20. Gage

"Have you got the housewarming gifts?" Cedric yelled from the nursery.

My mate had searched for hours online to find a present for Harry and his new home. The house I'd renovated and that now belonged to Harry.

Each time he found a possible gift, he'd throw up his hands and say, "But he's fae! Would he need that?" or "He and Mr. Lucas used to own a business that sold that and that and that."

Knowing Harry, he didn't expect a gift, but he'd appreciate anything we gave him.

Cedric eventually chose a weighted blanket which was something humans used to help them sleep. I didn't see the point. If you were cold, you covered yourself with a quilt, blanket, or duvet. Why would you use a really heavy blanket? I could see me kicking it off during the night because I was too hot or my beast complaining he was claustrophobic.

But my mate bought one for us too, and now I was a convert. So much so that he complained I stole it from him during the night. He grumbled he'd have to buy one just for him.

The second gift was an indoor herb garden. Harry helped Mrs. Ambrose cook when he lived with her and his uncle. Thinking of Mr. Lucas brought a smile to my lips. He had taken Harry moving out of the house very hard. The way he reacted you would think he'd never see his nephew again.

But Mrs. Ambrose had helped him through it, and Harry allowed Mr. Lucas to buy furniture for the house. Harry laughed when the furniture he bought for the third bedroom was identical to what he and Mrs. Ambrose had in their own bedroom. And when he commented on it, Mr. Lucas responded, "Of course. This is where we'll stay when my mate and I visit."

I told Cedric if Mrs. Ambrose didn't take him in hand, he'd have them moving into Harry's new place permanently.

Harriet gripped my finger and brought me back to the present as I put her in the car seat. Our girls were three months old and growing up fast. They could roll over and smile, and they had healthy lungs ‘cause when they were hungry or had a dirty diaper, they let us know.

I wished they'd slow down because I kept looking ahead to when they left for college and I got teary. Maybe I'd be like Mr. Lucas was with Harry, not wanting to let him go, because Harry was more of a son than a nephew.

I could sleep in the car outside our girls' college dorm, my bear and I making sure they were safe. That was a thing, though Cedric insisted it wasn't.

Getting two babies ready to leave the house and into the car was a huge undertaking, but Cedric and I made it work. My mate constantly amazed me, juggling work, our twins, home, and me.

Cedric worked full-time but sometimes had the babies with him. He'd hand the babies over to me after I finished my early-morning shift in the nature reserve, though if I was working on a construction job, he'd take them to the office or Mrs. Ambrose would babysit. I didn't know how she had the energy. Maybe Mr. Lucas or Harry had passed on some of their skills.

Construction was Mr. Lucas's new undertaking. He'd thrown himself into it, not that he ever got himself dirty. Nope, but he was smart enough to surround himself with skilled professionals, and that included me.

Cedric closed the front door of the cabin and got Luca in her car seat. "Okay, let's go before one of the girls fills their diaper."

"Shush, love. Don't give them any ideas."

He looked over at me as I drove down the narrow road to the highway. "They could always poop in the woods."

We both laughed. That was a shared joke, and not everyone understood our brand of humor.

I couldn't get a parking space outside Harry's new home. The street was lined with cars.

"Did you know Harry had so many friends?" Cedric peered at the house, festooned with balloons and a huge sign that read, "Home Sweet Home."

There was a bouncy castle in the front garden and a small merry-go-round. And Mrs. Ambrose's food truck was outside, manned by Griffin and Logan. People were milling about the garden and kids were racing around.

Facing a crowd before I met Cedric would have had me running for the hills, and while I didn't welcome being surrounded by people, if I could see or scent Cedric, I'd be okay. Besides, at least one of the girls would be with me.

I recognized some of the shifters and their mates that Harry and Mr. Lucas matched. We'd met some of them before which settled my nerves a little.

With so many guests, we ignored the carry seats and we each carried a baby in a sling against our chest.

Greg waved to us as Reed sat on the merry-go-round horse with their son.

"We should go inside first and find Harry so we can get rid of the presents."

Harry's blue hair stood out in a sea of people. Mr. Lucas was in an armchair having an animated conversation with Gideon, a koala shifter, while Mrs. Ambrose sipped a glass of wine and kept an eye on her food truck. It was apparently her day off.

Harry made his way to us, and we hugged him as best we could with a baby between us. The girls were asleep, but Cameron, Gideon's mate, congratulated us and noted how well behaved they were.

They were, but like all babies, they had their moments, particularly around six in the evening when they were tired, having their bath, and fussing for their last feed of the night.

Having given Harry his housewarming gifts, we grabbed drinks and traipsed outside. Cedric found a seat beside Harley, a unicorn shifter, while I got us tacos from the food truck.

When I returned, my mate was deep in conversation with Irvin, an artist who'd come from the coast. I'd met him and his dragon mate with Mr. Lucas, and we hugged. Seymour, his mate, was one of the few dragons Mr. Lucas had ever met, and I hoped they had time to shift together while they were here.

Mr. Lucas came outside and introduced us to Joe and Terrell who came here for the housewarming, but said they liked Riverford so much they were considering moving here.

I took a deep breath, taking in the scents of the shifters and humans, all of whom had come here today for Harry. Cedric and I were lucky to call him our friend.

The man himself came outside, and Reed and Greg brought out bottles of champagne, making sure everyone had some. Harry tapped his glass, and people, even the kids, quietened.

He thanked everyone for coming and said how special today was. He glanced at Mr. Lucas and took his hand. "I owe the life I have to this man."

Tears streamed down Cedric's cheeks, and I blinked. Some guests sniffed, and Mrs. Ambrose dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

"And while my uncle has taken me moving out with grace?—"

Mr. Lucas snorted and mumbled, "That's kind of you, Harry, but I haven't. I've made you feel bad for leaving me, and I shouldn't have. I'm proud of the man you've become."

Now there were more tears and some of the guests sobbed. Cedric reached for my hand and squeezed it.

Harry continued. "But today isn't just about my new home, but also my new life."

Oh, he was starting yet another business. Reed would be sad to lose him in the office. I waited to hear what Harry was going to do next. Whatever it was, it would be exciting, and Riverford was lucky to have him as a resident.

"I have been so fortunate to have my uncle and aunt surround me with love all these years." Mrs. Ambrose had come into Harry's life relatively recently, but he adored her, and she returned the love.

"But now I'm ready to begin a family of my own."

Wow! That wasn't what I thought he was going to say. Was he looking for a mate? Was that why he'd moved into his own home? Mr. Lucas would have to find him the best match.

A car pulled up and a man got out. One with the same brilliant blue hair as Harry.

"I bet that's the person I saw at the Riverford festival." Cedric tugged my hand.

"What?" I mouthed.

Harry walked toward the man and took his hand. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to the person who will be by my side for the rest of my life."

"Your mate," Mr. Lucas whispered under his breath so only the shifters could hear.

There was a sharp intake of breath from all the guests as the pair kissed.

"Awww." That was Cedric, and I put an arm around him and kissed him and our girls.