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“My thoughts exactly,” Buster said.
“So, I just….” Jake’s words fell away as he entered the room and saw Mac and Millicent hugging.
“We’ll call them M&M,” Buster whispered, making Ryan snort.
“Ah, so as I was saying.” Jake dragged his eyes away and focused on Ryan. “The baby is stabilized and doing well, and there were no extra complications after the caesarean.”
“But what is it?” Ryan gripped Faith’s hand hard.
“A boy.” Jake grinned. “A little boy.”
“I’m an uncle, but I’m not sure I can be excited yet. Is Hope doing okay?”
“Yes. She will make a full recovery, but it will take time. This has been tough on her.”
Faith hugged Ryan. “Congratulations, Uncle Ryan.”
He held her close, and she felt the tension drain from his body.
“Thank God,” he whispered into her hair.
They sat for another hour before a doctor came in and confirmed what Jake had said. Mother and child were doing well, and they would be staying here for a few days.
“No visitors yet,” the doctor added before anyone could ask.
Jake disappeared again with the doctor to see Newman. When he came back, he had the new daddy with him. Newman had lost all his class; he looked like he’d been standing out in a storm. His hair was a mess, clothes creased, face pale and strained.
“Hi, Daddy.” Faith moved in to grab him after Buster. She held him tight. “How’s Mommy doing?”
“Better. Christ, I was scared. She lost all color and didn’t speak; it was hell. I told her that Brody would be an only child as there is no way she’s going through that hell again. She just gave me a sleepy smile and said, ‘We’ll see.’”
“You called him Brody?” Ryan stepped forward.
“We liked it, and the added bonus is it’s his famous uncle’s middle name,” Newman said, shaking Ryan’s hand.
He pulled Newman in and held him close. Faith watched as their shoulders started to shake.
“You can pay for his first Ferrari,” Newman said when Ryan released him.
“Done.”
“Hope’s sleeping, and the baby is in the incubator. He’s pretty damn near perfect too. Never seen such cute baby,” Newman said, like every parent did when they saw their newborn.
“The doctors said no visitors yet,” Jake added.
“We’ll go for a walk, and have some food,” Tex said. “They may let Ryan and his parents visit later.”
Faith walked out of the hospital with the rest of their party, tired but relieved it was over and Hope and Brody were okay.
She dropped back a few paces to call Noah and Lucy. After pocketing her phone, she fell into step beside Mr. Robertson, who was at the rear of the group. She heard him sigh loudly, his eyes on Ryan’s back.
“You had to know it wouldn’t be easy. Ryan was always going to be tougher than Hope. She’s pretty easy to crack.”
His laugh was more a bark. “Hope is tough in her own way, but yes, she eventually accepted my apology.”
“Lake Howling is the absolute best place to live, Mr. Robertson.”
“Jacob, and I know. It just wasn’t for me. But I’m sure you said that for a reason, Faith.”
