“If you’re okay, I’m going to go find my daughter.”
“Man, you’ve only been home for like five seconds and you lost one already?”
That was Wilder, who was standing there with Rosie and Sarah. “I found her on the front porch. I think she was waiting for me.”
“Hey, man, I really appreciate all your help.” He went over to shake hands. Leanne and Wilder had been dear as all get-out. It felt fucking amazing to be a part of this big, goofy situation.
“Not a problem. He was good as gold. But he was ready for his girl to come back home. I could tell.”
“Yeah, Teresa was ready for Sarah to come home, too. Those two are thick as thieves.” Stephen shook his head. “I’m so glad that they found each other.”
They had no idea. His girls were…happier than he’d seen them since Allison left them. “Man, me too.”
“I tell you what, brother.” Stephen clapped him on one shoulder. “We manage to raise all these girls up, it’ll be a miracle.”
That hit him in the center of the chest.
He’d never been anybody’s brother.
Mark was close. Mark was his dearest friend, but these folks loved him because he was?—
Hell, he thought maybe these folks would be good to him even if Cam wasn’t part and parcel of the whole equation. They had been, hadn’t they? They’d brought him Cam.
So thank God the son of a bitch was, though.
Mitch was hooked through the balls, and he didn’t want to have to imagine his life again without Cam.
He’d done it. He wasn’t going to do it again.
“I hear that, man. I really do.” He looked at Sarah. “And she didn’t go off the porch, right?”
“No, Daddy. I saw Miss Leanne come in, and I knew Uncle Wilder had to be coming. I needed my Rosie Posie.”
“I know. He’s glad you’re home too.”
“Come on, Rosie, I’ll read you a book.” Sarah took Rosie off, and Teresa joined her as soon as they were five feet away.
That left him to sit with Cam for a while, and Mitch was happy to do it. He felt as if they hadn’t been able to even really see each other, even with Cam sitting in a hospital bed. He’d always been on the phone talking to doctors and nurses.
“How are you feeling, babe?” he asked.
Cam gave him a strained grin. “Like hammered shit, but I’ll be all right. I’m a little hungry, actually. So sooner or later somebody will hand me a plate, and it’ll be great.” Cam hooted. “That rhymes.”
“Are you sure somebody didn’t already give you a pain pill?” He winked, though, because he knew better. He could see the lines of stress around Cam’s eyes and mouth.
“Not yet. Don’t worry about me, baby. I’m gonna be okay. As soon as everybody leaves, I’ll go to bed and stay there for God knows how long.”
“Let me rustle you up?—”
When he started to get up to get Cam some food, Cam grabbed him with his good hand and held him down. “Just stay with me. Just sit here with me and… sit. I need you.”
God, that broke his heart. “I’m right here, babe. I promise I’ll let somebody else get you some food.”
“I’ll do it,” Mark murmured. “Just give me a sec.” He headed off to the kitchen, and Mitch had a feeling Mark was going to be talking to Cam’s mom about what he liked to have.
He came back a few minutes later with a big drink of Sprite and some crackers. “Your mom says she’s heating you up some homemade chicken soup. She made it herself.”
Cam gave Mark a little bit of a smile. “Thanks. man, I appreciate it.”
