As she watched the men argue their cases, Taylor noticed Lane quietly scoot his chair back, rise to his feet and walk to the head of the table to take the baby from Ryder. “You all just keep on arguing,” Lane said, sounding smug as he cradled the infant to his broad chest. “In the meantime, I’m going to get acquainted with our new niece.”
“Now see what you did?” Nate complained to T.J. “Lane’s getting to hold Katie first.”
“Me?” T.J. shook his head. “I didn’t do anything. You were the one...”
While the two brothers bickered good-naturedly, Taylor’s pulse skipped a beat as she watched Lane with the tiny pink bundle in his arms. Unlike a lot of men, he looked completely natural and at ease holding the baby. What was there about a big, strong man gently holding an infant that melted a woman’s heart? More importantly, why was her chest tightening with emotion?
She had never given having children a second thought, nor had she ever thought a baby would be in her future. But something about watching Lane with the little girl had her wondering what it would be like to see him holding their baby.
Her heart stalled and she had to set her iced tea glass back on the table to keep from dropping it. What in the world had brought that thought to mind? She wasn’t actually daydreaming of becoming that involved with Lane, was she?
When he looked up to see her watching him, his smile made her catch her breath. “Taylor, have you had the chance to hold little Katie yet?”
“N-no,” she said, shaking her head. “Your brothers should have their turn first.”
“We don’t mind.” Nate spoke up, smiling. “Ladies first.”
“That’s right,” T.J. agreed. “We’ll all have our chance and before you know it, she’ll have us wrapped around her little finger just like little Hank does.”
To Taylor’s utter disbelief, Lane walked over and placed the infant in her arms, then sat down in the chair at the dining room table beside her. “I’m going to be her favorite uncle,” he stated, resting his arm along the back of her chair.
“I’ve never held a baby before,” she said, marveling at how tiny and sweet the child was.
“Never?” Bria asked, her tone filled with disbelief.
“I don’t have siblings and none of my friends have children,” Taylor answered as she gazed down at the sleeping little girl. “This is nice.”
When she looked up to see the smile on Lane’s face, a warm feeling spread throughout her body. “You’re a natural,” he whispered, tenderly touching the baby’s tiny hand.
“Now we know who to call when little Hank is fussy and I’m busy with the livestock and you’re trying to fix supper, Bria,” Sam said, laughing.
“I’ll put the Lucky Ace’s number on speed dial with Mariah’s.” Bria laughed as she rose to take her and her husband’s plates into the kitchen.
“Taylor, it looks like you and I have found ourselves a couple of babysitting jobs,” Mariah said with a laugh.
“There’s only one problem,” Taylor said, nodding. “Beyond holding a baby, I don’t know the first thing about taking care of one.”
Summer smiled as she confided, “I didn’t either until Katie was born. Thank goodness for motherly instincts. Not to mention all the parenting sites on the internet.”
When little Hank started making discontented noises from his baby carrier, Bria handed Sam a baby bottle. “Why don’t you men take the babies into the family room? After you feed little Hank you can all argue over who gets to hold the munchkins while we clean up the kitchen.”
Taylor handed the newborn back to Lane as she rose from her chair to help the women clear the table. As she watched them file out of the dining room, she couldn’t help but feel envious of the closeness they all shared. They might have started out on a rocky path in life, but the men had bonded into a family that was as strong and loving as any she had ever seen.
“I noticed that you and Jaron still aren’t speaking,” Summer said to Mariah as Taylor entered the kitchen. “You still haven’t forgiven him?”
“Nope.” Mariah shook her head. “He shouldn’t have gloated over being right about little Hank’s gender.”
“Don’t you think you’ve punished him enough?” Bria asked.
“I want a formal apology,” Mariah insisted. “Until I get that, I have nothing to say to Jaron.”
“She’s been in love with Jaron since she was a teenager and I suspect he’s in love with her,” Summer whispered to Taylor. “But he has some crazy idea that he’s too old for her.”