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“Are you guys together?”

I grimaced. “I’m not sure. We’re taking things really slow because of Joey. They already have a daughter we need to think about. We’ve had…moments. A few dates, but this changes things.”

“True, but they also have a pregnant omega they need to think about now. Oh! They have calzones here…” She trailed off, looking at the menu.

“They’re good,” I agreed.

“What are you going to do about work? I assume you’re not going to be able to teach on the ice much longer if you’re pregnant. And didn’t you already quit your barista job? Are your guys willing to support you? It’s the least they should be doing.”

A long-suffering sigh escaped my chest. “I’m not sure, honestly. I love skating, but it’s not recommended while pregnant because of the risk of falls. What would I even tell my students if they knew I was going on maternity leave? I’m sure I would lose all my clients, because who wants their child around a pregnant omega who has no pack? They’ll think I’m a terrible influence.”

Kennedy rolled her eyes. “Beth, you are the furthest thing from a bad influence. Your alphas should be willing to help, though.”

“Oh, they would—they’ve offered—but I’m not sure I want to accept. I’m basically the nanny they knocked up. Yes, we’ve gone on a few dates, but I’m still not sure where we stand. Can I really put all my faith in them?”

Our conversation paused for a moment as our food was delivered to our table. Kennedy cocked her head at me, her expression thoughtful.

“I’m not saying to put all your faith in them. Still keep your savings. Still keep yourself safe. But it wouldn’t hurt to start accepting more help from them,” Kennedy said as she cut into her calzone. “Are they still paying you for looking after Joey?”

I grimaced. That was a point of contention for me.

“They are, but I’m not sure how I feel about that. It feels kind of icky to be getting paid by the guys you’re sleeping with.”

Kennedy snorted. “That makes it sound like the weirdest prostitution ever. I totally see why that could be difficult, though.”

“Even if I stopped taking the money, they would make the money appear. They’re so stubborn about making sure I get paid for what I do. Sometimes I just want to take Joey for ice cream because she’s a sweet child and I want to spend time with her.”

Kennedy cocked her head to the side with a small smile. “How does it feel knowing that you’re going to be giving birth to her brother or sister in a few months?”

“Fucking terrifying,” I admitted, taking a swig of my soda. “You’ve told me enough horror stories about pregnancy that I am convinced this thing is going to destroy me.”

Kennedy giggled. “I’m not sorry. You need to be aware of what can happen. When I was pregnant with Charlotte, I had so many people telling me that birth was beautiful and easy and postpartum was a breeze.”

I distinctly remember Kennedy’s postpartum with Charlotte, and it was anything but a breeze. She had been on her own for the pregnancy and birth. I had wanted nothing more than to be there with her, but my family had insisted I come home for a few weeks.

Looking back, I deeply regretted going to my family instead of being there for my best friend.

“But it was so much easier with Samuel, right?”

“It was in a lot of ways.” She hummed in agreement. “With my pack around me, a lot of the baby work was eased, but my body was still a wreck. Unfortunately, no amount of help is going to stop your boobs from feeling like they’re going to fall off or your lady bits from burning up a storm.”

“Loving the reassurance here, Kennedy.” I chuckled before I nibbled at my pasta. It was delicious, but the topic of conversation had me feeling a bit queasy. I needed to know what was going to happen, though.

Kennedy shrugged. “You’ll be happy at the end that I was honest with you. I expect to get so many random texts from you over the next few months, asking if whatever symptom you’re having is normal. I would have killed to have someone I could text like that during my pregnancies.”

“I appreciate it. I really do. I’m just a bit overwhelmed. I hardly had any time for myself before, and now I’ve got to grow an entire human?”

“Something’s going to have to give.”

I glowered at her. “Sometimes I hate the fact that you’re right.”

She grinned. “It’s a gift, really.”

That evening, I was still mulling Kennedy’s words over in my mind. I knew she was right, that something had to give, but I had no idea what.

“You’re thinking awful hard there,” Jensen said as he found me sitting at the breakfast bar, planner in front of me. “Where’s Munchkin?”

“In the den, watching one of her animated movies. I’m just trying to schedule some things. Given this”—I gestured toward my stomach—“things need to shift.”