Page 51 of Acceptance
“Well, if it weren’t for you, he’d have come out on the kitchen floor of my house.”
Taking the small baby from her arms, he smiles down at the little guy. He yawns and closes his eyes, falling asleep as though he knows he’s safe. “I imagine coming into this world like you did is exhausting, huh?”
He glances back at the mother, and she looks at him with sleepy eyes of her own. “He had the easy part.”
“I don’t know if I’d call coming out of a ten-centimeter birth canal that easy,” he says with a chuckle. “Now, guess what, little guy. In eighteen years, you’ll be wearing a leather just like I am.”
“Hey, now,” she says with a laugh.
“You gave birth to a Drifter, kid. Get used to it.”
She yawns and nods her head. “I guess I have a few years to adjust to the idea.”
“Gracie!” Felicity cries as she runs into the room with Ky not far behind. “Baby?”
“You’re late, but Kent was here,” Gracie says. “Gotta say, he’s a lot sturdier than you are, Mom.”
Hey, look at that. I did help rather than just doing things.
Kent continues to stare down at the baby in his arms. It’s not his baby, and he hasn’t thought much about having kids, but this kid has changed that. He doesn’t want to ever let go of this little guy, and he knows he’ll protect this child with his life for the rest of his own.
Must be an attachment from helping bring him into the world.
“I got Kent’s voicemail, but he didn’t answer when I called back,” Ky says.
“I think my phone got left in the truck. There was a contraction when I gave it to her to call Felicity because I don’t have her number. Turns out, neither does your daughter,” he says andreluctantly moves to hand the baby over to Ky’s waiting arms. “Here you go, Grandpa.”
“Fuck you,” he says but stares down at his grandson. “Oh my God.”
“It’s a boy,” Gracie says. “Kent’s already reminded me he’ll be wearing a kutte in eighteen years.”
Felicity runs her hand over Gracie’s brow. “It was fast?”
“I broke my phone when my water broke, and I panicked,” she admits.
“She’d been home alone for hours before I showed up to take her out for her birthday dinner,” Kent says, reminding everyone it’s not just the baby’s birthday today.
Eyes wide, Felicity looks horrified. “Oh my God, I forgot what the date was.”
“It’s okay, Mom.”
She tears up and shakes her head. “No, it’s not. You shouldn’t have been alone on your birthday, let alone when you went into labor.”
“Kent showed up. He made it easier. He’s remarkably calm even when I’m freaking out,” she says and laughs. “Thank you, Kent.”
“No problem. I don’t think we’ll be making dinner, so we’ll figure something else out. Although, I don’t know if there’s any way to top this birthday excitement.”
Squeezing her hand, he winks and walks out of the room. Ky hurries after him, calling his name, and he no longer has his grandchild in his arms when Kent turns around.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for being there. We should’ve been.”
He shrugs. As much as he wants to tell Ky he definitely should have been with his daughter on her birthday, he knows he shouldn’t sass off to his Vice President.
“No problem. Not exactly what I expected when I showed up, but I’m pretty good at rolling with the punches. Before you ask, she hasn’t told me the name of the asshole who knocked her up is. But when I find out, I plan to break quite a few bones.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever given your father enough credit for how he raised you. Because, no offense, but this is not your mother.”
