Hospital visits are usually solemn affairs, but not today. Today, my friend is a father for the first time. It’s a big deal for Gunner, a guy who never expected a family.

Sitting in the car with Josie, I marvel at how much my own life has changed in a few short months.

“You look beautiful today,” I utter with a slight catch in my throat. Josie’s hair is longer than she normally wears it. Silky strands fall across her dark eyes as she frowns and pulls her cardigan sweater across her ever-growing belly. Her very kissable lips are plumper with a slight rosy flush.

I’d like to suck on that bottom lip.

Instead of fantasizing about dragging her across the seat so I can do just that, I start the engine and pull away from the curb in front of Dog Ears Bookstore.

“You don’t have to shower me with compliments,” she says, as one side of her mouth quirks into amusement. “I have a mirror at home.”

I glance at the road and back to her. “Then you must get all hot and bothered. That’s what happens to me when I look at you.”

“Funny.”

The girl has no clue. I heave an exaggerated sigh. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

She turns her head toward the window as we pass her favorite burger joint. “I should’ve brought a drink with me.”

“Did you eat today? Do you want me to drive through somewhere and get you a snack?"

She rests her hand on her stomach. “I had a late breakfast. I’m not hungry every minute of the day.”

“I know that. I’m just saying that we have time.”

“Okay,” Josie says. “I don’t want you to name me ‘Dishonest Josie’…since you’re ‘Honest Dane’ and all. I’m not starving, but I suppose I could eat a small snack.”

“Now this sounds more like my pregnant girlfriend.” I sneak in the word girlfriend as often as I can. She doesn’t protest and it makes me feel better. I turn the vehicle into the next restaurant parking lot so I can buy my baby some lunch.

When we arrive at the hospital, I drive around the lot twice trying to find a close spot so Josie won't have to walk far. Finally, I pull into a spot on the second row near the front doors.

“Wait and I’ll help you out.”

She ignores me and places her hand on the door handle. It’s a race to beat her to it.

“Not helpless,” she mutters.

I like taking care of her and doing the things that I didn’t when we were only friends. “Hang on,” I say, warning and exasperation mingling in my voice. Running around to her side of the vehicle, I pause. It’s a tight squeeze between my SUV and the full-sized pickup beside us.

Josie opens the door and drops her right foot to the ground. She wedges herself halfway in and out of the door. “Uh-oh.”

“No uh-ohs. None.”

She laughs, low and husky and all kinds of enticing in spite of the circumstances. “I don't think I can get out. You may need to call 911 and have ‘em bring the jaws of life. Or just leave me. Save yourself, man.”

My lips twitch at her melodramatic speech. Still, I don’t want her to accidentally hurt herself. “Let me help you,” I order.

She reaches out her right hand and wiggles her fingers. “Grab my fingers and pull. It’s just a little tight.”

My lungs stop functioning. “Pull? What do you mean pull? I think we need to just put you back inside and let me move the vehicle.”

“Well, Piglet. If you hadn’t tried to poke jars of honey in Pooh’s mouth every time she turns around, this might not be a problem.” She chuckles under her breath.

“Seriously. Get back in. I don’t want you to squeeze our baby out.”

Josie tugs on my hand and she’s out. Pop. She makes a loud sound with her mouth. “I squeezed my legs together and held the baby in. Kidding! I regret to inform you, this baby isn’t coming out that easily.”

She closes the car door.

“You are the most stubborn woman I know. You are shaving years off my life. Years.” I shake my head at her. Rubbing my hand along her back, I revel in the warmth of her body as we walk toward the front door.

The hospital receptionist tells us how to find Room Number 1031. Josie taps her knuckles lightly against the door of Kiley’s room.

“Come in,” a voice calls from inside.

Josie leads us inside a small hospital room. Gunner sits in a chair near the hospital bed with a bundle in his arms. Kiley leans her head toward us. “Hey, you two.”

“Is now a good time?” Josie asks.

“It’s a perfect time.” Kiley sticks out her hand with the palm up and beckons to us. Josie takes Kiley’s hand and stands close to the side of the bed.

Gunner lips curve up. “Kiley is a pro. We hear that four hours for labor is a record.”

“Show off,” Josie teases. “You have any tips on fast delivery?”

