early. I gotta go,” she said, throwing her phone in her purse and standing up. Then she realized that Liam had driven her. “Fuck, can you drive me to Vandy? If not, I’ll get a cab,” she said frantically.
“No, I got you. Let’s go,” he said, throwing a twenty on the table. As they started for the door, his hand fell to the middle of her back and he said, “Don’t worry, I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Nodding, she prayed he was right.
Looking down at the little bundle of pink, Kacey could hardly see her brand-spanking-new niece with her tear-filled eyes. As the baby looked up at her through her goo-filled brown eyes that had a slight blue tint around the middle, Kacey decided that Mena Jane King was by far the most gorgeous baby she had ever seen. Moving her finger down Mena Jane’s sweet curve of a cheek, a tear slowly rolled down her own cheek.
“Hello, my sweet Mena Jane. I’m your auntie, and I’m gonna be your best friend,” she said softly as she looked down at her, her eyes full of all the goodness in the world. The baby looked just like Karson, spitting image, with basically nothing of Lacey. But it was still early. Kacey was sure she would favor her momma in no time. Or the King genes were so strong that this was the product and, man, what a product. She was perfect, and Kacey wanted a little baby of her own so damn badly.
Glancing up at where Karson was moving Lacey’s hair behind her ears, looking at her like she’d just given him the world, which she had, his eyes were so full of love it hit Kacey square in the chest. She wanted that. She wanted all this. The birth was magical and her sister-in-law was a beast, that’s all she could say. Karson, ever the doting husband, was amazing during the birth, and Kacey prayed she gave some support too. Just from the grin on Lacey’s face as she met her gaze told her she did, or that the drugs were working very well. She was going to take her first assumption and run, though.
“She’s perfect, guys.”
“She is,” Lacey agreed as Karson still stared at her.
“You’re perfect. You did so great, baby,” he whispered against her cheek and Kacey smiled, looking back down at her sweet niece.
“I’m gonna make sure you are always protected,” Kacey whispered. “You have so many people who love you.”
Mena Jane just kept staring at her and it warmed her soul. This little girl had Kacey completely wrapped around her finger and nothing would ever hurt her. Not while her aunt was around.
“Sorry to pull you from your date,” Lacey said then and Kacey waved her off, cuddling Mena Jane closer to her.
“This was way more important,” she assured her, and then she glanced over at Karson. She knew this probably wasn’t the place for this, but she had to hear it from him. “You told Liam yes to dating me?”
Lacey smiled as Karson shrugged. “He’s a good dude. He would be good for you.”
Hearing it from his mouth seemed almost as if he were speaking Klingon. “Really?”
He nodded. “He’s a supernice guy, Kace. Really.”
“He is,” Lacey agreed just as a knock came at the door. All three looked at the door as it opened and Liam poked his head in.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear. But Liam wasn’t the devil, he was more an angel because in his hand was the biggest bouquet of yellow and pink roses she had ever seen.
“Company, okay?” he asked and Lacey nodded.
“Yes, come on in. You haven’t been waiting all this time have you?”
He smiled sheepishly as he nodded. “I wasn’t sure if Kacey would need to go home, and I was her ride,” he said as he carried the flowers to her little tray table and Kacey’s heart kicked up in speed a bit.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she called to him and he grinned.
“It’s no big deal. My phone lasted the whole six hours.”
She smiled as he shot her a playful grin before looking back over at Lacey. “These are for the momma,” he said before leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Congrats.”
“Aw, thank you, Liam.”
He grinned as he reached over, handing Karson a flask. “For Daddy.”
Karson laughed before taking a long pull. “Thanks, bro.”
Then he made his way to Kacey, pulling a single rose out from behind his back and handing it to