Alpha’s Baby(67)

“Don’t you have goals?” my mom demanded when I didn’t answer. “Dreams? Aspirations? Just because a bunch of boys gave you a hard time at college, doesn’t mean you have to give up on life.”

“I know, Mom.”

“So help me understand what is going on, Bella. Since you’ve been back, you and Stefan seemed to be stuck together like glue. Had he not gotten the job working for Terry, I don’t know what we would've done to separate you two.”

“Let's not talk about this right now, Mom. I don't want to argue with you.” I’d come to offer her support. Now I wish I’d never stepped in her room. Stefan was right—I was only asking for more trouble.

My mom glared at me. “Why does it seem like everyone in this damn house is hiding secrets from me, huh?”

“I’m going to go, Mom,” I said softly. “I have some packing to do.”

“Bella, I’m not done talking with you, young woman!”

“Bella!”

Hardening my heart, I walked out of the bedroom.





Chapter 31





Bella





“Open your eyes,” Stefan said, removing his hands from in front of my shades.

“Oh my God, it’s beautiful!” I exclaimed to Stefan, stepping through the doorway.

Tears filled my eyes at the sight before me.

It was a beautiful one-bedroom, one-bath studio with cream-colored walls and matching carpet, and a small kitchen and stove. It wouldn’t have taken much to make me happy, but it really was a nice place.

The fresh smell of paint filled my nostrils as I looked over at Stefan. “I love it!”

Stefan stuck his hands into his pockets and grinned as he surveyed the room with me. He looked quite handsome, as usual, dressed in blue jeans and a freshly ironed, white South State University t-shirt. He had an SSU hat on, turned backward. “I knew you would. The first and last was cheap enough on this place that I have just enough for us to survive until I find a job.”

I ran into his arms. “I’m so happy!” I crowed. For a moment, I almost forgot about all the issues facing us, basking in joy at having our first place together.

Stefan squeezed me lightly, peering down at me. “Didn’t I tell you I would come through for us?”

“Yes, you sure did.”

He kissed me hard on the lips, leaving me breathless. “And I’m going to continue to do so, no matter what happens. Don’t ever doubt me.”

“I won’t,” I said, flashing him a hopeful smile.



“I got a job!” announced Stefan. He was in our small living room, sitting on the cream-colored couch, one we had purchased with a newly opened credit account at a nearby furniture store, his laptop perched on the coffee table in front of him.

“That’s wonderful, Stefan!” I called over the sizzle of bacon. I was in the kitchen, cooking Stefan a breakfast consisting of sausage, bacon, and eggs. It was a morning routine I’d taken up as soon as we had moved in, and I found that it filled me with a sense of domesticated joy.

It had been nearly two weeks since we moved in, and I couldn’t have been happier. That wasn’t to say the transition had been all roses, but it was truly a joy being able to wake up next to him. The best, though, was that we made love every night without worry of anyone walking in on us.

Back when we moved in, Stefan rented a moving truck and hired someone to help him move some of our furniture from back home into our new place. When I tried to come along, he told me to stay at the apartment because he expected trouble from our parents. Instead, he told me to give him a list of things that I wanted from the house and he’d get it.

Sure enough, when he got there, Terry had been waiting for him. The two had an exchange of words, but apparently, it hadn't gotten too bad. Even still, since then, we’d tried to keep our distance from our parents as best we could.

The only thing that bothered me was deserting my mom when she was having marital problems. But I would no doubt start to show soon, and even if I didn't, she may pick up on it some other way.

“What kind of job is it?” I asked as I turned the burner off and piled the bacon and sausage along with the eggs onto a plate.

“Modeling,” Stefan replied.

My heart fell in my throat as I poured a glass of orange juice. “Modeling?”

“Yeah. I’ll be modeling for a company that sells their apparel from fashion magazines and catalogues.”

“What kind of modeling?”

Stefan cleared his throat. “Clothing and underwear.”

I guess I should feel proud that he was mine, but I couldn't help but feel a little jealousy too. If Stefan was going to be taking sexy pictures for some magazine, there was no telling how many girls would end up ogling his body.