Kiley yawns. “It was easy. All you have to do is fail to have your hospital bag packed and believe you have all the time in the world. That’s it. Worked like a charm for me.”

Josie tosses me a look. “I tried to squeeze this puppy out in the parking lot since we were already at the hospital, but it didn’t work. I don’t think I’m that lucky.”

“The doctors and all the baby experts told us labor would take a long time,” Gunner says. “They said not to rush because we needed to time contractions at home. Hell. Those folks lied to me. But my sweetheart handled it like a pro. She said, ‘No time for an epidural? No problem. I’ve got this.’”

Kiley chuckles under her breath. “That’s not exactly how it went down. Be afraid, Dane. Very afraid. I’m not exactly sure how many bad names I used on Gunner, but there were a lot of ‘em. But it’s over now and the baby’s healthy. That’s the important part.”

“What’s his name?” Josie asks.

Gunner and Kiley exchange a look. Kiley smooths the hospital blanket over her legs. “We haven’t decided yet,” she says.

I can’t see the baby’s face in the swath of blankets. The bundle is cradled close to his chest, and he does a little bouncing movement with the crook of his arm. How does he know to do that? I’m impressed that he seems so at ease. “Congratulations, man.”

Gunner unfolds his legs and stands with the bundle in his arms. “Josie, would you like to hold him?”

She strides across the room and stretches out her arms. “You took long enough to ask.”

Gunner places the bundle in the cradle of her arms. She has this funny look on her face, something between crying and smiling. Her lips part into the brightest smile I’ve seen on her in weeks. Maybe months.

“Hi there, big boy,” she coos. “Aren’t you sweet?” She rocks the baby to and fro, but her feet stay in place.

Gunner points to the chair he just vacated. “Sit there. Think I’ll go grab something from the cafeteria. Do you guys mind keeping Kiley company for a minute? I’ll be right back.”

Josie only nods and sits with the baby in her arms. I tuck my hands into my pockets and stand against the wall behind Josie’s chair. “No rush. We’ve got plenty of time.”

He takes one more look at his baby and then points at Kiley. “Need anything, sweetheart?"

“I’m good. Maybe you can bring me back a soda?”

“Got it under control. One soda coming up.” Gunner strides to the door.

My gaze drops to Josie and the baby. The baby weighs seven pounds and some change. I forget the exact weight, but I remember Josie telling it to me as if these things are important. She said it was an average size for a newborn. I don’t know about that, but this one still looks tiny to me. The sleeping infant’s translucent eyelids move back and forth as if following images in a dream.

Josie takes one finger and tugs the blanket down. She traces a finger along the baby’s chubby arm and along his hand. He latches onto her finger. “He’s so perfect, Kiley.” Josie places a soft kiss on the baby's forehead. Kiley’s mouth widens into a yawn. “I'm ready to take a nap.” She gives a second yawn.

“We won't stay long,” I say. “We’ll leave after Gunner gets back.”

Kiley shakes her head. “No, don’t leave. I can finally nod off for a second or two because you guys are here. When I hold him, all I can do is stare at how perfect he is.”

Josie tilts her head up and looks at me. “Do you want to hold him?”

“You look like you know what you’re doing. That’s okay.”

“Come on, you big chicken,” Josie says. “He probably won’t even wake up. He won’t break.”

I usually don’t shy away from any challenge. But this is damn scary. I don't know how to hold a baby.

There’s obviously some training in order. “When I was thirteen, I had a class where we had to take care of an egg for a week as part of family planning.” I squeeze my eyes shut for a second before opening them again. “Mine broke.”

She ignores me and bounces the baby against her breasts. Everybody in this room acts like this stuff comes naturally. I step back. “I don't think— ”

She rises and moves out from the chair. “Sit.”

I don’t meet her gaze. All I can do is stare at the bundle she’s ready to pass off to me. “Are you going to be this bossy all the time?” I soften my question with a smile.

“Not all the time,” she says. “Because you have to remember, I’m winging it too.”

“Doesn’t look that way to me.” I settle into the hard chair that's really too small for me. Like a man ready to jump out of an airplane, I take a deep breath and extend my arms. “Let's do this thing."

