by V. Vaughn
Griffin laughs, and he scoops Daniel up to twirl him in a circle as he lets out another whoop. When he sets our son back down, I walk over to hug my family.
Chapter 38
GRIFFIN
Nine months later…
Every nerve ending I have is on fire right now with the high I get from performing. I gaze out at the crowd of Heartland residents in the park. I agreed to do Mayor Jane’s fundraising concert, and I think the entire town has come to see me. That’s something that has my panther strutting like a peacock. He doesn’t get to do this often any longer, but I try to swing a stage performance once a month to keep him happy.
I lift the microphone to my mouth. “Folks, I have a special song I’d like to sing for you now. It’s going to be on my new album, and you’re the first to hear it.”
The audience cheers loudly as I lift my guitar and wait for the noise to die down. Twelve years ago, if someone had told me that I’d be happiest living in Heartland, getting married and having children, I would’ve laughed in their face. All I wanted back then was to be the biggest rock star in the world. I thought then I’d realize what it was I was searching for.
But it wasn’t fame and fortune I needed. And while I can regret that it took me over a decade to figure that out, Mandy was right. Time and painful situations have made us who we are today, and instead of feeling regret, we need to be grateful we managed to find our way back together.
Now all I want is the simplicity of a small-town life with the woman I love and a house full of children. We’re still working on the children part, but I have no doubt we’ll manage to give Hillary and Alec a run for their money by the time Mandy and I are done.
I strum my guitar to begin my song, and I look down at my wife and my son sitting in the front row. I smile at both of them, and now that the crowd is quiet, I say, “This one is for Mandy and Daniel. I never knew I could love anyone as much as I do you two.”
There is a collective ‘awww’ from my fans, and I hope I’m tugging at a few heart strings when I sing my song about forever love. When shifters claim their mate, they do have forever love. It’s something this crowd understands, and I hope all of us can find it. Everyone deserves to have a heart as full as mine is.
The afternoon concert is a success, and when I get home, Mandy, Daniel and I have a celebratory meal of spaghetti and meatballs. We then go to our home theater to enjoy an animated children’s movie about monsters.
I get such a kick out of Daniel’s laughter. He’s on a big pillow on the floor while Mandy and I are in recliners, and I chuckle at his childish glee. I had originally wanted us to upgrade the home I grew up in, but there wasn’t enough land for what Mandy and I had in mind, and I was more than happy to agree when we decided we’d need a bigger place. We’re going to have as many children as the two of us can handle. I think that might be six, but Mandy has plans for at least eight.
Mandy lets out a small groan of satisfaction as I rub her feet. She worked a shift at the diner today. Once the novelty of me living here died down, the diner traffic did too. And since Rita Mae hired two new girls to deal with the previous demand, Hillary and Mandy decided to step back. They couldn’t give up working at the diner completely, and I think it might have to do with wanting some girl time together. So on Tuesday’s, the two of them work a shift together.
I’m not sure how much longer either of them will do it. Hillary’s pregnant with baby number four, and Mandy is working on number two. Alec and I are plotting to make sure our wives meet for lunch that someone else serves them instead of the other way around.
Mandy is also helping me with my indie music career. She was always good at managing my YouTube videos when we were in high school, and now she’s taken over a lot of my social media. I also managed to steal my assistant in LA, Shayna, to help her. She’s a cougar shifter who fell in love with Heartland when she came to visit. She’s actually living in my old family home. I sold it to her for well below market value to entice her to relocate and work for me.
The credits begin to roll when the movie is over, but nobody’s getting up yet. Even though we’ve seen this film a few times, Daniel is giggling at the bloopers. I lean over and place my hand on Mandy’s pregnant stomach. She’s six months along, and I’m sure it’s a cliché, but she’s never looked more beautiful to me than she does now with her baby glow. “How many more times are we going to watch this movie over the next two decades?”
She smiles at me. “No less than one hundred, and our kids will laugh every time.”
Daniel giggles again and I smile back at her. “A house full of love and laughter is all I could hope for.”
