“Well, well. Lookie here,” Jess’s mom said from the bedroom doorway.

He must’ve been in a deep sleep not to hear her come in, James thought.

“You must be James.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He sat up and reached his hand out for her to shake. She shifted the tray she held to one hand and shook his with the other.

“Good morning, Mom. Yes, this is James.” Jess stretched.

“He’s tracked you down all the way from Virginia. I’d say that’s worth thinking about, young lady. Not many men would bother.” That was her mother’s way of giving approval. She thought that a man should bend over backward to please her, as Jess’s father had. Coming all the way to Florida was bending over backward, as far as her mother was concerned. Her mom smiled and put her breakfast tray on the dresser. “I guess I will need another tray. Sit tight.”

“No, Mom, it’s okay. We’ll share.” Jess threw the covers back.

“Jess, if he hasn’t told you, that boy is a werewolf. He’s going to need a lot more to eat.”

James and Jess gasped at once.

“Oh sorry, was that the big secret? Here’s another, Tim is a bear shifter.”

That’s what I scented, bear, James thought.

“He has several friends that are werewolves and one that is a jaguar. I’ve learned to tell them apart by their smells, and you smell like Cooley. Any relation?”

James shook his head.

“I wish I could introduce you, but they are all on a fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico.” She winked at James and turned to go. “And Jess, your father was a werewolf, so it’s no big shock that you went for one or that one came after you either,” she called as she went out the side door.

James and Jess looked at each other with shocked faces.

“Your dad? That’s why your scent drives me wild. You’re part she-wolf.”

“I’m no such thing. I don’t even have hairy legs.”

James laughed at that as she jogged out after her mother. He grabbed the breakfast tray and snagged a piece of bacon, then followed her to the house.

***

“Mom!” Jess called across the yard as her mother smiled over her shoulder, going into the kitchen. “Mother.” Jess hurried. “What did you mean that my father was a werewolf? Don’t you think that you should’ve mentioned that sooner? You don’t drop a bomb like that and run off,” Jess huffed with her hands on her hips, staring her mother down across the kitchen.

James grinned at her bare legs and breasts that heaved nicely under the T-shirt. He couldn’t wait to get her out of her clothes and into their mated bed.

“You never transitioned,” she said at Jess’s look. “If you had, I would’ve told you. Your father was a handsome devil but not the brightest of the lot. He told me that since you children were only Halflings that it would never happen. Tim says it could happen, that a child with mixed parents could shift. He’s seen it. It would depend on how dominant the genes of the parents are. He also said that some don’t shift until their mates mark them. It’s as if their biology is waiting to see which world they want to live in, human or not human. The truth is, Jess, I don’t know what will happen, but if you love this man, it won’t matter.” She dropped a slice of ham into the frying pan. “How hungry are you?” She asked James. “More?”

He grinned and nodded then took a bite of the toast.

“Hey, that was mine.” Jess looked down at the plate and grabbed the last piece of bacon.

“It’s cold now, sweetheart, and I want the best for you. You will have first choice of the next plate, promise.” He winked at her.

Jess pursed her lips, picked up the orange juice, then sat down next to him. She felt like her whole life had been a secret kept from her. Like it was all a lie.

He fed her by hand when her mother finally sat down with her own plate and two new ones for them. It was a feast. James could get used to it. She smiled at them. “It’s good. This thing between you it’s good.” She nibbled on the toast triangle that she’d just dunked in the runny yolk on her plate. Jess hated that; it had always turned her stomach. Her eggs were scrambled hard, always.

“Is that yolk grossing you out?”

Jess nodded.

“Here. You have permission to always scramble my eggs, sweetheart.” He smiled softly and gave her some toast, then rubbed her thigh while she ate. “Jess and I are headed back today. I am going to claim her once we get home and get set up.”

Her mother smiled and nodded.

“I’m asking your permission.”

Jess chewed her lip.

“Jess? Do you want this wolf? You may turn or you may not, but I think he will make you happy. I know I haven’t set a great marriage example, but you aren’t me, hon. I think that for you, it will be forever and it will be once, like your dad. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with him? Have pups with him? And I think he’s an Alpha. Am I right?” She looked at James, who nodded. “You lead a pack, then? A pack master?”

