Page 92 of Treasure and Tarot

“No, babies eat milk. Babies don’t have any teeth.”

Colton muttered, “You don’t need teeth to eat the ice cream.”

“Shut up,” he hissed. “She’s obviously having concerns.”

She pouted at him. “What about Uncle Xavi?”

“What about Uncle Xavi?” Sebastian just didn’t follow.

“Will he love the baby like me?”

Ah, he understood. “No, he’ll love the baby like the baby. He’ll love you like you.” He wrapped an arm around her and moved her hand a little bit so she could feel the baby kick. “The baby will change things, but not how much anybody loves you. Love is special.”

She frowned at him. “How?”

“So, love, it’s like a water well. Like you can dip down into it and bring up a bucket. And if you put the bucket back down, there’s still water, there’s still love. I can love you and Papa and the baby. You can love me and Papa and the baby and Uncle Xavi and Uncle Xander and Uncle Gent and Uncle?—”

She bounced, “Uncle Mason and Uncle Law and Uncle Iago!”

“Exactly.”

“I love love!” She squealed. “See? I can love my babies and the new Flowerhead.”

“Yes. Yes, you can.” He winked, and she giggled.

“Oh! Skye!” She immediately turned to the TV again, engaged by the female pup on the show.

“Well, that went well,” Colton murmured. “Good save, Daddy.”

“Hey, you did a great job.” He moaned when Colton hit his ankles, because that was the ticket. “Right there, babe.”

“You got it. Flowerhead-Daddy.”

He wiggled his toes and giggled. “You know it, Flowerhead-Papa. That’s me.”

They had talkedabout doing Sebastian’s baby shower in Secret Springs at the hotel, but Gent had decided that they needed it closer to home. They’d also talked to Tori and Amanda about doing it at the hotel on the mountain too, but they’d told him they were going to Ruidoso for Memorial Day, dammit, and couldn’t they wait a week?

No, they really couldn’t. Not with Rand coming into town to meet Sebastian, and with Gent’s sisters coming to stay, and…

So they’d rented the pavilion in the park.

Well, okay, Mason and Law had volunteered to do a bunch of groundskeeping work at the park over the summer…

Hot Springs Junction was still very much a barter sort of society.

“Think we might have to make folks park at the school.”

Colton, who was unpacking chips and hot dog buns, glanced sideways at Hector Dimartini, who was Xavier’s dad. “You think?”

“If everyone who comes over from Secret Springs has their own car… Yep.” Hector surveyed the parking situation, hands on his hips.

“Well, tell Iago. He’ll arrange it.”

“Yep.” Hector stalked off. He was a man of few words. Which made it all the more hilarious that he was Xavi’s dad. It wasn’t until someone met Xavi’s mom, Ximena, that they understood everything…

“Everything okay?” Gent asked, carrying a tub of ice over to set it on the concrete pad of the gazebo.

“Yep. Parking.”

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