Page 88 of The Omega's Fake Mate

“Didn't you know you can't keep a secret in a place like Oceanport? Mind you, I don't know why you kept this a secret anyway.”

I broke away from him to throw my hands up in a frustrated gesture. “Because there was no point in telling you, anyway. Look at me, I would never have gotten that job. All I got was aninterview.Nobody hires a pregnant omega. Besides, I could hardly ask you to move to LA.”

“Why not?” His question sounded so sincere that I had to blink.

Was he honestly asking me that? Would he seriously have considered moving?

“Don't get me wrong,” he said. “I like living in Oceanport and I love my grandma's old store, but in the end, it's just a place. If it doesn't make you happy, it won't make me happy either. That's why I need to know these things. I think we both need to stop hiding stuff from each other.”

“You would move for me?” My brain had hung itself up on that point. “Leave your store behind?”

“I'm sure LA is just waiting for a store like Tall Tales to open its doors here,” he said with no small amount of mirth. “And I can write my books anywhere.”

“What about Betty?”

“There must be dog parks around here somewhere.”

Heavens, he was serious about this. He reallywasn'tlike other alphas. And he was right, he wasn't the only one who'd kept quiet when he should have opened his mouth. “You don't have to move. Really, I'd love to live in Oceanport with you.” And I loved the idea even more now that it was actually my choice. “I want our kid to grow up in Oceanport. I want him or her to wreck your bookstore when they start walking. I want them to wake up to the smell of the pine trees that grow outside the kitchen window.”

My alpha looked visibly relieved as I told him this. He would have moved to LA to be with me, but he didn't really want to. That made his resolve all the sweeter. “Do you still want to work on comics, though?” he asked.

I had to admit, I kind of did, but... “I guess the baby's gonna keep me busy enough when they're here.”

Zander shook his head. “That doesn't mean you have to give up your dreams. You shouldn't have to. Actually, I had an idea...” He pulled a stack of paper out of his bag. “Look at this,” he said, handing it to me.

“What is this?” I leaved through the pages. They had Zander's handwriting on them, along with some very basic stick-figure drawings. It almost looked like... “Is this a comic book script?”

“Yeah, it is.” Zander's hand went through his hair. “I don't know if it's any good. I was up all night just writing those few pages, but I figured that Young Adult book I wanted to write for omega kids? Why not turn it into a comic? Why shouldn't there be an omega super-hero, and why shouldn't you draw him? I'm sure we can get a deal with my publisher if we turn in a good sample.”

He eyes went back and forth between Zander and the paper in my hand. He'd written me a comic to draw. He'd written me anomega superhero.This was so fucking fantastic that I didn't know what to say. Except maybe...

Putting the paper aside, I fell to one knee in front of the alpha I loved so much it felt like my heart couldn't contain all of the emotion and just let it flow into every pore of me.

“What are you doing, Nick?”

“Like you don't recognize this pose by now.” I grinned at him, and then I took his hand. “Zander Cornelius Kerner, would you like to marry me? For real?”

Sadly, I didn't have a ring to propose with, but judging by the awe-struck look on Zander's face, that wasn't necessary to make him happy. “You mean it?”

“Well, I don't have a ring to give you, but I promise I'll be as loyal as an emperor penguin in love. Did you know those penguins bow to each other before sex?”

“I can't believe you've actually read that book. Or that you’re bringing it up now.”

“I'm always good for a surprise.”

“You are indeed.” Zander pulled me up by my hand and kissed me. “Of course I'll marry you.”

A smile found its way onto my lips and threatened to split my face apart. Right here with Zander, life was wonderful. “Then we're engaged! I never thought I'd be engaged.” I hugged my mate close to me, breathing in his earthy scent. “We need to get back to Oceanport and tell everyone.”

“Yeah, we do.” He let out a little laugh. “My parents will be so happy. Wait, we're not doing this to please them, are we?”

“Oh no, in fact, I think we should wait to get married until after the baby is born just to piss them off.”

Zander pulled me closer. “This is why I love you.”

I pressed a kiss on his lips. “Want to show me how much?” I teased, leading him toward my bedroom with one hand. “You know, I've never brought anyone back here.”

“Never?”