Robert’s hand at his thigh gave another gentle squeeze. His loving gaze lifted to Landon. He couldn’t help shifting the hand behind Robert’s back to his head, moving his mister closer for a kiss on the lips.
Stephanie beamed at them then gathered her things and scooted out of her seat. “Thank you for driving all the way out here and thank you for lunch.”
Robert pushed out of the booth, taking her hand in a shake. “Thank you for wanting to be a part of our journey. We need to talk, but we’ll let you know either way.” By the time Landon got to the edge of the booth seat, she lifted a hand to him and started out of the restaurant. Thankfully, Robert took Stephanie’s seat across from him.
“So, what do you think?” Robert asked. The sparkle in his eyes and the way he leaned across the table were big indicators of his excitement.
“I like her. She fit every one of our requirements,” he said honestly, finding no reason why he should say anything more. Between Robert and Stephanie, he could see a really great kid coming from the two.
“Me too,” Robert nodded, steepling his fingers together.
“She’s got a long way to go before we really know if she’s truly a candidate, right? We need to check out her background and her mental soundness?” he asked, feeling like Sophia wouldn’t have suggested her had she not already done those things.
“Yep, you’ve paid attention. I like her too.”
“What happened to my lecture of not getting too excited and how we’re not taking the first woman who steps up?” Landon reminded Robert with a playful tilt of his head.
“You don’t agree that she seems perfect?” he asked as if there was no other choice. “Wait. For me, I’d still like to start with you.”
Landon dropped his hand to the table in a hard whack, slicing through Robert’s bullshit. “The vision. Remember the vision. We’ve been told what to do. You need to listen, featherman.”
The bubble of laughter had Robert sitting back in his seat, teasing Landon. “At first, it was a dream, then a premonition. Now it’s a vision and direction?” Robert’s phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket. “It’s Autumn.”
Autumn’s intense voice vibrated across the small, empty restaurant. Landon could hear every word clearly even though Robert hadn’t put her on speaker.
“He’s coming fast. Go get Kylie. She’s at home with the nanny who leaves at threee!” She panted, and Robert did too, in unison with her. “Damnnn, this hurts.”
“Keep breathing. You know what to do. Where are you?” Robert said firmly.
“I’m at the hospital. Where do you think I am!”
Landon raised his brows. He’d never done well with his sister shouting at him like that, but Robert stayed cool as he continued to ask the questions designed to care for his sister in the best possible way.
“Where’s Cam?”
“He’s asking terrible questions. You talk to him!” A rustling came through, and Landon had to lean across the table to hear the next line.
“Hello,” Cam said, and Robert put him on speaker for Landon to hear.
“We’re in Centerville. I’ll go get Kylie and head your way. It’ll be a couple of hours before we get there.” Robert started edging out of the seat, and Landon followed, pulling his wallet free. He motioned for the waitress who nodded.
“This is gonna happen fast. I’ll call you when he’s born,” Cam added.
“Let me know.” Robert didn’t argue with Landon paying for their lunch like he normally would. Instead, he dug for his keys as Landon went to cash out. “Meet me in the car.”
Robert loved so completely. He was nervous and anxious, and Landon decided he should drive. Robert had a new nephew to fret about.
“Uncle Wobert!” Kylie squealed with excitement and jumped up, standing in the center of the leather barstool at the kitchen counter. She’d been in the middle of her snack when Robert and Landon entered the kitchen of Autumn’s DC townhome. When he got within a few feet of her, she gave no warning before launching herself at him. He easily caught her, wrapping both his arms tightly around her. She did the same, hooking her little arms around his neck, and leaned in, touching her forehead to his. “I’m sick, Uncle Wobert.”
He didn’t move, not even an inch away from her, holding his precious niece close to him. “What have we talked about? You’re supposed to tell me you’re sick before you get in my face.”
“Mama says it my sinusays.” She leaned back and beamed proudly at him. “I’ve been using the handatizer like you said. The germs are all gone.” As if his little bundle of energy had just seen Landon, she jerked her head his way, beaming while shoving the blonde wisps of hair out of her face. “Uncle Wobert misses you. I bet he’s glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad I’m here too. Your mama’s having a baby.”
Kylie’s face went through a range of emotions before she went utterly stiff in Robert’s arms, indicating she wanted down. He obliged, placing her on her feet. She was off, tearing through the kitchen. Her sparkly shoes clomped on the hardwood floor as she ran through the house.
“She’s been waiting for you to get here,” her nanny, Lauren, said, taking his niece’s half-eaten plate of crackers and apples to the sink.
“We were in Centerville when Autumn called. It couldn’t have been fifteen minutes later that they called to say Avery had been born,” Robert explained at the edge of the large center island. Landon took Kylie’s vacated seat beside him.
“Avery, huh?
