“She did a number on them, that’s for sure,” Doc said. “I thought we’d never have any. Then bam. Now we have three.”
“Jasper.”
I held out my hand for the second-eldest Hodges sibling.
He took it in a firm grip, and didn’t complain about the scars.
“Nice to see you again,” he said.
“I’m glad you made it home.” I dropped his hand. “Calli was worried about you.”
“Calli?” Koda scoffed. “She’s made of napalm and bullets. That girl doesn’t worry about anything.”
As he said this, Calli raised her voice and made a “ah-ah-ah” sound as she saw Pane climbing up onto the counter in the kitchen to do lord knew what.
“She worries about everyone,” I disagreed. “In fact, I would counter and say that she worries too much. It’s just easier for her to hide how she feels than deal with acknowledging those feelings.” I looked at Doc then. “In fact, she thinks the club hates her. And you just tolerate her.”
Doc’s lips thinned. “I see.”
Calli came into view, deposited Dalton in my arms, and walked off.
I expertly repositioned him in my arms, his head going up near my neck and his little butt sitting solidly on my forearm.
“You look like you’ve handled a kid or two before.”
I had a good chuckle at that.
“My dad owned a gym when we were growing up,” I explained. “I had a lot of days in the daycare room so I could watch members’ kids. And then my sister popped out several of her own. I’ve been very involved in their lives since the beginning.”
“Expert level one thousand,” Kent said. “You like her?”
I knew what he was asking.
I hesitated, wondering if I should share the depth of my feelings with the man that might very well punch me in the face for defiling his beloved sister-in-law…fuck it.
“I love her.”
Doc inhaled sharply.
Koda grinned. “That right?”
“That’s right,” I confirmed.
“You can handle her?”
I really did laugh then, startling the baby I was holding.
He started to let out a wail of a cry, but I soothed him back to calm before saying, “I don’t think anyone handles Calliope, man. But I’m definitely going to be along for the ride. And be damn happy about it.”
“Let’s eat!”
We all filed into the kitchen that had a huge spread in it.
“Why’d you buy this much food?” Kent asked. “Damn.”
“I figured more people would show, but the weather’s being a tit.”
“Tit!” Pane bellowed. “Tit! Tittttt!”
