Grayson's Double Trouble

by Meg Bawden

  My heart’s pace picked up, dread filling my gut and making the illness worse. In my head, I already knew what was coming, but I hoped, prayed it was something else. I didn’t have the courage to look at Bristol when she said it.

  “I believe you may be pregnant. A serious epidemic in Cherry Hollow lately, it seems.”

  Oh fuck.

  Bristol

  I didn’t know what to do. I should have been supporting Grayson, but I was so captured by my own shock that I just sat there, holding his hand tightly as my brain processed the news.

  Pregnant.

  Pregnant.

  Pregnant.

  We’d already left the doctor’s office, and now we sat in Grayson’s living room in silence, Grayson staring into the unlit fireplace.

  Finally, I gathered myself enough to concentrate on his face, almost blank, except not quite. I saw the fear flicker across it, his skin paler than usual. Blair had messaged me about ten times, asking what happened, but I couldn’t bring myself to answer. I knew he’d be barging through the door soon, demanding answers, but until that time came, I could only offer my support to Grayson.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  Grayson made a noise, and it sounded almost strangled. “My PR team is going to kill me. Blair is going to kill me.”

  I’d grown to know him over the last month, and I knew he was worried about more than his image. I’d seen the same sort of shock in Blair’s face when the cops turned up at our door with the news about our parents’ accident. Grayson was focusing on the one thing he could grasp: his job. I knew what it felt to have your world spinning out of control, but I also knew there was nothing I could do but sit here and listen.

  “I never thought about having kids until later, when I was married. Fuck. What am I going to do?” He shoved himself to his feet and began pacing. “I fucked both of you. I don’t even know who the father is.”

  I leaned forward, elbows on my knees. “That’s okay, Gray. That’s fine. We can work this out. Together.”

  He fell back on the couch again and let his face drop into his palms. “This shouldn’t have happened. I was careful.”

  I rubbed soothing circles in the middle of his back, the rigidness in his body surprising me. Standing, I headed over to the stereo and turned on some jazz music, the kind I’d learned calmed him down. When I got back over to the couch and touched his back again, some of the tightness had bled away.

  “Sometimes it doesn’t matter how careful you are. Mistakes happen.”

  Grayson fell into me, and I curled my arms around his shoulders, dragging him closer. I kissed his head.

  “How are we going to tell Blair? He’s not ready to be a father.”

  “He doesn’t have to be,” I said hotly. The thought of my twin set me on edge. I could already imagine his reaction—the horror, before he’d turn his back and walk away, as he’d always done. That’s what Blair did best. He never confronted his issues head-on. “I’m not leaving your side, no matter what. If Blair wants to walk away, he can, but I’m gonna be here for you.”

  He tilted his head back and slanted his mouth over mine. I kissed him gently, lovingly, and he sighed against my lips. “Thank you.”

  The door slammed open, making us jump apart in surprise. Blair came storming in, Felix hot on his heels, cursing in Spanish. I knew enough to understand something about Blair being a rude bastard.

  He swooped around the couch and stopped in front of us. “Why the hell haven’t you been answering my texts? Are you too busy fucking or something?” He frowned between us.

  “Blair….”

  His gaze heated and his eyes narrowed. “What the hell were you doing?”

  “I’m pregnant.” The words came sharply from Grayson, his voice low, but still strong.

  It was enough to make Blair freeze, sharp stare on Grayson. The room was so quiet I could hear him breathing heavily through his nose. “What?”

  Grayson raised his chin and stood. His hands touched his stomach hesitantly. “I’m pregnant, Blair. I took my heat pills, but I also took antibiotics for strep. They canceled out my contraception. I didn’t realize it would happen because the nurse didn’t warn me. I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t need to apologize,” I said furiously, rising to stand beside him. I curled my arm around his waist and squeezed his hip. “It was an accident. Everything happens for a reason.”

  “Don’t start with your ‘everything happens for a reason’ bullshit,” Blair snapped. He strode toward me, and I rose to my full height, meeting his dominant stance. “You always go on about that shit. Things happen, Bristol, because humans make stupid errors of judgement.”

