Chapter 420: Not a Beckett, not yet
Andrew felt a bit like a little doll that Luis got to poke and prod. She took full advantage of the fact that she had Andrew as a willing subject and the fact that she had brought nearly a whole wardrobe of clothes, a make up artist, and several other things and people that Andrew had no idea about.
Luis was speaking to these people like an expert, and Jenny, bless her, made sure that everyone was tended to once the drinks were finished. When she wasn’t running around for Kim’s normal schedule and the new schedule that Andrew had given them, she was sitting in with Luis and watching Andrew.
At one point, Andrew, who had his eyes closed, realised that Kim was also in the room.
"Hello?" Andrew asked, mainly because he had his eyes closed and was getting his make up done. Luis chuckled.
"We’re still here." Luis said. "Kim was just letting us know that the team was here, setting up in the conference room that Kim had cleared out for this meeting. She made sure that she put some of the nicer chairs in there. Said you Mom would have liked it." Luis told him.
"They’re purple, velvet, and comfy. Even for someone as tall as you." Kim clarified and Andrew felt his lips curl up.
"Are you sure?" Andrew asked, knowing he was quite a bit taller than even Kim, a fellow true alpha. She chuckled.
"Yes, I made sure my giant nephew had nice chairs he could sit in. I put pillows under my butt to make myself taller to see if you fit. I promise they’ll be good." Her voice was full of amusement, and when Andrew was done getting his make up done, he turned and looked at them.
He wasn’t wearing a suit, which surprised him. He had thought that Luis would put him in one given the fact that the rest of her family wore a suit whenever given the chance. Luis, however, knew that Andrew wasn’t a suit kind of guy. He wore them for Maxwell, but that wasn’t Andrew’s vibe.
He was soft shirts, soft sweaters, and comfy clothes. Things that made it obvious that Andrew gave good hugs, even from a distance. He hadn’t worn jeans much since he started dating Maxwell, but he had worn them a lot previously, and Luis seemed to know that.
She had put Andrew in a thick, soft, burgundy cable knit sweater. The kind that Andrew knew that Maxwell would demand once he was out of it. Under it, he wore a white collared shirt that she made sure poked out over the edge of the cable knit sweater at his neck. His pants were more formal, but black, classic, and looked good on him. She’d changed out his shoes for a nicer pair, black again, and had given Andrew a nice watch to wear and had cleaned up his glasses.
A little bit of make up to make him look more alive, fixed his bedhead, and that was about it. She didn’t want to change Andrew too much, but accent him. Luis seemed pleased with what she had created, and Andrew was as well. He would have put up with whatever she decided, knowing that she had more knowledge about this, but in the end he was glad he was dressed like this.
It felt more honest, and true to who he was as a person. He wasn’t a Beckett, not yet at least. He was a Knox first.
The reporters and their team arrived shortly after to do some introductions. They knew Kim given how respectful they were towards her right away, then Jenny. Then, Luis got up from where she had been partially hidden by Andrew on the couch and the mood shifted in the room again.
She offered her hand with a Maxwell business smile that had Andrew having to turn his head away to hide his own smile. It was so cute that that was something he had inherited from his Mom. He was going to have a hard time keeping that to himself now that he’d noticed it.
Once the group greeted Luis, they turned to Andrew. They seemed the most nervous to greet him, and Andrew wondered why. He was a nice guy. Was it because he was so tall?
"Thanks for coming on such short notice." Andrew said, offering a smile and a hand to the head reporter. She was a sharply dressed lady, and the group had decided that she would ask all of the questions for the group on camera, while the others would be background help. She seemed hesitant to shake his hand, but took it considering the energy the other women were projecting.
Once she shook Andrew’s hand, her shoulders relaxed and Andrew realised something with startling clarity.
"I...I’m so sorry, but are you an omega? Am I making you uncomfortable?" Andrew asked, horrified if that was the case. Andrew watched as the poor woman’s face flushed, as well as a few of the reporter team. Andrew glanced at Kim immediately. "Am I letting out pheromones?" He asked her, and his aunt leaned forward, sniffed, and then scrunched up her nose.
"Yeah. Not a lot, but yeah." Andrew took his hand away from the omega and took a few steps away.
"I’m so sorry. I’ve been stressed, I didn’t realise I was asking you to step into it." Andrew apologised immediately. He didn’t know her sensitivity, and being around Maxwell who was able to handle his pheromones most of the time, and Richard, meant that he was more aware of himself normally. He’d felt like he had slipped up because he knew he was around two paired omegas.
The reporter’s mouth fell open slightly as Andrew began to look for a window or something that he could air himself out with. Jenny turned on a small button near the door, separate from the light switches and a fan noise filled the air. Soft, not too loud, but enough to make it clear what was happening. The reporter and her team seemed shocked, before a smile crossed her face and she began to laugh.
