Epilogue
Oren
I froze most of the food my mate had cooked while getting ready to go into labor because our friends from the club and our jobs set up a meal train that went on for weeks.
Wendy stopped by the house almost every day to help out, taking such delight in our little Libby that I stopped protesting her going out of her way for us.
She and Dave considered themselves Libby’s “gamma and gampaw,” names they came up with that I secretly hoped our daughter would never pick up on.
But if she did, it would be all right because no blood grandparents could love her more.
They made it possible for us to nap and shower and do all the things that I was letting go out the window when a new baby is in the house.
Noble planned to stay on the books at the mart as an emergency on-call only after the baby was a little older, and I’d taken paternity leave from both my jobs and was not planning to go back to the firm afterward.
As the clubs expanded, with a new one planned soon, my legal skills were needed more and more.
I made enough, especially since I was no longer trying to amass a fortune for a future far in the distance.
Every day mattered, my family and friends.
The clubs’ success…my priorities had shifted. Mostly.
But on Libby’s six-month birthday, we made a trip home to my island. My dads had come to visit twice already, and on one of their visits, they’d made me an offer I could not refuse.
“What do you think?” My alpha dad stood in the doorway of the ADU they’d built in their backyard. “Do you like it?”
“It’s very nice.” I carried Libby in and toured the new building. A small two-bedroom unit, it was perfect for our family when we visited, and with my new flexibility at work, that would be often. “Someday, we’ll buy a bigger place, especially if our family grows. Something like your house.”
“When you’re ready to move here or even if you need more room for visiting, you’re taking the big house.
The one you grew up in. Son, if we’d known what your plans were all those years ago, we’d have offered it to you then.
We thought you were happy in the city and didn’t want to force our life on you. ”
From the moment I met Noble, my life had gotten better day by day, minute by minute.
When we got home, I was going to discuss the possibility of a smaller version of Crowned here on the island.
Sometime in the future. So, when the time came, we’d have a place to go and enjoy our grown-up life.
But there was no rush for that. We had lots going on at our other home, our club, and our family were just fine where they were.
“Dad, I love everything you’re saying.”
“And we love that you have such a wonderful fated mate and the most perfect daughter. We think you should have more.”
“You’ll have to speak to Noble about that, but I think he’ll like the idea.”
“What idea?” My mate appeared beside me and took Libby. “It’s time to feed our little girl. I’m going to take her back in the house.”
“Dad wants more grandchildren.”
Noble was already turning away, but he called over his shoulder, “All right. But not for at least a year.”
My dad’s grin stretched wide across his face. “Let’s take Libby to the beach after her lunch. She needs to get to know the island.”