She rubbed her nose to his, her love for him overwhelming. “They came to show me what it means to be part of a pack. And you know what I’m learning?”
“What’s that, beautiful?”
“I’m learning the day I met you was the most blessed day I’ve ever experienced. And I can’t wait to see what else I’ll have learned in fifty years.”
His nostrils flared and though she didn’t have the kind of nose he did, she didn’t need it to feel the difference in him. She’d alluded to forever the night Owen intruded, told him she loved him, but now there was no question what she meant. She wanted forever with him. Growing old together and making memories for decades to come sounded like the very best thing she could ever hope to have.
“I suppose to get those fifty I might marry you, huh?” he asked.
“Oh, you don’t have to. I know you guys don’t usually—”
“Hell, no,” Owen called from where he’d been stacking baskets. “Make the man shell out for a wedding. Mostly make him drop lots of cash for the reception. Lots of meat and cake.”
“I second that,” Chris said, a grin on his face Lucy knew mirrored her own. “It’s been a few years since we had a good pa—family wedding. I’ll even cater it.”
“And I’ll do the cake,” Mona called.
“Wait, I want to do the cake,” Jennifer protested.
“You bake?”
“Well, no, but I know great bakery.”
Lucy laughed, the immediate play between Jennifer and Mona what she hoped to hear between her sisters. If things went to plan, and Lucy was going to do everything in her power to ensure they did, they would all be family. A ragtag, thrown together, multi-species family.
Scott nudged her face back to his, his expression soft. “So, if I get the cake and reception and all the details figured out, do you suppose we could get started on our next fifty years sometime soon?”
She kissed him lightly. “Honey, cake is nice, don’t get me wrong, but as far as I’m concerned, our fifty years started the day you picked up your first set of knitting needles. There’s no way I’m letting you loose.”
He kissed her, his lips hard and intense and, though she heard an outburst of applause and catcalls, she didn’t pull away. Kissing him was like being consumed in the very best way and she couldn’t wait to be alone with him again. When he finally pulled back, she gasped for breath and wished their alone time would come sooner than later.
“You’re mine forever.” His eyes glowed and it could have scared her, but it didn’t.
“And you’re mine.”
A ball of yarn flew between them, breaking the emotional, loving moment. She turned to the perpetrator—Owen. She should have stabbed him harder.
“And now, lovebirds, it’s time to get this place in order. The sooner Lucy has her shop back, the sooner she can knit you two matching sweaters so I can laugh at Scott.”
She blushed a little, the plan for a family of matching sweaters actually on her knitting list.
Scott laughed and lifted her in his arms in a hard hug. “If she knits it, I’ll wear it. And you know what, Owen? If you’re lucky, you might find a woman like my Lucy who’ll knit and love you like she does me. You’d better start getting your karma in order, a woman like this doesn’t come along every day.”
Before she could start melting and getting mushy again, more yarn was launched their way, this time by the kids. Scott batted it away and set her to her feet. She looked around the shop. Love filled the air and a bumbling mess filled the rest.
“Well, Mate, let’s get to work. This place won’t clean itself and those sweaters won’t knit themselves,” Scott said.
She looked up at him and smiled. “You’re right, Mate. Let’s get to work.”
* * * *
Hours later, with family packing his backyard, Scott didn’t think he’d ever been happier. His kids played with Lucy’s nieces and nephews, the adults tossed balls around and, instead of casseroles, half a dozen pizzas and subs waited on the picnic tables. Twilight descended upon them and he knew everyone was beat from working for hours in the shop, but no one made any moves toward the door. It was one of those perfect evenings and he had a feeling it would be long past dark when they finally called it a night.
“You look like a happy man.”
Scott looked up and found Chris in the doorway behind him with a beer in his hand. Lucy and Mona were out with the kids, the alpha’s little daughters joining in the play. Scott hadn’t had a chance to talk to the alpha about what Lucy had mentioned. He figured the other Were would talk when he was ready.
“Well, I’d have to say that’s right,” Scott said, lazily lounging in his chair. He nudged the open seat toward Chris.
The alpha sat. Scott had already noticed that Chris chose his words carefully. It was a trait Scott appreciated, even now when he waited to hear the ruling on his future.
“So, how do you feel about another move? I know you and the kids are just getting settled here, but I figure if you make the move now, you’ll beat the start of the school year.”
Scott shook his head. Six months ago he might have jumped on the offer, but with Lucy, things were different.
“Or,” Chris said, before Scott could explain, “you could stay here and join one of the family circles. It’s a mini pack kind of thing, no alpha, no dominance, hell, what does Mona call it? It started with the females who needed support, but branched out into including entire families. They meet up a few times a month for dinner and to help each other out between visiting Haven.”
“That, we could do,” Scott said. “With Lucy’s shop just starting again, I don’t think we should leave. The kids are finally making friends here too and I think they need stability right now. Maybe in a few years when everything is more steady, we could make the switch.”