"I apologise. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when Mrs. Proctor called me out of the blue asking if I wanted to be the first to break a story. Not only that, but a story that would shake the foundations of upper society. When she explained, briefly, who you were in relation to her, I had some preconceived notions of what you would be like. I apologise for my behaviour." The reporter chuckled. "I paired with my wife about two months ago, so I can’t smell your pheromones, Mr. Knox." She told him and Kim corrected her right away.
"It’s Dr. Knox." She said, not maliciously. The reporter’s face softened even more. Andrew, having heard that she was okay, moved back towards the small gathering of people again. He stopped next to Kim again, Kim on his right and Luis on his left.
"Dr. Knox. Apologies, again. Another slip up. If it’s okay with you, can we go through some of the questions that we want to ask just to understand where we’re allowed to go?" She asked and Andrew felt himself smile.
"Can I be honest?" Andrew asked and watched her blink.
"Of course." She said, clearly bracing herself for his answer. Andrew shifted on his feet, feeling a little awkward.
"I...have no limits. You can ask me anything. I might not have an answer, but I feel like I need to get this off my chest, out in the open, and then never speak of it again publicly. Mmm, maybe not never speak about it again, but I do think for a while." Andrew told the room and Luis sucked air in.
"Andy, I don’t think-" She started but Kim stepped in, placing a hand on his shoulders.
"Do what you think is right. Whatever you decide, we’re all here to support you. Luis, I know why you’re stepping in to prevent him from speaking, but Andrew has us, you guys, and..." She let out a heavy sigh. "Probably the rest of the main family and the regular populace that are going to have his back once they hear his story. No regular person is going to side with them after...after Andy speaks about Dianna." Kim’s throat worked as she squeezed Andrew’s shoulder and Jenny’s eyes softened. Even Luis looked upset.
"Yes. Of course. This has been...a long time coming." Luis agreed. She then sighed, running a hand over her face. "If you cry too much Max is going to have my head." She muttered and Kim let out a snort.
"Your head? What about mine? We live a few houses away." Luis’ gaze sharpened at Kim’s words.
"Yes. Curious, that." She said, and Jenny snorted.
"We’ve already agreed to drop that, Luis. The boys made their choice. Sorry that they didn’t choose to live near two jet setting parents in favour of the more stable aunts." Andrew didn’t realise that it was a touchy subject when Jenny stepped in, looking slightly smug. Jenny and Luis stared at each other before Kim stepped in.
"Jen, sweetie, please don’t antagonise the in-laws. Please. I like Luis and Tom. I do not want to be on bad terms with them. What if they don’t share baby photos?" Kim stage whispered to Jenny, and Andrew felt his face warm. Luis chuckled.
"Despite everything, I would never stoop so low. Nor would Tom. We’ll get over it. Maybe we can convince the two of them to get a second home. For when Max needs family around." She slid her gaze towards Andrew, her eyes calculating and Andrew sighed.
"That’s not a me decision. That’s all Maxy, and honestly, he’d probably prefer staying where he is. He likes-" Andrew cut off, slapping a hand over his mouth. All women in the room were watching him and Andrew shook his head. "Nope. I need to not speak more on that. Maxy’ll kill me. He’s already embarrassed enough." Andrew said, and watched as Jenny and Luis grinned.
"Is it related to him showing more omega characteristics?" Luis asked, excited, and the reporter seemed surprised to hear that. Andrew felt uncomfortable.
"I really don’t want to speak about Max’s things when we’re supposed to be talking about me." Andrew said, glancing towards the reporters. They had the decency to look embarrassed as Andrew glanced at them. She smiled, clearly a little flustered.
"Apologies again. We just don’t hear a lot about Mr. Beckett. It’s fascinating to hear how you speak of him so casually." She said and Andrew felt his chest puff up slightly.
"Of course. He’s my fiancé." Andrew declared, a wide, happy grin touching his lips and everyone in the room brightened as well. Kim squeezed Andrew’s shoulder again.
"He is. How is the wedding planning going?" She asked Luis, and Luis chuckled.
"About as good as I expected. Max revealed the ten page planning document he had already made to me yesterday and I’ve had a tentative look already. It’s just reaching out to who he wanted." Luis glanced at Andrew, then narrowed her eyes. "Did he tell you about this?" She asked him pointedly and Andrew gave a chuckle, shrugging.
"I trust him. I’ll give my two cents where it matters." Andrew told her and Luis sighed, shaking her head, but smiling. Andrew decided now was the time to get serious. He looked towards the reporter and her team and they got the memo.
Andrew headed out with them, giving a wave as he did so. It was now or never. He was losing his edge the longer they spoke of softer things, nicer things. He needed to harden himself to get this out of him.