himself at one end with Cooper across from him. To his right sat Lily and Mike and on the left side of the table Nick and Julie were already passing the dishes around. He was pleased with Lily and Nick being on either side of him as well as Julie leaning over to help Nick load up his plate.
It had been such a long time since he’d sat down for a full family meal that he found himself just watching everyone else at first. Cooper and Mike were talking about something to do with the Pack, Julie handed Lily the platter of fresh bread, while Nick was already digging into the mac and cheese, making smacking noises.
He smiled. He’d missed the last several holidays at his parents’, even with Julie being in town at the time. He’d been on the schedule at the fire department. It was just another reminder of the unfairness of how the Kermit captain had treated him and anyone who was a shifter or supported them. The holidays were approaching fast and he knew he’d be welcomed back here with his sister and their new family. Maybe their parents would even be able to make the drive down. Garrett hoped so.
He wondered where Nick would be. Could they find his dad and reunite Nick and Randy before Thanksgiving? Garrett would make damn sure, wherever the boy was, that Nick had the best time possible.
“So what are you going to name your new friend?” Lily asked Nick as she picked up her fork.
Nick glanced over at him. Garrett tilted his head to show he was interested in the answer as well.
“Garrett,” Nick said quietly.
Garrett’s heart filled with so much love and pride he was actually speechless.
“That’s great.” Julie hugged Nick.
Garrett managed to nod. This small boy was showing him how much he was missing in his own life. He hadn’t thought about settling down yet, although he would love to find someone to share his life with. He glanced at Lily and saw her eyes on him.
When he caught her gaze, she reached out and covered his hand with hers, giving him a squeeze. He closed his fingers over hers and didn’t want to let go.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Lily agreed.
Nick looked at Garrett. “That way I don’t forget you when my dad comes back.”
“Ah, kid.” He released Lily to grasp Nick’s hand. “Even when you’re home with your dad I won’t be going anywhere. We’re buds, right?” When Nick mentioned his dad and Garrett saw the hope in his eyes, it was hard not to just gather the small child up and hide him from the world. Garrett prayed that they would find Randy and that Nick would indeed be going back home with his dad.
“Of course.” Nick nodded quickly.
“There you go!” Garrett patted his hand before he began to fill his plate. “Now let’s eat so we can watch a movie before bed. I’ll even let you pick what we watch.”
Nick started to bounce in his seat as he began to tell Lily about Cooper and Julie’s movie collection.
* * * *
Dinner had been fantastic and Lily had really enjoyed seeing Nick being so accepted and cared for. She’d also liked watching Garrett interact with his family and friends. It felt comfortable and, while Garrett and Julie weren’t shifters, the entire evening had had the sense of Pack.
It had been a whirlwind twenty-four hours but as she hugged Nick goodbye and made plans with Julie to meet up the next day, Lily was proud of the job she was doing.
She’d grown up in the foster-care system. Of course that was before the shifters were public, so it had been a lot different for her then than it was now. She hadn’t known what the changes her body had been going through meant. If it hadn’t been for a teacher in her middle school that had picked up the signs, there was no telling what would have happened to her.
Instead, Mrs. April Summers had watched out for her and when Lily had been ready to shift, she’d gotten in touch with Jeremy’s father, Craig, who had been the Alpha of the Pack at the time. Craig had taken her under his wing
It had been such a long time since he’d sat down for a full family meal that he found himself just watching everyone else at first. Cooper and Mike were talking about something to do with the Pack, Julie handed Lily the platter of fresh bread, while Nick was already digging into the mac and cheese, making smacking noises.
He smiled. He’d missed the last several holidays at his parents’, even with Julie being in town at the time. He’d been on the schedule at the fire department. It was just another reminder of the unfairness of how the Kermit captain had treated him and anyone who was a shifter or supported them. The holidays were approaching fast and he knew he’d be welcomed back here with his sister and their new family. Maybe their parents would even be able to make the drive down. Garrett hoped so.
He wondered where Nick would be. Could they find his dad and reunite Nick and Randy before Thanksgiving? Garrett would make damn sure, wherever the boy was, that Nick had the best time possible.
“So what are you going to name your new friend?” Lily asked Nick as she picked up her fork.
Nick glanced over at him. Garrett tilted his head to show he was interested in the answer as well.
“Garrett,” Nick said quietly.
Garrett’s heart filled with so much love and pride he was actually speechless.
“That’s great.” Julie hugged Nick.
Garrett managed to nod. This small boy was showing him how much he was missing in his own life. He hadn’t thought about settling down yet, although he would love to find someone to share his life with. He glanced at Lily and saw her eyes on him.
When he caught her gaze, she reached out and covered his hand with hers, giving him a squeeze. He closed his fingers over hers and didn’t want to let go.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Lily agreed.
Nick looked at Garrett. “That way I don’t forget you when my dad comes back.”
“Ah, kid.” He released Lily to grasp Nick’s hand. “Even when you’re home with your dad I won’t be going anywhere. We’re buds, right?” When Nick mentioned his dad and Garrett saw the hope in his eyes, it was hard not to just gather the small child up and hide him from the world. Garrett prayed that they would find Randy and that Nick would indeed be going back home with his dad.
“Of course.” Nick nodded quickly.
“There you go!” Garrett patted his hand before he began to fill his plate. “Now let’s eat so we can watch a movie before bed. I’ll even let you pick what we watch.”
Nick started to bounce in his seat as he began to tell Lily about Cooper and Julie’s movie collection.
* * * *
Dinner had been fantastic and Lily had really enjoyed seeing Nick being so accepted and cared for. She’d also liked watching Garrett interact with his family and friends. It felt comfortable and, while Garrett and Julie weren’t shifters, the entire evening had had the sense of Pack.
It had been a whirlwind twenty-four hours but as she hugged Nick goodbye and made plans with Julie to meet up the next day, Lily was proud of the job she was doing.
She’d grown up in the foster-care system. Of course that was before the shifters were public, so it had been a lot different for her then than it was now. She hadn’t known what the changes her body had been going through meant. If it hadn’t been for a teacher in her middle school that had picked up the signs, there was no telling what would have happened to her.
Instead, Mrs. April Summers had watched out for her and when Lily had been ready to shift, she’d gotten in touch with Jeremy’s father, Craig, who had been the Alpha of the Pack at the time. Craig had taken her under his wing
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