(BL)Alpha Made
Chapter 315: It’s just a small spiral

Chapter 315: It’s just a small spiral

"So? You never answered. What’s in the bag?" Kim asked again.

They had all gotten drinks and had settled down at a few of the tiled table tops in the cafe. They had pulled some tables together so that everyone could be around each other. Kailey was drinking a drink that rivaled Amir’s obsession drink and the pregnant man was eyeing it up with great interest.

Amir’s grandmother was drinking straight black coffee, as he had done in the cafe before this, while Andrew was on the Amir bandwagon. Drinking something that was barely considered coffee in some schools of thought.

Maria was drinking a latte and Zack was drinking a normal coffee. Kim and Jenny were drinking the same thing, matcha lattes. Kim’s was chilled while Jenny’s was warm.

The bag was in the center of the tables, a glaringly expensive purchase that had Andrew sighing.

"Well, our jeweler was so nice that I felt like I had to buy something." Andrew said and Amir giggled.

"So he bought a pretty expensive item. Something that hopefully will look good on Max. Though we’ll never see it." Andrew’s face heated at Amir’s sly comment. Maria nearly choked as she had been mid sip. She tried her best not to spit it out while Jenny’s face warmed and Kim laughed.

"Oh? What did you get, Andy?" Kim was even more excited and Andrew sighed. He might as well just tell them.

"I got an anklet. I thought the most expensive one would be like, $2 000." Andrew admitted and Amir laughed.

"He paid ten times that." Amir told them, giddy. Kim looked shocked, but not as shocked as Andrew would have liked. Even Jenny didn’t bat an eye.

"At least Kim waited until we were married 3 years before she gifted me an anklet. You younger folk surprise me." Jenny said before taking a sip of her latte. Andrew started coughing, not expecting that kind of response from Jenny of all people. Her cheeks were slightly pink, but she had a sparkle in her eyes that made Andrew know she was teasing him.

"Jenny, that wasn’t my intention when I bought the anklet! I really wasn’t-"

"-Yes. These young folk are so bold." Amir’s grandmother cut Andrew off while he was trying to defend himself, a sparkle in his eye as well. Andrew gave up, knowing he wasn’t going to win, and just turned to his drink taking a long, drawn out sip.

Everyone was smiling, laughing at Andrew and his pain. He couldn’t exactly blame them, and he wasn’t upset. He was just unused to this kind of treatment.

"So? What else were you up to? You wouldn’t normally dress up like this just to go to a jewelry store. This also doesn’t seem like a you outfit, Andy." Kim said. Andrew flushed. He knew it wasn’t like him, but to have it pointed out like that? It was a little bit embarrassing.

"Max helped me get dressed. I went to talk to my Mom. Seemed right since we started the process of looking for a ring for Maxwell." Kim’s eyes widened, as did Jenny’s, before both women softened. Jenny reached for Andrew’s hands across two tables, half standing up and she squeezed them.

"Oh Andy. That’s sweet. Did you tell her about him?" She asked, her eyes kind and Andrew swallowed.

"Yeah. I did. I thought it was the right thing to do before I brought him over to greet her. Plus, he’s been helping to take care of her, so it was only right." He scoffed. "What kind of child would I be if I didn’t brag about my partner before I brought them over for my Mom to meet?" Andrew’s smile met his eyes, even if it was a little sad and Kim nodded.

"Yes. You made the right call. She’d be pissed if you didn’t brag about him at least once to her. She’d give him the third degree too." She told Andrew and he chuckled Maria spoke up.

"She would not! Don’t scare Andy like that. Your Mom would just be happy that you found someone who you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. She wouldn’t care, but she would probably like that Max doesn’t hide how much he likes you, and wants to flaunt that he’s dating you to everyone who will listen. I know you don’t read magazines, but you’re a big deal. People are noticing that Max is taken and are wondering who the handsome man that has a claim to him is." Maria wiggled her eyebrows. "The talk of the city is the Beckett family Christmas party. Everyone wonders if he’s going to attend."

Andrew felt like a weight had suddenly been placed on his shoulders.

"Uh oh." Andrew said out loud, quietly, and that had most of them laughing at the table. Amir patted his arm.

"It’s okay Andy. No one that matters is going to bother you. Yes, there will probably be members of the press there, but if we tell them to keep your face blurred, it will be." Amir’s grandmother, along with Kim were a little less jovial.

They knew who Andrew’s father was, and probably could tell that Andrew was slowly beginning to spiral.

He wasn’t an idiot. He knew that being involved with Maxwell would mean that he would be in the public eye. That part didn’t bother him. He didn’t ever want Maxwell to think that he wanted to hide his relationship with Maxwell. He knew what that felt like, and while the outcome would not be the same, he just didn’t want Maxwell to feel the way that he had.

