I laughed. “No. I just think it’s funny that you have to look perfect, while I’m usually covered in sawdust.”
“Yeah, yeah. Ass,” he chuckled.
I looked around and spied a hoodie with the phrase ‘Papa in Progress’ with a loading bar printed on it. I snagged it. “Sure this one won’t work?”
“Oh, fuck off!” he snapped, but I could see him hiding a chuckle.
“I’m totally getting this one for you for Christmas,” I teased.
“Don’t you dare,” he laughed.
I raised an eyebrow at him, which made him laugh harder.
I put the hoodie back, but filed it in the back of my mind to get as a gag gift. I knew he’d wear it around the house, even if he swore he wouldn’t touch it.
“Come on,” I urged. “Let’s get out of cutesy hell.”
“Don’t have to ask me twice.”
We left the pregnancy boutique and meandered around the small galleria until Kerry decided that he had to try something he smelled from a small restaurant that had tables spilling out into the wide aisle.
“So,” he started as soon as the waitress had taken our order, “you excited to have your first Thanksgiving with Craig?”
“Ummm…”
He leveled me with a stare. “No. You’re not doing this.”
“What?”
He sighed. “You were so good at the party. I thought you were finally ready to start being more public.”
“I just…”
“No,” he interrupted. “It may be faster than you’d like. But first holidays are big milestones, and he’s already met your family. I know for a fact your mom and papa would invite him. Hell, the only reason I’m not invited is because we always go visit my grandparents, so they don’t have to travel.”
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “I want him there, but I’m worried they’ll get attached, then things will go sideways,” I admitted.
He let out a long breath. “I get it, but are you really going to wait for a mark on your neck or a ring on your finger?” He paused. “Craig is a good one. He’s taking things at your pace. But how would you feel if things were reversed and he was always hiding you? Hell, you don’t even need to think too hard, you’ve been there: the dirty secret.”
I swallowed, and my eyes flicked down and back up as I thought about it.
“Hmph,” Kerry said. “I saw that. Exactly. Eventually, you’d wonder, wouldn’t you? That’s because it hurts to be hidden.”
I sighed.
“Trust us?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“Trust us: me and your family. We want to see you happy, and we’ll protect the shit out of you. But that also means we want to get to know your alpha.”
My alpha…
Kerry sat back as the waitress set drinks in front of us. “Oh, this pumpkin spice latte looks incredible. It’s just too bad it had to be decaf.”
She chuckled and asked if we needed anything else before wandering off again.
“Where was I?” Kerry muttered. “Damn pregnancy brain,” then, “Oh, yeah. Thanksgiving. Don’t shut him out. Let everybody else handle their own attachments. Let him feel welcome before he starts feeling like a dirty little secret.”
