Mission Delivery(6)

    Walking up to Seth, I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and gave him a hug. “How’s your mom?”

    My boy fidgeted from side to side. “She’s good, Dad, but we should hurry up and go. I don’t like being away from the hospital.”

    I took the keys from Jenkins’s outstretched hand as I headed towards Belle’s big black pickup truck. Seth was already climbing in the passenger side as I started to round the back end when Jenkins stopped me.

    “Baker, wait a minute.”

    I turned to face him, noting the leery look on his face. “Listen, I know you’re not my biggest fan—”

    I snorted. That was the understatement of the century.

    Jenkins ignored me and kept going. “Regardless of what happened between Belle and me, we were always friends first. That’s not something I want to lose. I don’t have any family left except for Belle and Seth. I don’t want to steal your family; I just don’t want to lose them completely, either. I’ll never poach your territory. All it took was one look at you and Belle together, and I knew it had always been you. We don’t have to be best friends, but I’m asking you to not push me out of their lives.”

    Damn, I wanted to hate the man. With every fiber of my being. However, he had been there for Belle and Seth when I had not. A part of me appreciated that my family had not been left completely alone. They’d had friends like Jenkins to help them out.

    He was right; we would never be close. I would light myself on fire before that ever happened. However, I guessed I could be a little less hostile so my woman and son didn’t lose someone who was obviously important to them.

    Reluctantly, I held my hand out to him to shake.

    Cautiously, Jenkins reached out and grabbed it.

    We shook like two men making a deal that grated on our very nerves, but at least it was a start.

    Without saying another word, we separated and climbed up into the truck on our respective sides. Me in the driver’s seat and Jenkins sitting in the back behind Seth.

    My son was eyeing us both carefully as I turned the truck to head out of the private section of the airport.

    “I hope you’re not mad I called Charlie, Dad.”

    I shook my head back in answer. “Don’t worry about Charlie and me getting along, Seth. I understand he’s important to you and your mom. I wouldn’t do anything to take that away from the both of you.”

    When my boy stayed quiet, I took a peek at him and saw a mischievous look on his face.

    He smirked then asked, “Does this mean we can all go camping now?”

    The muscles in my left eye started to twitch again. “Son, do I look like the sort who wants to hold hands and sing Kumbaya?”

    Seth laughed. “How about a fishing trip instead?” My boy did like to push his luck.

    “Maybe,” I answered grudgingly, and Jenkins snorted a laugh behind me. It was time to change the subject. “What happened to your mom, Seth?”

    He wiped his hands down his face. “She was taking a nap, slept for about two hours. When she came out of her room, she told me to call a taxi and get her hospital bag. I knew it was too early, and she seemed sort of freaked, so I asked her what was wrong. Mom said she was leaking, or some shit like that. I didn’t ask any more questions. No offense, Dad, but I don’t really want to know what was leaking, ya know?”

    Huffing a laugh, I said, “I get you, buddy. If I were you, I wouldn’t have wanted to know what was leaking, either.”

    “Anyways, I grabbed her stuff, we got to the hospital, and Mom kicked me out of the examination room because she said I would be scarred for life. So I stepped out of the room and started making phone calls. First to that emergency number you left me, then Aunt Teagan, and then finally Charlie.”

    Not willing to comment on the Jenkins situation, I switched gears. “You get a hold of your Aunt Teagan?”

    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Seth shake his head. “They said they would pass on a message that Mom was in labor. That was all.”

    “Okay. Did the doctor come out and tell you what was going on?”

    “Yeah. He said Mom and the baby are okay and my little sister decided to poke a hole in her amniotic sac. If Mom doesn’t go into labor naturally within twenty-four hours, they’ll have to induce her because she’ll risk getting an infection that could harm both her and the baby.”