“Jenn might freak if she discovers she’s got a four-legged dad,” Eric said.
Olivier snorted. Then he froze, his heart skipping. “You... really want to be dads with me?”
Eric hugged him from behind, nuzzling his shoulder. “Yeah.”
Ollie gulped. Was it too soon, Eric accepting him as Jenn’s dad? Should Olivier even agree?
They shuffled into the nursery, Jenn quieting when she saw them. She’d sat herself up, her tiny face crumpled.
“Hey, Jenn,” Eric said. “Sorry. Had to find a way to get Ollie and myself here.”
Jenn babbled, her frown fading. It looked like all she wanted was for them to come accompany her.
“Hi, Jenn,” Ollie said. “Your dad and I were, um, a little distracted.”
Eric snorted.
Jenn crawled to the rails of her cot. As they shuffled over, Jenn stood herself up, grasping at the railings. Ollie couldn’t help being proud. She’d learned to stand herself.
“Awwr,” she said, reaching out for them. “Dada.”
Ollie hesitated. Eric squeezed his hip. “Go on, grab her. It’s not like I can hold her without you bending over.”
Olivier laughed. So he scooped Jenn up, cradling her close. She squealed and grabbed at his hair; Eric leaned over Ollie’s shoulder, clicking his tongue.
“No, don’t pull his hair,” Eric said, easing her hands off Ollie’s hair.
Jenn pouted.
“It’s fine,” Olivier told him.
“No,” Eric said firmly. “No one’s gonna pull your hair.”
But he wrapped his arms around them both, his chest solid against Ollie’s back, his smile obvious in his voice. Jenn grabbed Eric’s face instead. Eric laughed.
Ollie’s heart pattered. This? This felt like family, Eric smiling over his shoulder, Jenn in Olivier’s arms.
And it seemed Eric had the same thought, too, when he slipped his palm between Jenn and Olivier, just holding Ollie’s abdomen.
“You think?” Eric murmured, stroking Olivier’s belly. “How’s this for a family?”
Ollie stared at Jenn’s green eyes, the little grin on her lips. He thought about the baby growing in his belly, and Eric’s protective embrace.
It felt like home, like something he wanted to come home to every night. Olivier swallowed, his heart pattering with desire. He would do so much, just for Eric would see him as someone capable.
“Can we really?” Ollie asked.
“I don’t see why not,” Eric said, kissing his nape.
Despite their family and their pasts, maybe things could work out. Gods knew Ollie yearned for it.
“I’d like to,” he whispered.
“Then by all means,” Eric murmured, nuzzling Olivier’s neck. “Welcome to the family.”
22
Eric
Over the next few days, the change in Olivier’s demeanor was nothing short of surprising.
Eric watched as Ollie began to open up more around Jenn, pulling her into his lap, playing peek-a-boo with her and her toys. He’d begun to touch his belly a lot more in front of Eric, too, and Eric only understood then, how much Ollie had been looking forward to his child.
Their child.
He couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen this coming, couldn’t believe it had taken him this long to realize he loved his omega.
“I still have some of Jenn’s newborn clothes,” Eric said while they were in the bathroom. “Do you want to use them for the baby?”
Olivier froze, his entire face lighting up. “Yes! I mean, yeah, sure we can.”
He hugged Jenn closer, though, smiling to himself. Eric’s heart soared.
So he left the bathroom cabinet open, wrapping his arms around Ollie and Jenn. “I love you guys. All of you.”
Olivier blushed, leaning into Eric’s chest. “I’m glad.”
Eric buried his nose in Ollie’s hair, tickling Jenn’s armpit. “You thought of a name for the baby yet?”
Ollie scrunched his face. “Not really. I haven’t decided. I’m... kind of nervous about it. What if I mess up?”
He tensed, looking worried. Eric squeezed Ollie’s shoulders. “You’re doing fine with Jenn, aren’t you?”
Olivier squirmed. “But...”
“But you’ll do great,” Eric said, kissing Ollie’s ear. “‘Sides, I’m here. I have some experience.”
Olivier sighed. “Were you this confident when Jenn was a newborn?”
Eric chuckled. “Naw. I was panicking, too. Kind of like you, I guess.” He hugged Ollie close, letting Jenn grab his thumb. “Alice seemed to know what to do, though.”
He shoved away the ache in his chest, breathing in Ollie’s carnation-and-honey scent.
Olivier winced. “I’m nothing like her, right?”
Eric studied him. “You know you can’t compare yourself to her.”
“I guess.” Ollie sighed. “I just... I don’t know. I’m a mess.”
“You are a little bit of a mess,” Eric said, feeling Olivier tense up against him. “But you’re my mess.”
Olivier laughed weakly against him. “I hope that’s a good thing.”
“It is.” Eric squeezed Ollie’s ass. “See, Alice was a friend. I married her thinking I wasn’t gonna fall in love with anyone after you.”
Ollie glanced up, hope flickering through his eyes. Eric couldn’t help cracking a smile. Ollie really did crave Eric’s love, didn’t he?
He needs me, Eric thought, his heart filling with warmth.
He pressed a kiss to Olivier’s nose. “I loved her as a friend. And we’d been married three years, so... it hits hard. Some days I still wish she was around, ‘cuz she was my best friend.”
Olivier’s shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry.”
Eric pictured Alice in his mind, her unruly red hair and her cheerful grin. She’d be happy for him now, wouldn’t she? He’d found his omega again.
About time you did that, she would’ve said. I was starting to wonder about you.
He shrugged, letting her image fade. “So... You’re my omega, and she was my best friend. It’s not something you should try to live up to.”
“I want to be your best friend, too,” Olivier said in a small voice.
A grin crept through Eric’s face. “We’ll get there,” he murmured, nuzzling Ollie’s temple. “It’s not like I have many other friends, anyway.”
Ollie shook his head, smiling exasperatedly. “Always an introvert, weren’t you?”
“So’re you. I guess we make a good match.”
Olivier pulled away, cheering up. So Eric turned back to the bathroom cabinet, scanning the dark wood shelves. He found a second can of shaving cream—there wasn’t one there last week. “I thought I was almost out of this.”
“Oh.” Ollie
