“You don’t need help picking out the vases?”
I raised my eyebrows. “You want to give me interior decoration advice?”
“Heck no. I’ll just miss you is all.” Greer gave me a cheesy grin before switching on the radio then leaning back in his seat. I grinned and shut the door.
Inside the store, I grabbed a basket and quickly filled it up with clear glass vases then hurried to the back of the store and grabbed a pregnancy test. They were in the exact same spot they’d been when Jason and I had picked one up nearly seven years earlier. My hands had been shaking back then. They were shaking again now.
Back in Greer’s car, I loaded the vases carefully into the rear seat.
“Get everything?” he asked as he looked over the seat at me.
“Got ’em. You just have to drive carefully,” I told him as I bucked the last one in place.
“Sorry I don’t have a baby seat to strap them into.”
I shot him a look, but he was already gazing out the windscreen, tapping his fingers on the wheel. I worried the drive back to my house would be awkward, but Greer just sang along to the country song on the radio and shot me a big smile every now and then.
“I’ll get the vases,” he offered. “You get out of your suit. The flowers might stain it when we move them.”
“Thanks.”
I shook my jacket off as I hurried into the house, threw it on the couch, and then rushed to the bathroom. A midstream sample and two minutes later, I was leaning over the counter and staring at the test when a line appeared.
Just one.
My heart fell. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting the feeling of disappointment flow through me. There was a small amount of relief too, but not nearly as much as I’d expected. Instead, there was mostly sadness. Maybe Greer had been right. Maybe it was too late for him and me to conceive.
“Everything okay?” Greer asked through the door.
“Yeah, everything is okay.”
“Can I come in?”
“Sure.” I slumped down onto the edge of the bath and held my head in my hands.
He squeezed into the bathroom and sat on the closed lid of the toilet. “Ah. I’ve seen one of those before.”
I assumed he meant the test, and I let out a sigh before looking up. He leaned over the counter and peered at the result. A huge smile broke across his face, and I did a double-take.
“Look at that,” he said happily.
“I didn’t think you’d be so happy about it,” I said, shocked.
“I didn’t think you’d be so upset about it.” He frowned at me with concern.
“I mean, it wasn’t something I was trying to make happen, but I just thought maybe it would…”
“Well, it is.”
“Is what?”
“Happening.”
I frowned.
“This is positive, Keifer.”
“No, it’s negative.”
“It’s positive.”
“Check the package. It’s negative.” I waved at the direction of the empty box in the trash can and Greer quickly snatched it up. I watched as he scanned over the directions, then looked back at the test, back at the box, back at the stick. And then back at me.
“It’s positive.”
“Two lines are positive. One is negative,” I said stubbornly.
Greer held up the test as the big smile returned to his face. I let out a frustrated sigh and stood up to take a closer look at the test as he held it out at me.
“Oh shit, what?” Sure enough, there were two strong lines in the window. “Maybe there was a mistake. Maybe another one appears if you leave it too long.”
“So take another test.”
“I don’t have a—”
Greer pulled a paper bag out of his back pocket and handed it to me. I gaped at him as I felt the slim cardboard box through the paper.
“Where did you get this?” I unwrapped the test, identical to the one I’d chosen.
“The drugstore.”
I laughed, completely taken aback. “When?”
“This morning. When you called me to tell me the good news about your book, I was choosing between this one and one of the cheaper ones. I went with this one because I figured only the best would do now you’re a rich kid.”
“How’d you know I’d need it?”
“Well, I figured I would have noticed if you’d been in heat since that first night we spent together, right? I was going to come over and kindly suggest we find out what’s happening. So, think you can give that test a shot now?”
“Oh yeah, I drank a lot of ginger ale.”
Greer chuckled and moved out of the bathroom. “I’ll give you some privacy.”
Another sample and one hundred and twenty seconds later, my life completely changed. I let out an ecstatic cry as the second line appeared just as quickly as the first. Greer burst in and immediately swept me up into his arms. I laughed happily and he spun me around before carrying me out of the bathroom and into the living room where we landed on the couch with a heavy thud. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a strong kiss. Greer returned it sweetly before pulling away.
“I’m so excited,” he said quietly as we leaned into each other.
“What if it’s wrong?” I asked, biting my lip nervously.
“We’ll get the pack doctor to check you out as soon as we can. But I’m telling you, it’s right.”
I frowned. “How can you be sure?”
“You smell different. But maybe you should take another test.” He reached into his back pocket. I shook my head, but he stood up and kept reaching into his pocket.
“Greer, you can’t be serious. I mean, I’ll take it if you want but—”
He got down on one knee.
“Greer. What’s happening?”
He pulled a box out from behind his back.
I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands. “Oh my god. Are you serious?”
Greer opened the box to reveal a thick golden band of an elaborate design with ancient markings I didn’t recognize.
“Keifer… Finding you has completely changed my life. Being with you makes me feel fulfilled in a way I never thought possible. Having a child with you will make me the happiest man alive. And so, there’s only more thing I could ask for. So I’m asking… Can I claim you?”
