“Aw, Dad,” she said, her eyes leaking again.
Just then, Caden pushed into a sitting position. “Sorry I fell—” he said. His eyes went wide, and he was on his feet in an instant. “Mike. Uh, Mr. James.”
“Mike is fine, son,” Dad said, nailing him with a stare. “You here for my baby girl now?”
Caden nodded. Part of Makenna felt bad for him, but a bigger part of her was proud of how confident he was standing before her father. “Yes, sir. A hundred percent. When Makenna’s better, I’d like to tell you what happened if you’re open to it. I know how important you are to her and, well…” He nodded. “I’d just like to try to make things right.”
Her father walked around the bottom of the hospital bed and came to stand in front of a much taller Caden. “It looks like you already have, but of course I’ll hear what you have to say. We all will. Because you’re part of the family now.” Her father held out a hand, and when Caden took it, Makenna couldn’t stop smiling. “Congratulations on the little one.”
“Thank you, Mike. That means a lot,” Caden said. Was Makenna imagining it, or were Caden’s cheeks turning pink, just a little? How freaking cute was that?
“Listen, Patrick’s probably climbing the walls,” Dad said. “Let me head out so he can come back. They’ll only allow two at a time.”
“I can go so you can stay and visit,” Caden said, gesturing to the door.
Her father shook his head. “Your place is right here.” He clapped Caden on the back then looked at Makenna. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in a while.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she said.
When he left, Caden leaned against the rail of her bed and bent down to kiss her forehead. “Your father’s a helluva guy.”
She grinned. “Yes, he is. And so are you.” Makenna only hoped that things went as well with her oldest brother.
The thought seemed to beckon him, because the next instant, Patrick walked into the room and came right up to her on the opposite side of the bed from Caden. “Makenna, Jesus. You scared the hell out of all of us.” He kissed her on the forehead. “You okay?”
“Yes, I’m going to be fine. Thank you so much for coming down,” she said.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else. None of us would. You know that,” he said, still not acknowledging Caden. Makenna’s shoulders sagged, but they had to work this out between them.
An awkward silence stretched out and Makenna was debating how to make all this right when a fluttery tingle flitted through her belly. And again.
“Oh! It’s happening again,” she said, grabbing Caden’s hand. She flattened it against her belly. “I don’t know if you’ll be able to feel it but this is the second time I’ve felt the baby move.”
Caden’s face was a mask of joyful anticipation as he leaned over her. He shook his head, his smile bringing out his dimples.
“Damn,” she said. “I guess we’re gonna have to get used to the kid not doing things when we want him to, huh?”
Chuckling, Caden nodded. “Sounds about right.”
“So, you’re in this, then?” Patrick said, finally looking at Caden. “You know what, let’s take this into the hall so we don’t disturb Makenna.”
Caden straightened and met Patrick’s intense gaze eye to eye, then nodded.
“Guys, it’s okay,” Makenna said, worry slinking through her.
“Don’t worry,” Caden said, kissing her on the forehead. “We’ll be right back.” They disappeared into the hallway, but they didn’t go so far that she couldn’t hear a lot of the conversation.
“I’m all in,” Caden said. “I know I made mistakes, but I’ve worked to fix them, and I won’t make them again.”
A long pause, and Makenna could imagine the hard-ass expression on Patrick’s face. Cop face, she always called it. “She deserves everything, Caden.” Makenna’s heart melted at her brother’s protectiveness.
“I couldn’t agree more. And I’m going to make sure she has it. That they both do,” Caden said. Just a few short hours ago, she’d worried she’d never hear Caden say something like that ever again. Now here he was, making amends with her family and holding his own. More proof of how far he’d come.
Another long pause, and she couldn’t hear what they were saying.
“Yeah, well, if I do, I’ll kick my own ass.” Caden’s voice, followed by laughter.
“You got a fucking deal,” Patrick said.
A moment later, they returned to her room. “Everything okay?” she asked.
Caden and Patrick exchanged a look and a nod, and then Caden gave her a smile. “I’m here with you, Red. Everything’s finally perfect.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR