“Oooh, the surprise isthe beach?” Lucy asked as we got out of the car.
“We were literally just by the beach. Thissamebeach,” Wilder said.
“No grumpiness allowed today.” Lucy poked his side and squealed when he swooped her up into his arms.
“Lead the way, King,” he said, grinning.
I kept my arm around Leo as we headed down the sandy path to the water, helping him stay balanced as his cane sank into the sand with every step.
I stopped before we’d gone too far. “You know I’ve been working on that commercial real estate deal? Well, this is the property.”
“Wait, you’re selling this land?” Lucy’s face fell and a pang of sadness reached me through the bond. “When you said commercial property, I was expecting an office building or warehouse. This is beautiful.”
“Seems a shame to let this area be developed,” Wilder said.
I turned to Leo, waiting for his opinion, but he just smirked and met my eyes with a knowing gaze. Our bond was filled with amusement, not disappointment. I brushed my hand through my hair. Being thisseenwas…unsettling but also wonderful.
“I’m glad you feel that way because I’ve decided not to sell it to the developer.”
Lucy perked up. “Yeah? What are you going to do with it?”
“Most of the land will be put in a permanent trust for wildlife and land conservation, with the exception of the section we’re standing on now. I was thinking we could build a house on it.”
“A house?” Lucy breathed.
“We don’t have to if there’s a location you like better. I was justthinking we need a real pack house, one that’s secluded enough for the mountain grump”—I jerked my head at Wilder, who rolled his eyes—“while still being an easy commute to town.”
Lucy let out an excited squeal and hopped out of Wilder’s arms. “I love this idea.” Then her face fell. “But wait, what will you do? Can you permanently work remotely, or will you still have to travel into New York?”
Fuck. I had been so deep in my head planning this surprise that I hadn’t actuallycommunicatedwith my pack. “Well, I may have already handed in my resignation to the board,” I said sheepishly. I’d told them last week and recommended Caroline to replace me as CEO.
My three packmates stared at me in stunned silence until Leo cleared his throat.
“Any other major life changes we should know about?” he asked dryly.
“No. Well, okay, I started a nonprofit for ocean conservation, but I haven’t mailed in the paperwork, so it’s not final or anything,” I muttered.
“You are ridiculous.” Leo pulled me into a hug, and before I knew it, all three of them had their arms around me, squeezing.
“It’s a good plan,” Wilder said.
“It’s agreatplan,” Lucy emphasized as she bounced in my arms. “How soon can we get the house built? Can I design my nest? What if we have a whole floor for my nest? The Nest Wonderland catalog from March had this huge attic room nest with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, and I’ve been dreaming about it ever since.”
I chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Of course you can, baby girl. We can make it whatever you want. I have an architect lined up, and I talked to the construction crew working on that new shop beside Summer’s place. They’re available to start construction right away. We’re still looking at a six-month wait at the earliest, but probably closer to a year.” I ran my fingers through her hair. “If you still want to have a heat this fall, we can make it work in your apartmentagain, or we can rent a nest. There are some really nice heat clinics in Boston.”
She cupped my face with both hands and pulled me down to her level. “We’ll figure it out. As long as we’re together.”
Her lips were plush and soft as she kissed me, her sweetness settling into my soul.
81
Lucy
“I can’t believe we’re goingto live here.” I sighed and rested my head against Leo’s shoulder. The two of us were sitting on the sandy embankment while King and Wilder walked the area that would become our home’s foundation.
He kissed the top of my head. “Dream come true.”
I breathed deep, letting the salty sea air wash over me as the sun’s final golden rays touched my skin. For all my stress and indecision since my birthday, everything about my life feltright.
