Overtime(15)

“Hello, my sweet Mena Jane. I’m your auntie, and I’m gonna be your best friend,” she said softly as she looked down at her, her eyes full of all the goodness in the world. The baby looked just like Karson, spitting image, with basically nothing of Lacey. But it was still early. Kacey was sure she would favor her momma in no time. Or the King genes were so strong that this was the product and, man, what a product. She was perfect, and Kacey wanted a little baby of her own so damn badly.

Glancing up at where Karson was moving Lacey’s hair behind her ears, looking at her like she’d just given him the world, which she had, his eyes were so full of love it hit Kacey square in the chest. She wanted that. She wanted all this. The birth was magical and her sister-in-law was a beast, that’s all she could say. Karson, ever the doting husband, was amazing during the birth, and Kacey prayed she gave some support too. Just from the grin on Lacey’s face as she met her gaze told her she did, or that the drugs were working very well. She was going to take her first assumption and run, though.

“She’s perfect, guys.”

“She is,” Lacey agreed as Karson still stared at her.

“You’re perfect. You did so great, baby,” he whispered against her cheek and Kacey smiled, looking back down at her sweet niece.

“I’m gonna make sure you are always protected,” Kacey whispered. “You have so many people who love you.”

Mena Jane just kept staring at her and it warmed her soul. This little girl had Kacey completely wrapped around her finger and nothing would ever hurt her. Not while her aunt was around.

“Sorry to pull you from your date,” Lacey said then and Kacey waved her off, cuddling Mena Jane closer to her.

“This was way more important,” she assured her, and then she glanced over at Karson. She knew this probably wasn’t the place for this, but she had to hear it from him. “You told Liam yes to dating me?”

Lacey smiled as Karson shrugged. “He’s a good dude. He would be good for you.”

Hearing it from his mouth seemed almost as if he were speaking Klingon. “Really?”

He nodded. “He’s a supernice guy, Kace. Really.”

“He is,” Lacey agreed just as a knock came at the door. All three looked at the door as it opened and Liam poked his head in.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. But Liam wasn’t the devil, he was more an angel because in his hand was the biggest bouquet of yellow and pink roses she had ever seen.

“Company, okay?” he asked and Lacey nodded.

“Yes, come on in. You haven’t been waiting all this time have you?”

He smiled sheepishly as he nodded. “I wasn’t sure if Kacey would need to go home, and I was her ride,” he said as he carried the flowers to her little tray table and Kacey’s heart kicked up in speed a bit.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she called to him and he grinned.

“It’s no big deal. My phone lasted the whole six hours.”

She smiled as he shot her a playful grin before looking back over at Lacey. “These are for the momma,” he said before leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Congrats.”

“Aw, thank you, Liam.”

He grinned as he reached over, handing Karson a flask. “For Daddy.”

Karson laughed before taking a long pull. “Thanks, bro.”

Then he made his way to Kacey, pulling a single rose out from behind his back and handing it to her. “For the other birthing coach,” he said with a wink as she took it. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she grinned up at him, laying the rose beside her.

“Thank you.”

“Of course,” he said, looking closer at Mena Jane. “She’s beautiful, guys,” he called back at Lacey and Karson, but they were staring into each other’s eyes, not paying the least bit of attention. He then looked down at Kacey and smiled that sweet grin of his. “You look good with a baby in your arms.”

She smiled down at Mena Jane and then back up at him. Their eyes met and she prayed for the sparks, but they weren’t there. He was sweet and nice, he’d had no reason to wait for her or even get her a rose, but he did. He also was very interested in her. Not sex. Her. But did he want kids?

Holding his gaze, she said, “I can’t wait for my turn.”

He didn’t even hesitate; he nodded and said, “Yeah, I can’t wait to have some of my own too.”

Right there was what she needed to hear. He wanted what she wanted and he really was nice. Totally different from the douchebags she was used to. Yeah, there weren’t sparks or fireworks, but he wanted what she did and he liked her. You didn’t find men like Liam Kelly every day. She needed to take him and run. He was everything she needed.

What else could she ask for?



“So Jordie, how are you feeling?

Jordie looked up from where he was staring down at his hands, trying to forget everything that he had just heard. Jon, a defenseman from the Lightning, was battling some crazy cocaine addiction that sometimes Jordie wasn’t sure he would overcome. He had just been caught with his girl bringing some in, and they were six seconds away from kicking him out. Portia, the therapist, fought for him to stay though. She fought for everyone. She was a good girl. But every time Jon starting talking about his past, the things he’d done which really should have led to him being committed or arrested, it always made Jordie uncomfortable. He hated how much the guy suffered and, most of all, hated all the bad in the world. It was just shitty.