Chapter Sixteen

Bert

It was time to move in officially. If I’d had my way, he’d never have left, but he didn’t feel right leaving his employer in the lurch and had a lot to do both there and in dealing with his home before he could finally share mine full-time. There was a lot of going back and forth on both our parts, although, as he grew bigger with the baby, I tried to make more of the trips mine. Natalie really was getting restless, ready to make the move, and that didn’t help at all.

I’d started to worry that they wouldn’t have arrived to stay by the time the baby came, a thought that had my bear rumbling with unhappiness. If my beast had one desire, it was that his cub be born under his roof. Even though I assured him we’d be with him no matter where, but it was with great relief that I drove to his home one last time to help him get everything loaded and return to our home.

I had spent the spring adding on a room so we had bedrooms for everyone. Rudy, to his credit, had been a big help, although he complained a lot, but that was all right. He was also super excited about the baby and was Natalie’s “favorite uncle.” Something that made him puff out his chest with pride and gave me hope that he’d eventually finish growing up.

“How’s business?” Conrad kissed me and led me into his living room, which was now a riot of boxes. “Did you get that special order done?”

“The historical figure? Yes, finally. It was quite the thing to manage to create the clothing, but as it turned out, the client was quite pleased.” I looked around. “I guess we’d better work on loading the car and truck if we’re going to get an early start.” Conrad’s car was not the best but had made the trip back and forth several times. He did not know it yet, but there was an SUV on order for him as soon as we arrived. Hopefully he would agree to accept it for the sake of the children. Because his car was not going to be very useful come winter.

“Let’s do it!” He’d already done so much packing, I wanted him to sit down and let me do all the rest, but we’d already had the only argument of our whole relationship on that topic, and upsetting him while doing something as stressful as moving was not on the agenda.

“Don’t lift the heavy things, okay? What’s the point in having a bear on the job if you don’t let him help you out.”

Natalie passed by with a shoebox in her hands. “Lift little things like this, Daddy.”

“Okay, you have ganged up on me, and now I have to agree.” He picked up a pair of pillows wrapped in a trash bag. “This light enough?”

It was, but for all his bravado, the pregnancy sapped enough of his energy that after about a half hour, I was able to convince him to sit down for a “break.” And there he stayed until the truck was filled.

“What time are the movers coming?” I asked, hoping it would be very early. Other than what we were putting in the car and truck, the big stuff was coming in a mover’s van.

“Six, they say.” He shrugged. “I don’t know if I believe them though.”

We locked the car and truck in the garage and went to bed, only to be awakened at five by a horn honking and a pounding on the door. Moving day had begun. The men in their overalls with Movers and Shifters on the back went in and out of the house over and over until the home where my mate had given birth to Natalie and had a whole other life with a whole other mate was empty. He had donated a lot of things, but it was still a good vanful that trundled away down the road. They would meet us at the cabin in a couple of days.

As we were about to drive away, Conrad stepped out of his car and, hands resting on his belly, looked at the house, a single tear streaking down his cheek. I hopped out of my truck and hurried to his side.

I started to ask if he was all right, but then he swiped the tear away and faced me. “It’s a nice house, isn’t it?”

“Very.” I put an arm around his shoulder and drew him close. “And you had happy times there.”

“Some of the best and, when he died, the worst of my life. I hope the family that bought it will have many happy years under this roof. I didn’t know, in those years after Mark died, how lonely I was. I thought I was doing okay.” He blinked furiously. “And then I met you and realized I’d been living a half-life, just barely existing and only because of Natalie.”

“I’m very glad you couldn’t get a house at the beach last Christmas.” I kissed the top of his head and gave him a squeeze. “Because I would have said my life was fine, but the second I got a look at you and met Natalie, I knew it was also a half-life. We needed one another to make it whole.”

“Daddy, Papa, are we ever going home?” Natalie’s voice rang out, breaking our sentimental moment, and we both laughed.

“I’m glad it’s home for her already,” he said.

“And for you?”

“Do you even have to ask?”

The drive was long but so worth it to bring my family home. I wanted him there to spoil and hover over while his time drew near. Our baby would be born in our home, the goddess be thanked. When we stopped for the night, we stayed in a nice roadside motel, nothing like the broken-down one near the cabin that Conrad said was probably haunted. This one had an indoor pool where my mate could lounge while sipping a smoothie while I gave Natalie a swimming lesson. And a restaurant with a decent dinner menu and a free breakfast. The next morning, we were off again, the final day traveling.

When we got home, I parked and strode over to Conrad’s car, lifted him out, and carried him into the living room. He didn’t even argue, which had me a little worried, but a nap seemed to restore him. He would not be doing any unpacking, however, not this tired. I’d do it for him and play the alpha card if he argued.

My mate deserved only the best of everything. Including being waited on hand and foot by me while carrying my child. I rarely got bossy, but on this I was firm.

He’d done too much already, and from now on, I was his mate and his staff, there to make sure he was comfortable all the time—or at least as comfortable as a pregnant omega could be.