“Did you have any ideas?” Riley asked. He’d only thought of girl’s names.

“I like Connor, Alex, Luke—”

“Connor. I like Connor a lot.”

Jack glanced down and smoothed a large hand over his son’s head. “Connor Campbell-Hayes. I like that a lot. What do you think, little one? Think you can live with that?” Connor let out a wide yawn and batted at Jack’s hand with a miniature curled fist. Both the babies had blue eyes, but not the deep blue of Jack’s just yet. Riley hoped to hell they both had Jack’s eyes, just because. Neither baby had much hair but what little Lexie had was dark.

“Connor and Lexie Campbell-Hayes,” Riley tried the names on his tongue. “Perfect.”

The car seats were like some kind of medieval torture device but were finally in the car; there were soothers in a bag all ready to go, plus four changes of clothes. When Riley asked Jack why had packed so much for the short journey home, his strong husband simply admitted he didn’t know what the hell was going on in his head and that being a new dad was an overwhelming but scary exciting kind of thing.

Riley kind of agreed with him.

Chapter 20

“I knew we should have gone to those parenting classes,” Jack grouched. Holding his breath he wrapped the diaper in a bag and twisted the ties.

Riley shook his head. “You really think going to those would have helped us deal with the smell? You’re an uncle; you know what it’s like.”

“Twins, Riley. Twins.”

Riley scooped Connor up into his arms and held him securely.

Jack wrinkled his nose, then wiped Lexie clean. The routine was settling and he was getting damn good at it. Just over a week home and this must have been the millionth diaper change.

“I thought girls were all butterflies and flowers,” he added. Fastening the legs of the tiny sleeper suit, he touched his index finger to Lexie’s hand, and she immediately gripped it hard. Jack smiled down at his daughter. She was the louder, the greedier, and the stronger of the two babies. Finally he picked her up, and the two men carried their precious charges to their bedroom. Only a few days had passed with them all together, but the five of them had a routine.

After the initial flurry of visits, it appeared the family had by some agreement decided who was visiting when and the routines began to form. Riley was working from home, and Robbie had the horses to deal with for the week. At eight pm Riley and Jack would lie back on the bed, each with a baby, and Hayley would climb up to sit cross-legged at the end with her homework.

They talked as the babies fed on their late evening bottle, and with Hayley in her own bed at nine, finally Connor and Lexie were put down to sleep.

Jack was waiting for the problems, screaming and the sleepless nights that exhausted him and Riley. But there was nothing so far. Yes, the twins woke for the feeding, which were little and often, but Jack was still riding the high of being a dad.

Tonight was no different. Hayley sat on the end of the bed and pulled out a history book she was reading for school. Connor burbled and batted his hands at Riley while Lexie slept, and then she would wake while Connor would sleep. Either way Jack was determined Hayley would never feel pushed aside.

“When is Max coming to live with us?” Hayley asked.

“What?” Jack asked, surprised.

Hayley rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid, Pappa, I’ve heard you talking to Grandpa Jim about the law and stuff. And I’ve read all the paperwork when you were changing diapers, then Daddy said he might.”

Jack glanced at Riley who shrugged then lowered his head in defense. “I wasn’t lying,” he muttered.

“What else do you know?” Jack asked carefully. This whole adoption business was proving to be traumatic for all involved. Riley’s name was the only one on the adoption, but they’d managed to at least make Max’s future secure if something happened to Riley. The same paperwork was in place for the twins if Jack died. Jack hated that they couldn’t just have second parent rights, but one day they would be seen as married with equal rights. One day.

“That Daddy is hoping for Max to be here for my birthday on September sixth.”

“That’s a few weeks yet,” Jack said quickly. He laughed inside at her casual reminder of when her birthday was. “Jeez, Riley,” he added under his breath.

“Dad said he had some good news for us when we meet up in a few days.”

Jack wasn’t sure what to say. Hayley looked at him with expectation on her face. “That doesn’t mean it’s settled with Max,” Jack said under his breath.

“I can hear you, Pappa,” Hayley teased.

Lexie yawned widely and Jack shifted her to lie across his chest. She curled up a little and he rubbed her back.

“What project are you working on?” Riley asked. Jack was grateful for the change in conversation.

“The Depression, but that isn’t what I want to talk about. I wanted to say, and it’s important, that I don’t mind sharing my room if you need me to.”

Jack thought of the side space being opened up in the loft. “We’ll be fine for space,” he said.

“So he is coming to live with us then.”

Jack just groaned and bent his head to smell the combination of baby shampoo and powder. Riley shouldn’t have mentioned it to Hayley. Nothing was certain.

“One day we hope,” Riley promised fervently. “One day.”

* * * * *

Jack checked in on Hayley. As usual she was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. Then he joined Riley at the door into the twins’ room, which was nothing more than a closet area off their room that they had emptied. By next month there would be a new room for Hayley and the twins would have their own space as more work changed the house. As for Max? Jack was determined he and Riley would be talking about that one.

“How is everything working so easily?” Riley said in wonder.

“You mean with Connor and Lexie? I think we’re in the honeymoon phase.”

“Because I’m at home and you’re taking time off?”

“Exactly.”

Riley crossed to the crib where both babies lay side by side. For the moment they shared a crib, as close in sleep as they had been in the womb. Jack watched as Riley leaned and kissed them both on the forehead before straightening. Jack hugged him from behind.

“We have three hours,” Jack said softly. “Let’s get some sleep.”

The two of them climbed into bed and cuddled close. Jack tried to think of a diplomatic way to talk about Max. He and Riley had been to meetings, and Riley had signed all the right paperwork, and so far everything was going okay. But just like he had been waiting for having twins to become a nightmare, he was also counting down the days to when someone in authority turned around and told them Max wasn’t living with two men. Instead of bringing the matter up at all, he rolled on his side and snuggled back into Riley’s big spoon. With a sigh he relaxed enough to find sleep.

The clock said two fifteen, and Jack worked out in his head how long he had slept. Three hours? Had they made it to three hours? The crying was more insistent, and he pushed the covers off and padded to the babies. Riley followed close behind. They didn’t talk at this point, they never did. They kept everything quiet and calm and in semi-darkness. By routine Riley went to get the bottles and Jack changed diapers if needed. As a team they worked and were soon back in bed. The clock had only just passed three am.

“Mmph.” Riley said something unintelligible from behind him.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. Then he found the warm spot snuggled up to his furnace of a husband and wished for sleep.