Carson and China. Seth McCray and Devereaux. Lee Hart and Tess. Hunter Christian and Meredith. My hell, they were all there. Even Renner Graves and his wife Tara Shanahan, the former Olympic hopeful, had come to welcome Bradley into the fold. Beckam and Camilla Garner, too.
As predicted, Beau gave his wife a quick peck, then headed straight for Kelsey’s bedside. “He’s hungry already? That’s a real good sign.” His dark eyes were bright as he grabbed the only other chair in the room and pulled it alongside Alex, as if it had been reserved for him. “How’s it feel being a dad again, Boss?”
“Good,” Alex offered easily. Damned good. Perfect, actually. So damned good he had to wipe a quick hand over his face again. Beau had changed dramatically over these past two years, first when he’d met McKenna, second when he’d become a father. If Alex changed as much as Beau had, hell, he’d almost be nice.
“Aww,” Ember Dennison cooed, a bulky gift bag in one hand as she came through the door. Here was another hard kick in the gut. She and Rory had suffered miscarriage after miscarriage since they’d married. It was about time they had a baby to show for all their trouble. Yet here she was. Supporting Kelsey and with a gift in her hand, but going home without her own baby in her arms.
She tossed the bag at Alex. “Rory said you’re gonna need this.”
Alex peered into the bag at the child-sized catcher’s mitt, then back into her bright green eyes. She had—that look. Was she pregnant? Again? That would make four miscarriages in three years. She’d always handled life differently than most. Hence the Nebraska Cornhuskers football jersey she wore. But how could she keep trying so hard to get pregnant when it always ended in heartbreak? What was Rory thinking to put her through that?
Come to think of it, that shirt was a little large—
“How’s it going, Ember baby?” Zack Lennox asked brightly as he cleared the door right behind her.
She whirled into his arms. “Today’s the day!”
“You’re finally going to tell everyone?” That cinched it. Zack had the uncanny gift of being able to tell when and if a woman was pregnant.
“Rory and me are having a baby!” she blurted to the room, stamping her feet like a little girl on a sugar-high. “Next month! It’s finally happening! I get to be a mom!”
“Ahem,” Rory cleared his throat. “We… get to be parents. Had to scrape Tyler off the ceiling when we told him last night. He can’t wait to be a big brother.”
Tyler was their son from Rory’s previous marriage.
Damned if Kelsey didn’t squeeze Alex’s hand when she saw his eyes brimming with tears. Again! He couldn’t rein in his emotions for the life of him today. But this was such good news. Ember and Rory deserved to be happy.
“Congratulations,” he rasped as the room exploded into coos and ahhs and hearty back-slapping congrats.
But when Rory revealed the bouquet of yellow roses behind his back and laid them across Kelsey’s legs with a kindly, “Congratulations, skinny mama,” son of a bitch! Alex couldn’t get his eyeballs to cease and desist. Manfully, he scrubbed a hand over his face. Again!
A solid thump struck his biceps. Rory was grinning. He’d seen the near-tears, the ass. “Brought the new dad something, too,” he said as he handed over a fifth of something gold and expensive.
McCallum Estate Single Malt Whisky. “My God, this had to cost you an arm and a leg.”
Rory shrugged both shoulders. “Who cares? I’m celebrating my good news, as much as yours. Isn’t every day a man gets to bring his child into the world. My turn’s next. Best two reasons to celebrate I know.”
Alex broke the seal on that bottle, and magically, a raft of red plastic cups appeared out of nowhere. Everyone but Ember and Kelsey got a sip, but he served Rory two fingers.
Renner Graves had a twinkle in his eye when he raised his cup. “To your wee little one,” he said in the thickest Irish brogue Alex had heard in a while. “May Bradley Patrick Stewart be surrounded by sunbeams to warm him every day of his long, illustrious life. We already know he’s got a big badassed guardian angel to protect him, so...” Renner raised his cup and offered the Gaelic toast for health and wealth, “Sláinte is táinte.”
“Cheers!” Zack roared like a beast. “When are you two having a baby?”
The twinkle in Renner’s