Chapter 45
“ H oney, she’s beautiful.” Mom cradled Lucy, and I was pretty sure the entire room had hawk eyes on her. They were subtle about it, but Mom was still on relationship probation. The pack and I had decided that a party would allow more distant family members some time to plan to come visit, and it also let Micah’s family put on one of the events they loved so much.
Nathan sat next to Mom, ready to muzzle any unpleasantness that might come out of her. “I’ve got a surprise.”
“What kind of surprise?” I asked.
“I’m moving to Vegas.”
My jaw dropped. Nathan has been gallivanting around the world for the last few years on the heels of his mentor, designing some of the most gorgeous buildings I’d ever seen. “You’re moving here ? But you love your job.”
“I can love a new one,” he said, rubbing Lucy’s cheek with his knuckle. “I want to be around for this little gal. I’ve already got a job lined up in the city.”
I swept around Mom and Lucy to tackle him in a hug. “Really?”
“I’ve got to compete for my spot as favorite uncle, right?”
“You absolutely do,” I said with a laugh and settled back down. “You’ve got a lot of competition.”
“All the more reason to up my game. Mom, quit hogging her.”
Mom clutched Lucy to her chest. “You’re going to get her all the time. Wait your turn.”
I hadn’t lived near Nathan since I was a teen, and while we didn’t always get along, it was beyond sweet that he wanted to be in Lucy’s life enough to make this change.
The doorbell drew my attention, but Bryce was on his feet before me, rushing over to answer it. Tension rolled down the bond from him when his dad came into view. They had been talking a tiny bit the last few months, but not much. I hadn’t even really expected him to come today.
He gave Bryce a solemn nod and beelined straight for me. “I owe you an apology.”
“Damn right you do,” Luke yelled from across the room, where he was in conversation with Micah’s brothers.
Mr. Carlton blushed. “I’m sorry, Ava. My issues with you were never actually about you. I’ve done a lot of soul-searching since Bryce chose you. There are a great many things I need to apologize for, but I’ll start with you. I never should have judged you and your intentions with my son. I can see now how much he loves you and how loved he is in return by you and your pack. You all deserved better from me, and I am sorry I wasn’t able to give you that at the time. I don’t expect forgiveness.”
“Thank you for that. I know apologizing isn’t easy, but you’re right that I do love your son, and I am glad you could bring yourself around to the idea.” I took a long moment to look at him, taking in the sincerity bright in his eyes. “We’re a house of second chances, but not third ones. As long as you treat everyone here with respect and kindness, you’re welcome.”
Bryce hovered close by, listening intently in case he needed to intervene, but his father seemed to be in good spirits and so far unwilling to cause trouble.
Mr. Carlton turned to his son. “You’ve found yourself a good woman. Understanding, like your mother was. I’m glad you’re happy.”
Bryce, my sweet alpha, looked so relieved that we’d opened up dialogue and hadn’t instantly started fighting. I would always fight for him, but if his father was going to behave, then I wouldn’t need to bring out the verbal boxing gloves.
“Why don’t you get yourself a drink from the kitchen? Bryce can show you, and then you can get to know some of your son’s new family. I’m sure by the time you’ve made the rounds my mother will be willing to part with Lucy for you to meet her.”
He gave me a stiff nod and Bryce ushered him away to the coffee and tea station we’d set up for everyone.
Mom watched him go with a crease between her eyebrows. “What did he do to you that he needed to apologize?”
“Less than what you did,” I replied simply, and Mom pressed her lips into a thin line.
Jesse’s mother bustled over with a fresh cup of tea for me. “How are you doing, mija? The party is lovely.”
“Thank you, Mama Sol.”
Mom frowned at our interaction, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. I had gotten so used to Marisol over the past few months, needing that motherly acceptance while navigating life as a new mom myself. She had stepped up in a way my own mother had failed to do, and Mom could be as annoyed about that as she wanted, but she could have chosen differently.
