Daddy’s Mail Order Mate (Twilight Meadows Wolves #3)

Chapter 24 - Gwen

“Want help, doe?”

I glance over my shoulder from where I’m bent over in the fridge to see my husband hovering behind me.

“I suppose I can make use of you if you’re already here,” I deadpan affectionately.

Looking back into the fridge, I carefully negotiate some bottles out of the way to carefully pull the first cake out. It’s a good sized buttercream cake, double dark chocolate and topped with berries and all sorts of pretty fixings.

“Here’s the grown up cake.”

I stand up and we negotiate the confection between us, and I take a moment to admire my mate bustling off to go set it out on our dining room table for our guests. Of course his sister and her family are in attendance. They’re all busy currently crowding around Rowan, with Lily very excitedly chattering in her sweet toddler lisp about getting to have cake soon. The Elm Wood Pack leaders are visiting and comfortably occupy some seats nearby, their own children happily watching the festivities and playing with the little toys I gave them as party favors. Lucas apparently feels a bit outdone by Thorn, because he stands up and hurries towards me like a dog ready to perform a trick if it means he gets a treat.

“Anything I can help with sis?”

I chuckle and pat his cheek.

“You can go sit down, dork. You’ve already helped a lot today. If you keep hovering around me, I’m going to start bothering you about settling down. Maybe you should find some nice girl to fuss over instead of your sister one of these days if you’re so restless, hm?”

He fidgets for a moment before obliging me, and I shake my head in fond amusement before I bring out Rowan’s smash cake. It’s a darling thing, only four inches wide. I made it match as closely as I could to the main cake for the guests. But being only a year old, it’s best to give Rowan his own cake for dietary purposes, and to let him make a proper little mess of things. They call them smash cakes for a reason, after all.

I’m beaming brightly as I walk the cake over and see Rowan glance up at me with happy but ignorant interest.

“You’re going to love this honey,” I coo at him, already excited to see his reaction once he properly learns the joy of birthday cakes.

He giggles up at me, but not a moment after everyone has a good laugh when we see him stare with shock at the sweet tower set in front of him on his high chair tray.

“Aww, look at his face! He’s so darling!”

“What an angel.”

“Why’s he not eating it yet Mommy?”

“He’s not sure what it is yet.”

“It’s cake! Everyone knows what cake is.”

There’s another wave of laughter from the cute child commentary. Rowan finally seems to get the gumption to try out the meal set in front of him, digging his fingers into the chocolate buttercream and getting a nice fistful. The absolute joy that blooms across his face fills me to the brim, and I sneak my hand into Thorn’s as everyone watches the birthday boy dig in.

He smiles down at me and pecks the top of my head, and the both of us are contentedly quiet among the bright chaos of everyone else’s exuberant glee.

After a moment more, he gently pulls his hand from mine and picks up the cake knife.

“Now that the birthday boy’s been served, grab your plates.”

There’s a bunch of boisterous chirping from the kids insisting on the kind of pieces they want, and I laugh as they all mob around my husband like vultures.

I’ve laughed so much these last few months, as though to make up for years of feeling deprived of joy and hope. All of my days are full of warmth and love, and I finally have a home of my own.

Thorn looks back at me and offers out a plate laden with cake.

“Here, Gwen.”

I blink back a happy tear and take the plate with a grateful kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you.”

*****

THE END