I shrugged. “Sometimes the best thing we can do is back down. It wouldn’t have helped anybody for us to keep growling at each other like cavemen. Protecting him meant finding a way to reduce the stress.”
She nodded. “I see your point.”
I stood and followed her back down to Randy’s cabin—where he had the kids making cards to welcome the new baby.
The look he gave me told me he knew what his sister had wanted to talk to me about.
Jessie and the kids left a short while later.
I cuddled Randy until it was time for him to go to the party—alone.
It stung as we each drove away. While we’d already planned dinner after, part of me had hoped that he was ready
However, with the added context that Jessie had provided, I understood how much deeper his pain ran.
It didn’t matter. He was my omega, and I would support him.
Chapter 19 - Randy
Ipaced beside my cabin’s large front windows as I waited for Craig to arrive—looking out for his truck every few steps. I wrung my hands, unable to stop myself.
By the time I had arrived at the gender reveal, Michelle and Marco had already excitedly told my parents about my friend who’d been over for a slumber party.
The news quietly spread, even when everybody was busy playing ‘guess the gender’ games.
A few relatives tried to chastise me for not bringing Craig, but Jessie shut them down. She explained that she’d invited him, and that he’d said he didn’t want to pull focus from Yazmín and the baby.
I didn’t know if it was true, at least the focus part. Craig had told me that he’d been invited, but had left it up to me to decide if I was ready to make such a big introduction.
I wasn’t, and I was grateful that he’d stepped back.
The questions were bad enough, and I couldn’t imagine how much more intense they would have been if he’d been there.
However, the existence of our relationship was out there, and my family wanted more. Before the party was over, I’d been badgered into a dinner—where they would meet Craig.
I still wasn’t ready, but I couldn’t hide it any longer.
The sound of Craig’s truck outside my cabin. A few minutes later, he strode in, and I walked right into his arms.
He folded me in his embrace and kissed my hair. “You ok?”
I shook my head into his chest. “It’s too soon.”
“Do you want to cancel?”
I swallowed. I did, but I knew it wouldn’t solve anything.
I sighed. “I wish, but we can’t.”
“You sure? I’ll be the bad guy. I got the stomach flu or something.”
I closed my eyes and savored his scent. “It’s just delaying the inevitable,” I whispered.
He tucked his fingers under my chin and tilted my head up, then he pressed his lips to mine.
I melted into the kiss. It was gentle and reassuring. It told me without words that Craig was there for me.
The kiss ended, and he tucked me against his chest again before resting his head against mine.