  “It wasn’t my intention to get knocked up.” Grayson clenched his jaw. “You know I don’t want kids yet. This wasn’t in my plan.”

  “Do you realize what this will do to your career and your image as mayor?” Blair threw his hands up in the air. “You’re not just fucking up your job here, Grayson, you’re fucking up mine too.”

  “Blair, stop it!” I growled. “It was an accident, and he’s not fucking up anyone’s job. You don’t have to be a part of this. I’ll take the responsibility. We don’t know who the father is anyway.”

  He snorted. “You’re a worse choice than I am. You’re nothing but a farmer, with no prestige in Cherry Hollow, and you’d do nothing for his image.”

  “Not everything has to be about image!”

  “Not for you, it doesn’t.” He laughed. “You’re a guy who likes to lock yourself away from everyone else. You’re always so willing to stand up and take responsibility, but you never ask anyone else what they want. Maybe they don’t want you to take charge, maybe they want to control their own life.”

  The room fell into silence, and I realized Blair wasn’t just talking about Grayson anymore. I rubbed Grayson’s shoulder and stepped around him, moving closer to Blair. “Is that why you left? Because you hated me taking control of the farm? I am the oldest, it was my duty.”

  Blair laughed again, but it sounded painful. “No, it wasn’t. Your duty was to be our brother, not try to replace Dad.” He held up his hands. “I’m not sticking around for this. If you two want to ruin your lives, do it on your own. I’m not taking responsibility.”

  He spun on his heel, heading straight to the door. I managed to get out, “You never do,” before he slammed it shut behind him.

  I watched him go, pushing down the urge to curse him. Turning to Grayson, I asked, “Are you okay?”

  He stared in the direction of the door, his face pale again and his lips pressed thinly together. “I shouldn’t be surprised by his reaction.”

  “Blair’s an ass.” I gathered Grayson in my arms again and hugged him. His body was warm against my own, his weight comforting. “He might come around.”

  “Do you think? He’s made it clear from the start that he wanted to fuck me, that’s it.”

  “Yeah, but he likes you. Trust me, I’ve seen Blair go through guys and girls before, but he’s got an attachment to you.” I stroked his cheek and reached down to touch his stomach.

  He stilled and stared at my hand. “It’s really happening. I’m pregnant.”

  “You are.” I kissed him on the mouth. “But Grayson, whatever happens, whatever you need, I’m here to support you.”

  “What about you?” he asked quietly. “Can you handle the media? They’ll want to talk to you, and they’ll ask too many questions.”

  “I can’t say I’d know how to handle it. I’ve never had to. Maybe your PR team can give me some hints.”

  He snorted and then laughed. “Blair’s professional and he wants me to stay as mayor. I have no doubt he’ll give you some pointers.”

  “Oh joy.”

  He laughed harder and let his forehead fall against my chest.

  Blair

  I slammed my first on my steering wheel, cursing myself and Grayson and Bristol and life. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, but it never did. I sta
red up at the large house in front of me, where I left them behind in my fit of anger and fear, but I couldn’t bring myself to start the Lamborghini and leave. I felt a pull of my heart that I couldn’t walk away from. As much as I hated to admit it, Bristol was still my brother, and Grayson had begun to chip away at my cold exterior.

  “Fuck.” I slammed my forehead against the wheel and opened the door again. Rising out of the low car, I headed back inside without knocking. This time the elderly gentleman didn’t try to stop me, but he did give me a disapproving stare.

  I found them leaning against each other, Grayson’s head on Bristol’s chest. It looked as if he might have been laughing, but I wasn’t quite sure. Grayson wiped at his wet eyes with the back of his hand and raised his chin. “I thought you left.”

  “I did.” I crossed my arms and stared at my feet. My skin crawled, and I resisted the urge to scratch the anxiety away. Fuck that. I was Blair Scott, I didn’t do anxiety. “I may have overreacted.”

