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She’s perfect.
“She’s beautiful. Just like her momma,” I tell him through the overwhelming emotion clogging my throat.
I place the bag on the long couch sitting under the window, then drop a kiss on Maddie’s head. “How are you feeling, little momma?”
“Like I pushed a Hudson-sized head out of my vagina.” She smiles and closes her tired eyes. “Hudson, let your brother hold Teagan.”
“Teagan?” I question.
Hudson carefully places the little bundle of pink in my arms and smiles proudly. “Sawyer, meet your niece—Teagan.”
I’ll never get used to this.
I’ve got seven nieces and nephews—six I’ve known since the day they were born. There’s something crazy about watching your siblings become parents. It’s powerful and a little awe-inspiring.
But when I look up, it’s not the look on Hudson’s face that hits me.
It’s Wren.
Pretty sure it always has been.
* * *
Later that night, I’m sitting behind my desk at Kingdom instead of watching the band on stage. Not my usual spot, but nothing about today feels normal. Not the fact that I helped deliver my brother’s kid. Or that I realized I’m madly in love with Wren Davenport.
Kinda feel like an asshole for not realizing that earlier.
Now the question is—what the hell am I going to do about it?
And how hard is Wren going to fight me?
Because there’s no way she’s not going to fight this.
A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts before Jace opens it. “Hey, man.”
My youngest brother drops down in the chair across from me and kicks his feet up on my desk until I knock them off. “Keep your feet on the floor, shithead.”
“Ooh. Somebody’s grouchy. You need to get laid, brother. Loosen up some.” He hands me a pink-candy cigar. “We’re celebrating. There’s another Kingston for us to fuck up.”
“What the hell is wrong with you? Are you drunk or high, asshole?”
Jace makes aFuck if I knowface and half shrugs. “Maybe a little of both. Today’s been fucked.”
“Did you help deliver your brother’s baby?” I wait for him to answer, but he doesn’t. “No? Then I’m pretty sure I’ve got you beat, jack-off. So tell me why you’re here.”
Jace pulls his Kroydon University Hockey hat down, shading his eyes. “You ever wish you weren’t a Kingston?”
“You’re kidding me, right? I’m pretty sure we’ve all wished that at some point in our lives.” When he still doesn’t look at me, though, I get worried. “You in trouble, kid?”
“Nothing for you to worry about. But what about you?” he pushes. “What’s going on with you and the doctor? Hudson said she was pretty amazing today.”
“Is there a question in there? Because I’m not sure what you’re asking.” Or that I’ll tell him anything.
“I don’t know what I’m asking... I guess—do you think dad fucked us up? Because sometimes, I wonder.” He finally looks at me, and this kid, who’s not a kid anymore, looks like he’s going to cry.
I move around my desk and take the seat next to him. “Listen. Dad was no saint. But he loved your mom, and he loved you. He loved all of us, even if he wasn’t always the best at showing it. But I need you to listen to me and really hear me now. You’re a grown man, Jace. Only you are responsible for your actions. If you want to blame everything that’s gone wrong in your life on losing your mom and having the original man-whore for a dad, you can. But that’s not what a man does. A man takes responsibility for his actions and takes control of his own life. If you want something, go for it. If you need to fix something, fix it. Because at the end of the day, you’re the one who’s got to live with the consequences.” I should fucking know.
“Thanks, brother.” He scrubs his hands over his face, then looks up at me with haunted eyes.
