Page 39 of Wolf's Midlife Baby

Holly had blushed at meeting a celebrity like Declan, but her countenance quickly turned to one of horror. “I am so very sorry about that. I was trying my best to get him to shut up, but he’s pretty good at opening his mouth and sticking his foot straight in it.”

“I could tell,” Tiffany said with a laugh. “And don’t worry. I could tell just how much he was embarrassing you. Looking back, I should’ve figured out what he was hoping I’d tell him. You and I could’ve teamed up and scared the shit out of him.”

“That would’ve saved me a lot of time,” Holly admitted. “I have to tell you, your food was delicious! We’ll be sure to come in every time we return to Eugene.”

Declan clapped Pierce on the shoulder. “Hey, I’m just glad to know you’ll be coming back. And there’s always a chance you might see us. Now that Tiffany’s daughter Hailey is doing better and her twins are living with her full-time again, the band and I are talking about extending our touring season. Just a little,” he added quickly at a look from his mate.

“Be sure to look us up if you’re in the area,” Pierce reminded him. “You could always take the ferry over if you play in Boston.”

They continued to make their rounds through the party, checking in on Hunter’s college studies and thanking Ava again for her help in wiping Kyle’s memory. Conner had brought his mate McKenzie, and the two of them seemed to be just as in love as they had when he’d first brought her to the packhouse. Stephanie’s daughter Annie had a mate now, as well, a young man who watched her every move with wide puppy dog eyes.

“I have to admit I’m a little jealous of them,” Pierce said quietly to Holly when they had a moment alone and their plates loaded with food.

She polished off her burger. “Why is that?”

“Because finding their mates so early means they get to spend that much more time with them,” he explained, poking a potato chip into a bit of dip. “I wish I’d found you a long time ago.”

“I know. I’ve thought about that, too.” She rolled her eyes up toward the trees, looking thoughtful. “I like to think there’s a reason, though. If we already had difficulty getting together now, maybe it would’ve been even harder for us back then.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. I was a pretty determined guy back then. I’ll bet we wouldn’t have been able to keep our hands off each other.”

“We still can’t,” she reminded him as she reached over and rubbed his leg.

They spent a few moments chatting with Caleb and Jennifer. Sean and Angela had arrived just then and joined them, and Tammy had even managed to bring Carter to the party. Pierce could see just how well Holly was getting along with his pack. It made him a little sad to know they’d be leaving, but it also meant they’d always have a place to come home to.

The light was shifting, and Pierce could feel the change reflecting within him. He was feeling a little wistful, but it was nothing compared to the excitement that rippled through him for this new adventure. “I think it’s about time for us to hit the road.”

“Not before you say goodbye to us.” Hayden grabbed his little brother by the back of the neck.

“I won’t miss that,” Pierce cracked before he punched Hayden in the arm. “You sure you’re cut out to be the new fire chief? It’s a lot of responsibility.”

“Definitely,” Hayden assured him, “although I wasn’t expecting it.”

“You should’ve,” Rick said as he walked up. He’d snagged another hot dog from Kane before he burned it to a crisp. “You only had the best two references in the world.”

“What about you?” Jessica asked her father-in-law. “What are you going to do with all your free time?”

“There’s no such thing as free time,” Rick replied. “I’ll have plenty to do, first with getting everything moved into Holly’s place and then fixing up the apartment over the garage.”

Holly shook her head. “I never meant that you had to do all the work yourself.”

He waved away her words. “I’ve been a homeowner for over forty years, so I know a thing or two. Besides, I’ve always wanted to try my hand at a bit of carpentry. You know I’ll do a decent job because I’m the one who has to live with it. I’m on a bit of a time crunch, though. I want all that out of the way before the baby comes along. Then it’s time to switch into full Grandpa mode.”

Pierce ran his hand over his mouth to suppress a laugh. His father had always been energetic, but he could tell the old man was even more enthusiastic than usual. This move was getting him excited, too. It really was just what they all needed.

Rick yelped as Verna stepped up behind him and smacked his ass. “You’re going have all those women in Cape Cod in a tizzy. They’re used to old geezers who sit around and watch television all day, so they’ll be falling all over themselves when you show up and start swinging tools around.”

“Trust me, I’m not interested in any of that,” Rick said, turning so that his backside no longer faced her.

As Rick and Verna carried on and Jessica and Holly cried over how much they’d come to like each other, Hayden pulled Pierce aside. “Hey, I just wanted to wish you good luck. Not that I think you’re going to need it. The two of you are pretty good together, and I’m glad you’ve found her.”

“Yeah, me too.” Pierce turned to look at Holly, who was now hugging all of Hayden and Jessica’s kids as well, telling them to come out for a vacation and how they could spend all week on the beach. “I think she’s going to be a great mom.”

“And you’ll be a good dad, but don’t be afraid to call me for advice,” Hayden reminded him with a grin. “I’ve got three of them, so one of them is after me for something at pretty much any given time. I’ve got some good secrets that even Rick Westbrook probably hasn’t thought of.”

“I’ll need them because I’m sure Dad is going to spoil the hell out of our little one. You sure you don’t mind us taking him away like this?” Pierce was happy to have his father along for the move. It meant a lot to him that it was Holly’s idea, that she wanted him there just as much as Pierce did. He still worried that he might be depriving Hayden or his kids by taking him all the way to the other side of the country, though.

“We’ll miss him, of course, but it’ll be a good excuse for us to take a good trip. Honestly, I think he needs this. If he stays here, he’s just going to think about everything he’s lost. All he can do out there in New England is gain new memories and new family,” Hayden theorized.

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