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“Can I see Raine and the babies?” Heavenly asked. “Are they up to visitors?”
Hammer nodded. “She’s been asking to see you. And if you’ll sit with her, that would give us time to run to the cafeteria and grab breakfast.”
Heavenly looked elated. “I’d love to.”
“Great. You two want to grab a bite with us?” Liam asked him and Seth.
“No more hospital grub for me, thanks,” Beck quipped.
Seth hesitated, as if trying to decide whether to take the easy out, then he shook his head. “I already ate. Thanks.”
“All right, then.” Liam clapped Seth on the back. Giving him silent strength? “The babes are in the nursery. We’ll point them out on our way to the elevator. Then you can visit with Raine.”
A few feet down the hall, Hammer and Liam paused at a large plate-glass window. Everyone huddled around them…except Seth. He held himself back from the others. Thankfully, Heavenly was too busy smiling wistfully and eyeing the line of pink-and-blue-swaddled babies nestled in clear bassinets to notice.
Hammer raised his arm and held his wristband against the glass. After one of the nurses read his name, she smiled and nodded, then glided two bassinets—each holding a tiny pink-swaddled baby with rosy cheeks and wearing a pink-and-white-striped beanie—in front of the glass.
“Oh, my…” Heavenly pressed a hand to her chest with a quivering exhalation. “They’re…beautiful.”
The names on the bassinets told Beck which baby was which. Ciara dozed peacefully at the moment. Catronia lay awake, dragging her unfocused stare around the room, as if she was afraid she might miss something exciting.
Hammer and Liam are going to have their hands full…
“We think so,” Hammer seconded. “Of course we’re biased.”
“Congratulations, Daddies.” Beck clapped both men on the back. “You two did good.”
“Raine did all the hard work.” Hammer’s voice dripped with pride. “She really was amazing.”
“Your girl has always been a lot tougher than she looks,” Beck reminded. “After all, she puts up with you two.”
“Smart-ass.” Hammer laughed.
“Let’s go, mate.” Liam elbowed Hammer. “My stomach thinks my throat’s been cut.”
“What else is new?” Hammer scoffed with a grin. “We’ll be back in few.”
“Did River leave already?” Seth frowned as if he’d just registered the fact Raine’s brother wasn’t around.
Hammer nodded. “You missed him by ten minutes. He went to grab some shut-eye. I’m sure you’ll see him later.”
“Whether I want to or not,” Cooper teased. “See you all in a few.”
“We won’t be gone long,” Macen assured as he and Liam gathered Bryn and the Irish sisters, then headed out of the maternity ward.
Once they were gone, Seth stepped away from the glass and glanced down the hallway. “I need to hit the head. Did you see a bathroom nearby?”
“Down there, on the left.” Beck pointed.
“Be right back.” He disappeared down the hall.
Once Seth had gone, Beck tried to shove down his annoyance. Cooper’s avoidance of the babies was subtle but still noticeable. Instead, he brought Heavenly against his side before pressing a kiss to her temple. “They’re so tiny.”
“I know. And so beautiful.” She sighed.
Every syllable dripped with longing to bring life into the world, to be the kind of loving mother she hadn’t had. It was a kick to Beck’s balls. But he also heard more than wistfulness in her tone.
“Heavenly?” He needed to know what she was feeling.
