There was no doubt the spread would be fabulous.
Everyone they were close to was coming. All of Griffen’s family—courtesy of the fact that ski season had ended again. The many friends of Griffen and Miles. The few friends Rebecca maintained from the hospital in Cambridge, including Marian and Cecelia, and the dozen or so friends from her new job at the hospital in Sojourn.
The transition had been a no-brainer.
Sojourn Hospital had been in desperate need of nurses on the reservation, and Rebecca had been less than eager to continue at Cambridge Hospital. It was so much easier for her on the reservation. Fewer people questioned her arrangement with two men.
“Sit,” Miles commanded, taking her arm and leading her to one of the many plush couches. He glared at her as he picked up her feet and put them on a footstool. “Don’t move.”
She giggled. To do otherwise would be futile.
Melinda finally took a break and came to sit next to Rebecca. “How do you like the place?”
“It’s perfect.” She meant that. It was marvelous. After the disastrous incident at Miles’ home, the men had spent two days arguing and bitching and complaining about their living arrangement. No matter how they sliced it, staying in either Sojourn or Cambridge for the long haul was a crappy idea.
Finally, Mimi had come through for them. Calm as can be, the older shaman put her hands on her hips and glared at the men one afternoon after serving them all lunch. “Stop this. I have the solution.”
Miles had rolled his eyes at his grandmother.
Until she spoke again. “My mate left your mother property on the northwest corner of the reservation. It is many acres. And it belongs to you and Melinda now. You work it out with your sister. Divide it up. You build a home on the land. And you move there. Simple.” The woman had turned and left the room as though she just signed a treaty ending World War III.
Rebecca had laughed. The solution was perfect. The land was halfway between the two towns. Both men would have to commute, but only about twenty minutes in either direction.
A knock at the door shook Rebecca from her memory.
Melinda jumped up. “I’ll get it.”
They weren’t expecting anyone else until five, but Rebecca was growing used to the revolving door of guests in her new life.
Even her parents had come for a visit, and they would come again next month after the baby was born. They wouldn’t ever be privy to the fact that Rebecca’s two men were wolf shifters, but they would be involved in the human aspects of their lives.
It had been difficult to convince them to open their minds to the ménage at first, but after spending time with both Rebecca’s men, they were somewhat won-over and mollified. When they left, they did so far less stressed about the arrangement than when they arrived.
Nope, nothing would surprise her in the way of guests.
A gasp escaped Melinda’s lips before Rebecca could see who was in the doorframe. And then a silent hush fell over the entire front room.
No one moved for many long seconds.
Rebecca dipped her head to one side and then the other, but she still couldn’t see the newcomer.
Mimi was the first to move, gliding across the floor with her arms wide.
Rebecca couldn’t see her face, but she felt the emotion that filled the great room as soon as Mimi wrapped the guest in her arms and pulled her in tight. It was a woman. She was not much bigger than Mimi.
Or Melinda for that matter…
Suddenly Rebecca knew with certainty who the woman was.
“Mom?” Miles asked from across the room.
The woman lifted her face, tears streaming down. “My son.” She turned her head toward Melinda right in front of her. “My daughter.” She pulled an obviously stunned Melinda into her embrace next.
Miles nearly ran across the room to reach the women. He hugged all three of them in his huge arms.
Griffen came up beside Rebecca and took her hand to help her up. “Looks like our celebration just took a turn for the better.”
•●•
Thirty minutes later, Rebecca was still dazed and confused. The women in Miles’ family all talked over each other so rapidly it was hard to follow.
And Joyce hadn’t arrived alone. Her mate was with her. He hung back on the front porch initially, unsure what sort of welcome he might find and allowing his mate to reunite with her family first.
Gene Hamilton was kind and easy-going. He hardly spoke, but his smile attested to the fact he was used to his mate steamrolling through life with her tiny frame and huge heart.
“So, you’ve been living near Gene’s family?” Miles asked. He had his arm around Rebecca where they sat on one of the couches. Griffen was at her other side.
“Yes, son. About a hundred miles west of here.” Joyce sat on a large plush footstool right in front of Miles. She took his free hand and squeezed it for the millionth time. “Twenty-seven years. I can’t believe how tall you are.” A new tear fell onto her cheek, and she wiped it with the wad of tissues she held constantly.