Page 100 of Not Looking
I used my arm, where I was still holding him, to pull him tighter. “That wasn’t an answer. Knowing them, and you being ready for me to be at a family function are two different things.”
He relaxed in my embrace, then shifted so he could rest his face against my chest.
“I’m not ready,” he said softly. “But I want you there, too.”
“If you want me there, I’ll come,” I murmured. “If you change your mind, I’ll understand.”
“Ok.”
I ran my hand up and down his back—noticing as the tension left his body.
He was so strong, but I was glad to be able to give him the space where he felt safe to be weak.
Chapter 21 - Randy
“What do you think of this?” Kerry asked as he pulled a shirt from the rack and held it up to himself.
“Hmmm…” I hedged. “It’s not really your style.”
He snorted. “No shit, Sherlock. But there aren’t exactly a ton of options in pregnancy clothes.”
“What about online?”
He scrunched his nose. “Everything I’ve seen so far is cutesy shit. Like… come on. Just because I’m an omega doesn’t mean everything needs a cartoon animal or cheesy phrase.”
“It can’t be that bad.”
He tilted his head down and stared. “Just you wait until Craig gets you pregnant. It’s damn near impossible to find something as simple as a button-up shirt without it having some weird micropattern or being some soft pastel color. A plain white shirt. Plain white… like you’d wear under a blazer. I found one, and the price was outrageous. I understand that pregnancy clothes will have a premium, but the basics cost five to six times more. Like I can afford it, but I’ll only be able to wear it for a month… maybe two, before I’ll have to buy another.”
“Thrift or resell?”
He shook his head. “No luck. There’s a vintage consignment shop I like that I’ve asked to call me if anything comes in. But so far, nothing.”
“Ugh, that sucks.”
He nodded, put the shirt back, and pulled down a soft gray sweater vest. “Better?”
“Maaaaybe? What’s that pattern on the edges?”
He lifted it, inspected the edges, and scowled. “God damnit. One… just one. I want one article of clothing I can wear to a client meeting.”
“So what was it?”
“Fucking little nests.”
“The nests were fucking?” I teased.
He shoved it at me, and I accepted the offending garment. Sure enough, small nests with tiny eggs decorated the edge.
“I guess this is supposed to tell the world that we’re nesting?” I asked as I handed it back.
“I don’t even know.” He huffed and set it back on the rack. “I’m about to ask around for bespoke omega clothier recommendations. Yeah, it’ll be evenmoreexpensive. But the quality will be better, I can save them for when Callum and I want another since they won’t scream ‘last season’, and I’ll be able to wear them around clients.”
He shrugged. “Hell, it’s probably time to go bespoke anyway. Off-the-rack suits were fine when I was mainly dealing with seven and eight-figure clients. Mix and match with vintage elements and fun fabrics, and I could make things look curated.But I’m starting to get referrals to people edging close to that billionaire mark. There’s only so much upstyling I can do with what most people consider luxury brands before that crowd views it as cheap.”
I snorted. “Then you go sell them my bowls while I’m comfortable in heavy jeans, t-shirts, and flannels.”
“Are you complaining?”
