(BL)Alpha Made
Chapter 175: Let me brag about you

Chapter 175: Let me brag about you

"Maria seems nice. I’ll have to let Ben know that they are family oriented. He needs more people like that around him, especially going into the future." Maxwell muttered quietly and Andrew snorted.

"Well, he’d probably like them. Zack takes a bit to warm up to. I was especially testy with him when he got Maria pregnant and then panicked because of his family, but everything worked out. Zack’s Father loves Maria, and who couldn’t? She’s compact, blonde, blue eyed, and as cute as a damn button. It’s no wonder that Zack wanted to keep her, but I didn’t like how he went about it." Andrew told Maxwell, and Maxwell hummed.

"Interesting. I probably will get along with Zack quite well then. I too, want to tuck you away where no one else can find you." Andrew felt his cheeks warm.

"Max." Andrew protested. "You can’t say stuff like that in public. I’ll get embarrassed." Maxwell chuckled, and Andrew realised that several of the parents were glancing at them, especially once Maxwell started talking.

Maxwell, who also noticed this, seemed to be quite smug about it. The manager was busy chatting to a few of the employees, but kept glancing at them. It was clear that she wanted to chase them out, but clearly didn’t want to upset Maria, who was one of her clients.

Speaking of, Maria came over with a little boy bundled up for the cold weather. He had Zack’s brown eyes, but Maria’s blonde hair. Little ringlets were peeking out from the snow suit he was wearing and Andrew felt his heart melt. Maria huffed, but looked tickled to be carrying him around. Her purse hung from one arm, Hewett in the other.

"Andy, Max, meet little Hewett. Isn’t he just adorable? Sweet as a flower, most times, except when I’m late picking him up." She gave a light laugh, staring at the small boy who hadn’t taken his eyes off of Andrew.

Andrew swallowed, smiling at the little boy before he stuck his arms out. It was a universal sign, but Maria seemed shocked.

"What does he want?" Max asked, and it was clear to everyone that he hadn’t been around children before. Andrew glanced at Maria.

"Is that okay?" He asked carefully and Maria beamed.

"Of course it’s okay! I’m just shocked since Hewett is the shiest of our kids. Of course he would recognise that Andy is one of the best people with kids. Babies, especially." Andrew flushed at the compliments and hesitantly stepped towards Hewett. He held out his arms for the boy, who practically jumped from his Mom’s arms to his.

Catching the smaller boy, Andrew adjusted his grip on him until he was wrapped safely in his arms, and Hewett let out a loud sniff before he tucked his face against Andrew’s neck, nuzzling in. Andrew and Maria melted. Maria placed her hand over her heart, before she reached into her purse.

"Is it alright if I take a photo, Andy? I want to brag to Zack about meeting you again and how quickly Hewett took to you." Andrew nodded, a soft, mushy feeling in his chest.

"Of course you can. He’s your child." He told her and Maria laughed.

"Well, if his skin was a little darker, some might think he was yours. He’s so taken with you Andy. I’m not trying to toot your horn, but Hewett really doesn’t act like this with others." Maria told him and Andrew smiled down at the small, warm body pressed against him.

"Don’t tell Zack that. He’ll get jealous. I know he thought that there was something between us besides friendship." Maria’s smile reached her eyes as she snapped a few photos.

"Oh, Max! Share your phone number with me and I’ll send these photos to you. Andy looks adorable in these, and I’m sure this’ll get that baby clock ticking." Maria said with a wink. Maxwell laughed, pulling out his phone before carefully pulling off his gloves revealing his light, pale skin. Maria blinked, before she set to work.

In mere seconds, Maria had Maxwell’s phone number, and Maxwell had hers.

"Oh perfect! You gave me your last name too! Maxwell Bec-" Maria cut off, her jaw dropping. "M-Maxwell Beckett?" Her voice had raised an octave, and Maxwell unraveled the scarf from his neck, finally revealing his face. Maria’s whole demeanour changed, along with everyone else in the room.

Andrew, who was still holding on to little Hewett, sighed.

"The one and only. Thank you for sharing the photos, Maria. They are quite cute. My Mother is going to love to see these, along with Kim, Andy." Andrew flushed.

"Oh damn it. She’s going to be terrible." Max laughed.

"I’m more worried about Jenny. She seems like she’s the calmer head, but I doubt she’ll be calm about seeing a mini me when it comes to you. You have no idea who much she talked my ear off at your celebration party about you as a baby. Speaking of, I have several compromising photos of you in my possession from Jenny." Andrew felt the colour fade from his face while everyone else around them started panicking.

Maria, thankfully, composed herself quickly. Maybe it was because of the way the two of them interacted, but she reached out and smacked Andrew’s shoulder. The side away from her child, for obvious reasons.

"Andrew Knox! You made me look like an idiot! Why didn’t you say he was Maxwell Beckett?" Maria whispered angrily, but it was clear that Maxwell could still hear her. His grin said as much. Andrew shrugged.

"Because he’s not Maxwell Beckett to me? He’s just Max. My very successful and powerful boyfriend who makes me very proud." Andrew boasted, and it was Maxwell’s turn to blush. Andrew was sure his ears had to be burning. Maria’s whole expression softened and she smacked his shoulder again, but much lighter.

