Epilogue

EPILOGUE

"Hi, Arden." Ian gently took the newborn into his arms. "You're a handsome little fella, aren't you?"

"Just like his big brother," Erin replied softly. "I'm so glad you could come see him."

"Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world." Ian placed his finger into Arden's palm, grinning when those tiny fingers wrapped around it. "I can't believe I've actually got a little brother."

"You'd better believe it," Jace remarked. He sat on the edge of the couch, making stacks of folded baby clothes as he pulled the items one by one from a laundry basket. "Only a few days old, and he's already going through more clothes than either of us combined. "

Bailey came and sat next to Erin on the loveseat. "Is there anything you need?"

Erin put her hand on top of the younger woman's, touched by her concern. Jace had already tucked a blanket around her to fight against the spring chill in the air, and he'd even made sure she was wearing socks. A full cup of water sat on the end table next to a steaming mug of hot tea, and he'd already made her breakfast. That was on top of jumping in to help with the baby at every chance. Her shifter genes meant she'd healed quickly, but he was still treating her like a queen. "Honestly, no. Jace is taking great care of me."

"Don't you go giving me all the credit," Jace warned, glancing at Erin from the corner of his eye and smiling. "You were the one who did all the work, carrying Arden around for nine months. Not to mention the giving birth part. You were a pro."

"I had good support," Erin insisted. It'd been a bit scary to go into labor, when all the worries she'd had during her entire pregnancy had suddenly come flooding back to her. Jace had been right there with her, though, holding her hand and whispering words of encouragement. Her coven had also been there, with their sage wisdom and feminine love. It'd been a remarkable experience, and even though she'd had to wait so long for it, she was thrilled that she'd finally become a mother. There had always been something inside her that told her she was supposed to do this, and she felt a deep satisfaction in having her sweet baby. She'd had times of being angry and frustrated at having to wait for a mate and child, but now she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Well, Ian and I are here for you if you guys need anything. I mean, I know we're technically three hours away, but we're still here." Bailey got up and went over to sit next to her boyfriend. She laid her head on Ian's shoulder as she looked down at the newest addition to the family. "I just love his name. Arden. Very bold and masculine, but also still kind of sweet."

"It means ‘great forest.' That just felt right," Jace said. He paused in his folding and leaned over. He was on the other side of Ian, and his face was soft and gentle as he looked down at his newest son. "Maybe he's inherited his mother's gifts for green magic."

"But what if he's got his father's love for the sea instead?" Erin challenged.

"Then we'll just have to change his name to Poseidon." Jace took the stacks of folded clothes and put them back in the basket to be carried into the baby's room.

"Hard pass," Erin retorted. She and Jace had joked back and forth during the last nine months about what they would name their child, constantly suggesting something more and more outrageous. They'd had good fun with their little mock argument as they learned how to settle into Erin's home together and anticipated being a family. When it had really come down to choosing a name, however, they'd both agreed on Arden. Jace had stated it perfectly: it just felt right. Once their darling boy had come into the world, they knew there could be no other name for him.

"So, he could have magic or be a sailor," Ian summed up. "Then he could also be a bobcat or a bear. Or both. Any sign of either one yet?"

They were eager to learn many things about their child, and this had certainly been at the forefront of their minds. "It's early yet," Erin said. "We've seen a bit of fur when he gets fussy, but that could go either way."

"Nah. He's a bear." Jace reached over and picked up the baby's arm. "Just look at how big and strong he is already. No doubt about it."

This was yet another of their playful arguments. They would be happy no matter how Arden turned out, just as long as he was healthy and happy, but it was still fun to speculate. "No way. I can practically see his bobcat whiskers already."

"Can I hold him?" Bailey asked. She was practically quivering with excitement, and her fingers twitched toward the baby even as she asked.

"Of course," Jace answered.

She gently took the little bundle from Ian and pulled him into her lap. Her shoulders softened, and she seemed to melt on the inside as she laid him on her lap and looked down into his face. "Oh, you're an absolute doll, Arden. I just love you to pieces already."

"You two are staying for dinner, right?" Jace asked as he stood and picked up the laundry basket.

"We wouldn't want to intrude," Bailey began regretfully.

"Not at all. We cooked a lot and froze it all while Erin was still pregnant, and of course, her coven has brought over plenty of goodies as well. There's more than enough for everyone, and you can stay as long as you'd like. Of course, if you stay too long I'll just put you to work." Jace winked before he went down the hall.

As they sat around the dining table, Ian regaled them with everything he'd done to prepare for his future. "I got a job at one of the touring companies," he explained. "I was making okay money with my delivery job, but I figured I needed something that's a little more in the business. As a deckhand, I'm just doing cleaning and maintenance, but they said there's a lot of room to move up as I gain experience."

"The hours are also steady so he has time for his classes," Bailey noted with a smile.

"Classes?" Jace asked, instantly perking up. He already supported the company that Ian wanted to create, but this caught his attention. "You're going back to school?"

"Don't get too excited, Dad," Ian replied dismissively. "Bailey has encouraged me to take some business and accounting classes so I'll be more prepared once we actually launch. I know a lot about the ocean and boats, but she's reminded me that a lot has to happen behind the scenes, too. We still have a long way to go."

"But you're creating a foundation that you can build all of that on," Jace said with approval clear in his voice. "Those classes sound like a great idea. I think the three of you will make a great team."

