“Hey, I recognize that ass,” someone called out from behind them.
Eve didn’t have to look back to know who’d said that. Cassidy Vale, her friend and human BS meter. Eve adjusted the grip she had on the back of her gown to make sure she was covered up.
“Not that ass,” Cassidy said. She tipped her head to Kellan. “That one.”
“Hardy-har-har,” Kellan said sarcastically. “What are you doing here, Acidy?”
“Helping a friend.” Cassidy ignored the nickname dig and hurried to Eve.
Despite her Hollywood roots, Cassidy was definitely no fashionista. She was wearing her usual yoga pants, flip-flops and T-shirt, and she’d scooped up her auburn hair in a sloppy ponytail. Cassidy looped her arm around Eve’s waist and even helped her hold her gown together.
“Thanks.” Eve leaned against her. “How’d you get here so fast?”
“She put a booster jet on her broomstick,” Kellan grumbled.
Cassidy didn’t miss a step. She just glanced at Kellan’s hair and made a face. “That wind really got to you, didn’t it? Hope there’s no photographer around to see you this messed up. Is that some hair-gel flecks I see, or is it dandruff? Maybe it’s head lice. I’ve heard nits are easy to pick up around hospitals.”
Kellan made a face, too, as if he knew she was just giving him flak, but when he spotted the men’s room ahead, he hurried and ducked inside it.
“Thought he’d never leave,” Cassidy said. She hugged Eve closer to her. “I was already on my way here when I heard about the baby. Is it true? Did Hot Cowboy really deliver him?”
Eve nodded. No clarification was needed on Hot Cowboy’s identity. Cassidy knew all about Lawson. In fact, Cassidy knew everything about Eve.
Everything.
That’s because Cassidy and she had been friends since the day Eve had arrived in Hollywood eighteen years ago. She’d started out as Eve’s rival on Demon High but had been killed off at the end of the first season. When Cassidy hadn’t been able to land any other acting jobs, Eve had hired her as a personal assistant. Then later on she’d become Tessie’s nanny. These days, Cassidy was also an artist who did illustrations for children’s books.
They finally made it to the glass window of the nursery, and Eve peered in. There he was. Alone in the incubator. For some strange reason, she’d thought that Lawson might be here to look in on him, and she hated the disappointment she felt that he wasn’t. Lawson probably didn’t want to get anywhere near her, and that meant not being near the baby, either.
With Cassidy’s help, Eve made it into the area just off the nursery, and she spotted the nurse there. Not Darby or Mildred, but according to her name tag, she was Wanda Kay Busby.
“The doctor said it was okay if I held my baby,” Eve told her. “It’s not dangerous for him to be out of the incubator, is it?”
The nurse shook her head. “He’s not having trouble breathing or anything. The incubator’s just a precaution.”
That caused Eve to feel some relief, but she wouldn’t get a full dose of that until she had him in her arms.
“I’m surprised your OB let you fly when you were in your eighth month,” Wanda Kay commented. “Usually they warn against it.”
There went the relief. “My doctor thought it would be okay. And the flight wasn’t that long because I flew direct to San Antonio on a friend’s private jet. Could the trip have caused me to go into early labor?”
“Probably not, but most OBs would rather their patients deliver in a hospital, not on an airplane. Or a guesthouse.” Wanda Kay shrugged. “Still, it all worked out just fine.”
Eve hoped that was true. But now she had some more guilt to add to her guilt-riddled life.
Wanda Kay had Cassidy and Eve wash their hands and put on green paper robes before letting them into the actual nursery. The nurse then had Eve sit in a rocking chair. No easy feat with her sore bottom, but she would have sat on fire ants to have this chance.
“Don’t nurse him yet though,” Wanda Kay added. “I’ll need to check with the doctor first and make sure it’s okay.”
Eve doubted the baby would be hungry since she’d nursed him in the ambulance. In hindsight, that had probably given Lawson an uncomfortable moment or two, but she’d gotten so caught up in feeding her son that she hadn’t noticed.
The nurse lifted him from the incubator and eased him into Eve’s waiting arms. And Eve could have sworn that her heart doubled in size. She didn’t care that he wasn’t planned or that he shared DNA with Kellan, Eve loved him from the top of his curly-haired head down to his feet, which she checked.
All ten fingers. All ten toes.
The tears came, and they were bittersweet.
“Brings back memories of Tessie, huh?” Cassidy said after Wanda Kay went back into the office. Since the nurse hadn’t given her a chair, Cassidy sat on the arm of the rocker.
Yes, this did remind Eve of Tessie, and that was the reason for the next tears that fell.
“So, what did you decide to name him?” Cassidy asked. “And please don’t say Kellan, Jr.”
Not a chance. And Cassidy knew that. “Aiden James Cooper.”
“After your grandfather. Good choice.”
Cassidy knew about Eve’s grandpa James, too. Knew that he’d basically raised Eve after her mom and dad had divorced. Her dad had disappeared shortly thereafter, and in between her mom’s job and her constant dating, there hadn’t been much time for Eve. Grandpa James had always made time. Too bad he wasn’t here to see his namesake, but he’d died of a heart attack seven years ago. Her folks wouldn’t be around, either, since they hadn’t spoken since she’d left Wrangler’s Creek.
“I considered naming him Brett,” Eve added, “but I wasn’t sure that’d be a good idea. I mean, Brett’s family might not like that. Lawson probably wouldn’t, either.”
There was also no need for Eve to explain Brett to Cassidy. There’d been too many times when Eve had broken down over the memories of the teenager who’d once been Lawson’s and her best friend.
A friend they’d let die.
Sometimes, like now, the memories still crushed her heart, and she figured it did the same to Lawson. Or rather what memories Lawson had of that horrible night. Unlike Eve, Lawson hadn’t been able to recall a lot of details. Of course, that might have changed over the years. Though Eve hoped it hadn’t. She had enough of those memories for both of them.
“Are the tears of the happy variety or are they because of Brett or Tessie?” Cassidy asked.
“All three.” Eve looked up at her friend. “Is there any chance you can convince Tessie to take my calls?”
“You know I’ve already tried. And I’ll keep trying.” She patted Eve’s arm. “Just give it time, and Tessie will come around.”
Maybe, but it certainly didn’t feel like it at the moment.
“I talked to her briefly on the way here,” Cassidy went on. “She’s busy with her summer classes. And yes, she’s fitting in.”
Since that was about to be Eve’s question, she just waited for Cassidy to continue, but she didn’t because Darby came in. Eve tried to smile. Tried not to look as uncomfortable as her bottom felt. It was bad enough that Eve had to see Lawson’s ex, but the nurse also had yet more of those fan magazines.
“Oh, good. You’re up,” Darby said. She seemed a lot perkier than she had earlier when