Page 18 of Bossy Baby

It had taken entirely too long. Mac had been out of his mind with worry.

Now that Hayley had woken up, Mac was much calmer.

“Never mind,” Mac told Mitch. His messages probably had sounded crazy. He’d all but demanded Mitch get his ass to the hospital.

“Don’t give me that shit. There was real panic in your voice. Byron took me for a ride on the bike. We were out of cell phone range. But we’re in the car headed that way now.”

“No!” Mac barked. He winced, looking back at the bed. Good, he hadn’t woken Hayley.

“Mac.”

“Look,” Mac hissed. He stepped into the hall. “My boy fell and broke his arm. It was bad. But his arm has been set and put in a cast. He’s resting now.”

“I have so many questions,” Mitch said. “Are you sure you don’t need us there?”

“I’m sure. I appreciate you being willing to come, but they should be releasing him soon.”

“Hold on, Mac.” Mitch moved the phone away from his mouth, but Mac could still hear him tell Byron to go back home, that everything was fine now.

Mac waited impatiently. Not like he had anything better to do, other than watch his boy sleep.

“Okay, I’m back,” Mitch said.

“Goody,” Mac deadpanned.

“Hey, you calledme, buddy. Twice. I’m just being a good friend here.”

Mac growled. He couldn’t even argue with Mitch.

“So…your boy,” Mitch drawled. “How did that happen? When you left us this morning, you didn’t say anything about seeing your boy. Oh my God! Did you break into his house? Is that how he broke his arm? Did you scare him into falling down the stairs or something?”

Mac pulled his phone away and looked at it before he put it back to his ear. “Of course not! What kind of man do you think I am?”

Mitch laughed. “The kind that kills people?”

Fair point.Maybe Mac shouldn’t have told Mitch what he did for a living. Or what he used to do. “Not to people I care about. I haven’t killed you yet, have I?”

“Did you really need to say yet?”

Feeling much better, Mac had to grin. “Yes.”

Mitch huffed. Even over the phone, it was loud. “Your boy? Oh, and Byron told me it’s Hayley. Caleb and Avery are going to lose their minds.”

“It’s none of their business,” Mac replied.

“Yeah, like that matters. Tell me what happened.”

Mac peeked in Hayley’s room to make sure that his boy was still asleep. “After I left your house, I went to the grocery store. I had nothing for Hayley to eat when I brought him home. I was shopping when I ran into him. Literally.” Mac chuckled. “He ran his cart into mine.”

“Aww,” Mitch cooed. “It’s like a Hallmark movie.”

Mac snorted. He actually loved Hallmark movies. Especially Christmas ones. Not that he’d admit that to Mitch. Or anyone. Ever.

“But get on with your story,” Mitch demanded. “I only have until we get home to talk.”

“Well if you would stop interrupting—”

“Just tell me!” Mitch wailed.

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