find a way that his brother and Dare and their kids felt connected and a part of everything happening back in Rocky.
“Wanted to let you know something.” Jesse popped up a portable table and began pulling lunch fixings out of the cooler.
“About the job?”
“Yeah.” Jesse stopped, shaking his head. “Toughest damn decision we’ve ever had to make, and yet in the end, so simple.”
Everything in Blake tightened. “Oh?”
Before Jesse could speak, his phone went off. He blinked in surprise, hauling it out of his pocket even as he glanced up at the sky. “We have reception up here?”
Joel’s phone went off as well, and suddenly Blake had a bad feeling.
Or maybe a good one because Jesse’s eyes were widening as he took the call. Joel had abandoned his fishing gear beside Matt and was running hell-bent for leather toward where their picnic was arranged.
Jesse hung up, eyes a little on the wild side, but a huge grin in place. “Dare’s in labour. I gotta go.”
Panting heavily, Joel arrived. “Vicki just called. Dare’s—”
“We heard.” Blake went to aim them both toward Jesse’s truck then paused. “Either of you capable of driving without going off a cliff?”
“Where are my keys?” Jesse demanded, hands digging in his pockets frantically. “And hell yes, I can drive. Now where are my goddamn keys?” he shouted.
Joel swung the key ring in question on a finger as he winked at Blake. “I stole them when we got here. We’ll be okay.” He danced away from Jesse, who made a quick grab at his hand. “Nothing doing. Dare made me promise to take care of you. Said something about how she doubted you could keep it together this time. Let’s go.”
By the time the twins were driving away, the rest of the family had gathered ’round, shouting good wishes after them.
“Isn’t it early for the baby to arrive?” Lance asked with a hint of worry.
“Babies usually arrive when they’re ready,” Blake reassured him. “Except if it’s really inconvenient. Then they’ll come early or late, depending on what causes the most chaos.”
Lance blinked. “Babies don’t really do that.”
“No, they can’t deliberately do it. But in any family, there’s at least a couple stories like that.” Mike turned his grandson toward the lunch. “Your aunt had one of those oops babies. Lisa, from Whiskey Creek.”
“Tamara,” Matt corrected him. “Lisa’s still expecting.”
“Right. Tamara.” Mike nodded then grabbed a plate and pushed it at his grandson. “Either way, we’ll hear soon enough from Jesse and Dare. In the meantime, we should carry on with our day. There’s extra fish to catch now that Joel and Jesse aren’t tangling up our lines.”
They still had a big group with the seven of them. They laughed and shared stories, and Blake treasured time with his immediate family.
But having the twins gone only emphasized that knot in Blake’s gut. He wanted Jesse to do what was right for him and Dare, but what he wanted even more was for Jesse to stay close.
Jesse and Joel had been gone for four hours. The rest of the Six Pack fishermen were closing in on the time to pack it up and head home. The picnic had been tucked away, and the group was out on the dock casting a few final times.
The instant his phone buzzed with a text message, Blake hauled it out. They must’ve all been on high alert, because every other Coleman standing with him did the same, peering down eagerly to read the announcement.
Jesse: Dare is doing great. We are very excited to announce the arrival of a healthy baby boy. Ryan will be ready for visitors tomorrow morning.
Tension slipped away, at least part of it. “Good to hear,” Blake said sincerely. “Although I hope, for his sake, he offers a little more detail when he messages the ladies.”
“Bigger than a breadbox doesn’t cut it?” Matt grinned.
“Dear God, don’t say things like that in reference to the size of babies. It makes me hurt,” Mike said with a groan.
They were nearly packed up, headed for their doors, when their phones went off again.
“Here come the details,” Daniel suggested.
Only the message made them all stop before shouts rang out, echoing against the mountain behind the lake.
Jesse: Dare is still doing great. We are very excited to announce the arrival of another healthy baby boy. Royce would very much like his Grandpa to drop in to say hello. He’ll see the rest of you tomorrow.
Blake casually slipped an arm around his father’s shoulders, because it was