“Baby?” Beth’s high-pitched, squeaky tone jerked his head back.
“Of course the women would hear that word.” Vince grinned. “Now we know what word to use to pull them from their superhero stupor.”
“Who’s having a baby?” Jovy’s overbright gaze shot to him. “You and Kaydee?”
He nodded but had no time to do or say more, because Emma rushed right over, pulled him out of his chair, and hugged him tight. “I’m so happy for you two. Oh my God. This is…oh my God.”
Vince chuckled. “Think you covered that already, hun.”
Haley hugged him next. “Congratulations.”
Jovy followed. “Where is Kaydee?” she asked, glancing around.
“Home,” he said, his chest suddenly too tight to say more.
Stone’s gaze met his. “Baby’s making her tired.”
He owed his buddy one for trying to cover up his stupidity. But the women were starting to frown, so questions were eminent.
Haley was the first to call him out. “And you’re sitting here and not there…why?”
“Because I’m an ass,” he said, just as Cord and Brick walked in.
“Oh, we’re at the good part again.” Brick grinned and waved at him. “Carry on. Oh, wait. Let me grab a beer and sit down first. I don’t want to miss anything.”
He wouldn’t flip him off with the girls right there. Brick knew it, too. His lips twitched. The bastard.
“So, tell us what’s going on,” Emma said, sliding her arm around Vince’s waist as the guy dropped his around her shoulders.
“The usual,” Vince answered for him with a grin. “He needs to grovel.”
Big-time.
Cord came over and hauled Haley’s back against his chest, banding his arms around her as he kissed her neck. Then he lifted his head and met Leo’s gaze. “Stuffed animal.”
“Dude.” Brick snorted. “Did you just call your wife a stuffed animal?”
Cord eye-rolled his buddy again and shook his head. “Just a suggestion for the groveling aids.”
Leo chuckled. “I’ll add it to the list. But it’s too late to go up to see her. Or to call. I don’t want to wake her, so it looks like I’ll have to wait until morning to head to Dallas.”
“No need.” Jovy shook her head. “Kaydee’s coming here tomorrow afternoon to cut hair.”
He frowned, not remembering that plan. “She is?”
“Yeah,” Jovy said as Stone pulled her down onto his lap. “I talked to her about it on Thursday. Didn’t she tell you?”
He shook his head. Kind of hard when they weren’t communicating. And they really hadn’t said too much this week. His fault. He only stopped in twice. Both times briefly. Just enough time to show his first-class ass act.
“Well, no worries.” Emma smiled. “You have tonight and tomorrow morning to practice your groveling skills.”
Laughter went up around the room. Funny part was, he was going to need every damn second to prepare.
Chapter Twenty-Two
It was late Sunday afternoon by the time Kaydee finished the last of her haircuts at the ranch. She was kind of proud of herself for keeping it together. Not once, the whole day, had she given in to the tears that sprang up out of nowhere.
Darn out-of-control pregnancy hormones.
