Chapter 12

Twelve

The house seemed to be cooperating a bit more these days. The main floor was mostly done. The old woodwork gleamed with new life. They'd put a powder room in under the stairs, and the kitchen looked period but would function in a high-tech modern way. The grand staircase was refurbished, and the floors looked amazing.

Now it was bedrooms and towers that needed all the finishing.

Charlie was working his ass off.

Seriously, the man was painting and stripping plaster, pulling down old wallpaper and just generally working with the freneticism that worried Kaleb a little bit.

Not only that but Charlie was also working at the hotel, which caused Kaleb an enormous amount of stress, because he had things that his omega could do.

Like rest. Buy things for the nursery. Eat. Not be on his feet for fifty hours a week at one job before then coming here and working at the house. It didn't seem to matter what he said. Charlie just looked at him with those beautiful eyes and said, "Mr. Jack needs me."

At least Charlie had graduated from Mr. Harlan.

So, he was going to take the bull by the horns and go to the alpha's breakfast and discuss this with Jack Harlan.

Surely the man would understand. It was summer, Charlie was pregnant, and they had a whole life-consuming project at the house. They had a life. It was just time.

Not only that, but Jack had what? At least forty children of his own. He should understand.

Kaleb headed up the stairs to the third floor where Charlie was busily working on the tower room. Kaleb wasn't one hundred percent sure what Charlie intended to do with this room, but he did know that every time he couldn't find Charlie, there was no question where his lover would be.

"Hey, babe, what you doing?" He looked around the room, shocked as hell to find Charlie standing on the ladder hanging a piece of chocolate-brown wallpaper with huge burgundy cabbage roses on it. Lord, that made him a little speechless. It wasn't that it was dangerous. Charlie wasn't far enough along to be terribly off-balance, but one hard fall could be disastrous, and—When on earth had Charlie bought wallpaper?

Where on earth had Charlie found that particular wallpaper?

"Hanging wallpaper."

Well, duh. "I can see that. Why are you hanging wallpaper? Where on earth did you get the wallpaper?"

"I found it in the attic. It was like it was waiting for me, and I just knew that this is what was supposed to go in this room. I think this was supposed to be the nursery."

When had Charlie climbed up into the attic? What if there were rusty nails? Mouse turds? Mummies?

Kaleb frowned deep. "Wait. I don't understand. Baby, this is the third floor. This is the tower room, and that is some dark-assed wallpaper. Not baby appropriate."

Charlie cracked up. "No, no. I know. This isn't our nursery, but this was supposed to be the nursery. This is the wallpaper that was supposed to go in it, and I thought what a perfect scenario. To put the old wallpaper where it belonged."

Uh-huh. Perfect. "Well, what are you going to put up here then?"

Not his baby.

"I—" Charlie shrugged, looking oddly confused. "Well, to be honest, I'm not sure. All I can imagine is a carved wooden baby bed and one of those old baby buggies. You know, the wicker ones that had the little covers and the big wheels?"

Kaleb knew that he was looking at Charlie like he was insane. "That's three floors, babe. Why would anyone put a pram with wheels on the third floor?"

Charlie shook his head and frowned deeply at him. "I didn't say this was the nursery, dammit. I just like the wallpaper!"

"Oookay." This was the weirdest situation since, oh, at least yesterday. He was really beginning to regret buying this house, which was a shame because he loved it dearly. Not to mention it was becoming something amazing.

Every now and again, though, there would be this moment, this weirdness that he couldn't get over.

Like a nursery on the third floor with dark wallpaper that wasn't their nursery.

"Maybe we should make it a library," he suggested.

"Do you really want to carry books up to the third floor?" Charlie asked.

"Did I not tell you I was going to hire a butler?" he teased, relieved when that got Charlie to stick his tongue out at him.

"No butlers." Charlie did relax, though, offering him a grin. "What did you come up here for?"

"I wanted to see you."

"Uh-huh, and?"

He shrugged. "Today is the alpha brunch, and I knew that you and Hank and Saul had some plans, so I thought I'd drop you off. Then I'll go to the diner and come pick you up after we're done."

Charlie smiled and nodded. "We're gonna go get our nails done. I'm going to get a pedicure. It sounds so good, the idea of someone rubbing my feet."

"Why didn't you say so? Anytime your feet are sore, I'm at your beck and call." Kaleb wasn't above rubbing his pregnant omega's feet when the occasion called.

"Yeah, these days they're always a little bit sore, and a little swollen."

Yep, he was talking to Jack. There was no question about it. It was time for his omega to not be on his feet all day.

"Well come on, o' wallpapering one. Do I need to cover up the glue or anything?"

Charlie started down the ladder, and Kaleb saw the rung begin to break, as if someone was pulling at it or stamping on it.

He rushed over, catching Charlie as he fell. "God damn it."

"What the hell happened?" Charlie asked. "This is a brand-new ladder!"

"And I'm taking it back!" Maybe they needed a priest.

Holy water.

Something.

This was getting ridiculous. Kaleb didn't understand what was going on in this house, but it was about to be done.

He was not going to risk his daughter, or more importantly, his Charlie.