But the thing that amazed Ivy the most was the diversity of the group helping them celebrate their wedding. Besides the expected wolf shifters, there were feline and avian shifters. And probably some species she hadn’t recognized. In addition, they were joined by witches, vampires and fae.

Never in her life as a Kincaid would she have thought such a gathering possible. Not only had marriage to Hank given her new hope for the future, but she saw such possibility in the harmonious existence of this town.

When she’d returned home from college, pregnant and unable to finish her education, life had seemed so small and closed off. Now, it felt enormous and wide open.

Not only did these diverse groups live together in peace, but because of the way Nocturne Falls was set up, they rarely had to pretend they weren’t what they were. She watched the couples dancing and the clusters of people talking and laughing and shook her head in amazement. Did they know how lucky they were? Would she take all this for granted after a few years of living here? She hoped not.

Hands slipped around her waist, and Hank’s voice whispered in her ear, “You look lost in thought. What’s going on in that sexy head of yours?”

She turned, planted her hands on his face and kissed him. “I just can’t get over everything that’s happened and how wonderful you and this town are. I feel like anything is possible. And it’s all so good. And almost more than I can wrap my head around. It’s crazy how happy I am. I don’t ever want to lose this feeling.”

He smiled. “This place does that to you.” He looked over her shoulder and laughed. “Speaking of crazy, have you seen our son?”

Our son. She almost melted from the joy of those two words. She turned to see what Hank was looking at and started laughing. Birdie and Charlie were dancing. Well, Birdie was sort of rocking back and forth, while Charlie was jumping up and down and gyrating like he’d eaten too much sugar, which was a very distinct possibility since Delaney had brought three additional trays of sweets besides the stunning wedding cake.

Ivy giggled and covered her mouth. “That kid. It’s after ten PM and he’s carrying on like he’s got all the energy in the world. I couldn’t love him more if I tried.”

“He’s exactly what Birdie needs. Someone else to fuss over. I’m pretty sure we’ve got a lifetime babysitter in her. You want to join them? I think I’ve got one more dance left in me.”

“No, I’m happy right where I am.” Besides, there would be more slow dances with Hank. A lifetime of them.

Hank’s arms encircled her waist again, and he tucked his chin into the curve of her neck. “Today is a good day.”

She nodded. “It is.”

He grunted softly. “It’s more than that. It’s…the best day.”

“I agree.”

He kissed her neck. She closed her eyes and sank into the moment, trying to imprint the sounds of the music and the laughter, the aromas of the food and flowers, and the warmth of Hank’s embrace and the gentle caress of his mouth on her skin. She wanted to remember this for the rest of her life, this flawless slice of time when everything in the universe was perfectly aligned.

“I love you, Ivy Merrow.”

She laughed at the happy sound of her new name. “I love you, too.” She opened her eyes, scanning the crowd with no real focus until her gaze tripped over a tall figure standing near the door. A figure she recognized. Her smile disappeared, and she uttered a soft curse.

“What’s wrong?” Hank stepped out from behind her to stand at her side. “That’s not a word I expected to hear out of you on our wedding day.”

She couldn’t take her gaze away from the man who’d just appeared at her wedding reception. After all these years, how had he ended up here? And why? Her heart thumped with anger and anxiety as her spine went rigid. Hell, she knew why. She forced herself to look at Hank.

He looked around, then back at her. “Ivy, what’s going on? Your eyes are gleaming, but based on your change in body language, it’s not out of love.”

Trying not to cause a scene, she responded in a calm, rational manner. Mostly. “You see the man standing by the door?”

Hank turned to look. “What about him?”

Ivy glanced that way again, but the man had moved. He was almost upon them. Bile rose in her throat as he approached, his haughty demeanor exactly as she remembered it, although the last time she’d seen him, he’d been walking away. The same direction she wished he was going in now.

He stopped in front of her, his gaze tapering into something that screamed judgment. “Ivy.”

His smarmy tone made her hands clench. “What the hell are you doing here?”

A toothy smile greeted her. “And to think I was just about to congratulate you.”

“I’m so sure.” Painful memories and the bone-deep instinct to protect her son cramped her ability to be civil.

Hank stepped forward, his voice quiet but firm. “What’s your business here?”

“The kid’s my business.”

Hank’s lip pulled back in a snarl. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

The smile returned, this time with a threatening bent. “It means I’m about to do you a favor.”

“What favor is that?”

“I’m going to get the kid out of your hair.”

A vein throbbed on Hank’s temple. “The hell you are—”