“I understand. When the time is right, we can discuss a move again. After you’ve met everyone, you and I need to have a discussion about you taking a more active role in enforcing down here. I need Owen up north, but this is a big city. The males I had keeping an eye on you are too beta to take initiative in an emergency. I don’t think you’d have that problem.”
Scott nodded. “Yeah, ask me again in a few weeks and I’m sure we can figure something out.”
They each took long drinks of their beer and, in the twilight, Scott’s gaze found Lucy. She fit right in among the Weres. In fact, her entire family seemed to get along. He wondered if their histories in foster care made accepting new people easier. They’d learned to make family out of strangers.
Their openness humbled Scott and he was grateful Lucy had them in her life. Her grandmother had given them each a gift—love. Because of Lucy’s unbelievable ability to love, she’d not only found place for him in her heart, but also for each of his children. Ross ran up to her and gave her a quick hug. Lucy bent down and ruffled his hair before he ran back to tumbling with one of the nephews.
“Oh, and I heard Mona and Lucy talking earlier, you might want to have another discussion about Weres with your human.”
Scott turned to Chris who looked undeniably amused. “Yeah? About what?”
“Well, it seems like your Lucy might have a few mating misconceptions. Something about puppies.”
Scott chuckled. “We’ve already had that discussion.”
Chris shrugged. “You know females. It doesn’t matter which breed, once they get something in their heads, it takes work to change it.”
“Damn. I hope Mona set her straight.”
“She did, but I foresee many long discussions about werewolf pups before she gives you a chance to have another one. And you definitely should—you and Lucy will have pretty pups—once she’s absolutely certain she won’t be having a litter.”
Scott groaned and it must have been louder than he intended because it caught Lucy’s attention. She left the party for a moment and, with her expression so playful, Scott wasn’t surprised when she settled in his lap, plucked his beer from his hand and took a drink.
“Enjoying your first pack party, Lucy?” Chris asked dryly.
“Are you enjoying your first Jamieson party, Alpha?” she replied. “We used to have evenings like this all the time when my grandmother was alive. We’re going to be better about having them now. With all these kids, they need to know each other.”
He’d loved Lucy from nearly their first meeting, and every time she spoke of family and her affection for them, her words cemented his love. The instant approval from the alpha also added a layer of pride for Scott.
“I am very much enjoying my first Jamieson party,” Chris said, raising his beer in salute. “Here’s to many more collaborative pack-and-Jamieson parties in the future. I have a feeling they’ll be good for everyone.”
Lucy reached across and tapped her commandeered bottle neck to Chris’s. “I like how you think.”
They each took a drink and Scott smiled when Lucy offered him his beer. He took a sip and settled her deeper into his lap.
“Looks like my mate could use a hand,” Chris said and sauntered out to where pups and kids alike surrounded Mona.
Scott, more relaxed than he’d ever been, snuggled Lucy. He’d been close enough to see and occasionally touch her all evening, but this was the first they’d been able to have at least a semi-private moment.
“If I promise on the lives of my kids that you will never have a puppy, do you think we might finish this day with me making love to you?”
She laughed and turned away from where she’d been watching the kids as well. “Did Mona tell you I asked about it?”
“Chris did,” he admitted. “And really, I promise—no puppies. Not now, not ever. They don’t mature enough to shift until they’re well into their teens.”
She sighed and settled back in his arms. “I believe you, but you know? I think we should wait a while for any pup- or baby-thoughts.”
“You’re going to want a baby as soon as the boys are fully into puberty and Jessie is in the preteen-from-hell stage, aren’t you?”
She laughed again and shrugged.
“Yeah,” he said. “I thought so.”
“Oh, come on, it’ll be fun,” she protested. “And think of all the fun practice we’ll have until we decide to have one.”
“Practice?” That sounded mighty nice. “Yeah, you have the best ideas.”
“I do have my brilliant moments.”
She took his beer again and sipped. He didn’t care, they’d share everything for the rest of their lives. Which reminded him. “Hey, do you prefer popcorn or ice cream when you’re watching a movie?”
“Depends.”
“On?”
“On the company. If I were watching one on my own, popcorn. If I were, say, watching one with you like this, just the two of us, I think ice cream would be better. Less drying.”
Lucy Jamieson: girl of his dreams.
Stephanie Beck
Keeping one foot in reality and the other in la-la land makes Stephanie Beck happy. She’s never met a werewolf (that she knows of) but she has knitted and purled many rows and she’s also fallen in love.
Maintaining a balance of reality and extraordinary events in romance, especially paranormal romance, keeps Stephanie tumbling head over heels with each new character, guaranteeing many more love stories in her werewolf world.
Visit Stephanie’s website for patterns, crafts and recipes on her ‘Crafty Paranormal’ page. Learn how to make Mona’s delicious s’more pancakes from A Winter Tale With Marshmallows and from Unraveling Midnight, find a pattern for Lucy’s Fuzzy Scarf.
Stephanie’s Website:
www.stephaniebeck.net
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Also by Stephanie Beck
Teaching Ms Riggs
Lyrical Press books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2012 Stephanie Beck
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