He nodded again.

She drew a deep breath. “It’ll be hard, Jess. If you’re his female, you’ll need to be strong. You’ll need to be a leader. I know you don’t have a lot of grit, but you’re going to have to find some in you. Do you think you can do that? For him?”

Jess gazed into the deep blue pools of his eyes. A growl rumbled through him, and she nodded. Slowly and gently at first, but then she smiled, nodding as if she meant it.

“Good. You have my permission,” her mother said to James.

He leaned over and kissed Jessica’s cheek, then dropped to one knee. Jess gasped, but her mother only grinned as if she suspected this would happen when he asked permission. James took both of her hands in his and gazed up into her eyes.

“I know our traditions are different, and I don’t want you to feel like you missed out on anything by being with me. Will you be my bride, Jess? Will you let me claim you and keep you safe and happy for the rest of our lives?”

Jess nibbled her lip and looked down at his hands. “Will you explain everything to me? I mean, if I’m going to be with you and you’re a…there’s going to be a lot I don’t understand. Sometimes I feel like you’re not telling me everything, and I don’t like to feel as though I’m in the dark.”

James squeezed her hands. “The word you were looking for is ‘werewolf,’ Jess, you can say it. I will explain and tell you everything and anything that you want to know. I couldn’t before because of our differences, but if we are mates, there are no secrets.”

“Okay,” she murmured.

“Okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be your bride, or mate, or whatever you call it.” Jess leaned over and kissed him softly. “Does this mean we’ll have a wedding or that you’ll just bite me?”

Jess’s mother laughed at that. “There are no rules, honey. If you want a wedding, you can have one, if you just want to be bitten you can have that, too, or both. I think, though, if you want to change your name, you’ll have to see the preacher or at least a judge.” Her mother decided.

James slid a diamond onto her left hand and kissed her knuckles.

“You guys need to get a move on if you’re going to make your plane. You know how airport security is these days. Leave at least a three-hour window.” Her mother stood.

“She’s right.” James stood and pulled Jess up with him. “I’ll get your luggage.”

“Wait, I can’t go home in my pajamas.” Jess followed James to the guestroom. He straightened the bed while she dressed in the bathroom. The thought of her naked on the other side of that tiny flimsy door had his wolf trying to break free. James had it planned, though. He would not just jump her. It would be romantic and perfect. It would be something she would recall as one of the best moments of her life.

Jess hugged her mother at the front door while James carried the luggage to the car. He came back up the porch steps and hugged his soon-to-be mother-in-law, then kissed her cheek. “I’ll take excellent care of her, and you are welcome to visit anytime.”

“I know you will, and I may come up to surprise you sometime.” She chuckled. “Be safe.”

James waved as he walked Jess to the car. Jess started hers and then waved to her mom as they pulled away with her following James. He kept checking the rearview mirror to look back at her, and she smiled for him every time.

They waited in their first-class seats once they returned their rental cars and checked their bags. James held her hand and traced circles with his thumb. Soon the plane would take off, and within a few hours, they could begin their new life together.

“We’ll stay at your apartment the first few days that we’re home because I think you will be more comfortable there. Also, we can get your things packed while I get our bedroom ready in the old wing. We can work on the rest from there. We’ll have to share the kitchen until ours is finished, but the rest is useable. What do you think?”

“Okay.”

“Jess?”

She looked up from where her head rested on his shoulder.

“Your thoughts? More than okay, okay?”

“Well, that sounds good.” Her eyes met his.

“Are you nervous?”

She nodded.

“About us or the new house?”

“The plane. I don’t like takeoff.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed.

“I wish they’d get it over with already.”

James kissed her temple.

“Can we paint the bedroom a color?”

“What color would you like?”

She shrugged. “Hmm, how about dusky rose with wood trim? Then we won’t have to recover the couch.”

“You’re going to put a couch in our bedroom?”

Jess lifted her head to look at him. “Sure, the room is huge, and there’s a fireplace. It’ll be great, you’ll see.” Jess tensed when the engines revved.

“How did you get here in the first place if this makes you so tense?” James asked.

“I cuddled with the guy next to me.”

James growled.

“I’m kidding, calm down.” She rubbed his chest with her hand. “I stared out the window and thought about you, but this is better.”