With that said, he also had been out of the sight of his father’s eyes and his father’s family’s eyes for a long time. Since before he was a teen. He would now, with being on Maxwell’s arm, be declaring not only was he alive, but he was what they wanted him to be. Andrew had no doubt about that.

His Mom had always told him he looked like his father, and he was sure that others would be able to connect the dots eventually. Doing so at what he was learning was the hottest party for the end of the year, or close to, told him that he was basically coming in with a splash.

He was sure the reason Maxwell hadn’t warned him, or made a big deal out of it was so he didn’t get stressed like he currently was.

Fumbling, Andrew dug through his jacket pocket until he found the little square that smelled like Maxwell and held it up to his nose. Everyone pretended that this was completely normal, letting Andrew calm himself down as he continued to work himself up, but with the scent of Maxwell to soothe him.

He was sure that the Becketts wouldn’t actually invite his father. He had a feeling that they knew who it was, especially since they were so good at digging up information and he told them he was fine with them finding out.

He was just...afraid. Afraid of how he would react. If he would let his Mom down. If he was going to be like the small boy he had been when his father left for the last time, without a glance back. Andrew tried to forget how much that had hurt. Tried to say that it didn’t matter.

Everyone knew that was a lie, including himself.

"Andy? Are you okay going to the party?" It was Amir. When Andrew turned to look at him, his big eyes were soft, warm. Like he would accept whatever answer Andrew gave. Andrew let out a shuddering sigh, his frame shaking for a second as he took another deep inhale from the small cloth before he shoved it back into his pocket.

"I am." Andrew confirmed, firming his resolve. "I can do it." Andrew said. "I’ve left the house without Max for the second time, and I did okay at the wedding too. I can do this. It’s okay. I don’t mind if people know me. It’ll make me...a harder target." Andrew said and Amir’s expression softened. Jenny sat back in her seat with a soft sigh.

"That’s right. Your Mom would be so proud of you for standing up for yourself after everything you went through. Kim and I will always protect you, and if that-" She cut herself off, remembering that there were little ears around. "If anyone from that family shows up, I’ll deal with them." It was honestly more threatening to hear it from Jenny’s lips then to hear it from Kim’s.

"And you have me as well." Amir’s grandmother said. "We won’t let those slimy leeches near you." His voice was firm, filled with disgust. Andrew laughed. This was supposed to be a nice conversation, not one where everyone was promising to protect him like he was a mob boss and they were his loyal vessels.

If anyone, that should happen to Maxwell, given his family history.

"Thank you everyone. I appreciate your offers of help and I will probably take you up on it." Andrew said. "Do people often crash a party run by the Beckett’s?" Andrew asked and Amir made a face.

"It’s happened." He said, his eyes turning hard. Kim and Jenny shrugged.

"A few times. That’s also why security is so strong as well." Kim said. "But you’ll be fine. I’m sure the security team will be briefed on who to let in and who not to let in. Unless they use their true alpha pheromones to overwhelm them. If it comes to that, well, you are given free reign to put them in their place." Kim said, a dark smile on her lips. "I think that would be a worthwhile thing for you to do. Not only show you don’t need their damn name, but that you are everything they wanted, but overlooked." Andrew felt like Kim might have been projecting, just a bit. From the way that Jenny grabbed her hand, he was sure she felt the same.

Andrew’s phone vibrated and he glanced down. Maxwell was back from the hospital and everything was good. As far as he and the Doctor could tell, everything was okay. He didn’t want to tell the rest over text, so he should come home as soon as he could. No bad news though.

Andrew’s smile touched his eyes when he looked up and everyone already knew who had messaged him.

"Go on, lover boy. Go to your soon to be fiancé and give him a hug for us." Kim said and everyone agreed.

"Have fun! Make sure to keep in touch." Jenny warned and Andrew nodded as he grabbed the bag, getting to his feet.

"Thank you for accompanying me today." Andrew told the two who had been by his side all afternoon. Amir’s grandmother waved a dismissive hand.

"No thanks needed. Just make sure to let me know what your thoughts are. You still have the websites?" Andrew nodded and he reached up, squeezing Andrew’s cheek. "Be a good boy. Amir will let me know if you’ve been bad." He warned and Andrew grinned. Amir stood up, giving Andrew a hug.

"Have a good night." Amir told him warmly. "You’ll let me know when you decide on a ring, right?" He asked and Andrew nodded.

"I want to be included in that!" Maria butt in, and Andrew chuckled.

"I guess I can let you know." He huffed, rolling his eyes before giving Maria and Zack a hug. Kailey wasn’t so sure, and that was fine. He respected her wishes before he gave Kim and Jenny a hug and headed out. Back home to his lovely boyfriend.