Free Irish Melody by Caitlin Ricci Page A

followed by two much heavier footsteps. She was out the door a minute later and had her arms around his shoulders before she was kneeling next to him. “Yep. We are. Soon as you’re old enough. We’re going to live in Galway Sound, just the three of us. We’ll go to a university, get jobs, you’ll make that awesome pasta thing you make with all the cheese and I’ll learn how not to burn toast.”
    Ippy met Samson’s gaze. It’s still happening.
    “So it is.” Samson looked up at Liam and Travis. “Did you two know about this?”
    Ippy watched Travis take Liam’s hand and he leaned against Hannah. He knew that she’d mentioned it to her dads, but did they think that she’d grown out of it as well? Would she go through with it if they said that she couldn’t go? She loved her dads and they loved her. He knew that. It was obvious in everything they did together.
    Travis was the first to speak. “We knew. And while we’re not happy about our daughter living on another continent, we know that she’s smart and she can decide what she wants to do. Caelum has been a part of her life since she was nine and saw him on a train platform. When she was fifteen she ran away to go save him. It’s been enough years that we figured out that this isn’t some little crush that she has on him and we’ll help her in whatever way she needs—Phillip, too. They’re inseparable. I didn’t expect things to work out like this for the three of them, but we’ve seen Phillip grow up and we know that their friendship is real.”
    She was smiling up at her dads and if Ippy could have been smiling, he would have.
    Liam spoke up as he released his husband’s hand and put it around Travis’ shoulders instead. “And, Hannah, you never knew this since Caelum asked us not to tell you, but the dreams you have of him where he comes in to talk to you? We have them with him, too. He talks to us at least once a week. We like him, I suppose. As well as any dads can like the man their daughter is in love with. He’s a decent guy, respectful, and seems to really care about you.”
    Ippy ran his face over Hannah’s cheek, wiping away some of her happy tears before she released him and ran over to give both of her dads a hug. Ippy watched them for a few long minutes before turning back to Samson. He didn’t know what his alpha was thinking, but he was smiling as he turned from watching the little family to meet Ippy’s gaze as well. “I suppose things will work themselves out. If you two are sure about this, you’ll have the support of the pack behind you in whatever you choose. If you’d been moving to a different state to go to college in a few years the support would be the same—I don’t see why this has to be any different.”
    Ippy nodded. What about now?
    “Tonight?” Samson asked him.
    Where do I go tonight? Ippy clarified for him.
    Samson turned to look at Travis and Liam. “I’m not sending Phillip back to be at his home with his mother right now. Christopher and I have room in our home if you want him to stay with us, but I thought, given their connection, that maybe him staying here with you both and Hannah right now would be best.”
    Hannah shrugged. “Sure, we used to have sleepovers all the time before his parents got prissy about it since, you know, we’re teenagers and all.” She crossed her arms over her chest and shot Ippy a grin.
    Samson pressed his lips together. “Right. Well, that might not be completely appropriate after all. So—”
    I’ll sleep in the TV room downstairs. There are plenty of pillows and blankets down there already, Ippy told them all. Then, just as quickly, he remembered that Hannah’s dads hadn’t actually said that he could stay with her yet. If that’s all right.
    Travis didn’t look excited, but he didn’t look upset by the prospect either. Liam only shrugged and said, “Sure. Get ready for bed. While you’re staying here, though, you’re both going to be good. This is our