Her mother shook her head sadly. “Honey. I’ve been watching him slip further and further away from the man I thought I married for years. And it started when I realized he truly could abandon his own child. It’s been over for a while. He just didn’t know it until today.” She hugged Nina again. “The only reason I didn’t leave him before now is that I wanted us to be in that house in case you came back.”
“You’re not—you really don’t mind? That I’m a...shapeshifter?” Nina looked fragile, like the wrong answer would shatter her. Joel stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder.
“I’ve had a long time to get used to it,” said Nina’s mother sadly. “I wondered, I prayed, I researched...and I still don’t know what it is that you are, except it’s something magical.” She looked at Joel. “Your young man here, he’s the same thing?”
Nina nodded. “Mom, this is Joel.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” said Joel, holding out his hand. “I’m truly grateful that you’ve come to see Nina.”
She shook, looking him up and down. “Polite. I like that in a boy. And you can thank Nina, for writing us that letter.”
Joel glanced at Nina. “I wrote a lot of letters,” she whispered, looking away. “That was the first one I sent.”
“Then I’m grateful you sent it,” said her mom firmly. “Now, honey, do you need anything? Money, clothes, a place to stay? You said you’re living with Joel here, is that a long-term thing?” Her eyes pinned Joel with a considering look.
“Yes, it’s long-term,” said Nina, and a thrill went through Joel, hearing her say it. “We’re—we’re fixing up a cabin together.”
“But we also have a house, until it’s finished,” Joel interposed quickly, not wanting Nina’s mother to think that he was housing her daughter in some broken-down cabin. “My brother and his fiancée live there too.”
The considering look softened a bit—but didn’t go away. “And what do you do, Joel?”
Joel was proud that he could confidently say, “I’m a ranger at Glacier Park.”
Nina’s mother’s eyebrows went up. “A ranger, really? Well. That’s a good job.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Joel. “Nina’s not going to want for anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Nina was watching this exchange with her brows furrowed. “I lived on my own for seven years,” she pointed out.
“But now you don’t have to,” her mother said, turning to her. “You should do whatever you want, honey, but—I don’t want you to have to be alone. You understand?”
Nina blinked quickly. “Yes, Mom,” she said in a husky voice. “And I’m really, really happy about it.”
Her voice broke on the last word, and her mother pulled her into a hug again.
Joel was struck again by how happy he was to be able to help someone else. To not be in the role of the person who needed supporting, Zach’s little brother who wanted to be alone but couldn’t be alone, and bounced around not sure what he wanted.
Instead, he was Nina’s mate, a man with a good job who was building them a home. And that was what he wanted to be.
Epilogue: one week later
The door of the cabin still squeaked mightily whenever it was opened. The sound woke Nina up, and she stretched luxuriously in her nest of blankets by the dying embers.
She’d worked a morning shift at the diner today, and after she’d gotten off work, she’d come home to take a nap by the fire until Joel came home. She twisted her head to see him, upside-down, as he toed off his boots and set his hat on the table.
He smiled when he caught her looking. “Hey.”
“Hey. Come here, why don’t you?”
His smile deepened. “My pleasure.”
Nina kicked off the blankets as Joel came over and knelt in the nest, leaning in to give her a thorough kiss. “How was work?”
“Fine. I was a little tired after someone thought it was a great idea to go on a midnight run last night.”
“I regret nothing,” he said, muffled again
st her neck.