Page 48 of Roman
Evan pulled me into a side hug. “You are such a good person, Beau. I’ve seen Ramsey walking around the council like he’s in another world, and maybe he is. I don’t have a mate, so I don’t have a mate with a difficult pregnancy.”
“I’ve heard that Alexander almost died during his pregnancy, or maybe it was when he was in labor. I can’t remember a lot of things anymore, but I think it was labor. I’ve met Knox and Philip several times, and their twins are just the cutest. But Ramsey and Phineas haven’t been to any family meals since Phineas got pregnant again.”
“Hey now, when am I going to be invited to these family meals?”
I widened my eyes. “I’ve invited you, Evan. Every time I’ve offered, you always say that you don’t want to impose on my time with my new mate.”
Evan stared at me blankly. “Oh. I guess I didn’t realize it was a family affair.”
“Every Sunday. Obviously there are times that not everyone can make it, but Roman and I have all week to ourselves. On Sunday, we have family meals. On Saturday, we’ve started spending time with Calum and Asher. They actually live next door, and Calum helped Roman get the new position at the university. Asher is fae, just like we are. They have an adorable little girl.”
Evan’s jaw clenched as he looked away. I was going to say more when I heard Roman’s voice. I looked in the direction Evan had and couldn’t keep from smiling. There was my sexy alpha. It was Friday, and he’d had classes this morning, and it was obvious that he hadn’t had time to change. I loved to see him in his slacks and button-down shirts as much as I did when he was in sweats and a T-shirt. They were all fun to get him out of, and I really needed to not let my mind go there. Now was not the time to think those kinds of thoughts.
Roman’s smile grew as he approached, and after he leaned down and gave me a quick kiss, he winked before he looked over at Evan. “Thanks for walking him over.” Roman glanced back at me. “Did you already check in?”
I shook my head. “Nope. We’ve been talking.”
Roman gave me a look, and although I know he wasn’t actually mad at me, he was a bit irritated.
“Don’t be upset with him,” Evan said. “It’s my fault. I let Beau know I was leaving on assignment tomorrow, and we’ve been talking about that. Well, that and family meals.”
Roman nodded at my brother. “You should join us sometime. I understand you’re busy, though, and have a good group to spend time with up here.”
I hadn’t known if Evan was spending meals with the other fae enforcers or not, but I knew we used to, so it wasn’t a far-fetched assumption. “Are you ready to go in for our ultrasound?” I asked, hoping to pull Roman away. We were only a few minutes behind, and honestly, I didn’t think that Dr. King would be upset.
“I am,” Roman said as he smiled. I could see nothing but love in his gaze, and I never knew just how much I could love someone until I met him. Roman wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “Don’t be a stranger,” Roman said to my brother. “Your brother would love for you to come spend time with us if you can spare it.”
Evan nodded as he looked directly at me. I smiled before I directed my eyes to the ground. We weren’t where we were before, and probably never would be, but our relationship wasn’t as strained as it had been when I first met Roman. There were a lot of changes, for both me and Evan, and we would always be brothers. We had to learn how to adapt, and that had been the difficult part. At least for me.
“Send me a picture of my nephew later,” Evan said. “That is, if you get some.”
I looked up at my brother and found him smiling. “I will. I know I already said it, but be careful.”
“I will. It’s a pack; how dangerous can they be?”
I shrugged because I honestly didn’t know. But I wanted my brother to be safe just the same. Evan waved as he walked away. I looked up at Roman after a moment and found him looking conflicted. Now that I was staring at my mate, I reached out through our bond and realized that he was worried.
“What’s wrong? Was it stressful getting here to me? I’m perfectly safe up here.”
Roman smiled down at me again. “That’s not it. Alexander called earlier. I couldn’t answer because I was in the middle of a lecture. Phineas’s omega line has started opening. Alexander is watching over him, but their baby will be born very soon.”
I started to smile, but at the emotions running through Roman, my happiness for the impending birth dissipated. “You’re not happy about a new nephew? If you’d rather be there with your brother, I understand.”
Roman pulled me into his arms and held on tight. “That’s not it at all.” Our own little bundle chose that moment to kick. It wasn’t hard, more like a flutter, but it was enough that I certainly felt it. “Ramsey is a mess, and Alexander is doing all he can to calm him. Alexander almost bled to death while delivering Rowan. Chief Daegal has had to intervene, and I guess it’s tense.” Roman kissed the top of my head before he released me.
“Where’s Hazel?”
“With Knox and Philip. She’s going to be having a sleepover at theirs for the next week or so.”
I understood Roman’s worry. “Do you want to skip the ultrasound and go see your brother? I understand if you do?”
“No. I can’t do anything more for my brother than anyone else there. I’ve already messaged Phineas, and he replied that he was fine. Just some contractions. That’s how I know that Ramsey is a mess.” Roman leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Right now, I want to go have our ultrasound and see our little guy for the first time.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I had only chatted with Phineas because he’d had his heat at the same time I had my fertile period, and then we’d been ill. It just hadn’t been a good time for us to meet in person. But I could understand Roman’s worry, and I, too, hoped that everything went well with his labor and then his delivery.
“I want that too,” I said. “Shall we?”
Roman responded by opening the door. Out of the sun and into the cheerful interior of the omega clinic we went. We were greeted by Todd, but standing with him was not Dr. King.
