Hidden Depths (35 page)

Anso lowered his head and shook it as if amused. “You and I.”

“You and I?” James repeated, not following him.

Anso looked up and socked him with his blue eyes. James comforted himself that he had nearly the same pair. Maybe his eyes were socking Anso too.

The king cleared his throat. “There’s a buzz between us, not just between you and Ty or me and Olivia.”

“Yes,” James agreed, feeling himself blushing. “I figured we’d work that out as we go along.”

“I’d like that.” Anso shifted, uncrossing his arms and unexpectedly taking James’s hand from his shoulder to hold between both his own. The clasp wasn’t what James’s had been with Ty, but it wasn’t a handshake either. James decided he liked it.

“There’s something else you need to know,” Anso said. “Something I noticed when I woke up this morning that affects all of us. I hope it’s going to please you.”

“I’m all ears,” James assured him.

Anso’s smile broke out like sunshine. “Olivia is pregnant. All of us are going to be fathers.”

“
All
of us?”

“I sensed three life energies, each linked to one of us.”

“Wow,” James said, metaphorically knocked on his ass. “You knew this, and you didn’t bust out with it right away?” He realized he was gripping Anso’s hand really hard, but couldn’t make himself let go. “Wow.”

“You’re happy about this?”

“Yes,” James said. “It’s fast, but yes.” His knees were wobbly, so he propped his hips back on Anso’s desk. He flashed back to the video they’d watched where the little boy turned into a seal pup. “Kids.”

“Three of them.”

“Will they all be able to change?”

“Very likely. Which will make them quite the handful when they turn five or so.”

He laughed. “I can’t even imagine!”

Anso bumped his shoulder, their hands now tangled together between their thighs. “Will Olivia be glad?”

“She’ll be elated. She’s been wanting this. And to have kids with all of us will suit her down to the ground. Olivia really likes making the people she loves happy. To have left any of us out would have worried her. You’ve no idea how perfect this is.”

When Anso blew out a breath, James saw he’d been more nervous than he’d let on. “Good,” he said. “I wanted to tell her as soon as I noticed, but I wasn’t certain how she’d react.”

“Will Ty be happy?”

“He’ll be scared to death, but he’ll make a great father.” Seeing the look on Anso’s face - the fondness, the deep knowledge of his friend - drew such a fount of love up in James that he felt as if he adored the entire world. Since Anso was there, he was who James pulled into a back slapping hug.

Anso returned it with interest. “I’m glad you’re here to help. I’m a little scared myself.”

They pushed back from each other with matching grins. “Let’s go tell them,” they said in unison.

EPILOGUE

THE
last Meimeyo returned on his own to the basilica. No one knew where he’d been or what he’d been up to since helping rescue Oceana, only that he’d appeared with a wider than usual dragon smile.

By popular acclaim, the city staged a victory parade for Olivia, which she found simultaneously moving and uncomfortable. Oceanans knew James had been right beside her saving the city. They also knew - because careful statements had been issued - that King Anso had formed a four-way blood bond, rather than the simpler historically accepted triad. Evidently, the city felt more comfortable feting her individually. Fertile and pretty queens they knew their opinion on. The rest they preferred to gloss over.

Both Ty and James thought her umbrage on their behalf was amusing.

On the brighter side, the celebration did distract from the dozen of Ellice’s friends and employees who’d been sent to jail after a long scandal-laden trial.

Happily, Mrs. Bonn was cleared early on of complicity. Though she’d recommended Lajos as a hairdresser, she’d been taken in by him like others. For a while, the consultant was so aghast at her own poor judgment she couldn’t see Olivia without apologizing. Olivia was relieved she’d gotten over that.

She didn’t know how she’d have dressed herself today otherwise. Left to herself, she only cared about three accessories: the two rings on her left hand and the three-pearl pendant Ty had given her the day they brought her and the triplets home from the maternity ward. “Our kids are lucky to have you for a mother,” he’d said, which made her cry like a baby.

