Kimberly gently laid one hand on the glossy feathers of Gretchen’s head.
“You’re so sleek!” Kimberly exclaimed.
That seemed to serve as a cue for everyone to mob Gretchen, gently touching her wings and the sensitive line of her back where feathers met fur, tapping her short tail to make it twitch, asking her to snap at something with her beak. Bonnie ran and got a tape measure to check her wingspan. The kids had to be talked out of taking photos—it was safe enough to photograph fellow lynxes, but no one would be able to explain a griffin photo that leaked out. Gretchen’s mom and dad hugged her, both of them telling her how beautiful and strong she looked.
Gretchen had to nod agreement to several promises to give the older kids rides sometime, and she was lucky she wasn’t forced into it right then and there. Instead, she shifted back.
As important as her griffin news was, she had other news that mattered just as much.
“There’s another thing,” she added. She had to admit that she was enjoying being the center of attention for once. She wouldn’t want it to happen all the time, but for right now, she was happy to bask in the spotlight. “I met my mate. He’s the prisoner that I was transporting.”
She thought she’d save the engagement news for another day so she didn’t give up all her bombshells at once.
Explaining Cooper, anyway, would probably take all night. Even though she now knew beyond a doubt that her family trusted her, finding out that someone was mated to a notorious convicted murderer was probably a little bit of a shock.
But to her surprise, all the legal stuff that would probably keep them ensnared for a year—if not longer—was dismissed in a matter of minutes.
It just didn’t make sense for Gretchen’s mate to be a bad guy, everyone seemed to decide, so of course he’d been framed. It was obvious. But could she prove his innocence? Were they going to have to run away together? What color was his eyes? Was he a shifter too? What kind? They were going to invite him to dinner—did he have any food allergies? Was he a vegetarian?
That was what went on all night.
And that, Gretchen thought, resigned and happy at the same time, is what I wanted to spare him from. Now when they meet him, they can just like him without interrogating him.
It was almost midnight by the time everyone started leaving. Gretchen stayed out on her big front porch to say all her goodbyes. For tonight, at least, she loved watching the sky and breathing in the chilly night air. She wanted to see how the moonlight shone on Cooper’s feathers as he flew home to her.
Tricia was the last one to leave. Bonnie went first to go warm up the car, but Tricia lingered just a little. She elbowed Gretchen so Gretchen would scoot over and give her some more room on the porch swing, and the two of them rocked back and forth.
“Why are we sitting out here?” Tricia said after a second. “It’s freezing.”
“I’m waiting for Cooper. You’re being a tagalong little sister.”
?
??That’s me,” Tricia agreed. She shivered dramatically.
Gretchen bumped their shoulders together. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re tagging along tonight. I still owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“For making you bite me when we were kids. I was just... desperate. I felt left out. Like I didn’t really belong with the rest of you.”
“I had nightmares about it for a long time,” Tricia admitted. “You don’t know how scary it was to see you fall down like that. You were in so much pain. But it was a long time ago, and I don’t blame you at all. I would have done the exact same thing. I would have done it if I’d thought it would make me more popular in junior high, for God’s sake, let alone unlock half my soul and make me feel more like I was part of the family.” She looped her arm through Gretchen’s and squeezed it. “But you always belonged with the rest of us. You know that, right?”
“I do. I promise.”
“Not just because you can shift. Just because you’re Gretchen.”
“I know,” Gretchen said. She really did. She really, finally did.
She could tell that came across in her voice, because Tricia grinned. “Good. And your mate belongs with us, too, so tell him to get used to being swamped with Millers too.”
No one deserved a Miller family love-swarm more.
Gretchen smiled. “I’ll tell him.”
After she hugged Tricia goodbye, she stood on the porch for another minute, looking up at the stars.
There he was! She could see the broad outline of Cooper’s wings. When he got closer, each feather stood out like it was outlined in gleaming silver. He was so beautiful that he made her heart ache, and she didn’t want to be away from him for another moment.