“Hello.”
“Hi, son,” he says. With just those two words he sounds tired. Old.
“What’s up, Dad?”
“I was just calling to find out how your mom’s doing.”
“She’s great.”
He pauses. “Good. That’s good.”
“I’m not going to tell you where she is,” I say, feeling like a dick. This is my dad, he should know where his wife is, but I just can’t do it. He didn’t even notice she was gone for two weeks.
That’s still a hard pill to swallow.
“No, don’t tell me,” he says quickly. “The less I know the better.”
He coughs, a deep, gurgly cough.
“Are you sick?”
“No, I’m fine.”
I park outside Cami’s house and cut the engine. “Dad, you don’t sound good.”
“I’ll be just fine. But I need to ask you a favor.”
I roll my eyes and rub my hand over my mouth. Here we go.
“Okay.”
“Keep her safe.”
“Dad, what’s going on?”
“Nothing that I can’t handle, but I’ve pissed off some mean people, Mac. Just keep an eye on your mom and make sure she’s safe.”
“She’s safe.”
“Thank you.”
“Dad, should I call the police? There has to be something we can do.”
“I’m going to take care of this myself. It’s my mess, I’ll clean it up.”
“Chase gets his stubborn streak from you.”
He chuckles. “Thanks, Mac.”
He ends the call and I step out of the car, joining another man on the porch.
“Hi, I’m Landon.”
“Mac,” I reply, and shake his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Likewise.” Landon smiles and stares at the door. “I’m afraid to go inside my own house.”
“I’d never heard of a couples baby shower,” I admit, and follow him to the porch swing. He sits in the swing and I lean on the railing.
“Me neither,” he says, shaking his head. “I’d rather fly into enemy territory than go in this house right now.”
“That’s right; Kat told me you were a pilot.”
He nods. “And that was easier. They were freezing little tiny babies in ice cubes earlier.”
“That doesn’t seem normal.” We laugh and Jake climbs the stairs to join us. “Welcome.”
“Are you both scared to go in there?” he guesses correctly.
“There’s a reason that men were never invited to these things,” Landon says reasonably. “It’s some kind of mysterious female ritual, and I’m not so sure men should be privy to it.”
“It’s cake and presents,” Jake says. “It’s like a birthday party.”
“Not true,” Landon insists, shaking his head. “I’ve never had any tiny babies in ice cubes at any of my birthday parties. Also, there was talk about amniotic fluid and something called a mucus plug right before I left. Again, not birthday-party material.”
“Well, when she loses the mucus plug—” Jake begins, but I cut him off.
“No. I don’t ever need to know how that sentence ends.”
“What are you guys doing out here?” Cami asks, coming out onto the porch.
“Girding our loins,” I reply, making the others laugh.
“Excuse me?”
“We’re mentally preparing for what’s about to happen,” Landon says, pulling his wife down next to him on the swing. “Maybe we shouldn’t come in.”
“Are you scared?” She snorts, but then takes a closer look at all of us. “You’re scared.”
“We didn’t say that,” Jake says, holding up his hands. “But maybe we should let you girls have your fun.”
“Three strong, badass guys are afraid of a baby shower.” She smirks and stands. “Come on, boys. No one’s going to bite.”
“Bummer,” Landon mutters, winking at Cami. “Okay, lead the way.”
We walk into the house, and all three of us stop in our tracks in the foyer.
“It looks like a baby blew up in here,” Jake whispers.
Pink and blue streamers are hung from every surface. There are at least a dozen boxes of diapers stacked against one wall, and pink-and-blue gift bags cover a table.
“There really are tiny babies in their drinks,” I say in awe, and Landon nods, then swallows hard.
“I told you. That shit isn’t normal.”
“You’re here!” Addie stands and waddles over to Jake. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’m hungry.”
“You’re always hungry these days,” Jake says, and kisses her nose. “Are you having fun?”
She nods happily, and my eyes search the room for Kat. I don’t see her.
“Where’s Kat?” I ask.
“In the kitchen with Mia. I don’t know why, Mia is verbally abusive when you’re in the kitchen with her.”
“My sister is so charming,” Landon says with a laugh. “Come on, I’ll brave it with you.”
I follow Landon into the kitchen and stop again. There’s Kat, holding a baby on her hip, blowing raspberries in his neck and laughing with him. Mia is pulling something out of the oven and Riley is sitting on the island, drinking straight from a wine bottle.