Now all their hormones were under better control - a side effect of nursing, according to Pinni. With that issue settled, they’d traveled to Resurrection, the thriving Pocket city north of Manhattan. It was the family’s first visit to dry land since the triplets were born. Before she’d started showing, she and James had spent a weekend with her parents in Flagstaff. Arizona was too arid for Ty and Anso, but the wereseals had accompanied them to Charleston to meet James’s folks. Some awkwardness had ensued when James’s dad realized the four of them were
together
together, but he’d lost most of his prickle by the visit’s end. This might have been helped along by Anso and Ty taking him deep water fishing, a sport he loved that his son wasn’t too keen on. Olivia didn’t know exactly how Ty and the king arranged it, but James’s dad had hooked the biggest marlin of his life with them.

“Those boys are all right,” he’d conceded gruffly to her at their departure. “I think you and James are crazy, but you all seem happy enough.” She’d hugged him goodbye and thanked her very lucky stars that James wasn’t going to lose his folks’ affection over their unusual marital status. Lying about it hadn’t been an option - at least not for the men.

It wasn’t an option when it came to Violet either. Olivia simply wished it were. They were here today to meet her.

Seeing how nervous Olivia was, Ty reached across Anso to squeeze her hand.

They’d made reservations at Sardino’s, Resurrection’s nicest seafood restaurant.

Since the day was sunny, they were sitting at the outside tables overlooking the tourist pier. A handful of royal bodyguards were posted here and there, but she barely noticed them anymore. The triplets - who thankfully loved traveling - were sitting quietly in their stroller, thoroughly occupied in goggling at their surroundings with eyes as big as saucers. The moment LoLo started to fuss, Anso lifted her into his arms. She wasn’t walking yet, but her legs were strong enough to bounce her on Anso’s thighs. She did that while she enjoyed her new and higher viewing perch.

“Daa!” Konnor complained. All the men - and occasionally Olivia - were

“Da” to the children. Hoping to head off a full-on wail, Ty extricated him from the stroller too. Ty had gone from being the most worried of their parental trio to the most assured. When all else failed, he was handed a problem child. Usually he could soothe it, a fact he sometimes like to rub in.
I’m not just the third
, he’d crow.
I’m The Man
!

Left by himself in the stroller, Ollie stared accusingly at her.

“All right,” she said, “but if you start grizzling because I’m anxious, don’t blame me.”

“Just how conservative is your daughter?” Anso asked, his steady pat on LoLo’s bottom lulling her.

“Not terribly.” Clucking her tongue with dismay, Olivia grabbed a cloth napkin before Ollie could drool on her nice silk blouse. “She just prefers her parents to act like parents.”

She squinted at the restaurant’s roped-off terrace entrance, mentally cursing the “normal” colored contacts that made her eyes feel weird. She still didn’t see James or Violet. The suburban train from New York had been scheduled to arrive half an hour ago. James should have collected her by now. She rubbed Ollie’s warm little back to calm herself, her towheaded punkin fortunately oblivious to her mood. Oliver was their only blondie, LoLo was a redhead, and Konnor was russet brown. Ollie was as serious as he was cute. Perhaps to compensate for his sober nature, he had a scattering of Ty’s leopard spots on his adorable chubby butt.

“Do you think something went wrong with the invitation?” she asked worriedly.

Outsiders like their daughter couldn’t pass through Resurrection’s protective wards without a formal invitation from a resident. One of the werewolf cops who’d assisted during the almost-earthquake had been kind enough to send Violet one.

“I’m sure it’s fine,” Anso said, rubbing her knee even as he nuzzled LoLo’s little ear. “Most likely the train was late, or they ran into traffic. This will be okay, Liv. From everything James has told us, your daughter adores you.” Olivia’s eyes burned with sudden tears. Violet was Violet, and you never quite knew how she’d react to big changes. Discovering her forty-something mother had married two more men and given birth to triplets was a lot to take in. Violet had enjoyed being an only child.

And then she was there, striding along the old cobbled street that led through the warehouse district to Sardino’s. James was beside her, and they were laughing and talking. Olivia covered her mouth. Her daughter was so beautiful and chic.

Taking over as CEO of Forster Media had agreed with her as much as being Anso’s third agreed with Ty. Mrs. Bonn would definitely approve of Violet’s smart blue suit and heels.

“Mother!” she exclaimed from the hostess’s podium.

“Go,” Anso said, pulling Ollie from her lap so she could.

Olivia’s tears spilled over as she rose. Though her vision was blurry, she saw Violet had no trouble running to meet her in her stylish shoes.

