Page 17 of Bossy Baby

“I get to go home?” Hayley perked up.

“Of course. I suggest you rest. We’ll send you home with a couple of scripts. It was your right arm that was broken, so you might need some help.”

“Not a problem,” Mac said.

Hayley nodded. He’d figure it out. There would be a lot he couldn’t do with a broken arm. And he couldn’t just close up shop. Not only did his customers depend on him, but Hayley needed the money as well.

He lifted his arm to look at his rainbow cast. Mac was so wonderful. He’d remembered that Hayley loved all the colors. He’d never have thought to ask for a rainbow cast. But Mac had. Heck, Mac probably demanded it just to make Hayley happy.

“Okay, here’s some pain medicine.” Sammy added liquid to his IV and warmth filled him.

Hayley grinned. “The good stuff.”

“Nothing but the best for you,” Sammy replied. “Your boyfriend wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Not my boyfriend,” Hayley slurred. Wow, that stuff worked fast. Everything was so fuzzy already. “Not yet. We were on our first date.”

Sammy lifted a brow. “Only your first date?”

“Yeah, I kept waiting for the big guy to ask me, but he never did.”

“Sometimes the bigger they are, the shyer they are.”

“Totally true,” Hayley managed. His eyes fluttered closed.

“I’m sitting right here,” Mac mumbled. “I can hear you talking about me.”

“Isn’t he awesome,” Hayley said, grinning. He couldn’t open his eyes. His tongue felt thick in his mouth. “Totally gonna be my Daddy.”

Mac

Sammy looked up at him and smiled. “I don’t think he meant to say that.”

“Doesn’t matter if he meant to or not. He did.” And Mac wanted to jump for joy. This was joy he was feeling, right? He thought so. Or maybe he had indigestion.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

Mac scowled. “Not your business.”

Sammy lifted his gloved hands into the air. But he was grinning. Mac wanted to threaten him until the grin fell off his face. But he kind of liked the guy. “Just being nosy. The connection between the two of you is obvious. And he seems like a really nice guy.”

“He is,” Mac said. “A really nice guy.” And for some reason Hayley liked him. “All you need to know is that I plan to take very good care of him. He’s special to me.”

Sammy sighed. There was a wistfulness to it.

Okay, Maybe Mac didn’t like him anymore. He narrowed his eyes.

Sammy dropped his hands. “Don’t worry, I don’t have any designs on your boy.” Sammy looked back toward the bed. “Treat him well.”

There was a story there.

Mac started after Sammy, but his cell phone rang from his pocket. He stopped at the door and yanked it out. Mitch. Finally.

“Mitch.” Mac kept his voice low.

“Mac? What happened? Who’s in the hospital? Your message didn’t make sense.”

Mac blew out a long breath. He’d called Mitch in a panic when they’d taken Hayley away from him, first for the X-ray then when they set and casted his arm. They’d been there for hours. All day and halfway into the night.

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