Page 134 of Renewal After Dark

“Best one I’ve had in a very long time.”

“Same.”

He released her to go fetch Jax, but she felt his eyes on her as she left the room. He’d brought her coffee in bed.

Swoon.

Jax squealed when she walked into the room, kicking his feet with the usual morning enthusiasm.

“Good morning, my pumpkin pie. Did you sleep well?”

Duke had left the diapers, a package of wipes and a change of clothes for Jax on the foot of the bed. What a guy.

She changed Jax’s heavy overnight diaper, washed him up and got him dressed. When she carried him out of the bedroom, she found Duke in the kitchen, standing over the stove.

“What does he like for breakfast?”

“Usually some mommy milk and cereal.”

“Why don’t you take care of that while I cook some eggs for us?”

“Are you for real? Coffeeandbreakfast?”

He flashed a dirty grin over his shoulder. “I’m as real as it gets, baby.”

“This is just what Ash needed,”Tiffany told her sister, parents and Linda after lunch. “Some time with her best pal.”

Thomas and Ashleigh were on the floor, reading out loud to each other while Hailey and Addie played with Hailey’s dolls. Liam and Mac were joined at the hip as they toddled around, getting into everything. The twins were down for their afternoon nap.

“You needed it, too, doll,” Ned said.

Tiffany, who had her head resting on Maddie’s shoulder, smiled at him. “You’re right, as always, Dad.”

Ned’s eyes went very wide and then got very shiny. “Sheesh, how about a warnin’ before ya go sayin’ somethin’ like that?”

“What fun would that’ve been?” Tiffany asked, smiling.

“Not as much fun as this,” Maddie said. “Dad.”

“For God’s sake, you two. Yer gonna make me bawl.”

Francine, who had tears in her eyes, took his hand. “You’ve earned it, my love. Every day for years, as you’ve shown up for all of us.”

“Agree wholeheartedly, old pal,” Linda said. “If you’re not their dad, I don’t know who is.”

“For the love a God…”

Ned’s muttered words made the women laugh.

He was so damned cute, and they were lucky to have him in their lives. She and Maddie had a better-late-than-never feeling toward having a wonderful father. He was a devoted, loving, generous husband, father and grandfather, and he deserved the title of Dad.

“Don’t tell my best buddy that you crazy ladies made me weep,” Ned said to Linda.

“I never would, but I bet you’ll get weepy when you tell him about it yourself.”

“Don’t get sassy with me.”

“I don’t know how to be any other way with you after all these years.”

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