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Shane shook his head and addressed his daughter. “We don’t say the b-word, either. Also, for Uncle Hunter’s information, it hasn’t been six months since I’ve gotten laid.” He turned back to April and lifted her into the air, so her little legs bicycled. “It’s been six months since I’ve gotten laid without knowing one of us had to keep an ear out for you. Yes, we do, beautiful.” He lowered her until their noses touched again. “We keep one ear tuned to you.” She smiled and grabbed his hair, while he got to his feet. “But tonight, we’re going to let Grandma and Grandpa do the honors. Aren’t we?” He hoped so. If she refused to cooperate, he’d wasted his time putting an infant car seat in Grandma’s car and setting a romantic scene in the backyard while Sinclair, Savannah, their mother, and Hunter’s wife, Madison, took a day in Norcross to celebrate Savannah allowing Beau to impregnate her again.
“She’ll be fine,” Beau assured him as he held a small hand in each of his and slowly lowered his son to the floor. Ryder danced his bare feet over the sanded and polished planks. “Grandma and Grandpa survived a whole weekend with this one, and, unlike him, April’s not actively trying to kill herself every two seconds. She’ll be a walk in the park for them.”
“Speaking of walks,” Hunter nodded toward Ryder. “Little man’s raring to go.” Joy wriggled in her daddy’s arms. “Okay, okay.” He knelt and put her down. “Go on. Show him how it’s done.”
Joy scampered over to Ryder, eager to show off the walking skills she’d mastered during her vastly more experienced eighteen months of living. She stopped about a half foot away and held out her arms to the baby. “C’mere, Ry-Ry.”
Ryder looked up at his dad. Beau shook his head. “Don’t do it, cowboy. Your mother will skin me alive if she misses your first steps.” But apparently, he was willing to risk a skinning, because he opened his hands so only Ryder’s grip on his index fingers connected the two.
“I’ve got you covered.” Hunter pulled his phone from his pocket and framed up the shot. “Aaand…we’re rolling. Go on, Ry-Ry. Get her. Joy, honey, don’t crowd him. Give him some room.”
They all watched chubby hands slowly open. Beau straightened when Ryder let go of his fingers. The little guy balanced for a moment, looked around, and let out a hoot just to make sure he had everyone’s attention. Shane mentally moved baby gates up on his home project list. Thankfully, Sinclair’s spiral staircase had been repurposed and now connected the master bedroom to a roof deck, but the wide, wood-and-iron central stairway they’d installed when they’d redesigned the barn wasn’t exactly baby safe.
Hunter started a drumroll. Ryder took a step
toward Joy, staggered like a drunk for one ungainly second, and then toppled forward, taking his spotter down in the process.
“Uh-ohhh! Wipeout,” Hunter called in an attempt to distract the kids from their tumble.
It didn’t work. Ryder sucked in a breath and let loose an indignant holler. Joy immediately followed suit. Beau and Hunter hurried over.
Upset by the commotion, April joined in with an impressive wail. Shane bounced her in his arms. “Hey, now. What are you fussing for? You’re just fine.”
Over the din of three bawling infants, Shane heard the front door slide open. Perfect timing. The womenfolk were back, just when all hell broke loose. His well-crafted plans crumbled before his eyes. So much for a quick-and-painless handoff to Grandma before ushering everyone out and turning his attention to a slow and thorough seduction of his wife. “Whose boneheaded idea was it to set the kids up like dominoes?”
“Hunter’s,” Beau answered and pasted a smile on his face as the ladies walked in. Pretty, blond Madison appeared first, followed by Savannah, her mom, and Sinclair.
“Goodness.” Madison quickened her pace. “What happened?” She was already shrugging her purse off her shoulder and preparing to take Joy.
“Everything’s under control,” Beau assured her.
Savannah came to her husband’s side and inspected her red-faced son before giving Beau a skeptical look. “Uh-huh. Clearly, you guys have things under control.”
“We do,” Shane insisted, tipping his head toward Beau as Sinclair closed in on him. “This is Hunter’s fault.”
“Honey, don’t believe them. I’ve got a video that proves different.”
Madison cuddled her daughter, glanced through the glass doors to the backyard, and then shot a look at Shane. Her lips curved as she turned to Hunter. “Show me later, ’kay? We’ve got to get going, or we’ll be late for the…thing.”
He’d always liked Madison. Even more so when everyone sprang into motion at her comment and started gathering up kids and gear.
“What thing?” Sinclair asked.
“Oh, you know…” Savannah gestured vaguely and grabbed Ryder’s diaper bag. “The thing. We’ve got a thing. Thanks for driving today.”
Sinclair’s mother looked at him, one brow arched in silent question. He gave her a small nod.
She cleared her throat. “Sinclair, honey, do you have that necklace we talked about? The one I might want to borrow?”
“Um, sure.” She glanced uncertainly at the flurry of activity around her. “Let me run upstairs and get it. Don’t everyone run off. I’ll be right back.”
He watched as Sinclair climbed the stairs and sailed along the open hallway. As soon as she disappeared into the bedroom, everyone rushed to the door. A speed round of hugs and kisses transpired, and then Cheryl lifted April from his arms. “We’re gone.” She kissed his cheek and stepped onto the porch. “Have a good night.”
“You, too. Call if she gets cranky. I’ll come get her.”
His mother-in-law laughed. “This sweet little girl doesn’t have a cranky bone in her body.”
“Sometimes she—”
