Grandma had no pulse, and her arm was still warm.
“Dad’s going to throw a fit when he gets here, isn’t he?” Wyatt said weakly. “Two deaths today, and both with us on the scene.”
“You’ll have to tell me about that,” Mom said, stepping closer. “We’ll call the ambulance, and then have Dad over for dinner while he’s here.”
“It doesn’t work that way,” Hazel said. “If the police come, you’ll need to sit through all the interviews first.”
“Might not need interviews. Pretty sure that counts as a natural death.” Raph dropped a kiss on Wyatt’s forehead, dragging his nose in Wyatt’s hair. “I’m just happy they’re both gone. Feels like a new beginning.”
“It really does.” Wyatt cracked a smile. He gathered Hazel into his arms, and leaned into Raph’s chest.
With his family safe around him, things were looking up, at last.
33
Wyatt
Two months later
“Are you sure those donuts were absolutely necessary?” Wyatt asked as they walked up to their apartment door, the keys jangling in Raph’s hand. “You know I can make them myself.”
Raph chuckled, reaching behind to squeeze Wyatt’s ass. “‘Course they were necessary. Gets you out of the house. You need exercise.”
“I hope that isn’t you saying I’m fat, Raph,” Wyatt muttered, elbowing him in the gut. Raph grunted, but he hadn’t stopped smiling.
“Have I even said you’re fat? I’ve said I love your belly.” Raph caught him in front of the door, pulling him into a slow, sweet kiss. His palms slipped down to Wyatt’s abdomen, and Wyatt held Raph’s hands, guiding his touch over their baby.
They hadn’t been able to hug properly for months, now, unless Raph was spooning Wyatt from behind. Most nights, they slept that way—Wyatt curled up in bed, and Raph holding his swollen belly from behind.
If there was one thing Wyatt was thankful for, it was that he’d found Raph again, that all of this had worked out.
Since Grandma’s death, Raph had given his 30-day notice at work, and left his job in Highton. Grandma hadn’t had time to change her will—the mansion had gone to their parents, and Raph had inherited a sum of money—enough to pay off his debt. The rest of the cash, he’d put into the shared savings account he’d started with Wyatt.
He’d also moved into Wyatt’s apartment. Wyatt, Hazel, and Penny had driven down to Highton one day to help him pack, and by the following weekend, Raph’s things were unpacked, tucked into Wyatt’s closet, and around the living room.
For the past month, Raph had been helping Wyatt nest for the baby. He’d rearranged the storage room, moved furniture in, built a dresser for the baby’s clothes. They were supposed to paint a mural this weekend. Which was why Wyatt had frowned when Raph coaxed him out to grab some donuts.
He broke the kiss, glancing around them. But there were no neighbors in sight, only the crisp January stillness of the morning, and some birds chirping.
“We’ll move this inside,” Wyatt said, tugging on Raph’s hand.
“Yeah.” And Raph smiled that boyish smile again, the one that he’d been trying to hide for a week. It was another secret. But Raph looked excited about it, and Wyatt had relaxed, trusting that Raph was hiding something good. He could do with a pleasant surprise.
Raph unlocked the door, nodding for Wyatt to head in first.
The moment he crossed the threshold of their home, streamers exploded through the room, and balloons popped. Hazel leaped up over the couch. Sam stepped out from behind the door and hugged him. Penny blew on a party horn, a jaunty paper hat on her head.
“Surprise!” they said, beaming.
Wyatt laughed, staring at all of them. “What’s this for? It’s not even my birthday!”
“It’s your baby shower,” Raph said, hugging Wyatt from behind; Sam still hadn’t released him yet.
“A baby shower?” Wyatt wrapped his arms around Hazel when she wriggled into the group hug, looking around the apartment.
There were balloons strung up in every corner, satiny streamers dangling from them. A large paper banner hung across the wall, big colored-in letters reading Baby #2. A cheerful cake sat on the coffee table, and wrapped gifts lined the side of the couch, glittering in the sunlight.
Wyatt’s throat grew tight. Years ago, when he’d been carrying Hazel, he hadn’t the time or energy to consider a baby shower. So he hadn’t expected anything for this pregnancy, either—Raph was busy dealing with paperwork from Grandma’s death, and Penny and Sam each had their own lives to see to.
“It was Raph’s idea,” Sam said, grinning. “He said you’d love to have a baby shower. So we all got together and planned for today.”
“You needn’t have,” Wyatt choked, looking at Hazel’s grin, Penny’s smile, and Sam’s warm eyes. Then he met Raph’s gaze, and Raph slipped his hand up along Wyatt’s neck, his fingers catching in Wyatt’s hair.
“You’re doing great,” Raph said, brushing his thumb down Wyatt’s throat. “Thought you might like a small celebration.”
Wyatt blinked hard, his eyes prickling. “Gods, Raph. You’re not supposed to make me cry.”
Raph’s smile slipped. “You don’t like this?”
“I do!” Wyatt smiled through his tears, fumbling around until he caught Raph’s hand. “I just... I wasn’t expecting this.”
“You have family and friends,” Raph said, looking around at all of them. “I just wanted to remind you of that. So if you ever feel like you’re alone, or if you feel terrible about yourself, remember that you have people who love you.”
Wyatt’s lips trembled. Hazel frowned at Raph. “You’re making Dad cry again.”
“It’s happy tears, hon,” Wyatt said, his chest bursting with warmth. “It’s okay to cry happy tears.”
Hazel studied him dubiously, before leaning into Raph. “Okay.”
Penny joined the group hug, flinging her arms around Sam and Raph. “We also want you to know that we’ll be around for the next baby,” she said. “Call me anytime.”
“You haven’t found an alpha yet, Pen?” Raph asked, grinning.
“I’m married to my work,” Penny said, winking. “But I can always spare time for Aunt
