Chapter Fourteen
Joaquim
#meetingthefamily
I was so very glad I thought to go back to the hotel to get my car. Not because we needed it; technically his car was there, but I needed just a little bit of time with him in my arms, letting me know this was very much real.
We spent the next hour snuggled on my bed not doing anything but enjoying holding each other.
“I have some bad news for you,” Brent mentioned, rolling over to lay his head on my chest.
“What’s that?” At this point, bad news couldn’t touch me. I was wallowing in bliss.
“I have to return the van soon or Kayson is going to have some kind of breakdown. He’s already texted me four times.”
I sighed. Reality called.
“Let me shower really quick and change. I don’t want to meet your cousin looking like a mess. Wait, did you want me to come with you?”
Assuming was my downfall.
“Of course,” Brent said, reaching up to rub his thumb over my lips. I took it into my mouth and gently sucked before biting it.
His gasp turned me on like nothing else.
“Five minutes. I’m an expert at showering fast.”
When I got to the bathroom, I looked back one last time to make sure this wasn’t all a dream. That Brent lay on my bed, watching me as I strolled away. He was with me, and he carried our babe inside him.
I was a lucky man.
I kept my promise of a quick shower. Ten minutes later, I wore corduroy pants and a V-neck sweater—ready to go.
“One time I thought you in a black T-shirt and jeans was my fantasy, but then I saw you in scrubs on that video and that became it. But this is the best one yet.”
He pulled on his sweater and sat on the bed, looking a little greenish again.
“Let me do that for you.” I bent down in front of him and tied his shoes one by one. Converse suited his nerdy image. When I looked up, Brent eyed me with something like awe. Smiling, I said, “What’s that look?”
He shrugged. “You’re too good to be true.”
“I was thinking that same thing about you.”
On my knees, I leaned forward and lifted his sweater, revealing the smallest of pooches in his belly. I rubbed the sides of it. “Now you listen here, little one, be nice to your daddy. I just got him back, and I hate to see him not feeling well.”
I sat back on my haunches. “There. No more morning sickness. He or she just needed a little talking to.”
Brent’s eyebrows rose. “Just like that?”
We both chuckled. “Well, maybe not. It was worth a try, though.”
He agreed, nodding. “Worth a try. Ready to go?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
~~
“Something is definitely up.” Brent squinted through the windshield of the delivery van, his eyes targeted on the shop.
“How do you know?” I looked around for signs that something was awry, but nothing looked out of the ordinary. Then again, I’d never seen this place in my life.
“There’s too many cars.”
I burst out in laughter. “Isn’t that a good thing? Customers?”
His jaw clenched. “These aren’t customers. Oh well, you’re gonna have to meet them all sometime.”
“Them all?” Now I was the one feeling a bit ill.
“Them all.”
We walked hand in hand to the florist. It reminded me more of a vintage greenhouse than an actual place of business. Whoever owned this place could simply sell tickets and give people a tour, it was that beautiful. Roses, vines, and flowers I’d never seen crawled up the walls and grew in pots all around me. A refrigerated case held premade arrangements. I had a feeling I’d be frequenting this place in the future since I intended not to let a day go by without expressing how I felt about my mate.
“Joaquim?” Brent laughed.
“Oh, sorry. This place is great. It’s nice to meet you all.”
“This is my mother, Vivian.”
His mom stepped forward, her chin quivering. I hoped it was the beginning of happy tears. She stuck out her hand to shake mine, but I was having none of this. This redheaded woman was the reason Brent was on this earth in the first place.
“Vivian, it’s nice to meet you.” I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and in two seconds, she had my torso in a vice that only belonged to a mother, warm and strong at the same time. It reminded me of my mother’s hugs.
“And this is Kayson.” A man crossed the room, handing over a baby to who I assumed was his mate. He and Brent shared some similarities.
“Kayson, I feel like I know you already.”
Kayson chuckled loudly. “I’m assuming the plan worked out.”
“It worked very well. Thank you for helping us. It means the world to us both.”
Vivian had Brent in a death grip, and they were crying together and whispering.
“And this is your mate?” I took a chance on calling them out.
“Yes.” Kayson waved the man and the baby over. “This is Reid and our little darling Rose.”
I side-hugged Reid since he was holding the baby. “Nice to meet you. May I hold her?”
“Of course,” Reid responded, not hesitating to hand the quiet and chubby baby over. As soon as I took her, though, she stiffened, and before long began to cry and reach for her papa.
“Reid has made her a brat. Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay,” I said, shrugging one shoulder. “One day soon we will have a brat, too. Isn’t that right, Brent?”
He nodded from the other side of the room, a slight blush blossoming on his cheeks.
“Not so bratty,” he said, and the room cracked up laughing.
“We thought you two might want tonight to yourselves, so we’ve arranged something for you.”
“What did you do?” Brent asked, hands on his hips. My heart beat a little faster. Feisty looked good on my omega.
“Nothing. Just made reservations for dinner for you two. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”
Brent tried not to smile. “Don’t make me beat you up like I did when we were kids, Kayson.”
Kayson scoffed. “Please, I have a get-out-of-jail-free card for life. I found your alpha and brought him here. I win. Forever.”
Looking at my mate with one hand on his belly, arguing with his cousin, and his family surrounding us, I knew they were both wrong.
I won. Forever.