Page 13 of Admiring His Omega (Hobson Hills Omegas #12)

“ T here should be a little white splotch on his left, front paw.” Mal pointed at the drawing so Harper Wilson could make another note. “Otherwise, the coloring is accurate. Oh, he’s going to be so cute.”

Harper smiled at him, the small gap between his front teeth a testament to his Wilson ancestry. Grammy Wilson had graced all her blood related children and grandchildren with a Lauren Huttonisque smile.

“I’ll have the carving for you by the end of the week, Mr. Reed. The armor will be the hardest part, so I’ll send you pictures as I progress.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course, sir.”

Mal’s own smile faltered. It felt wrong to have a man only a few years younger than him call him sir and mister. He left Harper’s house quickly, hoping not to run into another Wilson. He usually stuck close to the don’t-talk-to-a-Wilson rule, but Harper was the best woodworker Mal knew about.

He chuckled as he thought about the night before.

Cain had fit into Mal’s D I get my wine.” He shrugged. “No judgement.”

“Who would I be if I couldn’t judge?” Van looked sad.

He laughed. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

All laughter stopped when they both spotted Bianca at the door to his RV. The teenager was crying, eyes swollen, arms wrapped around herself.

“What’s wrong?” Van asked, out of the truck before it had even stopped.

“Mom,” she said, voice breaking.

Van wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her close.

Mal quickly parked the truck and ran to them. “Come inside. I’ll make some hot cocoa.”

Van and Bianca settled onto the couch while Mal let Betty out into the small, fenced space he had made for her next to his RV. The fencing was removable and made a nice temporary space for Betty to use the bathroom or get some sunshine.

Once the pig was settled, he went back inside and started making the cocoa. While he did, Bianca spoke through her sobs.

“He broke up with me,” she squeaked. “He said I was just a slut that was trying to break up his family.”

“Family?” Mal asked, his own voice rising. The stirring spoon dropped from his hand. “What does that mean? Do his parents not approve of you or something?”

“How old is this person?” Van asked, face turning red.

Bianca cried harder. “Mom, his age doesn’t matter. It’s just a number. I’m not telling you all who he is. He has a wife and kids. They don’t need you two making a scene. I don’t want to break up his family. I really don’t. I just want to be with him.”

“Bianca Lorraine Bell, you are sixteen years old. The age of this married man matters a great deal.” Van stood up and began pacing. “He has to be over eighteen, so his ass should be in jail.”

Mal went to his room and pulled Bianca’s favorite blanket out of the drawer beneath the bed. “Bianca, you’re not in trouble. We love you and always will.” His fingers shook as he wrapped it around her, bundling her up like a burrito before hugging her. Her own shaking calmed.

Van stopped pacing and squeezed onto the couch with them, hugging Bianca from the other side. “It will be alright, sweetheart. You’re not alone. We’re here. We love you.”

They stayed like that for a while, letting Bianca cry as long as she needed to. As her tears slowed, Mal wiggled out from their hug and went back to making hot cocoa. While he was at it, he made her favorite chocolate chip cookies too.

She took the plate of cookies and mug of cocoa from him. In seconds she had devoured two of the cookies and half the cocoa. “Maybe he was right,” she finally said. “Maybe I do mess things up.”

Van snorted. “I very much doubt that. Sweetheart, what happened? When did this start?”

“Last Christmas,” she whispered. “Right after Jen left. Mom, he’s the sweetest guy. He makes me feel special and beautiful. His age really doesn’t matter. He said he was going to leave his wife. She’s really not good for him and the kids. He said we’d get married and have kids of our own.”

“You’re too young to reasonably make those kinds of decisions,” Van said, voice soft and gentle.

“This man knows that. Some people will say anything to get a person to sleep with them. I don’t have to know the man’s name to know that he saw an innocent, beautiful girl and chose to manipulate her to get what he wanted. ”

“I’m not stupid.” She glared at them from the covers.

“No, you’re not,” Mal agreed, sitting on the floor in front of them. “You’re young. You’ve never dated anyone before. Your best friend just moved away, and you were lonely. There is nothing wrong with any of that. What’s wrong is that this man saw all that and used it against you.”

“He wouldn’t do that.”

“Why did he break up with you?” Van asked, switching gears.

Bianca began crying again. “I told him I was pregnant. He said I was a… a lying slut.” She sobbed against Mal’s shoulder. “I’m not lying and I’m not a sl…slut. He’s the only person I’ve ever been with. I thought he wanted a baby.”

“You’re pregnant?” Van’s eye twitched and Mal shook his head, silently telling her to stay cool.

“This man broke up with you because you’re pregnant,” Mal said, voice soothing. “That means he never wanted to marry you or start a family. He doesn’t deserve your tears.”

“He just has a lot going on right now.”

Van stole a cookie. “Rule one, sweetheart. Never make excuses for someone’s mistreatment of you. No matter what he has going on, yelling at you and calling you names isn’t right.”

Mal nodded. “When you’re in a relationship with someone, you both should be absolutely honest about what you want. This man said one thing, but clearly wanted something else. How did you spend most of your time together?”

Bianca’s face turned red. “It wasn’t just about sex.”

“There’s our answer.” Mal sighed.

Bianca was quiet for a while. She ate her cookies and drank her cocoa, clearly exhausted.

“How far along are you?” Van asked, breaking the silence.

“Three months.” Bianca bundled back into the blanket. “He doesn’t want the baby. I can’t raise a kid all by myself. What am I going to do Mom?”

“Think about what you want,” Van answered.

“Spend a little time imagining yourself raising a baby while going to high school and college, because you’re going to college.

You have options, but it is your choice.

If you want an abortion Mal and I will drive you to the clinic ourselves. If you want the child, I’m right here.”

“ We’re right here,” Mal corrected. “I can stay in Hobson Hills as long as you need me to. I love kids.”

“Options,” Bianca whispered. “What options do I really have? I don’t want an abortion. I don’t want to raise the baby without its father.”

“Then adoption.” Van hugged her. “We can find a nice couple to adopt the baby.”

Bianca nodded, looking relieved. “Yeah, I like that idea.”

With somewhat of a plan, Bianca quickly fell asleep on the couch. Van and Mal went to his room, shutting the door behind them. Truffle looked up, glaring at them for waking him from his nap.

“I’m so angry,” Van said, voice low. “I want this man in jail for taking advantage of my daughter. I want to scream at her for dating an older man, a married man, a man with fucking kids. I also want to scream at him for breaking her heart. Damn it, Mal. What are we going to do?”

Mal hugged her. “Exactly what we told Bianca. We’re going to be here for her and support the choices she makes about the baby. However, as soon as we know who the man is, we will file charges. I don’t care how old he is. He’s clearly a predator.”

Van nodded. “Yes. We’ll do that.” She gave him a relieved look. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m glad you invited me to be part of your family.” He smiled softly. “I’ll stay here with you all. Cain will be living here anyway. It’s time I settle down, especially when my best friend and the daughter of my heart need me.”

“Is Cain coming this weekend?”

Mal winced. “He won’t be coming back until the trial is over. The villains have people following him, and he doesn’t want to lead them to Roe.”

“Go see him.” Van patted his back. “We’ll take care of Betty and Truffle. Go see him this weekend. You both need it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She eyed him. “Do you know who Bianca thinks the best father in the entire world is?”

“Marco or Bennett Wilson?”

She shook her head. “You. She thinks you are the absolute best. Who do think she will want to adopt the baby?”

His eyes widened and he pointed at himself. “Me?”

“Just be prepared if she asks. Talk to Cain.”

Mal grabbed his phone. “I’ll book a flight now.”