Andrew nervously tapped the steering wheel as he drove. The radio filled the quiet in the car as he headed downtown, Maxwell in the passenger seat.
Today they were going to see what was left of what his Mom had created.
Andrew was excited, but nervous.
He hadn’t t Mrs. Proctor in years, and he worried that he might not recognise her. He was also worried about what his response to her might be. He hadn’t t another true alpha yet in person, but thankfully he’d had another therapy eting before this and the group had soothed him. Especially the instructor.
Apparently, it was like eting any of the other people who had secondary sexes. As long as no one was in heat or rut, and both parties were able to control most of their pheromones, it should be a normal eting. It might be a different story if the true alpha had soone else’s heat pheromones on them, but most were quite sensitive to sll and did their best not to bother others.
Unless they were an asshole, then all bets were off.
The handkerchief in Andrew’s pocket burned, along with his cheeks.
"What has your face that colour?" Maxwell asked from his spot, working away on a little laptop that he’d brought for the drive in. Andrew glanced in his direction, taking in his slightly hunched shoulders and the way a few strands of hair blocked his view of his face. He looked important, focused, and Andrew had to swallow hard and glance back to the road.
"Oh, uh, nothing. Just nerves." Andrew told him, smiling tightly. Maxwell chuckled.
"Should I be offended for my family’s sake that you weren’t as nervous eting them as you are eting soone you’ve already t?" Maxwell teased, and Andrew flushed.
"Well, I kind of knew what I was walking into with your family. I have no idea about Mrs. Proctor." Andrew protested, defending himself. Maxwell chuckled again.
"You knew what to expect huh? How about I predict how this eting is going to go then?" Andrew glanced at him and found Maxwell staring at him, his blue eyes sparkling. "This Mrs. Proctor is going to be very possessive of you, and it will be clear that she adores you. She’s going to want to give you everything involved with the company. She’ll chat up a storm about your Mom, and she will probably glare at the whole ti." Andrew blinked, opened his mouth, and then closed it in shock.
He...had been thinking along the sa lines if he was honest, but he just hadn’t said anything. Maxwell laughed.
"From your silence, I take it either you’re surprised that I’d think that far, or surprised I guessed so well." Maxwell said proudly. "Co on Baby. Do you think this is my first ti?" Maxwell’s voice was light, teasing, and full of mirth. Andrew felt his shoulders relax just hearing Maxwell in such a good mood.
"I just didn’t want to put any expectations on it." Andrew muttered quietly and felt Maxwell pat his shoulder.
"Then think nothing of what I’ve said. Pretend I said nothing at all. I didn’t voice any of the things you were thinking she was going to do." Andrew pulled to a stop at a light and felt Maxwell’s gaze on him. Turning, he was surprised when Maxwell pressed a kiss against his lips. When he pulled back, Maxwell was grinning at him, full of mischief. "You’re so stiff it’s like I’m in the car with a statue. You really are more nervous than eting my parents." Maxwell laughed as Andrew flushed.
He really hadn’t been expecting Maxwell to kiss him, or to laugh like that outside of their house. Andrew knew his face had to be bright red, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. Maxwell teasing him like this? He adored. But he wasn’t sure he could handle such teasing right before he had to maintain a normal level for his pheromones.
He was already semi-hard in his pants.
"Max, I-" Andrew cut off his own words as the address he was supposed to pull into ca into view. All words left him as Maxwell chuckled beside him.
"What a great legacy she left you, hmm?" Maxwell’s voice held so much pride and humour in it, while Andrew was gobsmacked. He barely rembered to put on his signal and pull into the small above ground parking lot.
Andrew called it small but that was because most of the spots were reserved, and there was a parking lot under the building. A small overhang, like you would find at a hotel, was at the front of the building taking up more of the small area. Several well maintained potted plants, and with benches decorated what was normally a cent-filled downtown core.
It was a ten story building with just the letters in huge, bold blue writing ’A and D Firm’ along the side. Everyone knew who owned and worked in this building. When Andrew rembered it from his childhood, it was in a modest four storey building and only took up one floor, not even. His Mom had to fight with the landlord at the ti to be allowed to get the tables that she wanted into the building since they were too large to fit into the building normally.
He had not anticipated this. And this was the main building? Why did the main building of an accounting firm have the feel of a hotel? What the fuck had happened in the years after his Mom had passed?