I tried to talk but nothing came out. I also realized I wasn’t breathing. If he claimed me, I’d become a wolf shifter. Like Greer, and Stacia, and Jason. Like everyone I loved…
“Yes,” I managed to say with the breath still left in my lungs. “Yes!”
“Yes?” Greer’s face lit up.
I nodded and forced myself to breathe. “Yes!” I quickly held out my left hand. Greer took it and kissed my fingers, smiling, and then he slid the ring on. My whole body began to tingle and tears pricked my eyes. I didn’t know this day could get any better. First, my book had sold, then I found out I was carrying Greer’s baby, and now he wanted to claim me. Seriously, nothing could top this, nothing could tarnish it either. I smiled as I admired the ring. Greer sat beside me and I turned to press a grateful kiss against his lips.
“What do we do now? Who should we tell first?” I asked quietly, thinking of Jason and Stacia. They were going to be over the moon.
“Well, I know someone who is going to have to know about it before anyone else.”
“Oh, right.” I sighed, realizing things could be tarnished after all.
“Yeah. We’re going to have to tell Jaxon.”
11
Greer
The day after I proposed, I headed straight over to Jaxon’s house. I heard Lori squealing before I even knocked on the door. I hesitated, holding my fist above the hardwood while I listened to the pitter-patter of her feet and Bryce calling out for her to come to the table for lunch. It sounded like he’d been trying to get her to sit down for a while. I smiled, loving how lively she was, and couldn’t help comparing her a little to Stac
ia. The two had almost limitless energy, and that’s when I realized I was about to expand my family with a newborn baby and a stepdaughter who weren’t that far in ages of my granddaughter and grandson. I had to admit it was a little weird, but weird had never held me back before.
I gently knocked on the door and waited.
“Who there?” Lori asked through the door.
“Guess who?” I asked in a spooky voice.
“Who?”
I heard Bryce shooing her out of the way, and I crouched down so I’d be at her eye-level.
“Boo!” I said when he opened the door.
“Gran-pa!” Lori squealed and dashed into my arms.
“Hey, Grandpa.” Bryce smiled as I stood up with Lori in a fireman’s carry.
“Howdy, Bryce. My son around, by any chance?”
“Out back.” He motioned toward the backyard. “Want to join us for lunch? We were just about to sit down to eat, aren’t we, Lori?”
“Na-uh!” She giggled then squirmed around in my arm so she could tug at the hairs on my neck with her tiny fingers.
“I would, but I have some news I want to share with Jaxon first.”
“Sure thing. Send Liam in for lunch, if you don’t mind. We’ll be trying to get started.”
I passed Lori to Bryce and she immediately settled down as he balanced her on his hip. I made my way out to the backyard, bracing myself for the conversation that was to come.
Jaxon wound up his arm and tossed a low ball at Liam who dove to catch it in his mitt.
“Nice one!” Jaxon said in praise. Liam threw the ball back, then waved to me with his mitt as I came in through the back gate. Jaxon turned around and smiled warmly when he saw me.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hi, Grandpa!” Liam kept waving as he hurried over to give me a hug.
“Hey, you two. Good catch, Liam.”
“Here for lunch?” Jaxon asked as he pulled off his cap.
“Here to talk to you, actually,” I said to Jaxon before ruffling Liam’s hair. “Your dad wants you inside for lunch now, though. Help him get some food into Lori, okay?”
“Okay.” He gave me a big smile and another hug before running off, catching mitt still on his hand. I chuckled as I watched him go.
“I remember you sitting at the dining table with that darn mitt of yours at every meal.”
Jaxon laughed and put his cap back on before cutting straight to the chase. “What did you want to talk about?”
“The thing we should have talked about before now.” I looked him over for any signs this was going to be trouble, wondering how to approach him. Direct was always best in my opinion, and I think we’d already wasted enough time tiptoeing around this subject. “Keifer and I are fated mates,” I said frankly.
Jaxon grunted and nodded. “That’s what I’ve heard.”
That was a surprise. If he knew, why hadn’t he said something? I frowned. Had he been hoping I’d abandon my mate? I blew out a breath and tried to hold back my irritation. “You’re my son,” I said, trying to remind him in a none too subtle way where he stood in the hierarchy of this family. “But you’re also my pack’s lead alpha, so I’m coming to you for your permission to bring him onto the homestead. I want him to move in with me.”
Jaxon grunted again and looked over my shoulder toward the woods. His face was set in a stoic, ungiving expression. I wondered how many times I’d made people wait for answers like that when I was lead alpha. How intimidating I must have been, even when I’d tried my best to be kind. He absently passed the baseball from one hand to the other, no doubt thinking things over in his mind, though as far as I was concerned, there wasn’t anything to think about.
After some time, he stopped tossing the ball. “He went behind my back.”
“Jaxon, we’re all adults,” I said somewhat condescendingly.
“I asked him explicitly to take it slow. In fact, I insisted,” he grumbled, still not meeting my eyes.