"What about your job, Dad?" Ian asked, deflecting the attention off himself as he cut into his pork chop. "Do you like it?"

"Honestly? I love it." Jace added a little extra butter to his mashed potatoes. "It doesn't take much of a move to shake things up a bit. I'm getting to see things from a different perspective and work with new people. It's great."

"How about you?" Bailey turned to Erin. "I assume you're going back to work after a while."

Erin knew what she was really asking. "Yes. I worked right up until the day I went into labor, and I'm already itching to get back into the shop again. There's a decent amount of room in the back, so we've been converting it into a more apartment-like atmosphere. I'll hire someone who can help with both the shop and the baby."

"Wow!" Bailey enthused. "That sounds like a great solution. My older sister has struggled so much with going back to work full-time after having her baby. She wants to be home with her, but she also wants to get out and work, and she just has to balance the best she can."

"I worried about all of that myself," Erin admitted. "I still don't know if our plan will be perfect, of course, and I think it will still be a challenge, but I think it's a good start. I have the advantage, in a way, of becoming a mother later in life. I've gotten to hear everyone else's frustrations and tried to learn from their experiences. I'm also very lucky in having so many people who support me."

Arden, who was asleep in his bassinet, began to fuss.

Bailey jumped out of her chair. "I can get him! What does he need?"

"Thank you." Erin lifted her napkin to her mouth to hide her smile. She understood Bailey's excitement because she felt it herself. Had she been that blatant about it when she was younger, or had she hidden it from the world? "He probably needs a change since he just woke up, and then he might be hungry."

When dinner was done and it was time for the young couple to return home, Erin and Jace stood at the front door as they saw them off. "You two take care," Erin said, hugging them both. "Come see us again soon, and we'll also come see you sometime."

"We'd love that," Bailey gushed. She touched a fingertip to Arden's cheek. "If you want someone to watch him for a weekend or something, you just let me know."

"Ian, keep me in the loop on everything." Jace clapped his older son on the shoulder. "I know you don't really need me anymore, but I'm still here for you if you need advice on your business or anything."

"I will, Dad. And don't worry. I still need you." Ian gave him a manly half-hug and walked out the door.

When the young couple had pulled out of the driveway and their taillights could no longer be seen from the road, Erin and Jace turned off the lights and headed to the bedroom to get ready for the night. "Ian's not exactly a kid anymore, but it's still hard to see him leave after he comes to visit," Jace admitted as he put his toothbrush away.

"Are you worried about him?" Erin asked his reflection as she put moisturizer on her face.

"I know he's fine, but yeah. I can't help it." He stepped out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom.

"Of course," Erin reasoned as she followed him and pulled back the covers. "I'm sure we'll be saying the same stuff about Arden in twenty years or so."

"We will." Jace pulled his shirt over his head.

Erin took advantage of the moment to admire her mate's body. She'd been with Jace for almost a year now, but she still savored his broad shoulders and wide chest. "We've got to get past the baby years first."

"I had so many sleepless nights with Ian," Jace reflected as he finished undressing. "You expect that as a parent. Everyone tells you how hard it is and that you need to sleep whenever you can. No one ever tells you how little sleep you get once they move out!"

"Technically you moved out," Erin teased. She snuggled up next to him in bed, relishing the warmth of his skin. She rolled over and kissed his shoulder. "And now you get to start all over again with the sleepless nights."

He turned on his side to put his arms around her. Jace pressed his lips to hers. "It's all worth it. Every tired day. Every dirty diaper. Every time he cries and we don't know why. Every second of that is worth it."

"You're the old pro, and I'm the newbie, but I still think you're right."

"Old?" he laughed. "I'm still young enough to have a newborn in the house."

"Yes. Give it a little time and you might not be the only one." Erin snuggled further under the covers and closer to him. She was looking forward to the warmth of spring and summer.

"What do you mean?" He was too tangled up with her to reach over and turn off the light, so he left it on for the moment.

"Bailey." Erin smiled against his chest as she relived the evening.

"Really?"

"I saw the way she kept looking at Arden, like she'd scoop him up and take him home with her if she could. Her eyes would light up, and she'd sigh. I know that feeling very well. Then there was the way she wanted to know all about how I was going to run a business and be a mom at the same time. Trust me. That girl has baby fever, and I don't think Ian is too far behind her." She hardly knew a thing herself about being a mother, but Bailey had asked so many questions.

"You might be right," Jace admitted. "They do make a good couple. I think the only thing stopping them right now are their plans for the touring company."

"Which I think they'll still do," Erin mused. "Whether that's before or after children."

"You're right. Dreams come true, but we don't always have control over when. Oh." Jace pulled away and jumped out of bed at the first cry from Arden in the next room.

He returned a couple of minutes later, carrying the baby in his arms. Jace climbed back into bed, moving the baby over so he was snuggled between his parents. "His diaper is clean, and he didn't want a bottle. Maybe he just wants some cuddles."

Erin relaxed against the pillow. She relished the feeling of her mate next to her and their tiny child between them. She couldn't remember ever being happier in her life. Jace was right about every second of their upcoming future being worth it, but now she knew the past had been as well.

Jace was certainly worth the wait.

THE END

If you enjoyed Jace and Erin's story, read on for a preview of Will and Julie's story, Christmas Midlife Mate !