“He does want to hold you,” Josie says to the baby. “Dane’s really just a big teddy bear. Don’t mind all his fussing.” She puts the baby’s head in the crook of my right arm and snugs the baby against my chest.

Gazing down at the little tyke’s face, I exhale slowly. He has blonde hair—what little there is. I smooth it across his soft forehead. He sleeps so soundly. “This isn’t so hard.”

I continue to gaze down into his face. “Hey dude. You don't know me yet, but I can tell already that were going to be friends.”

I bend down and kiss the baby’s head. His hair is soft and tickles my face. What is it that makes a baby smell different? This little person is a mysterious miracle of the universe.

How can two people make such a perfect thing? I lower my chin and inhale. The baby opens his robin’s egg blue eyes. He looks like Gunner, that same steady gaze that says, ‘I’m reliable. I’ll listen to you. Go ahead and share some secrets.’

“He’s awake," Josie whispers.

I look up to see she's moved closer to me. She rubs her hands protectively over the front of her belly as if she’s more aware of our own baby in this moment than she's ever been. “Pretty eyes.”

I grin and rock a little just in case the kid likes it. “Yeah. I guess. Eyes like his daddy. Eyes that warn you not to mess with him.”

“Yeah? Good. Nobody will ever mess with my baby.” Kiley sits up in bed. “If he’s awake, he’s going to want to eat. I don’t mind if you stay, but you know I’m breastfeeding, right?”

It takes me a minute to realize what she means. “Oh. Well, I can leave. Josie, I’ll be—”

Kiley sighs. “I’d like for you to stay. But some people are uncomfortable with it. I don’t want to make you feel weird.”

“No, of course it’s not…weird. Or uncomfortable.”

“Liar.” Josie snorts. “But good effort on trying to act like you’re not.”

I poke Josie in the side with my elbow and it jostles the baby. His small mouth opens and closes in protest. “Hey now, baby. That was all Josie’s fault.”

Footsteps approach and Gunner strides through the door. He holds a white paper bag, a soda, and a box of candy. “Sorry that took so long.”

He places the candy on the bedside table. There's a single chair in the corner of the room near the door that I didn’t notice until he grabs it and moves it beside the bed. “I brought sweets for my sweet.”

I stroke a finger over the baby’s hand. “Kiley, he’s already sound asleep again.”

“Oh well. No need to wake him to eat. You guys hold him while you’re here.”

Josie bumps her knee against mine. “Can I have another turn?”

“I could get used to this. I think he likes me.” I get up and step out of the way.

Josie sits and takes a deep breath, holding her arms out. Once she’s cradling the baby, she makes a rocking movement back and forth. “Did you like sleeping with Dane? He likes you too. I’m going to be your Aunt Josie. I’m not really your aunt, but no one has to know that.”

“So, why haven’t you picked a name?” I ask Gunner.

He grins at Kiley in the way you do when you share secrets. “We honestly thought it was a girl. That’s what all the ultrasounds said. He was hiding his goods in between his legs or something. So we have to come up with something now.”

“Dane,” I volunteer.

“I don’t think so,” Kiley says.

“What’s wrong with Dane? Perfectly good name.”

Kiley finishes the chocolate she has in her mouth and licks her lips. “We came up with a lot of girl names. I mean we have enough girl names for a dozen children.”

“We’re only going to have four.” Gunner winks at Kiley.

Josie laughs. “Four?”

Gunner leans back in his hospital chair and folds his hands over his chest. “Yeah, we’ll probably stop at four.” He grins smugly as if he’s in charge of this decision. I know better.

“What about a family name?” Josie asks Gunner. “Maybe a name on your mom’s side of the family?”

Gunner rubs a hand over his chin and looks from the baby to Kiley. “My mom’s maiden name was Cameron.”

“Cameron,” Kiley repeats softly. “I like it.”

Gunner grins at Josie and nods. “We can call him Cam. That’s good…maybe even perfect. I think you’re a genius. When he’s older, we can tell him that his godparents helped us find a name.”

The word godparents hangs in the air for a moment. I widen my eyes and glance at Josie to see if this is news to her.

“Oh…” Gunner says and holds Kiley’s hand. He grabs a chocolate and chews, taking his sweet time. Finally, he swallows. “Whoops. We forgot to ask you that, didn’t we?”