Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 25072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
The cashier is waiting patiently as my mother digs into her purse and pulls out a wad of cash.
“Whoa, Mom! What did you rob a liquor store or something?”
She shakes her head. “A bank.”
“She’s kidding,” I say to the cashier. I think…
“I’m paying,” Mom says as she slaps the money onto the counter. “And that’s final. Ring it up please.”
I’m shaking my head with a smile on my face as she proudly pays for my child’s crib. We’ve all come a long way in the past year. Mom has a new career that she loves as a real estate agent and she just sold her first house.
When Rhys died, she came out of her fog. It was like the veil of sadness and depression was lifted from her eyes and she became our mother again. I’ve forgiven her for all of it. I know she was just trying to do what she thought was best for all of us. Especially for Oliver. It might have worked out too if Rhys hadn’t turned out to be a murderous gun-running asshole.
Logan and his brothers saved me and my family when they ended his life. He’s buried somewhere in the mountains where even the wolves can’t find him.
When we went back to Rhys’ ranch to get our stuff, we found where he kept his large stash of cash. Let’s just say it was enough to buy me a new car, a new truck for Cameron, a nice house for Mom and Oliver in town, and most importantly, enough for Logan to buy back his father’s ranch.
It was important for him to own it again but we both really wanted to stay on the Bowen Ranch with his brothers and their mates. It’s where our home is. So, he leased it to a crew of Kodiak bear shifters who moved down from Alaska. They’re called the Dixon boys and they’ve been creating quite a stir among the local single female population of Belgrade Springs. I haven’t seen them yet, but apparently, they’re very hot.
Not that I care. I’m head over heels in love with my man and even if I wasn’t, my belly is sticking out so much that I can’t even see my feet. I doubt they would look my way.
I give the cashier all the information she needs for the delivery and we grab our bags full of new pillows, decorations, clothes, and baby toys, and head for the car.
“I’m so huge,” I whine as I struggle to get into the passenger’s seat. “Shifter babies are enormous!”
“Tell me about it,” my mother says as she starts the car. “I was walking bowlegged for a year after I had Oliver.”
We start driving through the adorable town and just as we pass the cupcake shop, my legs suddenly feel all wet.
“I got another listing today!” my mother goes on as I stare at my wet pants in shock. “I was waiting to tell you. Look it’s right up here on the left. The owner has been living there forever but she died last week. Isn’t that great news!”
“Mom…” I say as we pass the house with the for sale sign on the front yard. My mother’s picture is waving at me.
“Oh, I know it was tragic and all, but come on, she was like ninety-seven!”
“No, Mom. My water broke.”
She slams on the brakes and the car behind us honks as he swerves out of the way. She’s never been the best driver.
“Your water broke?”
“My water broke!”
Oh my god, saying it out loud makes it that much scarier. I’m having a baby. I’m having a freaking baby!!
There are more honks as she turns around and starts heading toward the hospital. “Sorry!” she shouts out the window at all of the frustrated drivers. “We’re having a baby over here!”
I grab my phone out of my purse and call Logan as we speed away.
Seven long painful hours later and I’m holding my beautiful baby boy in my arms. Logan is standing beside me, unable to take his eyes off his sleeping face.
“You’re sure?” I ask him for the tenth time.
Logan leans in close to the baby’s head and inhales his scent. “Yeah, I’m sure. He’s a tiger shifter all right.”
I grin as I picture an adorable little tiger cub hiding inside him.
“I know you were hoping for a grizzly bear shifter,” I say to Logan. “But I really like that he’s got a part of my family in him.”
“Are you kidding?” he says as he tears his eyes away from our boy and looks at me in awe. “I’m so happy right now. He’s perfect. Shifter, human, bear, tiger, cockroach. I don’t care. I love him just like this.”
“What are you thinking for a name?” I ask after we stare at him for another long moment.
“I’d like to honor my father,” he says as he fidgets nervously with the baby’s blanket. “But I understand if you don’t want to.”