The Strength of the Pack (Suncoast Society #30)(80)

It was Tilly, with a FaceTime call.

Only it wasn’t Tilly’s face which appeared on his phone, it was Eva’s.

Nate struggled not to break down crying with relief to see her there. “Hey, sweetheart.”

Tilly stuck her head next to Eva’s and waved. “Dude, move the phone so she can see the peanut!”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” He changed the angle and saw Tilly pass Eva a box of tissues.

She was crying.

Damn. He would likely start crying, too, if she didn’t stop that.

“He’s beautiful,” Eva sniffled.

“He should be, love. You’re his mother.”

“Tilly showed me pictures. It doesn’t feel real yet.”

“You’ve been through a lot,” he said. “We’ll get you healed up and then you can be here with him.”

“Oh,” Tilly said from off-screen. “Hold on.”

Two more faces crowded in on either side of Eva. Leo and Jesse.

“Hey, little guy!” Leo said.

“Don’t call Nate a little guy,” Jesse joked, making Eva smile even through her tears.

“He’s gorgeous,” Leo said. “Can’t wait to get him home.”

“Laurel is beyond indignant that she can’t see him yet,” Jesse said. “She thinks we’re hiding him.”

“Why?”

“We haven’t told her exactly what happened,” Leo said. “We didn’t want to scare her.”

“June’s going to handle taking care of her, getting her to school and back this week,” Jesse said.

Nate missed his family. Not just Eva, but all of them. He wanted their house, as small and crowded as it now felt.

Wanted his pack.

Cherise wanted in on the action and moved so she could be in the picture. “Aunt Cherise gets to hog him for now.” She playfully blew them a raspberry. “Don’t worry, you’ll get to do aaalll the midnight feedings and changes soon enough. You focus on healing.”

“Okay, everyone,” Tilly said. “Shoo. Let the two of them talk and make moony eyes at each other for a couple of minutes.”

Cherise smiled as she got out of the way and went back to eating.

“Are you still in the ICU?” Nate asked Eva.

“Yeah. They might move me in the morning.” She held up a finger with a plastic clip attached to the end. “I keep setting this stupid thing off.”

She was on oxygen, too, and looked…well, bloody horrible.

Much like he felt.

“I’m sorry I can’t be there, love.”

“No, it’s okay. I want you there with him. Everyone’s taking care of me down here. I’m glad you’re there with him.”

Tilly didn’t let her talk for long. “She needs to rest, and you have your hands full. Anything you need from your house?”

“I’ll text you.”

“Okay. Say good-night because I need my phone back.”

Nate wanted to stare at Eva all night long. “Be my good girl,” he said. “I love you.”

Eva nodded. “Yes, Sir. Love you, too.”

He ended the call and laid the phone in his lap.

Cherise snorted.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. Never thought I’d see you so emotional, bro.” She grinned. “I like this new and improved you.”

“I’m emotional.”

“No, it’s good. Usually you’re very…” She seemed to search for the word. “British,” she said, affecting an accent. “Stiff upper lip, what.” She tipped her head toward the baby. “You seem more relaxed now. Settled.” She forked a bite of salad into her mouth. “It’s a good change.”

“I was twelve when you were born,” he said. “I look back on that and it seems impossibly young. Such a long time ago. I never dreamed what we’d go through. And, honestly? I never dreamed I’d be the father of a newborn. I had a few weeks there where I was enjoying the idea of co-parenting a baby, just to find out I fathered one. And now he’s here.”

“You’re still co-parenting,” she said. “Those two guys will be pitching in. They’re as excited to be parents as…well, before last night, obviously, as you were.”

“I am excited. I’m just…terrified.”

“She’s okay. You heard. She’ll be moved into a regular room probably tomorrow.”

“I keep wondering if this is a nightmare and I’ll awaken and realize no, just new father jitters, and everything’s fine.”

“Everything is fine. Now,” she added. Then, her tone changed, thick, choked. “They’re both alive, so it’s all good. Nothing can be worse than that day,” she whispered. “Nothing.”

“I didn’t think so either,” he said. “But this was.”





On Monday, doctors and other specialists who hadn’t been at the hospital over the weekend were now available to talk to Nate and examine his son. Nate’s day was a flurry of activity and note-taking and begging Tilly not to ever leave his side.

Tuesday was a little better, especially being able to go back to the room and have a semi-private conversation with Eva over FaceTime. She was now out of the ICU and in a private room, and June had brought Laurel over to visit Eva for a little while after school. She got to talk to Nate on FaceTime and see the baby that way. Leo and Jesse came up that night to visit and see the baby and bring Nate his car.