“Mommy,” she said, squeezing her tight in that wonderful way she had. Violet was nearly as tall as James and leaned down to her. “I’m sorry we’re late. Daddy filled me in on the way and we stopped to talk.” When Violet pushed back, the rims of her eyes were red. Olivia concluded that must have been some talk. However upset her daughter had been, it seemed mostly behind her. Violet smiled at her. “You could have told me, you know. You and Dad must have sent me a thousand emails since I took over as CEO.”

“It seemed like something we ought to, er, spring on you in person.”

“Spring on me is right!” Violet laughed, but a hint of stress ran through it.

Olivia suspected James had taken their daughter’s doubts and fears on himself, then talked her out of venting them on her mother.

“I am sorry, sweetheart,” she said. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I’m aware your father and I have been eccentric.”

“You’re happy,” Violet said staunchly. “And so is Dad. I’d have to be blind not to notice that. You look great, by the way. Are you doing your hair differently?”

“Something like that,” Olivia said dryly, glad her daughter didn’t think she looked too changed. “Would you like to meet the others?”

“I would,” Violet said. “Especially if I can sit down and get off these heels.” There was a predictable flurry as they reached the table, where James had gone ahead. Anso and Ty rose to shake her hand, each with a baby balanced in the crook of his arm. They seemed easier with Violet than she was with them, but that was to be expected. They at least had warning. As deft at baby juggling as the rest, James passed LoLo to Olivia, then pulled out a chair for Violet between them. Her parents might have given her a shock, but they’d flank her as always.

“Would you like to hold Konnor?” Ty offered after she was settled. “He’d probably enjoy it. He’s quite the flirt.”

Violet agreed to this idea, and Ty passed his armload across to her. Violet stood Konnor on her short blue skirt, which was almost the same color as the baby’s eyes. Konnor and Ollie both had an inner circle of yellow in their irises, but unless you saw them in the right light, it wasn’t obvious.

“Look at you,” Violet said, bouncing Konnor experimentally. “What a cutie you are with your big blue eyes!”

“Gaa!” Konnor agreed before breaking into a throaty chortle and batting his eyelashes. Ty hadn’t been kidding about the king’s son being a flirt.

Violet laughed in return, because who could resist baby giggles? “You’re my little brother,” she said. “I bet you didn’t know that.” Konnor flapped his dimpled hands and tried to sit down.

“All right,” Violet said, turning him around so he could. “I guess I’m holding you for a while.”

She looked so natural with a baby in her lap, Olivia couldn’t help drawing breath to speak. Surely, she’d explode with happiness if Violet -

“No.” Violet cut her off with a scolding finger. “You are not allowed to pester me about grandkids until these three are teenagers.” Reluctantly, Olivia conceded that was fair. “So ...” she said. “How was your train ride?”

“Fine,” Violet answered, a twitch of her mouth the only sign that she thought this question a bit banal. “The funny thing is, no one got off at this stop but me.

And there was this taxi driver outside the station who’d painted his whole face blue. Is there a college team around here whose logo is that color?”

“There must be,” Olivia said as Ty and Anso exchanged glances. They’d warned her Violet might or might not notice Resurrection’s oddities. All Pocket territories were charmed against Outsiders seeing their true nature, but sometimes plain old humans were sensitive.

“Resurrection seems like a pretty city,” Violet went on. “It’s strange I’ve never heard of it before.”

“It is,” Olivia said, “but it’s a good place to meet.” Violet picked up her menu. Comically, it looked like both she and Konnor were perusing it. Olivia suspected neither of them read a word. Violet was gnawing at her beautifully lipsticked mouth.

“Venice is so far away!” she burst out. “I know Dad’s new transport business is taking off, but couldn’t you base it somewhere closer? None of you are even Italian!”

They were something more exotic than Italian, but they’d reached a consensus that sharing the whole truth with Violet would be premature.

“It’s not impossibly far,” Anso soothed. “All of us are busy, as we’re sure you are, but we’ll make time to visit. I really want your brothers and sister to have a chance to know you.”

Anso’s eyes were bright with sincerity. Olivia saw that, as much as he’d prepared himself to meet (and like) her and James’s firstborn, Violet hadn’t become real until she was in front of him.