Page 12 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

Grady wouldn’t mind half a dozen of these little creatures someday.

Or at least three or four. If he found a woman he wanted to have them with, anyway.

He held Chaz close and just talked to him.

Chaz was going to be a big baby dude, but his twin sister Charis was tiny.

Grady just held the little man close and told him all about the ponies in the barn, and how magical they really were.

Chaz blinked up at him and cooed. Or…passed gas. Grady wasn’t really sure.

Babies were the best of this world. No denying that.

Babies of any species. Children represented hope.

His mother had said that thousands of times before, when they’d all been growing up.

He hadn’t really understood that until George and Ronnie’s girls were born, and then Calvin.

He’d never forget what it felt like to become an uncle that first time.

To see a part of his brother in a newly born life.

But Grady got it now. He understood.

It was official. This baby wanted to see the ponies. Probably his twin sister did, as well.

Calvin had always loved it when Grady would take him to see the ponies.

He still did. Grady would have to make a point of carrying Ryan up there with Calvin later.

And George’s girls. Madeline was obsessed with the horses Grady raised.

He’d probably end up talking to George and Ronnie when she was older—maybe see if they wanted him to keep one of the foals he had coming soon and give it to the girls when the time was right?

He had one in mind for Calvin. Gene had already agreed.

And…baby Chaz was a good distraction from her. Hala was right there, Charis in her arms. Looking…perfect. He could see her with half a dozen little humans, too. She’d be good at it, no denying that.

Her hair was up in a ponytail again. Curls were still going every which way. He loved the curly hair—it was so her.

She wore jeans today—he was mostly used to seeing her in flowery little dresses lately. He liked the jeans, especially the way they fit. Hala was shaped like temptation itself. The jeans just showed a man that. Drove a man crazy, really.

But…pressing matters. Gia had handed him a wet baby. Eww. Kid needed changed. “Soggy kid. Still, he’s really cute. Think Charlie will trade him to me in exchange for a puppy?”

He looked up. And she was watching him now.

Well, he’d suspected a direct confrontation. She wasn’t the type to just hide. Not her. They’d sparred and battled before.

Just not…like this.

He was going to have to talk to her alone. Before she told his sisters about what had happened. The last thing he wanted or needed was those three little chickens butting in. Meddling or getting ideas or something. That would just complicate things for him and Hala both.

But first…wet baby.

Grady carried him down the hall. They still had a changing table in the largest guest room at the end. He needed to think, too. Decide just what he wanted to do now.

Everything felt…different now. Exciting. In a way it hadn’t in a long, long time. And it was all because of her. Hala always had been trouble. It was just a different kind of trouble now.