Andrew ca to a crawl before he ca to a stop under the overhang. He had no idea what to do in this situation.
That was when he caught sight of a tall, fit woman with long, auburn hair peppered with silver pacing in front of the doors. She was wearing a full pantsuit, all in black with a small, pink hydrangea in her suit pocket. Even from here Andrew could tell what it was since they were so distinctive. She looked her age, but she was aging gracefully. Andrew wondered if his Mom would have done the sa.
Putting the car into park, Andrew took one deep, calming breath, before he exhaled slowly. The sound of Maxwell taking off his seatbelt filled the air as he twisted and put his laptop into the back seat. When Andrew t his gaze, Maxwell’s eyes were tender, his smile slight, but it did sothing inside of him.
"Are you ready?" He asked, grabbing Andrew’s hand and giving it a squeeze. Andrew adjusted his glasses before he nodded, and the two exited the car.
As soon as the door opened, the woman pacing in front of the entrance gasped, before she moved quickly towards them. She stopped with a jerk before Andrew, and it was clear she had been about to throw herself at him in a hug. Andrew laughed, opening his arms to her and she didn’t hesitate a second longer. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly, firmly, and Andrew did his best not to cry.
"It is so, so good to see you Andrew." She whispered, her own voice choked up with emotion. Andrew wasn’t any better. He hugged this woman who had been clearly supporting his Mom even in her death without her knowledge, who had been thinking about him all this ti, and felt his own throat tense.
"Most people who know call Andy." He told her and her shoulders shook. Andrew worried it was because she was crying. When she tilted her head back to look at him, her height was not quite a match for Andrew’s, but not as drastic as Maxwell’s. Andrew found out the truth. She was laughing.
"That’s not the first ti you’ve said that to ." She told him warmly, her smile brightening her expression and turning her into a beautiful woman. Andrew felt his shoulders relax.
"I’m sorry I don’t rember it." Andrew told her, and she shook her head, smiling. She pulled away, looking Andrew over with a smile. Proud. She was very, very proud of him, and it oozed off of her. She placed her hand under her chin, clearly scanning him over.
"It’s alright, Andy. I’m fine being the only one to rember. You had so much going on as a child that I’m not surprised. I’m surprised you even rember your childhood. But look at you! You’ve grown so well! Your Mother used to show photos of you shooting up to the heavens, but here you are in the flesh." Andrew grew embarrassed. It felt like he was with an older relative he hadn’t seen in a while.
"Michael says I’m going to get taller." Her light green eyes widened, before they softened.
"That makes sense. I didn’t even think about that. My god, you’re going to tower over everyone. How is your partner even going to manage?" She muttered, and Maxwell’s soft, lilting chuckle filled the air.
"I will sohow manage, I believe." Mrs. Proctor spun, turning to et Maxwell who offered his hand with a warm smile, his other holding the rather large bouquet Maxwell had selected and made. It was twice the size of the one Andrew had brought to Maxwell’s parents house, but Maxwell had been insistent. Andrew had done it within his ans, so Maxwell had to do the sa.
"Ah. Mr. Beckett. It’s nice to finally et you. I’ve heard so much about you from your Father." Mrs. Proctor told him warmly, taking his hand and giving it a shake. Maxwell flashed what Andrew deed his ’work smile’.
"I hope only good things." He replied, before showing her the flowers. "On Andrew’s recomndation, I brought a bouquet of flowers for you. I thought getting you a fruit basket might be too cheesy, but I wanted to bring you sothing at the very least. You’re the only living person who could refute our relationship, and I wanted to make a good impression. Please don’t worry, Andrew’s Mother will get an even bigger bouquet." Mrs. Proctor’s eyes went wide, along with Andrew’s.
He had no idea that was what Maxwell was going to say!
Mrs. Proctor glanced back at the now red in the face Andrew, and the smaller man who had a business smile on his face, and burst into laughter. Yanking Maxwell towards her, she wrapped one of her arms around him in a tight hug. Maxwell was stunned, but did his best to hug her back without crushing the flowers in her arms. It was clear that Maxwell wasn’t used to greetings like this, and Andrew understood why. His family had a slightly...distant way about them that he felt ca with old money.
"If that’s the case, we don’t greet by handshakes, Mr. Beckett." She chided, but pulled back with a grin.
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