  “You think?” Bristol glared and dragged Grayson close, as though me being in his presence would hurt him. I guess I had with my words.

  I rolled my eyes and let out a huff. “You dropped the news on me. You haven’t told me a thing all day, and I came home to find out you’re pregnant. How else was I supposed to react?”

  “Like a decent human being?” Those sharp words came from Grayson, surprising me into taking a step back. “I didn’t do this on purpose. You knew I wasn’t ready for kids.”

  “I know.” I gripped the back of my neck and sighed. I spied Bonita staring at me from the archway that led into the kitchen, hands on her hips and eyes full of a fire. “So why don’t you get an abortion?”

  Bristol’s glare intensified, and he looked at me with a kind of disappointment I hadn’t seen in his eyes before.

  “What? We’re adults with jobs and lives. We need to talk about options.” I shrugged unapologetically.

  Grayson sighed and kissed Bristol’s cheek, pulling away from his hold. Part of me felt a small twinge of jealousy. I wanted to be that comfortable with Grayson. “We do need to talk about options, but abortion isn’t one of them. I’ve made it clear I am about pro-choice, but I wouldn’t do that. I don’t want to do that.”

  “Is it about ethics? Or your ratings? We could keep it secret.”

  “He said he doesn’t want to abort the baby, Blair.” Bristol stepped closer to me, and I held up my hand.

  “Cool it, big man. I’m trying to juggle being one of his alphas as well as his PR representative here. You have to remember that he’s still the damn mayor of this town.”

  Grayson touched Bristol’s chest. It was enough to make him shrink back, as though one touch turned him from a raging monster to a big ol’ teddy bear. But that didn’t stop him from crossing his arms over his chest.

  “I don’t want to abort the baby because….” He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his ginger hair. “I want it.” Then his hand slipped down his chest and to his stomach, where he pressed his palm. “I want him or her. Trust me, it came as a shock to me too.”

  I should have been running for the hills, as far away from this media disaster as I could get, but the alpha side of me wouldn’t let me. Our omega was pregnant, and the least I could do was grow a set and be there for him. But fuck, the thought terrified me. Sticking around and dealing with emotions wasn’t what I was good at.

  “What do you say?” Bristol shifted closer, half between Grayson and me, but not in-between us. “You and I step up and be dads.”

  “Together?” I laughed. “We can’t even be brothers. How do you expect us to parent together? This isn’t exactly conventional, either. I can’t promise this won’t have negative impacts.” I looked at Grayson. “You’re risking your mayorship.”

  He stared down at where his hand was, at the nonexistent bump that’d grow in a few months. “I know, and that’s okay. I was never the typical candidate anyway.”

  I sighed, but it wasn’t in frustration as it should have been. I moved closer and gathered him in my arms, earning a wide-eyed look, and pulled him against me. Curling my arms around his waist, I kissed the corner of his lips. “All right.”

  “All right?” Bristol shifted in closer until he nearly touched us. “Does that mean you’re going to do this with us?”

  “Yeah.” I pursed my lips at him. “But we’re going to have to make some decisions. We can’t do this three-way-living thing. We’d mess the kid up.”

  “What do you suggest?” Grayson moved from my arms to Bristol’s, laying a kiss on his lips.

  I shrugged. “Maybe he can grow up on the farm. It’s a good place to raise a kid.”

  Bristol’s brows rose. “I did not expect you to suggest the farm.”

  I turned my back on him, heading closer to the unlit fireplace. On top of it sat some photos that caught my attention. They were mostly photos of Grayson and his parents. One of them had a young Grayson standing beside a much older boy, and it didn’t take much to work out it was his brother. They looked almost identical, except his brother’s red hair was darker, almost brunet compared to Grayson’s.

  “It’s the best place to raise a kid, away from the rich, spoiled brats and the bad influences of living near the town.”

