Page 82 of Doctor Daddy

I held out my arms to take the baby from my mom so she could pick up the second one.

“You hadn’t told us anything, what was I supposed to think?”

“So, hitting your friend and ruining a friendship, was it the right choice?” I asked.

“I’d do it again. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t do the same for these two.”

Okay, maybe he had a point.

“What are their names?”

I shifted the blanket around the baby’s face so I could get a good look at her. Summer’s nose was still a little mushed looking. I was going to have to figure out other ways to tell them apart once her nose bounced into shape.

“This one is Summer. And you’re holding Strawberry.”

Dad scoffed. “I doubt Mark is going to let you keep those names.”

“Mark has been the only person who supported me in picking those names.”

“Summer is a perfect name,” Mom started.

“And so is Strawberry. She’s sweet and pink, and that’s her name.”

Dad peeked over Mom’s shoulder and looked down at Strawberry. I saw a hint of a smile as his face relaxed.

“They are beautiful. They look exactly like you did when you were born.”

For the first time, I saw a genuine smile on my dad’s face.

37

MARK

Iheard Peyton’s voice before I realized he and Karen were in Brooke’s room. I stopped and thought about what I was going to do next. I could go in there and cause a scene— something Brooke did not need to deal with— or I could wait them out.

Peyton was going to have to deal with me at some point in time. I wasn’t sure that doing so in front of Brooke while she was still recovering and emotionally on edge was the best idea.

I closed my eyes and ran my hand over my face. I winced as I brushed the bruise around my eye. If things between Peyton and I came to blows again, I wasn’t going to do that around my baby girls.

With a heavy breath, I turned to walk away. I’d come back later.

“Mark? What are you doing out there? Come in here.” Karen ordered me into the room.

I guess I didn’t have a choice in what happened now.

Peyton, who had been holding one of the girls, quickly handed the baby to Brooke, and stood up. He bristled and flexed. Positioning himself between me and my girls, all of them.

“Would you relax, Peyton,” Karen chastised him. “Mark isn’t going to try anything, and you certainly are not going to do anything here.”

He stared at me, narrowing his eyes. Either he was assessing me for a threat, or he was putting on his own threat display.

“Peyton, did you hear me? You are not going to do anything.” Karen’s voice got very sharp and commanding.

He seemed to take a breath as he looked at her. His posture relaxed only slightly. “Yes, I heard you.”

With a grunt he stepped over to the ledge in front of the window, getting as far away from me as possible. He also made an opening so that I could stand near Brooke.

“How are you doing?” I asked.

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