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“Where’s our baby?” I asked.
“Home with uncle Trucker, uncle Bishop and cousin Lena.” Zoom replied while we climbed into the Ranger Rover.
“That kid has a lot of love.” Storm mused.
The weather was warm, but not as hot as Thailand, but I still talked Kaos into pulling over at a snack place so we could get something cold to drink. For food, we waited until we could get to their place since Zoom had cooked.
When we arrived, Storm and I showered together and changed before we went to meet little Elizabeth Forsythe. She was beautiful and I fell in love immediately.
When she reached up and stuck a finger up my nose, all I could do was giggle and kissed her forehead.
“She’s perfect.” I whispered.
When she began fussing, Storm stood behind me and reached both around me. As he gently tapped her bum, Elizabeth forgot her crying and gurgled happily.
“She’s beautiful.” He murmured in Thai.
I turned and placed her in his arms, watching the way he protected her neck and looked down into her tiny face.
“Hi there.” Storm whispered, rocking her gently. “I’m uncle Storm. You have so many other people who love you already. I hope you don’t mind one more.”
“Of course not.” Zoom brought over a bottle and handed it to Storm.
“Um—” He glanced up at her. “Are you sure I’m the best person to feed her?”
“Why wouldn’t you be?” Zoom asked. “Here, let me show you.”
And that was it.
The moment little Elizabeth started drinking, I knew she had Storm. The peace and love to wash over his face did something to me, my entire being.
There was something so beautiful watching a man fall in love with a baby that called to every maternal part of me.
We stuck around, taking turns rocking Elizabeth, burping her then changing her. When we finally peeled ourselves away, it was to have something to eat.
“Aunty Taz! Uncle Storm!” Lena’s happy voice rang through the living room.
I grinned when she hurried over to Storm first for her hug then to me. Bishop, now Lena’s boyfriend, entered behind her, spinning the keys to her truck around a finger.
“How’s your father?” I asked her.
“He’s good—very good.” She beamed proudly. “I can tell he’s doing the work this time.”
I bumped fists with Bishop
The time ticked by and by the time night came and Kaos was rocking the baby to sleep in the house, I sat in the backyard with Zoom.
“How are you guys really doing?” Zoom asked after a sip from her drink.
I looked up at the sky, thinking about her question then nodded.
“We’re doing okay.” I replied. “Better than okay. He and Beam started their investigation business and it’s doing really well. The downside—women.”
“Staff?”
I nodded. “I know I don’t have to be jealous. But damn.”
“Every time a woman looks at Kaos cross-eyed I get that same feeling.” Zoom laughed. “I mean, I know he’s a good man. And I trust him—but it’s a knee-jerk reaction.”