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He dropped down to one knee in front of her. Taylee couldn’t help but feel awkward for a second, just standing there holding Onyx. She was wide awake and hadn’t made a sound while Clay dropped them off, while they got ready, and then as they drove over. The loud yells hadn’t startled her when they’d walked in either—she was such a chilled baby. She just studied the room with the most adorably round eyes and awed expression.
“This is all for you, honey,” Kier said. “This whole thing. It’s a surprise welcome to Greenacre party.”
“Oh. I-I’ve never been to a surprise party before.” Misty pointed at her chest. “Really? It’s for me?” Her mouth dropped open.
Taylee’s chest felt like mush. She no longer noticed all the sets of eyes on them. She was just looking at Misty and at Kier. Their smiles were twin suns, and so it made sense that the rest of the room revolved around both of them.
“Can I go see the table?” Misty could barely stand still. She was hopping from one foot to the other with excitement.
“You sure can. It’s all set up, just for you.”
“Me?”
“Well, for you and the other kids too, but we knew how much you loved science, so we wanted to do something special.”
Misty sniffed and Tay thought she was choking up, but she was still grinning. She was sniffing the delicious scent of sweet syrup, fried dough, and salty meat sizzling in the pans at the back. “And pancakes!”
“That’s right. Because they’re your favorite.”
“But everyone has already said hi. They didn’t need to do it again.”
“We sure did. We wanted to welcome you properly. Your place is here. It’s always been here, even if it took a few years to get you back to us. You’re a part of Greenacre now and you’re always going to be. It was official since the day you were born.”
Tay’s eyes started to water as Kier led Misty over to the table. He looked back at her, and she smiled just for him, encouraging him to go off because she’d be fine.
Even if she was starting to feel overwhelmed by how stuffy it was in the building and how many bodies were in there. How many shifters she didn’t know.
“Hey.” Lily appeared at her elbow.
It was only a second before January, Glendy, and Josephine closed in. January was bouncing her son, but Thaddius was now walking around with Glendy’s baby, patting his back as he went.
“Hey,” Taylee said. She shifted Onyx so her arms wouldn’t get tired.
“Can I hold her?” Glendy motioned to take the baby, and Taylee handed her over.
A thousand apologies sprung to her tongue, but Glendy seemed so happy. She wanted to apologize for never having met her before, when she was with Clay. For their clan keeping her separate and away because she was human. For not helping her out more when she and Clay divorced, or after, with Emma. For not even being able to remember any of that and having it all secondhand from her brother a few weeks ago.
“It’s overwhelming, I know.” Josephine motioned around the room. “But it’s good. Everyone here is good people.”
“Lily nodded, rubbing her belly. “God, I really popped this week. Now people can finally tell that I’m pregnant from the outside, not just while I get kicked and battered on the inside.”
“Are you still dancing?” Tay asked, more to be polite, because she knew that’s what Lily did in Greenacre. She taught dance.
“I am. At least while I can still keep my balance. Might have to shift to yoga soon.” She said while laughing.
Glendy bounced Onyx, which made her coo happily. She didn’t even mind when she grabbed one of her curls and tried to devour it.
“Here.” Taylee pulled out a pacifier from the diaper bag slung over her shoulder.
“There we go, little miss.” Glendy helped Onyx pop it in her mouth and they all laughed when the baby gave a few exaggerated sucks and then baby giggled and cooed adorably.
“She loves that thing,” Taylee admitted. “But I guess as she’s just a couple of months old, that’s probably okay.”
“I can’t imagine having twins,” Lily groaned, looking at Josephine. “You must have been showing practically right from the start.”
Josephine nodded. “Yeah. It was rough trying to hide it at work. I didn’t want anyone to know for as long as it was possible. I’m so glad that I can be here, working and living in Greenacre. I thought my life was the city and the clinic there, but handing it over to be run by really good people wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I’m where I was always meant to be.” She turned her gaze straight at Tay. “We’re all where we’re meant to be.”
Taylee suddenly burned under that kind expression, so she turned away to try to locate Misty and Kier. Misty was surrounded by a huge group of other Greenacre kids. Kier wasn’t far, talking with Tavish, Trace, Sam, and a few men Taylee didn’t know.
