“Only the best for our mother-in-law,” Gage said magnanimously.
My mother smiled at him, before turning the expression on me. “I can’t say I’m in a hurry to let you out of my sight, now that I’ve finally got you back, baby. Want to come camp out with me for the night? It’ll be like old times—there’s even a fireplace in the room.”
Immediately, I was swept back to memories of campfires in the forest—wrapping up with blankets and singing at the top of our voices.
“Does room service do hot cocoa?” I asked.
“Almost certainly,” Knox said.
Mom shot me a conspiratorial look. “How about s’mores?”
“That, I’m less sure of,” Knox replied, visibly amused.
“There’s a bit of chocolate lava cake left in one of the restaurant bags,” Gage offered.
My mother and I shared a look.
“Close enough,” I said.
Later, we sat leaning together on the rug in front of the crackling fireplace with full bellies and overflowing hearts. Mom had dragged the expensive comforter off of the queen-sized bed and wrapped it around both our shoulders, even though the room was a comfortable seventy-two degrees.
I found my hand wandering once more to my belly, as it had been doing often over the past couple of weeks. My mother glanced down and nudged my shoulder with hers.
“Too much cake?” she asked gently.
I shook my head. “No, it’s...” I trailed off, unable to stop a wistful smile from curving my lips. “My heat was two weeks ago. I haven’t taken a test yet, but... I think I’m pregnant. An old alpha grandma told me tonight that it would be twins.”
My mom’s breath caught. “You’re going to have twins?” Her voice sounded faint, but she pulled me tight against her side. “Oh,Jezzie...!”
“I’m terrified,” I admitted. “And also so excited that I can barely think about anything else. What business have I got raising kids? But, this pack—”
“Your pack,” my mother said, taking my face gently in her hands, “isamazing.” She paused, a smile like the sun coming up sliding over her careworn features. “And, you know—I did pretty well in Spanish class, back when I was in high school.”
“Is that right?” I asked, an answering grin tugging at my lips.
“Mm-hmm,” she confirmed. “So, I bet I could learn Portuguese, too... if I put my mind to it.”
EPILOGUE
Jez
ELEVEN MONTHS AFTERKnox arranged the reunion with my mother in St. Louis, we were on the other side of an ocean—wandering along a beautiful walking trail in a quaint southern European town outside of Lisbon.
Late afternoon sun painted everything gold. To my right, Tony kept pace while wheeling our baby girls in a double stroller. To my left, Emma Hope—one of our neighbors—strode effortlessly along the paved path in a pair of stylish four-inch heels. Her designer sunglasses glinted in the slanting light.
