"I knocked off for the day. " Both faces fell, comically, and the buzz of pleasure it gave him had him adjusting his weekend plans. "But I've got to build me an arbor tomorrow, out in my yard. I could use a couple of Saturday slaves. "
"We can be slaves. " Luke tugged on Logan's pant leg. "I know what an arbor is, too. It's a thing stuff grows on. "
"There you go, then, I've got a couple of expert slaves. We'll see what your mama says. "
"She won't mind. She has to work 'cause Hayley's on turnkey. "
"Maternity," Hayley explained.
"Got that. "
"Can I see her?" Luke gave another tug.
"Sure. " Logan crouched down with the baby in his arms. "She sure is tiny, isn't she?"
"She doesn't do anything yet. " Gavin frowned thoughtfully as he tapped a gentle finger on Lily's cheek. "She cries and sleeps. "
Luke leaned close to Logan's ear. "Hayley feeds her," he said in a conspirator's whisper, "with milk out of her booby"
With an admirably straight face, Logan nodded. "I think I heard about that somewhere. It's a little hard to believe. "
"It's true. That's why they have them. Girls. Guys don't get boobies because they can't make milk, no matter how much they drink. "
"Huh. That explains that. "
"Fat Mr. Kelso's got boobies," Gavin said and sent his brother into a spasm of hilarity.
Stella stepped to the door and saw Logan holding the baby with her boys flanking him. All three of them had grins from ear-to-ear. The sun was shimmering down through the scarlet leaves of a red maple, falling in a shifting pattern of light and shadow on the stone. Lilies had burst into bloom in a carnival of color and exotic shapes. She could smell them, and the early roses, freshly cut grass, and verbena.
She heard birdsong and the giggling whispers of her boys, the delicate music of the wind chime hung from one of the maple's branches.
Her first clear thought as she froze there, as if she'd walked into an invisible frame of a picture was, Uh-oh.
Maybe she'd said it out loud, as Logan's head turned toward her. When their eyes met, his foolish grin transformed into a smile, easy and warm.
He looked too big crouched there, she thought. Too big, too rough with that tiny child in his arms, too male centered between her precious boys.
And so. . . dazzling somehow. Tanned and fit and strong.
He belonged in a forest, beating a path over rocky ground. Not here, in this elegant scene with flowers scenting the air and a baby dozing in the crook of his arm.
He straightened and walked toward her. "Your turn. "
"Oh. " She reached for Lily. "There you are, beautiful baby girl. There you are. " She laid her lips on Lily's brow, and breathed in. "How's she doing today?" she asked Hayley.
"Good as gold. Look here, Stella. Look what Logan bought her. "
Yeah, a female thing, Logan mused as Stella made nearly the identical sound Hayley had over the doll. "Isn't that the most precious thing?"
"And watch this. " Hayley pulled the hat so the tune played out.
"Mom. Mom. " Luke deserted Logan to tug on his mother.
"Just a minute, baby. "
They fussed over the doll and Lily while Luke rolled his eyes and danced in place.
"I think Lily and I should go take a nap. " Hayley tucked the baby in her carrier, then lifted it and the doll. "Thanks again, Lo