“Nope, I am not going to be a father who has every meal or family event interrupted by work stuff.”
He took another bite of ice cream, eyes half closed in ecstasy. “I have a feeling ice cream is going to be my craving.”
“It’s a good one,” I agreed. “Something we can share.”
After three more texts came in, my phone rang.
“Alpha, you’d better answer. It might be important.”
I pulled my phone out and checked it. “It’s my professor.”
“And?”
I sighed and swiped the screen. “Hi, Professor.”
“I have good news for you, Foster. Why didn’t you tell me you’d added an extra class to your schedule?”
“I thought you knew.”
“No, but your foresight has made it possible for you to graduate this semester.”
When I told Briar, he held his spoon up and waved it in the air. “Best day ever, alpha!”
“It already was, omega.” But it sure took off some of the pressure for our future. And it didn’t make it a worse day by any stretch.
Chapter Twenty
Briar
After we came down from the excitement of expecting, there were things to do. First, I asked Foster to move in with me.
The house was paid for, so it would be easier on him financially. The only thing we would split now would be the utilities and food.
Foster moved in the next weekend. The timing was perfect. His lease on the tiny apartment was over at the end of the month, but he’d waited until the last minute to renew, not knowing if we would move in together.
I wanted him with me. For the pregnancy and then, of course, after the baby came.
Even if we weren’t starting a family, he was my mate, and the time apart was hard. We each liked having time alone but at night, I wanted him beside me.
“Are you ready?” Foster asked, getting out of the shower.
I was fully dressed—had been since early that morning. The healer visit was important, and I was a bit nervous about it. Not because of the healer himself but about myself. We’d already picked up some books from the library about pregnancy and Foster got one on baby names, but some of the information was conflicting. One said I could drink coffee. One said absolutely no caffeine.
And that didn’t even scratch the surface of information available online.
It was overwhelming.
“I’ve been ready. How are you so calm?”
He snorted. “The roles have reversed, I see. I think it’s because I know you’re healthy, and you are going to be the best father. It feels right. Like everything has fallen into place.”
“That’s very zen of you, alpha. But can you get dressed? The longer I sit here, the more nervous I get.”
“Give me five minutes.”
That was the end of Foster’s calm. Once we were at the healer’s office, we went through the questions and concerns. It was too early for an ultrasound but not to hear the heartbeat. Once we listened to our baby’s heart, Foster teared up, and I did as well.
I thought hearing our child made things real.
