Page 133 of Not Mine to Rescue

“Sierra gave us a head’s up seven hours ago. We started celebrating early. Everyone says hi.” Kid got into a gown and let Hal straighten a mask over his face. Then he held his arms out. “Lemme have her.”

“Mine.” I clutched my daughter closer.

“Nope, she’s the club’s. Did you name her yet?” Walt struggled to cover the ripped gown with another one as he pushed Kid to the side and held out his arms so he could hold my baby first.

“Mine.” I glanced at Honor seeing if she’d pick up the joke.

“I know that, what did you name her?”

Honor laughed. “Mine.”

He glanced at us both. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Random wasn’t bad enough?”

“Mia,” I whispered it with all the reverence I could infuse into the word.

“Aw. That’s beautiful. Hi, Mia.” He held his hands steady and cradled her head like a pro. “Welcome to the club, Mia. Your uncle Kid and I are going to make sure nothing, and we mean nothing, hurts you. You’re really going to hate us for meddling in your shit. But that’s because we love you. Got it?”

He handed her off to Kid who studied her with almost the same seriousness, but was a little less practiced holding her than Walt was. His eyes went soft. “Wow. She’s so... pretty.”

“Yeah, better keep your twins away from her,” Walt warned.

“My boys ain’t going to cause trouble.”

“Bullshit.” I coughed into my hand. “Walt’s right. Keep those terrorists far away from my little angel.”

“You say that now. Just wait. I bet this one leads them around by the nose. She looks like you, all full of mischief.”

“Take that back,” I said.

“You are,” Honor teased me with a poke to the arm.

“I’m a dad. I can’t possibly be that way anymore. I’m going to be serious from now on.”

Even Hal laughed at me.

“Traitors.”

Kid handed Mia back to me. “Good job, Momma and Daddy.”

I nodded my thanks. “When are you going for number three?”

He heaved out a shaky breath. “If Sierra has her way, tonight.”

“Ew.” Walt’s reaction echoed Hal’s.

“Too much information,” Honor muttered.

“You’re the one who asked. Anyways, we want a girl. Maybe yours and mine could be besties or something?”

I quietly conferred with Honor to make sure I wasn’t promising too much. She nodded. “I think Mia would like a best friend.”

Walt butted in. “Connery’ll be her best friend.”

“By the time Mia is old enough to have a best friend, Connery is going to be old enough to babysit,” Kid pointed out.

Walt was horrified. “The hell you say.”

“Do the math. Connery will be thirteen in less than eight years.” Kid teased.