Love in the Light - Laura Kaye Page 0,70

head. “Your place is right here.” He clapped Caden on the back then looked at Makenna. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in a while.”

“Thanks, Dad,” she said.

When he left, Caden leaned against the rail of her bed and bent down to kiss her forehead. “Your father’s a helluva guy.”

She grinned. “Yes, he is. And so are you.” Makenna only hoped that things went as well with her oldest brother.

The thought seemed to beckon him, because the next instant, Patrick walked into the room and came right up to her on the opposite side of the bed from Caden. “Makenna, Jesus. You scared the hell out of all of us.” He kissed her on the forehead. “You okay?”

“Yes, I’m going to be fine. Thank you so much for coming down,” she said.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else. None of us would. You know that,” he said, still not acknowledging Caden. Makenna’s shoulders sagged, but they had to work this out between them.

An awkward silence stretched out and Makenna was debating how to make all this right when a fluttery tingle flitted through her belly. And again.

“Oh! It’s happening again,” she said, grabbing Caden’s hand. She flattened it against her belly. “I don’t know if you’ll be able to feel it but this is the second time I’ve felt the baby move.”

Caden’s face was a mask of joyful anticipation as he leaned over her. He shook his head, his smile bringing out his dimples.

“Damn,” she said. “I guess we’re gonna have to get used to the kid not doing things when we want him to, huh?”

Chuckling, Caden nodded. “Sounds about right.”

“So, you’re in this, then?” Patrick said, finally looking at Caden. “You know what, let’s take this into the hall so we don’t disturb Makenna.”

Caden straightened and met Patrick’s intense gaze eye to eye, then nodded.

“Guys, it’s okay,” Makenna said, worry slinking through her.

“Don’t worry,” Caden said, kissing her on the forehead. “We’ll be right back.” They disappeared into the hallway, but they didn’t go so far that she couldn’t hear a lot of the conversation.

“I’m all in,” Caden said. “I know I made mistakes, but I’ve worked to fix them, and I won’t make them again.”

A long pause, and Makenna could imagine the hard-ass expression on Patrick’s face. Cop face, she always called it. “She deserves everything, Caden.” Makenna’s heart melted at her brother’s protectiveness.

“I couldn’t agree more. And I’m going to make sure she has it. That they both do,” Caden said. Just a few short hours ago, she’d worried she’d never hear Caden say something like that ever again. Now here he was, making amends with her family and holding his own. More proof of how far he’d come.

Another long pause, and she couldn’t hear what they were saying.

“Yeah, well, if I do, I’ll kick my own ass.” Caden’s voice, followed by laughter.

“You got a fucking deal,” Patrick said.

A moment later, they returned to her room. “Everything okay?” she asked.

Caden and Patrick exchanged a look and a nod, and then Caden gave her a smile. “I’m here with you, Red. Everything’s finally perfect.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“This is my favorite Valentine’s Day ever,” Makenna said, sitting in the rocking chair as Caden drove in the last screw on the baby’s crib. What could be more romantic than the father of her child whole-heartedly throwing himself into decorating the baby’s nursery? They’d been working on it for hours, both of them perfectly content to just be at home together on this day that was all about celebrating love.

They’d gone with a red, yellow, and light blue color scheme and a fireman and Dalmatian dog theme. Makenna’s guess had been right—they were having a boy. Caden had teared up upon seeing the ultrasound and learning the news—it was one of the sweetest things Makenna had ever seen.

Caden’s smile brought out his dimples. “Oh, yeah? Me too.”

She popped a piece of chocolate from a big box he’d given her into her mouth, and looked around at what used to be Caden’s spare bedroom. She’d moved into his house the week after she’d been released from the hospital. Caden had insisted, and Makenna had fallen in love with him even more for how much he’d been doting on her.

“There,” he said. “All done.” He rose and slid the crib into place against the wall, then settled the mattress inside.

“It’s coming together so nicely,” she said, looking up at the mobile with its hanging fireman’s helmet, Dalmatian, fire hydrant, and fire truck. “Such a cute room.”

“I have