Jada looked up and her smile grew. “She’s so gorgeous, Kari. She’s so beautiful.”
“She looks just like her mother.” I barely heard Cane’s voice. He was speaking with such reverence that it took me aback a bit.
Jada smiled quickly at Cane again before looking back to Kari. “Thank you for being here,” Jada said to her sister.
“Stop it,” Kari whispered, letting go of my hand and walking toher sister. She embraced her warmly. “I love you so much. I’m so proud of you.”
Jada wiped her eyes as Kari pulled away and turned to face Cane. She bent down and pulled the blankets back. Her hand went to her mouth as she touched the child. “Oh my gosh,” she whispered. “She’s perfect.”
“She is,” Cane said softly, never taking his eyes off the baby. He sat a pacifier on Jada’s bed.
“Can I hold her?” Kari asked.
“I just...” Cane’s voice trailed off. “I’ve never seen something so perfect. So beautiful. I always thought people were stupid saying they fell in love immediately. But I get it. I’d kill for this little girl.” He lifted the baby to his lips and held them against her forehead. “Daddy loves you, Annie.”
“Annie?” Kari asked.
“Her name is Annabeth Marie Alexander. Ann after Mom, Beth after my middle name. Marie after Cane’s grandmother.”
I looked over Cane’s shoulder and touched Annie’s cheek. She opened her eyes and looked at me. “Hey, Annie.” I clasped Cane’s shoulder. “You did good, Alexander.”
“Annie, that’s your Uncle Max. He’s your godfather and he’s going to help me make sure no boy ever gets anywhere close to you.”
Kari and Jada laughed until a nurse came through the curtain. “Mrs. Alexander, it’s time to take some more pain meds.”
Kari
“Can I hold her?”I looked to Cane. “Please?”
I thought he was going to say no at first, but he finally looked up to me. He drew in a deep breath and stood. “Sit down first,” he said, noddingto the chair.
I rolled my eyes but complied, not pushing my luck. “I’ve held babies before, Cane.”
“You’ve never heldmybaby before.” He bent down, laying Annie in my arms.
She squirmed before nuzzling her face against my chest. She moaned, her baby voice finding a straight shot to my heart. In that moment, I knew exactly what Cane was talking about. I loved this little girl with every bit of me. Hot tears stung my eyes, clouding my vision of her perfect round face and slightly upturned nose.
Max’s hand found my shoulder, undoubtedly thinking that this would be hard for me. And it was, in a lot of ways. It was something I probably would never experience first-hand. But holding my niece, perfect and beautiful, wasn’t something I was taking for granted. I already loved her as much as if she were my own.
“How you feeling, Max?” Cane asked.
“Alright. My arm is sore, but it’s healing. Or so I’m told by my nurse,” he winked at me. “I’m getting a lot of sympathy, so I’m not complaining much.”
Cane cleared his throat. “What happened with Sam?”
“She’s in a psychiatric hospital in Phoenix.” He blew out a breath. “I just...I hate that this happened to her. But at least she’s safe now, right?”
Cane nodded. “What happened with Blaine?”
Max laughed. “Well, I guess he’s finally moving to California. He has to do another thing for the police—a statement or something. And then he said he’s leaving.”
“That’s good,” Cane said, taking his cell out and snapping a pic of me and Annie.
The nurse administering Jada’s meds left the room. I looked up to my sister and she smiled. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
“She so is,” I said, touching her little cheeks with the back of my knuckles. “Too bad she isn’t a little older and she could be the flower girlnext weekend.”
“I’m going to keep her this little forever,” Cane said, completely serious.