  Grayson’s hands gripped my shoulders from behind, and I closed my eyes and leaned my cheek against the cool skin of his hand. Then Grayson cuddled closer, his chest against my back and his hands falling from my shoulders and wrapping around my waist. His soft coffee scent tickled my nose, and the alpha part of my brain picked up on what was happening—our omega was pregnant. Either Bristol or I had put a baby inside him, and something akin to pride swelled in my chest at the thought.

  “I agree. The farm’s the best place. It’s closer to nature,” Grayson whispered hotly in my ear.

  I leaned back against him. “Fuck, we’re in so much trouble.”

  “Probably, but it’ll be worth it.”

  I hoped so. He wasn’t the only one risking his job.

  ***

  “Blair, do you know what the mayor wants?” Todd strode quicker to meet my strides and straightened his jacket, as though that would make him look better. It wouldn’t. His clothes were hideous as usual, and he was a far cry from looking like the head of the PR team. I had no idea who he’d blackmailed to get it.

  “Maybe.” I smirked at him. “But if I did, I’m not telling you.” I winked at him, enjoying the indignant expression on his face far too much.

  He dropped back, grumbling something I had no doubt was an insult.

  We knocked when we got to Grayson’s office, and his personal assistant opened the door, smiling thinly as she gestured at us to come in. A few men and women were already inside, including some of Grayson’s right hands, the ones who worked hard to get him the position of mayor.

  Most stood around Grayson’s desk, waiting to hear the news, but a few stood in the corner, including our lawyer. She hovered near one of the brown wingback chairs positioned near the tall bookcase.

  A brunet around our age was talking furiously to Grayson, shaking his head with his hands flying in the air. Had Grayson told them already?

  As soon as he saw me, Grayson smiled and waved, standing from the chair behind his desk. Everyone in the room quieted, and Grayson clasped his hands in front of himself. His suit was impeccable, a perfect-fitting style for his slim, hard body, which I’d felt in the bed beside me last night and this morning. We’d spent the last week at his house, with Bristol too, and we came up with a game plan together. The announcement had to be done gently.

  “Thank you for coming,” Grayson said.

  Todd glared at me, but I chose to ignore it, focusing my attention on the delicious man in front of me. His ginger hair was fluffier this morning, as though he hadn’t bothered to brush it, but I knew firsthand he had. He just hadn’t added a copious amount of gel, and the natural look suited him.

  “I know most of you are wondering why you’re here. Some
wanted to know why you were here earlier than others.” He glanced at the man who’d been bent over next to him, and it took me a moment to recognize him as Grayson’s campaign manager. Henry. Harry. I didn’t even know his name, and I didn’t care to remember it, either. “But I thought it was only right to tell you together, as you’re all part of my team.”

  Everyone glanced around at one another, and I held back the urge to smirk again. I had no idea where this pride had come from, and it was hard to keep it off my face, as though I was pleased at my alpha prowess. There was a fifty percent chance I got the omega mayor of Cherry Hollow pregnant.

  “This may come as a surprise to most of you, if not all of you, but I have some news I wish to share.” He took a deep breath and his eyes flicked to the man standing beside him. “I’m pregnant.”

  The eerie silence extended longer than I expected, and then all hell broke loose.

  “Who’s the father?” This came from Poppins, the event coordinator and one of the less important people in the room.

  “Mr. Mayor, think of what this will do to your image.” Ah, I expected that from Samantha, our lawyer.

  “His image isn’t your job, Sam,” I interrupted but I was pointedly ignored.

  “Are you getting married?”

  “This is absurd! You should have consulted us first.”

  “What will this do to your ratings?”

  Todd was particularly loud, loud enough for me to hear his misogynistic bullshit about being an “omega role model to omegas who don’t want to follow their gender path.” I nearly punched him just for that.

  Grayson held up his hands, hushing them with a shh. “I know this has come out of the blue, and I understand your reservations. I assure you that this was not planned.”

  “If this wasn’t planned, we can still rectify the situation, Mr. Mayor,” Todd said, stepped forward and into the spotlight. He liked being there, as though he thought his importance should be recognized. On the grander scale, he was an ant, nothing more, as far as I was concerned.