"Awe. That’s so sweet, Andy. You big softie!" Maria turned to Maxwell, taking one of his free hands in hers, giving it a squeeze. "I’m sorry for my reaction, Max. It was just such a shock. Andy’s right, you are just a person." Maria smiled at him warmly and Maxwell sighed.

"No wonder you’re friends with Andy. You’re about as soft as he is." Maxwell told her and she flushed. "And I wasn’t worried in the slightest, Maria. I know the weight of my family name, which is the reason sometimes we use Andrew’s. But, I doubt that that is going to last for long." Maria gasped.

"Are you discussing marriage?" She asked, her voice a whisper and Andrew started coughing. Maxwell grinned.

"Well, it’s too soon, but that’s not what I mean. Andrew might be even richer than I am." Maria gasped, and Andrew started grumbling, his face burning.

"That’s not true. I can’t be richer than you, Max. Or your family." Maxwell shrugged.

"Hey, you don’t know that. You barely looked through what your Mother left you. I made sure to read everything, along with Mr. Newman. You own a lot, Andy. Your Mom wasn’t just an accountant or a florist. She should have been adopted by the main family. It, at the very least, would have made Kim your real aunt. She would love that." Maxwell said. Andrew could tell that Maria was getting lost, but the people around them were eating this up.

The manager looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Wait, main family? Are you part of...a rich family, Andy? You always hated that kind of stuff." Andrew chuckled, turning his attention to Hewett since he was embarrassed.

"I only found out recently, but yes. My Mom was from a branch family, but she was close to the main family. I think Kim is the heir, but I also haven’t asked about that either." Andrew shrugged while Maria’s expression was contemplative.

"You keep saying Kim. Kim who, Andy?" Maria asked and Maxwell slid a glance towards the manager, smirking.

"Oh, we’re speaking of Kim Proctor, of the A & D Firm? Actually, the firm is named after Andy and his Mom." Andrew’s whole face flushed as Maria gasped so loud he was worried about her health. She wasn’t the only one. Several of the parents, nannies, and employees looked over at him like he was a golden goose.

The manager? The woman who had yelled at him and treated him like shit? She practically collapsed. Maxwell had a shit eating grin on his face.

"Max, that’s not really important, is it?" Maxwell snorted.

"Not important? Andy, you have to shift your way of thinking. You own so much of the land in this area that on that alone you could make a killing. That doesn’t even count the company your Mom built with your aunt, and all the shares she gave you in said company." Andrew was embarrassed, while Maria seemed to be tearing up.

"Wait, Andy, the way Max is speaking...did your Mom...?" A slight sting in Andrew’s chest at Maria’s concerns made Andrew nod slowly.

"Yeah. She didn’t make it." Andrew told her and Maria’s eyes began to spill over.

"Oh Andy. I’m so sorry. She was such a sweet lady the few times I met her." Andrew felt a lump form in his throat and Maxwell realised that Maria had met Andrew’s Mom.

"You were able to meet her?" Maxwell asked carefully and Maria nodded.

"Yeah. She helped me manage my pheromones when I first got pregnant. She was so thoughtful. I had no idea she was doing so much behind the scenes for you. No wonder she was so busy." Maxwell, who had tensed, relaxed and nodded.

"Yeah. From the files, it appears as if she did most of it when Andy was just a kid. Makes sense. There were some...discrepancies around when Andy was a kid and a few families went under and had to list their land for sale to recover. They had gotten bought up by a third party, and it turned out that it was the A & D Firm. She had big plans for her little boy." Maxwell’s smile met his eyes. "I’m sure Ms. Knox would be very proud of the man that Andrew has grown into while she’s been gone." Maxwell bragged and Andrew gulped.

Uh oh. He had to work to control his pheromones as his emotions raged.

"Max. I’m still a baby when it comes to my pheromones. Please don’t make me want to cry." Andrew sniffed, clinging onto the small boy in his arms. Maria laughed wetly, wiping her own eyes.

"That settles it. I’m going to call Zack and tell him he needs to get his butt over here to the coffee shop next door to meet you. I need to hear everything, including how you two met. Hewett, baby, come back to Mommy?" Maria asked, holding out her arms.

Hewett took a long, long moment to consider it, before he reluctantly moved back to his Mom’s arms. Maria shook her head, laughing.

"You’ve already charmed him, Andy. Don’t take my son away from me, alright?" Maria warned and Maxwell laughed.

"He’s like that around some kids. I think they just know instinctively that they’re safe with him." Maxwell added. "You should consider pediatrics, Andy." Maxwell teased and Andrew covered his face.

"Max, please, stop teasing me. I’m not sure my heart can take it." Andrew protested, his words only half meant. Seeing Maxwell interact with Maria and his son filled something warm in his chest. Especially after the interaction they’d just had with the manager.

Speaking of, as Maria had her back turned, Andrew heard a pitiful voice speak up behind him.

"D-D-D-Dr. Knox? You aren’t going to...tell Mrs. Proctor about our interaction, are you?"