After the Storm (KGI #8)(73)

Travis shook his head and then hesitated a moment. He glanced at Eve and then back at Donovan before speaking again.

“Why don’t you put Cammie in with me? She’ll be fine there and she’s used to sleeping either with me or Evie. I know Evie needs to rest too.”

Donovan barely controlled his surprise. He could swear that Travis was paving the way for Donovan to have time alone with Eve by arranging for Cammie to sleep with him, and judging by the sudden rush of color in Eve’s cheeks, she suspected the same.

Still, Donovan wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He and Eve did need time alone. Not just to make love—which Donovan had every intention of doing—but to be able to discuss things that would otherwise upset Cammie were she to overhear.

“If you’re sure,” Donovan said.

Travis nodded. “And I’m okay. For now, I mean. I may need more medication tonight. It bothers me most when I’m lying flat and it’s hard to sleep.”

Donovan frowned. “You should have said something last night. No reason for you to suffer needlessly. I could have given you an injection so you could rest better.”

“It’s okay,” Travis said. “I’ll be fine. I’ll go lie down with Cammie now and she can sleep with me tonight after supper. I’m looking forward to those pork chops.”

Donovan smiled. “Okay, then let’s get you and Cammie to bed.”

Before they could move, a knock sounded at the kitchen door. Since the surveillance system hadn’t alerted him, he knew it had to be one of his brothers or his sisters-in-law. Glancing up, he saw Garrett through the glass window portion of the door.

Shit. Garrett could be very intimidating. The last thing he wanted was for his brother to scare Cammie and Eve shitless.

With a sigh he got up and transferred Cammie into the seat next to where he’d been sitting.

“It’s just my brother Garrett,” he explained to ease the look of alarm on Eve’s face. “You’ll be seeing a lot of him. Well, and of everyone. Sam and Sophie will want to bring Charlotte over to meet you, Cammie.”

Cammie smiled shyly and shoved her thumb in her mouth.

Donovan went to the door, irritated with the interruption. But he should have expected it. Garrett, being Garrett, would have wanted to see for himself what Donovan had involved himself in. Better to get it over and done with now so Garrett would back off. No way Garrett wouldn’t take one look at Eve, Travis and Cammie and do a complete one-eighty about warning Donovan off.

Garrett might be the grumpiest and the growliest of the Kelly brothers, but he was also a complete softie when it came to the people he loved. And Donovan had no doubt that he’d love Eve and her siblings on sight.

To his surprise when he opened the door, Garrett was holding a foil-covered baking pan.

Donovan’s eyebrow arched. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?” The emphasis on unexpected wasn’t lost on Garrett, but he ignored Donovan’s dig and pushed his way inside.

“I brought over a pan of caramel num-nums. I thought Cammie would like it. They are Charlotte’s favorite and she’s always begging her uncle Garrett to make her some,” Garrett said in amusement. “Plus my wife informs me that there isn’t a woman alive who can resist chocolaty caramel goodness.”

Donovan grinned and took the pan. “Come on in. We just finished a late breakfast. Everyone is at the table. I’ll introduce you. Just, Garrett? Try not to scare the hell out of them.”

Garrett adopted a look of pure innocence. “Me? I’m the nice guy, remember?”

Donovan snorted. “Whatever. Just be on your best behavior. They’re . . . they’re family now, Garrett. I’ve told them that. I’ve told Cammie and Travis that. That not only are they my family but that my family is theirs as well. I’ve informed them of how many uncles and aunts and cousins they have, not to mention Ma and Dad.”

“And how did they take that?” Garrett asked quietly.

Donovan breathed out and glanced in the direction of the dining area to make sure they weren’t overheard. “They were overwhelmed, man. And if you could have seen the hope and the longing in their eyes. It damn near killed me. They were afraid I was going to let them go and that whatever help I was giving them was temporary.”

Garrett scowled. “I hope you dissuaded them of that notion.”

“Oh yeah, I did. I let them know in very clear terms that I wasn’t going anywhere and neither were they. And that not only did they have me in their corner but all of you as well.”

Garrett nodded. “Good. Now go introduce me to your family.”

By those words, Garrett told Donovan that he’d accepted the situation. That Donovan had his full support. Donovan knew that Garrett wouldn’t hold out, but hearing it still gave him a huge measure of relief.

Yeah, his big brothers worried about him and they even pulled the mother hen routine from time to time, but when it came down to it, they were behind him one hundred percent. Just like all the Kellys. There wasn’t another family in the world like them and Donovan wasn’t just saying that because they were his.

The Kellys were a loyal, loving, kick-ass bunch of people and Donovan wouldn’t trade them for anything.

He and Garrett walked back to the table where the others sat and Cammie was now perched on Eve’s lap, her nervousness broadcasting over the entire room. As soon as Garrett’s eyes lighted on the little girl, his entire face softened.