Shade(262)

“At least I didn’t have to sit through a baby shower,” Shade grunted, lifting one heavy box.

“You dodged the bullet on that one. They had one planned for tonight,” Cade told him as he followed him to Rider’s truck with an armful of stuffed animals.

“My kid’s already saving his father’s ass.”

When they finally went back inside to Lily and the baby’s hospital room, it was unnaturally quiet and Shade sensed the tension in the room. Beth’s face was pale, while Fat Louise and Rachel both looked troubled. Lily was the only one acting normal as she held the baby, chatting about breastfeeding.#p#分页标题#e#

Shade and Cade hastily left the room, going to the lobby for a cup of coffee.

Fat Louise and Rachel came out a few minutes later, and Fat Louise placed an arm around Cade’s waist as she stood next to him.

“Anything happen when we were gone?” Shade asked curiously.

“Nothing important.” Fat Louise lowered her lashes. “Cade, we need to go. I need to get back to work.”

Shade frowned and was about to ask Rachel what had gone on inside the room when his cell phone rang.

He answered it, seeing Cash’s name on the caller ID. “Yes?”

“We have a problem. Brooke isn’t here in Georgia, or if she is, I can’t find her. I’m going to stay a couple of days to make sure she isn’t hiding out at her father’s instead of with her mother. I’ll check on what friends she has, too. Evie is texting me some names, and she’s also going to call her family members to find out where she may be hiding.”

“Thanks, Cash. I know it’s hard being away from Rachel when you just got married.”

“Brother, I owe that bitch, too,” Cash said, hanging up.

Shade slid his phone back into his pocket. It would be hard for Evie to talk to her family again, so Shade wouldn’t have wanted her to unless it was important.

The brothers were taking shifts to protect Lily, and when Shade returned to his wife’s room Train was standing outside, keeping guard. Until Brooke was found, not only Lily’s safety was at risk, but also his son’s.

When he went back inside the room, Lily was holding the baby as Beth sat on the bed next to her. Shade was about to probe further into the women’s strange behavior when the door opened behind him. The three people entering the room had him staring in surprise.

“How did you get here so fast?” Shade asked.

“Dad flashed his old badge. There’s three people stuck in Florida, cursing us right now for taking their spot on the plane.” Penni laughed, throwing herself in Shade’s arms. Shade hugged Penni back as his father reached his hand out to shake.

“Had to get here to meet my new grandson,” his dad said with a grin.

Rachel, his stepmother, moved to take Penni’s place within his arms when she moved away to the bed. Shade placed his arm around Rachel’s shoulder, leading her to Lily’s side.

“Can I hold him?”

“Of course.” Lily lifted the baby to her, and Penni grabbed and hugged her as soon as she released the baby.

“Your timing couldn’t have been better. I was taking my vacation with the parents when Shade called and told us you had the baby. Have you decided on a name yet?” Penni asked.

“No. I like several, but Shade says they’ll kick his butt in school if we picked any of them. I really like Brandon.”

Penni and his father both grimaced at that name.

“I told you so,” Shade reminded her.

“I know the perfect name,” Penni offered with a mischievous smile.

“What is it?” Shade asked cautiously.

“Lily’s favorite cowboy, John Wayne.”

“John Wayne Hunter,” Shade’s father repeated. “I like it.”

“So do I,” Lily said, staring at Shade hopefully.

Taking the baby from Rachel, he held his son as he walked to stand in front of his father. “Meet your grandson, John Wayne Hunter.”

His father reached out, taking the baby into his arms as Shade went to Lily’s side, reaching down to place a kiss on her pleased face.

“You don’t mind?”#p#分页标题#e#

“No, a cowboy name beats a pussy name. Did you really think I would let you name him Brandon?”

Lily laughed, giving Penni a conspiratorial look when she didn’t think he was looking. “I was going for Colin.”

* * *

The roar of his motorcycle going down the street never failed to give Shade a shot of adrenaline. He was on his way back to the hospital after going to the clubhouse to shower and change. He had snuck out while his family was there so Lily wouldn’t worry.