Chapter Twenty-Three

"Rip, there's someone pulling into the driveway," Fyn said but tipped his head back as I continued rubbing his feet without a care for who was in the driveway. If they were a guest, they would come in for a room, otherwise, I was busy soothing my omega's swollen feet. And his moans were driving me to madness.

"We've got to start putting your feet up at night," I said, pressing my thumbs against the swelling around his ankles and along his shins. "More bananas. At least, that's what I read. The potassium helps with the swelling."

He snickered, covering his mouth.

"What's tickled you?" I asked, reaching to pat his hip.

His face reddened. Whatever our omega was thinking about, it must've been good. "You said I needed more bananas and my feet up at night. I think that's exactly the cure."

This adorable omega.

"The hormones have made his sense of humor evolve into one of a frat boy." Zeus came in, sighing.

"I can't help it. I'm giggly and horny. Must be all the hormones." Fyn tried to sit up, but I shook my head. He relaxed again, putting his head back.

"Neither one of us are complaining, omega," I said. I hit a particular part of his foot, right in the middle of the bottom. His scent permeated the air, filling the lobby with the scent of apples and cinnamon.

"Thia is down for a nap if you two want to…" Zeus' notion was cut off by someone coming in the front door. The bell above it jingled. Fyn's idea since sometimes he was in the back and got caught up in his own thoughts.

"James?" I said, putting my omega's feet down and standing.

"Well, now I know why you've been a little less communicative. You've been keeping secrets, my friend."

I laughed and rounded the check-in desk and hugged my best friend to my chest. "I have not been keeping secrets. I have been writing you an email once a month."

He reeled back, cocking his head and bunching his eyebrows. "Oh. My personal email? Damn. I really should check that one more often. Now, I will for sure."

I'd been there before. Personal life came after work life, but not for me—not anymore. "Let me introduce you to my mates. This is Fyn. And this is Zeus. And Zeus has a daughter named Thia, but she's napping right now. We also have a little one on the way."

James shook hands with both of them, making his own introduction.

"Wait. Why are you here?" I asked. "I was so excited to see you that I forgot to ask."

James chuckled. "I saw your order come through for the…special product and wanted to deliver it myself. I knew if you were ordering that particular item, then you must be designing something special."

I embraced him again. "You have it?" I asked.

"Of course," James answered. He looked over at my mates. "I'll go get it while you three talk. It looks like you have some explaining to do."

I whirled around to face my mates. "I wanted to surprise you both. I made a special order for something for the garden, but we can't plant it yet."

Fyn's eyebrows rose as Zeus put his arm around him. "What is it? And why can't we plant it?"

I wrung my hands, hoping they would like the idea. "It's a white dogwood tree. I ordered it from a nursery. I know the owner personally. But it's little. Probably unimpressive right now. Here. I can show you what it will look like once it's grown."

After pulling out my phone, I googled the white dogwood and went on a spiel, telling my mates how beautiful it would look once the tree grew. We would put some pink lighting underneath it to make it glow. Perhaps some night tours to bring in extra money.

When they said nothing, I deflated completely.

"I think James is waiting for you," Fyn said, looking over my shoulder. For the first time, I couldn't decipher my omega's expression.

"Come with me?" I asked both of them and, thankfully, they followed.

James handed over the tree. To others, it probably looked like any other sapling, but it held a promise to me. "Here you go. I have to get back but, like I said, I wanted to deliver this one myself. It was good to see you, and I'll make sure to read my emails. Good luck to all of you."

James left the parking lot, and I stood there, holding the tree, hoping my mates didn't think I was a fool.

"Why aren't we planting it yet?" Zeus asked.

I swallowed. "I wanted to keep it in the planter until our baby is born. I thought I could plant it on that day and they could grow together." They said nothing. "It's okay. I can just plant it now. This was stupid."

"Ripley," Fyn said, my whole name a benediction on his lips. "Come here, please, alpha."

I took a few steps toward him and put the tree on the floor beside us. "Yes?"

"This idea. This tree. This is really special and one of the most beautiful gestures." His eyes filled with tears before they spilled over.

"Yeah?" I asked, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You're amazing, Ripley," Zeus added, coming over to wrap us both in a hug. "This garden started in your mind the day we met, and now we will always look at this tree and remember this day and these times. Even when we're old and gray."