“I don’t think fated mates can become stalkers for each other. I think they just call it clingy mate syndrome.” Isaac laughed. “But seriously, just go over there, then. If you want to seem like it’s for a better purpose than just checking in on your mate, then bring the whole firehouse snacks or something. Then everyone will fall in love with you, and Jamie will become the clingy one to keep all the other alphas from stealing all your affection.”
“Sometimes you get good ideas.” I nodded as I waddled myself into the kitchen and looked at what I could quickly whip up for the guys at the station. “Do you think brownies will do?”
“If they are your homemade ones, then definitely.” I heard keys jingling on the other end of the phone. “Give me about ten minutes, and I’ll come by to help you.”
“You just want some of the brownies, don’t you?” I smiled at the thought of my sweet, addicted friend trying to steal a few while they cooled down. “I’ll see you when you get here.”
Disconnecting the phone, I already felt the ease of my tingling. I just wanted to see my mate.
Isaac apparently had a speed demon in his engine because he was knocking on my door sooner than I expected. It was the power of my brownie promises.
“I’m here,” Isaac chimed once I opened the door. “Let’s start baking up some goodness.”
“Thanks for coming and helping. I could have done it myself, but having you here will make it a lot easier.” I led us into the kitchen, where I had already laid out all the ingredients and tools we would need for the afternoon. “Everything is set up; we just need to start measuring and mixing.”
“I swear you get bigger with those babies every time I see you.” Isaac stared at my growing middle section, and I punched his arm.
“Stop gawking at me like I’m a whale stuck on land, and start making delicious-like bites of chocolatey goodness.”
“Alright. Sorry.” Isaac shrugged. “Let’s get these brownies baked.”
The afternoon was spent filled with banter, bickering, and brownie batter bites. In other words, utterly amazing in my opinion. And before I knew it, we had several batches packed up and ready to take over to the station.
“Wanna come with?” I eyed Isaac as he played with a string on his sweater. I had observed him doing that enough to know it was a nervous habit of his. “Something wrong?”
“What?” Isaac’s head rose, and his eyebrows crinkled. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”
“You just look worried about something. Don’t worry, I won’t pry if you don’t wanna tell me.” I locked up the house andcarried one container of brownies to the car as Isaac followed me with the other five boxes. Once everything was in the car, I repeated my question. “Do you want to visit the firehouse with me, though?”
“Sure.” Isaac nodded. “Why don’t you sit in the passenger seat, and I’ll drive us over there? We should have just packed the brownies into my car, but that’s fine as long as you don’t mind me driving your car.”
“It’s fine.” I clicked my seat belt into place. “It’s actually better to have you drive. My belly has started to get in the way. Jamie told me to only drive for emergencies now. So, this way, he won’t yell at me.”
“You know I am always here to drive you around. I’m officially back here in town for good, and my freelance job is flexible, so you can count on me.” Isaac started the car and pulled out of the driveway. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you what’s bothering me. It’s just that it’s not just my story to tell, and the other person asked me not to say anything yet.”
“Okay.” I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “Just remember, if the time comes when you are ready to talk, I’ll be here ready to listen.”
“Thanks.”
The rest of the drive was done in companionable silence, except for the radio that was playing the newest release from our favorite boy group. It was nice to just sit and listen to the slower beats they explored on this latest album. I knew that in a couple more weeks, these babies would make it almost impossible to find too much time to just relax and lose myself in music and the company of my friend.
“Are you ready to become a papa?” Isaac asked as we pulled up to the firehouse, and he saw me struggling to unlatch my seat belt. “Is it really hard being pregnant?”
“I thought you would be a pro at understanding the struggles and bright points of pregnancy, having a sister and brother-in-law who have blessed you with many little cubs.” I shook my head and told him the truth. “There are moments where it feels overwhelming and like I can’t do this any longer. But then I feel a kick, or I see an outfit that I haven’t put away yet for the babies, and I am filled with this wonderful warmth. It’s a joy that my words always fail to fully convey. But it makes it all worth it. And the same goes for being ready for the birth. I am filled with fear, but the excitement sort of overpowers that. Make sense?”
“Yeah.” Isaac nodded, but his eyes looked a bit unfocused. I knew this expression. My friend was deep in thought. I wouldn’t hound him right now, but there were definitely huge ideas swarming around in his head. Soon, he would come clean. I just had to wait.
“Let’s head in. I gotta go give these yummies to my mate.” I opened the door and lifted myself out of the car, a feat getting much harder to accomplish every day these babies cooked in my belly.
“Remember the other firefighters, too.” Isaac shook his head, the way he does when snapping out of his mental zone-in. “I’ll grab the boxes, just worry about carrying yourself. I don’t want an angry alpha to blame me for letting his mate carry anything.”
“Thanks. I will just take the small one I made special for Jamie, then.” I grabbed the tiny box I had in the front seat with me and walked toward the station’s open rolling doors.
But I stopped when I saw the scene. Zane was sniffing around my mate again. Luckily, I wasn’t jealous this time, just a bit annoyed and a little sorry for the other omega. I mean, my mate was quite a catch, after all.
“What’s he doing here?” Isaac’s low growl made me laugh. What else should I have expected from my faithful best friend,though? For me and for his other bestie, Spencer, there were no limits to how far the alpha would go to protect us and our matings. “Do you need me to carry him out of here?”
“Nah, it seems like Jamie is trying to tell him the way it is. Let’s trust my mate to get through to the guy this time.” I glanced at Isaac and grinned. “But thanks for always having my back.”