“You might be his friend, but you have no say on what he does with his life. You also have no real say on what I do with mine.” It was bold enough to have Jaxon narrowing his eyes as he looked straight at me. I raised my eyebrows, challenging him to come up with a counter to those hard and fast facts. He couldn’t, but he was still my son and I didn’t want a rift growing between us.
“Look. I want to claim him. He’s my fated mate, and most importantly, he makes me happy.”
“He does, huh?”
“He really does,” I vowed with a nod. “Never been happier. And you need to stop worrying about me, I can take care of myself. I’m your dad, I’m the one who should be doing the worrying.”
Jaxon grunted again, but he seemed to soften.
“You want to move him into the apartments?”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure he’d love to live with me and a bunch of old folk.” I laughed and managed to make Jaxon crack a smile. “I was hoping I could have one of the new houses being built. Something with plenty of room for Stacia.” I bit my tongue before I said too much about my soon-to-be-growing family. I wasn’t sure if Jaxon would be receptive to that extra piece of information. Not yet anyway. Baby steps.
Jaxon nodded. “Fine. Bring him onto our land. He basically grew up here, anyway. I’ll get Linc to finish up the carpentry on the one near here. It would be nice to have you close by.”
“Thank you.” I bowed my head in appreciation, but then grinned. I really had never been happier.
“Actually, do you want to meet Linc there now?” he asked reaching for his phone. “He’s due to finish up soon, he can take you around the property so you can see if you like it.”
“That would be fantastic, Jaxon. Thank you. I’ll take a raincheck on that lunch, though.”
He smiled and nodded, then called Linc and set it up.
“Head over there now, he’ll give you the tour, let you know how long until he can get it ready for you.”
As I turned to leave, I was almost surprised when he threw his arms around me and gave me a warm, firm hug.
He let go and put a hand on my chest. “I’m still processing it, but I’m glad you’re happy.” He patted my chest, looked deep into my eyes, and then turned to walk back to his house.
I watched him walk into his house as a grown man and a father of two. I took a breath and exhaled with pride. He was growing into the fair and good leader I’d known he would. So maybe he would be okay with some extra news.
“There’s one more thing,” I called out. “We’re having a baby.”
As Linc took me through the house, I couldn’t help but chuckle as I remembered Jaxon’s reaction to hearing he was going to be a brother. He’d turned and stared at me, his eyes wide. I’d calmly waved at him and made my way here. Jaxon would get over it. It wasn’t as if he could do anything about it.
“What’s so funny?” Linc asked as we paused in the hallway.
“Something Jaxon just said. He’s glad I’m happy.” That was before I’d told him about the baby, but I decided the sentiment still stood.
“Yeah, you haven’t stopped grinning since you stepped in here.”
“Because this place is beautiful.” I’d marveled at every little detail Linc had pointed out. It was like the place had been specifically designed for Keifer and me. It was the perfect place to begin our new life together. The two-story ranch-style layout would give us plenty of space. The kitchen was decked out with the best gadgets and sleek marble benchtops, there was space for my garden, and Keifer would have his own writing studio in the backyard. The views from the bedrooms looked straight out into the woods, with one view stretching out toward the ocean and another toward the mountain. Though there were unfinished walls and patches of flooring still to be completed, it already felt like home.
“This is perfect.”
“That’s what your sister said when she was thinking of securing it for Nash for when he comes back from military service,” Linc said.
“Oh, right, but she’s ge
tting an extension built on her house instead.”
“Yep. I’m working on that as well. Nash told her he’d rather be with her to look after her, you know, considering her health issues.”
I nodded. Susie Parsons was my widowed older sister, and unfortunately suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Nash was my nephew. It would be good to see him back home after being deployed for so long.
“So now this one is empty. Waiting for a new family to move in. Waiting for you, I suppose.”
“Well thank you, Linc. I slapped him on the back. “Your workmanship here is exceptional.” I whistled in appreciation as I gazed up at the carved details around the edges of the doors.
“Thank you, Greer. Your approval means a lot to me.”
“Keep this under wraps for now, alright? Work on it, get it ready to move into, but don’t tell anyone I’m interested. I want to keep it as a surprise.” I wanted everything to be perfect for Keifer when I claimed him, and to have all of this ready so he could move straight in with me.
“Sure thing, Greer. Anything for you.”
He got back to work on the carpentry, and I made my own way out. I paused for a moment in the front yard, put my hands on my hips, and took in the facade of the place from the front. It was humble and grand at the same time. It would need some landscaping to really impress Keifer, but I was happy for that to keep me busy.
I was absorbed with lots of new ideas when I felt my phone buzz.
My house tonight?
I chuckled and called him right away. I still wasn’t one for texting.
“Sorry, but I’ve got the full moon run tonight.” I started walking away from the house, turning back to catch glimpses of it as I went.
“Dang. I was hoping we could talk claiming ceremony details.”
“I’d love to. Come to the homestead for dinner before the run? Do you have Stacia tonight? You can both stay over if you’d like.”
“Sure. Just one thing…”
That night, I prepared a roast nut loaf and plenty of vegetables. Shaking my head a little as I laid everything out on the table.
Silver Daddy Page 13
