For once, Gwen was glad to see her.
She gave Gwen a big hug. “Thank you for doing this.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not happy about it,” she grumbled.
Her mom smiled. “I know. That’s why it means even more to me that you are.”
Charlie came over later, and Gwen again had a chance to see how happy Ruthie looked. Bob and Amy showed up right on time. Both of them looked uncomfortable, but their mom swooped in to pick baby Chesley up from her carrier seat. “There’s my little peanut!”
Gwen had to admit her mom also looked happier than she’d ever seen her. She walked over with the baby in her arms. Chesley had blue eyes, like Liam, and curly brown hair.
“Want to hold her?” her mom asked.
She hesitated, then held her arms out. The baby smiled and reached for Gwen. Liam walked over and joined them. “Hey, kiddo.”
Ruthie finally realized Bob and Amy were just standing there, looking even more uncomfortable. “Come on in and sit down, you two.”
“Thanks,” Bob quietly said.
Gwen glared at them before turning her back on them. She walked to one of the back windows, which overlooked the yard. Tim and Jack moved to flank her, each with a hand on her shoulder.
“She’s a cutie,” Jack said.
Gwen nodded.
Her mom walked over. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Are you going to ignore them all night,” she quietly said, “or are you going to talk to them?”
“I don’t suppose you’ll let me ignore them.”
Tim rested his chin on her shoulder. “It’s okay, babe. Just fake it until you make it.”
She sighed and finally returned to the living room, where Amy and Bob were talking with Liam, Charlie, and Ruthie. “She’s adorable,” Gwen said as she handed the baby back to Amy.
Amy gave her a hesitant smile. “Thank you.”
And that was the start of a tentative, but passable conversation for the rest of the evening. When it was time for Bob and Amy to go, Gwen even walked to the door with them and hugged Amy.
“I’m sorry, Gee,” Amy whispered in her ear. “I miss you guys so much, and I know I deserve it, but I’m really sorry. I never meant to push you two away. I love you. I hope you and your guys and Liam are happy in Rapid City.”
Gwen fought back her tears. She might cry sooner rather than later, but she didn’t want it to be in front of Amy and Bob. “Thanks. I appreciate it. You…can e-mail me and call me, if you want.”
Amy hugged her harder. “Thank you.”
Their mother prepared to leave a few minutes later. “What did Dad say about you coming here tonight?” Liam asked.
She smiled. “He didn’t. I just told him I was going out, and that there were leftovers in the fridge.”
“Ooh, Mom’s kicking butt,” he teased.
“No, not kicking butt, just standing up for myself.” She smiled at Ruthie and Charlie. “And standing up for my kids, and for what’s right.”
That night, Gwen curled up between her men and had her good cry.
The next morning, their mother came by to fix them all breakfast and say good-bye to everyone. Gwen couldn’t believe their mom had reacted as well as she had to all the recent events.
Gwen hugged her long and hard as she stood beside the rental truck. Jack and Tim would take turns driving it and the rental car. Liam would ride shotgun in the car so they could stop whenever he needed.
“Thanks, Mom,” she tearfully said. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too, sweetie.” She stepped back and offered her a smile. “You and Liam have fun and take care of each other. I’m so proud of you.”
“Proud?”
“Yes. You’re following your dream.” She looked at Tim and Jack. “And no, I never imagined two men in your life. At least that doubles my chances for more grandchildren, right?”
Gwen felt herself blushing as Tim and Jack laughed.
“Absolutely,” Jack said.
As they rolled toward the interstate, Gwen took a final look at once-familiar landmarks. Already things had changed a little since the last time she’d been “home.” Stores had closed and been replaced by other stores. There were new businesses and houses, and construction projects on roads. It was the same, but different.
“You okay, sweetie?” Jack asked. He would take the first shift.
“Yeah.”
“Any regrets?”
“Yeah.” He looked at her, startled, and she smiled. “I regret I didn’t kick your ass that day in Rapid City. We’d already be moved out there if I had.”
He laughed, relieved. “I wish you’d kicked my ass, too, sweetheart. Believe me.”
Epilogue
Gwen relaxed on the upper porch, looking out over the valley from the comfort of her chair. Golden-hued shadows were lengthening as they stretched across the landscape. She’d just submitted her fourth Pellington Pack novel to her publisher.
Shelaine and her horndog shape-shifter mates couldn’t even begin to keep up with Gwen’s real-life hunks.
She smiled at that thought.
Liam sat at the patio table, headphones on, iPod blaring and totally engrossed in his work. Late in the summer, while the daytime temperatures had reached nearly ninety, it was already pleasantly cool and would drop to almost chilly levels by the middle of the night.
Tim emerged through the sliders, drinks in both his hands. A beer for himself, iced tea for her. He handed it to her and took a seat next to her. He propped his feet up on the railing and slung an arm across her shoulders. “How you doing?”
“I’m okay.”
“Jack called a few minutes ago. He said your mom’s plane was a few minutes late, but they’re on their way.”
“Oh, good.”
She and Liam had built a good rapport with their mother over the past few months. Gwen could honestly say she was looking forward to her visit.
“And,” he playfully teased, “he said there’s a surprise.”
Her stomach rolled. She rested her hand on her belly. “What kind of surprise?” she nervously asked.
“Good surprise.”
“I should get dinner started.”
“Nope. I’m taking care of it, I told you that.”
The men had spoiled her rotten. Their wedding just days after their return to Rapid City had been a quiet, small civil ceremony with Liam, Pete, Jack’s father, and Celia present. Both men wore wedding rings.
Tim rubbed her belly. “You doing okay?”
“No morning sickness tonight, if that’s what you mean.” Now four months along, her baby bump was more like a baby mountain, in her opinion. The men had wasted no time getting her knocked up.
Not that she was complaining.
She was the happiest she’d ever been in her life.
After a few minutes, Tim returned inside to start dinner and Liam shut down his laptop. “You excited?”
“Yeah, I’ve missed her. I’m glad she came around.”
A shadow of a frown crossed his face. Their father had sent them a scathing letter, essentially disowning them unless Liam “repented” his homosexuality and Gwen gave up her “whorish ways.”
It didn’t surprise them in the least when their mom moved in with Ruthie a week later and filed for divorce. They couldn’t blame her. It saddened them to lose contact with their father, but they were relieved that a healthy bridge had finally been built between them and their mother.
Gwen had even managed to forgive Amy. She’d started e-mailing with her a few times a week.
Liam moved his stuff inside. Gwen waddled in behind him and sat at the kitchen table. When the front door opened a few minutes later, she heard Jack’s voice call out.