She showed up in our hospital room and helped us get so many things situated so we could move into this suite. She’s also helping Alek hire a private nurse for our trip home.
“You barely look like you had a baby.” She pats my stomach. I scoff at her, and we sit down in the living room. “How is my little godson?” She looks around.
“He’s sleeping. Thank you again for helping us get a bassinet for here.”
“My pleasure. I didn’t know if you had anything at your home, so I got that one.”
“You bought it? I thought it was a loan.”
“Nope. I told my brother I needed baby gear, and he and my sister-in-law helped me get several of the things you’d all needfor here. You’re welcome to take it home, but if you don’t, we’ll just donate it to Clare’s House, a local shelter here.”
“Oh. I’ll talk to Callum. How are you doing?” I squeeze her hand.
I know that something has transpired between her and Butcher, but he’s avoiding her, and she won’t tell me.
“I’m excellent.” She forces the bravado and avoids eye contact by looking around the room. “Where did you get these flowers?” She walks over to the bouquets of flowers but stops in front of an anonymous delivery that was sent here to the hotel.
Alek told Callum and me not to worry about who sent them. It’s white and red roses in a vase showing Aphrodite in her oyster shell.
“I’ve seen these before. At the hospital when my cousin’s half-sister was hurt. Myaintín mamaílet me go to the hospital with her one day to meet Ainsley. She’d been attacked, but she had this exact bouquet too.”
“We don’t know who they’re from. Alek said it wasn’t someone we had to be concerned about. It’s not a new stalker, but he said they were special,” I explain.
“That’s what I heard too. Ainsley is Lyric’s, Alek’s wife’s, twin sister. They are both my cousins JJ and Jordon’s sisters.”
“What isaintín mamaí?” I ask, confused by the words and term.
“Oh, it’s Gaelic for aunt mom. Myaintín mamaíraised me after my mother was killed.”
“Okay, I got it.”
Another knock sounds on the door, and I walk over to open it after checking the peephole. I really don’t have to because no one can get on this floor without security knowing about it.
My family all walk in. When I take in my little sister with her newest Gothic style, I don’t judge her. I know she’s still trying to process so much, and this is her way of getting through thehurt. I pull her in for a hug, and for the first time since she got to Vegas, she actually accepts the hug and hugs me back.
I lean in and whisper in her ear, “Want to come stay with Callum and me for a few months?”
She nods.
Going back to Eastport, I’ll have an extra tagalong, and I’m not worried about it. I think she needs some time away from the ranch too. I’ve also talked my mom into letting Tiffany read the journals from our father. I think they’ll help her through whatever she’s going through right now.
Cowboy
I wakeup to voices coming from the main room, and then my son decides to make himself known too. He doesn’t have a loud cry yet, so I’m not sure if Andi heard him. Rolling out of bed, I stand up and walk to his bassinet. Carefully, I lift him one armed and brace him against my body as my wife steps into the room.
“You know you aren’t supposed to be holding him yet.” She reminds me of what the doctor has told us many times. He’s afraid I could pop my stitches or cause a setback in my recovery.
Andi walks over and takes him from me before turning to change him on the makeshift changing table she created with one of the dressers in the room.
“I can’t wait to get you home. I’ve had Amelia getting baby things for the house for us.”
“I know. She sent me some pictures today asking if we wanted a western theme or something else for his room.”
“What did you decide?”
“I told her the western theme was okay but to make it heavy on the horses, because he wouldn’t be here without a special horse.”
She’s right. Duke, our newest gelding, deserves to have a quiet, pampered life, and that’s what we’re going to give him.