Mama Mary joined us as well, offering my mother a hand. “There’s so many people here I almost missed introducing myself to you. I’m Mary.”
“Nancy,” Mom replied.
Lucy fussed and I stole back my daughter, cooing at her, kissing her cheeks and nose until I worked a smile out of her.
“She’s growing so fast,” Mama Mary said warmly.
“Too fast.” Mama Sol tapped Lucy’s nose. “You’re going to be running around on us before we know it.”
“We’ve got a few months before that, thankfully.”
I let the grandmothers gush over Lucy, excusing myself to prep a bottle for her. I had pumped before the party; it just needed to be warmed. We kept everything in the nursery so it was easily accessible, and I had barely gotten the bottle in the warmer before Jesse slipped into the room with me.
“Did you abandon the party?” I asked.
“You’re more fun than any party.” He looped an arm around my waist. “I wanted to make sure you’d have help if you needed it.”
I could manage a bottle on my own, but I loved that he was here anyway, always ready to support me. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Always, sweetness. Is something wrong?”
I shook my head and slipped into his arms. “The opposite. You’re perfect.”
“ Me ?”
“Yes, you. You’ve been perfect since the first moment we met.” Affection rose up, threatening to close my throat as tears formed, but I swallowed it back so I could keep speaking. “I feel selfish sometimes, over how much I want to keep you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he assured me, cupping my face. “What’s going on in your head?”
“We’re already mates, but that was by accident. I want you to know that I’d choose you without that. You were my first bit of peace in all of the chaos and at first I loved you for that, but I love all of you, just for who you are. I want to be yours in every way I can be.”
His warm hazel eyes shone. “I love you, Ava, my perfect omega.”
“Marry me, Jesse.”
“I’d love nothing more.” His kiss was soft, warming me through. “I love you and the family we’ve built together. Be my bride and let us show the whole world that we all belong together.”
I was full-on sobbing by the time he finished and fell into his kiss, a chant of yes, yes, yes sliding out between each breathless one.
“I wasn’t supposed to cry today,” I said, half laughing and wiping my tears.
“We can make an exception for happy tears, though.” Jesse kissed me again. “Take your time before we go downstairs.”
Once I had collected myself, I diverted to the bathroom to wash my face and reapply the few bits of makeup I had bothered with. Satisfied that no one would be able to tell I had been crying, I got Lucy’s bottle from the warmer and followed Jesse back downstairs, my fingers laced with Jesse’s.
Unable to contain myself when we rejoined the party, I threw our hand hands in the air and yelled out, “We’re engaged!”
Cheers broke out from those attending, and Mama Sol raised a glass. “To my beautiful daughter and her pack. You have all been family from the first moment my son decided you were, but we are always ready to celebrate your love.”
I soaked up her hug, and many others before I finally made it back over to Lucy. I didn’t even have to worry about feeding her. Micah gathered her up from my mother and gave her the bottle himself while I settled next to him, overwhelmed as I always was by how much love was in his eyes when he looked at her. I still woke up sometimes from nightmares that I had never found out about Andrew in time and had missed my chance with these wonderful men, but they were always there. The second I made a peep, one of them, or sometimes more, were cuddling me close, reminding me that I was safe and would stay that way.
Fate really knew what it was doing when it blew up my life and dropped me into their laps. Every day was filled with more love than I knew what to do with. My daughter was growing up with fathers who adored her, and we had extended family who were more than happy to be involved and give her everything she deserved. They welcomed me as a daughter, sister, and friend, and sometimes that set me off, too. I had so much more than I’d ever expected.
Jesse sat down next to me, scooping me onto his lap and scooting closer to Micah, his purr rumbling like distant thunder.
“You two are going to give Lucy cavities being that sweet,” Micah said with a laugh. “She doesn’t even have teeth yet, so that’s quite a feat.”
I didn’t mind one bit. We could all use a little more sweetness in our lives.