When the movie credits end, it’s time to get Daniel ready for bed. Mandy does the teeth brushing and washing up, but I get story duty, and I love it. It’s probably the performer in me, but after a book or two I like to tell him something I make up. He’s usually the hero.
His bed creaks as I move to set the book down on his nightstand, and I ask, “What’ll it be tonight? Time travel or pirates?”
“Zombies.”
“Zombies?” I hold my arms out straight and change my voice. “Brains. Give me brains.”
“And hearts,” Daniel says. “Hearts are like cookies.”
I chuckle. “Of course they are.” I proceed to tell a story of how Daniel saves the town of Heartland from a zombie invasion, and as his eyes flutter closed, I bring it to a quick end. While I have Daniel riding off into the sunset, I notice Mandy in the doorway listening, and I wink at her before sneaking out of our son’s bed.
But before I get out of his room he says in sleepy voice, “I love you, Daddy.”
Mandy takes my hand as I reply, “I love you too, Daniel.”
We walk down the hallway to the kitchen where Mandy puts a kettle on the stove to make herself tea, and I grab a beer.
“Zombies, huh?” She asks. “Where does he get this stuff?”
“I don’t know, but it’s right up my alley. When I need to talk about princesses, I may need help.”
Mandy smiles. “Really? You write songs for girls, Griffin. I think you’ll be just fine.”
“Hey! I write guy stuff too.”
She walks over to me and places her hands on my shoulders. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her against me. “Sing me the new one,” she says, and I think she’s trying to prove her point.
She’s wrong though, the one I’m working on right now is actually a guy song. I sing her the line about two legendary drifters who make their money traveling the country playing pool until they get into trouble. Something that was inspired one night out with Alec. I sing it but replace the men with zombies to make Mandy laugh.
“Pool playing zombies.” The tea pot whistles, and she steps away from me to get it. “It’s going to be a hit. I know just the right advertising venues for you.”
I pick up my beer and think about how she would. I may have a big fan base, but I’m not sure I would have had the success I’ve achieved as an indie without Mandy working the marketing side. Her spoon clinks against the mug as she stirs honey into her tea, and I walk around the kitchen island to stand behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. “We make a great team.”
She takes my hands and places them on her stomach. “We do.” She looks up at me. “I didn’t know I could be so happy. I wasn’t sure we’d ever get here, but we’re exactly where I always hoped we be. I love you, Griffin.”
I tighten my embrace a little more and think about how I wanted this too, and how lucky I am to have more than I ever believed could be possible. Mandy turns in my arms to face me, and I gaze into her brown eyes that are so full of love for me I can’t imagine how I ever walked away. Because she was all I ever needed. But there’s no reason to regret our past now. “I love you too, Mandy.” I lean down and kiss my mate, and I know that our journey was necessary to get us exactly where we’re supposed to be.
~~~
Shayna has hopes and dreams for her new life in H
eartland, and they start with renovating her boss’s family home. But what she doesn’t plan on is pushy Matt Andrews pushing every button she’s got all while making her heart skip a beat or two in Cougar Hearts Wolf.
More from V. Vaughn
More Heartland Shifters
Lion Heart Tiger
Bunny Hearts Bear
Wolf Hearts Panther
Cougar Hearts Wolf
Cat Hearts Hawk
Deer Hearts Bear
Check out V.’s world of shifters:
Called by the Bear
Tempted by the Bear
Desired by the Bear
Rocked by the Bear
Bewitched by the Bear
Winter Valley Wolves
Smokey Falls Wolves
V. writes Vampires and Aliens too!
Called by the Vampire
Greenville Alien Mail Order Brides
Witches of Night Meadow
Sisters, Love and Magic
You can see all her published books at www.violetvaughn.com
About the Authors
V. Vaughn lives on an island in Maine and spends as much time outdoors with her two Portuguese Water dogs as she can. She may have seen a bear or two….
www.violetvaughn.com
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C. J. Oliver is the secretive sort, but she doesn’t mind you knowing that she enjoys swimming in the ocean, a good pale ale, and cuddling on the couch with the one she loves.
