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“Oh, God. I’m not ready.” Tab’s chest heaved, sparkles and lace contracting as she tried to push away from Burke. “No way. I was supposed to be at the hospital. At the pretty pink room at the birthing center. I had music picked out!”
Brady lightly rocked her side to side. “We have a DJ right behind us.”
Tab elbowed him. “Don’t be logical.”
“We have pink flowers,” Mav offered up.
Tab grabbed him by the tie and pulled him closer to her face. “Fuck your pink flowers.”
“Okay.” Brady shifted her against him. “We’re going to have the best wedding story of the town, right? That’s enough.”
“I’m tired of being the talk of the town,” Tab grumbled before her body stiffened.
“Here we go.” Burke smiled brightly. “I’ve done this a dozen times in the Cove. We’re going to be fine. Everyone likes to have babies out of the hospital. Actually, it’s a bit more odd to actuallyhavethem where they’re supposed to.”
Tab growled through the contractions, and I could only hold on. I might have a broken hand by the end of it, but we were going to get this baby out of my sister.
God, if my sweet sister had a stubborn baby, what kind of heavy machinery would be required to pry my kid out of me?
Maybe I’d have to start wearing throwaway underwear just in case by month seven.
She slumped back on Brady as the latest one passed. “Okay, Hot Cop, you can take over.”
“I would.” He hugged her against him, his hands on either side of her belly. “I’d do this if I could.”
In a flurry of shouts and inventive and inspirational ways that Brady would never touch her again, Presley Ann McNeill was born in Mav’s parents’ backyard.
The sky was intensely blue and a perfectly warm breeze blew under the tent as Presley’s first cry cracked the air.
The ambulance arrived just as Burke placed the wiggling, cream-tablecloth-covered baby on my sister’s chest.
She clutched the baby close, and her other hand slid up to cup the back of Brady’s head as they both cried and laughed. Wonder and relief warred on my new brother-in-law’s face as he rocked both of his girls in that way parents seem to know instinctively.
Arms helped me off the ground and I melted back into my father’s familiar fresh laundry scent. I turned around in his arms. “Congrats, Grandpa.”
He patted my back awkwardly and I burrowed into him harder. Both my mom and dad weren’t really good at the giving comfort thing, but right now, I’d take what I could get.
After my sister was put on the stretcher, I laughed as Luna handed out sparklers. We had to send off the bride and groom one way or the other.
Might as well be in style.
Tabitha cried and cuddled her baby close as she was wheeled down the winding lane that led to the front of the house where the ambulance was parked. Brady was right by her side, oblivious to the last of the wedding guests lighting their way.
His future was definitely heading forward.
I glanced at Mav standing alone, watching his brother walk away. I only hoped our future would do the same.
TWENTY-TWO
After the insanityof the wedding, visiting Brady and Tabitha at the hospital seemed positively anti-climactic. None of us lasted long during visiting hours, but we all stopped in to make sure Presley was perfect in every way. The entire family was exhausted from the wedding preparations and the adrenaline crash of the wild and very public birth of my niece.
I still couldn’t believe how it went down.
I was an uncle.
And soon to be a father.
I wasn’t sure how that happened either. I mean, I knew. I was there and the steamed windows of my truck were the proof. The rest was held inside Van and the spark of my future.
