Then Vann smiled and explained, calmly, exactly what would happen next.
“We’re going to let it go, Peaches. And have a hilarious story to tell our grandchildren one day.”
She kissed him as all the strangers looked on, but soon they all seemed to disappear. They could think what they wanted, the two families could think what they wanted, but nothing—not work, not weddings—could stand in the way of his time with his kitty cat.
Epilogue
July
GiGi
Few things were better than the Gulf breeze in her hair, a book in her lap, and a drink in her hand. Most cats are not a fan of water, but GiGi was not most cats.
She took a deep breath and was reminded that nothing back home was falling apart without her. Her days of micromanaging were over.
It was going to take a while to get used to this.
Only true love—and a ridiculous mishap at her cousin’s riverboat wedding last month—could have persuaded her to let it all go for a little while.
GiGi stood and gazed over the railing of the vessel she now co-captained and wondered what everybody was up to back in New Orleans.
The wedding had gone smoothly enough for a couple like Ash and Rosemary. More or less.
Sure, shit had gotten a little weird. But in the end, they were married, and Uncle Lionel had shown up to walk his daughter down the aisle. Whether the old man had shown up because of Ash’s smelly voodoo stunt — he had performed a spell involving burning crystals from a high priestess and family friend — or Vann’s way with words, nobody could be sure. GiGi was sure of one thing only, and that was that all of the groomsmen wolves were individually taking the credit for that caper.
Best of all, GiGi’s masterpiece cake had been the hit of the reception.
Or so she had heard. GiGi had not been available to receive the accolades, as she had spent the bulk of the reception below deck.
She looked up from her book as Vann appeared from below deck with a pitcher of water to freshen up her glass.
“What part of the world are you off to next, Mr. West?” GiGi asked.
“Don’t know,” Vann replied. “It’s entirely for you to decide, since the streaming service won’t be deciding anything for me for a good long while.”
She cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean the show is on sabbatical. I’m not leaving to go anywhere without you ever again. I hated every second of it. Name the place and we’ll go. Right now.”
Shocked that he’d managed to negotiate this break with the showrunners, but touched all the same, GiGi didn’t know what to say. Eventually, she found the words.
“I only have an overnight bag. I don’t have enough clothes to take off on a long trip right now,” she said.
“Already taken care of. I told you when we first got together that I was going to take care of you, and that’s what I’m doing.”
“You went through my apartment and packed a suitcase full of dirty clothes from the floor?” GiGi asked, laughing.
“No,” he said. “I bought you all new items, and I’ve already stowed them below deck. We have food for a couple of weeks. The world is our oyster, GiGi. What is it you want? Name it.”
GiGi set her glass down and pulled Vann’s arm until he was seated next to her, allowing her to slink into his lap and kiss his neck slowly, sensuously.
“I think we should turn around and go home, then, because what I think I need is a pregnancy test.”
Vann pulled back; it was his turn to be shocked. “Really?”
GiGi laughed. “How are you surprised? You do know how these things happen.”
Without another word, Vann went below deck and fetched a life preserver, fastened it around GiGi despite her protests, and ordered her to get out of the sun. Then he was at the wheel, firing up the engines and steering the boat back to their home port.
“What’s gotten into you?” she asked.
“No baby of mine is going to be born on a boat, and no wife of mine is going to give birth at sea without a doctor.”
“Baby, you do know the normal gestation period is eight months? Let’s not go overboard.”
But Vann was determined.
She normally didn’t like being given orders. She didn’t enjoy being coddled. But now that she saw the motivation behind it all, she went with it.
She watched the blue waves of the Gulf gently bounce the yacht back and forth. She might end up seasick by the time they reached the shore.
Vann pulled her into him while he drove the boat back to the harbor, his grip on her tightening with every wave that rocked the vessel.
It seemed like he knew what he was doing.
She wasn’t sure what a child would look like between the two of them. Or how to tell if they were born with the same curses as either of them.
But they’d been children themselves and navigated life pretty successful up until now. She had faith in her captain, and she had faith in herself. As always, she would wait and see, certain that her patience, his good heart, and their families’ acceptance, would help seal an even better fate than any shifter curse could dictate.
The End
About the Author
Abby Knox lives a dual life. Fantasy Abby would love to live on a farm with goats, bees, chickens, donkeys and alpaca, making her own soap, yarn, honey and cheese. Reality Abby has no desire to do actual farm work. So, the ever-pragmatic Reality Abby keeps Fantasy Abby happy by putting her into adorable little works of romantic fiction with her pretend hobbies. Both Abbies hope you enjoy her sweet, sexy — sometimes a little over the top and weird — storytelling.
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