“Why don’t you sit down and I’ll get the drinks. I know where everything is,” he said.

“Nope. You’re a guest here, and I’m pregnant, not injured.”

She left him spluttering on the back porch while she went inside and got a tray with iced tea, glasses, and some of her favorite oatmeal cookies.

They sat and munched on their snacks as Stormy tried to ignore the pains in her stomach. She knew they were nothing more than Braxton-Hicks contractions.

But when the next one hit, searing pain shot through her stomach, and the ground became wet. Wide-eyed, she looked up.

“Oh, I think it’s time . . .”

The hospital waiting room was crowded with friends and family pacing back and forth. Time seemed to drag on and on as Nick impatiently watched the clock hand tick down. With his mind working in overdrive he had to break the silence.

“What could be taking so long? Is there something wrong with the baby? Did something happen to Stormy?”

Evelyn chuckled as she rubbed her son’s back. “Not to worry, my son. It just takes time . . . trust me.”

“That’s true but . . .”

Nick was interrupted by the large double doors swinging open and Cooper walking into the room. He removed his mask to reveal a grin that spread from ear to ear, but he was speechless.

Nick piped up, “So . . .”

Clasping his hands together, Cooper said, “It’s a healthy baby boy.”

The family wasted no time rushing down the hall, led by the new father, straight into the hospital room. Stormy sat on the bed with her little bundle of joy enveloped in his powder-blue blanket.

Cooper sat on the edge of the bed holding Stormy’s hand as the family members fought over who got to hold the baby next. He couldn’t keep the smile from his lips. What a fool he’d been such a short time ago to think this wasn’t the life he wanted to live.

And what a difference he was seeing in his brothers, who were grumbling at each other, both fighting to hold the baby first. But then they were so gentle as they gazed at their nephew in adoration.

Mav won the argument and with gentle hands picked up the bundle. He grinned as he looked at the bright eyes before him, and using a soft voice, said, “I’ll definitely be your favorite, little guy.”

Finally, Mav passed the baby boy to Nick before he had a heart attack. Nick was the most eager of all to be involved. That was something Cooper had never thought he’d see.

Nick cradled William to his chest as he began speaking. “You really turned out much cuter than I thought you would after having my older brother as your dad,” he said, making several people in the room chuckle.

Cooper wasn’t one of them.

“Now, I have a lot of stories to tell you about him. I’ll start with the time your dad was helping me climb a tree and . . .”

The story continued as Cooper leaned down and kissed his wife.

“I love you, Mrs. Armstrong,” he whispered.

“I love you, Green Eyes,” she replied.

“How about we kick all of these people out and get working on baby number two,” he said with a waggle of his brows.

Stormy laughed deeply at her husband’s sense of humor. It very much needed to be improved. “You’re a brave man to say that to a woman who’s just given birth. Now kiss me and shut up.”

He gladly did.