripping his features, and the fragility of the smiles he wore whenever someone addressed him.

“Are you two thinking of honeymoon destinations?”

“No,” Alec said, his glance briefly meeting JT. “We’re sticking close by for now. Maybe later.”

“You should think about going now. After all,” Zander paused, sipping his tea, his eyes coolly regarding them over his cup, and by the time he lowered it, he licked his lips and continued, “you might get pregnant. And life isn’t so easy after having children. Your schedule will always revolve around theirs.”

Moving closer to Alec on the settee, JT bumped his leg with his own and he got a quick side glance for his effort. He only hoped Alec felt the solidarity he’d been trying to pass along. He wasn’t in this alone. Not so long as he chose to lean on JT.

Zander reached for Lachlan during this time, intertwining their hands. Zander sat between Jason and Lachlan, and Drew watched them from the armchair, his hands busy holding his teacup and saucer.

“That’s why we brought you all here,” Zander said, his smile not as genuine as he imagined. “We’re trying to have a baby.”

Lachlan frowned, his head actually snapping to Zander.

“Of course you are,” Drew drawled. He rolled his eyes.

Jason leaned on the armrest, away from Zander and Lachlan, his face a portrait of concentration on anything but the scene unfolding behind him silently. Zander and Lachlan appeared to be having a verbal match through their long staring.

Finally, Lachlan extricated his hand from Zander’s clinging grasp.

“I should check on the girls. It’s past their bedtime,” Lachlan said, his face pinched with discomfort. He ignored the hand Zander held out for him. Someone was in the dog house. After Lachlan’s departure Zander said, “I should check on them, too.”

He breezed after Lachlan not even a minute after his omega mate left.

Drew snorted in his absence. “Someone’s in big trouble.” He turned his attention to Alec.

Jason smiled tightly. “So, nicer weather we’re having.”

The topic of weather lasted another minute before Drew said, “Enough with the weather. We’re toeing around each other like sharks.” He settled his teacup and saucer down a bit harder than warranted. He leaned forward, his elbows balanced on his knees, his hands clasped together between his legs, and his longer fringe of mussed brown hair falling over his eyes. “Let’s have at it then.”

Alec’s eyes widened and he blinked rapidly, shifting closer to JT and away from Drew and his laser gaze.

“Are you then? Are you having a baby?” Drew demanded the questions, biting them out, his voice carrying loudly through the high-ceilinged, spacious room. It wouldn’t be a shock if the staff working further in the back of the house, in the kitchen, could hear his intrusive inquiries. “You are, aren’t you? That’s why you got married so quickly.” Drew barked a short, derisive laugh. “Well, of course you are.”

“Andrew, enough.” Jason drilled Drew with a sharp, reprimand of a glare. “We’re trying to enjoy our evening.”

“And I’m ruining it by being honest,” Drew supplied, scoffing. “Well, I want that money. I deserve it. Some of it, at least. I certainly don’t trust smarmy Zander to fork it over. I’d rather not be in debt to him.”

JT flexed his hands, and when he decided he couldn’t exactly stand and forcibly shut Drew up, he tucked his arm around Alec’s middle and pulled him in closer. “

“We’re not obviously trying ourselves. But we’re looking into surrogates, I’ll have you know. Fertile ones. Something should take. Don’t count us out of this race yet.”

“Andrew!” Jason boomed, his hand clutching the armrest like a lifeline, his face pale, his features drawn to severity. He jerked his head to the arched double doors leading out of the living room. “Can I have a word?”

Drew shoved out of his seat and stalked from the room, Jason following more slowly. He stood and apologized. “He shouldn’t have said that,” he added, his eyes were hard chips of dark brown disappointment.

“It’s fine,” JT said.

Alec looked to have entered a catatonic state, his mouth open, his eyes frozen in wide wonder.

“Sorry,” Jason said again, heading after Drew.

Now that would make two couples in crisis.

“Nice dinner,” JT grumbled.

Alec made a noise in the back of his throat, a whimper crossed with a squeak.

Glancing into his face, JT frowned. He didn’t like that Alec had to suffer these idiots he called family.

JT squeezed his hip, and once Alec looked his way, he cupped his cheek with his other hand. He touched their foreheads, leaning down to close the distance between them. He kissed Alec tenderly, wishing to suck in some of the weight he had to be carrying after the theatrics of his immature half-brothers.

Because JT desperately wanted Alec to know, he wasn’t alone…even if this might not be forever for them.