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It just didn’t make any sense at all.
Her big, strong Viking hero carried her up the ramp that led into the most ostentatious building Haldyn had ever seen. Houghton Barratt liked marble. It was everywhere. Ridiculously everywhere, actually. She’d been there about a dozen times before. Never had she stayed as a guest, though.
The sounds of someone crying behind her had her jerking in Gunnar’s arms. Beck was waking. “Beck. He’s going to be afraid. Not know where he is. Or who he is with.”
“Hang on. Looks like Foster has that kid right now. I’m not even sure who that kid is, Doc. Care to fill me in?”
“Turn me around, Gunnar. I have to know that Beck is okay.” Haldyn bit back the panic. Of course, Beck was going to be okay here. These people were his family. She wasn’t. She had to remember that. But… “I promised his father I’d make sure Beck was okay. I promised Beck, too. He’s so afraid.”
Gunnar dutifully turned her around, and carried her right back outside.
Beck was in Jarrod’s arms, crying. “Get me closer.”
“Yes, my gorgeous blue-eyed goddess queen of the vault. I live only to serve creatures such as you.” He carried her right next to Beck. “I mean that, you know.”
“He woke when I was getting him out,” Jarrod said, rocking the little boy. “Look, buddy. Look. There’s your Hal. Right there. See? We’re okay. Everybody is okay. We just had to drive to Houghton’s house, that’s all. I promise.”
Well, maybe Jarrod Foster wasn’t a complete troll. She wasn’t completely convinced, but…maybe only ninety-five percent troll or something.
“Beck, we’re okay. I promise. And look right there.” Haldyn pointed to the woman rounding the rear of the limo as fast as she possibly could, in spite of her need to use a forearm crutch. “Do you know who that is right there?”
He had talked to her nonstop about what he was going to do with his new mommy when he found her. He really wanted a mommy, he’d said.
He was conflicted about his new daddy.
Of course, he was. Handley Barratt was his father. Had been Beck’s primary caregiver since he was born. Now the three-year-old was supposed to just shut that off and switch his affection to a man he didn’t know. A man who was big, dark, and very intimidating. Scary.
It just wouldn’t work like that. It was going to take time.
Her heart broke for this little boy. “Look, Beck. There she is. That’s your new mommy right there. I promise she will love you forever.”
He sniffled and broke her heart once again.
“Let’s get him inside, okay?” Gunnar suggested. “Then could someone explain to me exactly who this little guy is? Because as far as I know, little Houghton Barratt clones don’t just randomly appear out of thin air.”
“Gunnar Erickson, meet Harrison Beck Barratt. Handley Barratt’s youngest son,” Jarrod said, leading the way like he’d been there a thousand times. Maybe he had. Haldyn didn’t know what that man did outside of the TSP at all. Not like she’d ever wanted to either.
Gunnar carried her inside, and then someone yelled her name.
Haldyn’s eyes filled.
There Powell was. Safe.
And the rest of them were there, too. Shelby, Daryn, Zoey, Madison, and even Charlotte, who had been in Wyoming yesterday. Her friends. They’d been waiting for her, just like she’d known they would be.
Ah hell. Dr. Haldyn Devil Harris was watering all over the place again.
Jarrod tightened his hold on the kid as women just sort of came from everywhere. It had been proven. These women were known chaos. Every last beautiful one of them. And they were swarming now.
The kid in his arms looked up at him. “Why Hal crying? What you do?”
Well. Suspicious little dude. “I didn’t do anything, kid. Hal is crying because she is really tired and she’s really happy to see her friends. They are her best friends, and she missed them. The short lady with the dark hair is your cousin Powell, too. She and Hal are best friends forever.”
“I want my other daddy, but he be Grandpa now.” The lower lip trembled. Beck tightened his hold on Jarrod as more people came in behind them. The little boy sniffled and stared at the crowd.
Including Melody and Houghton.
With one look at Melody’s face, Jarrod knew she wasn’t going to wait much longer to meet this kid. That was one determined redhead right there. She had the whole Mama Bear thing going on already. Mama Bear wanted her cub. Like now.
