Page 60 of A Heart Falls Cowboy Christmas

“Zach reminded me this morning,” Finn told her. “We plan to take them riding—which means about three minutes for Anton and a couple times around the arena for Neka.”

“They’ll have a blast.” She smiled at him. “You’re having too much fun with this dad business.”

“Never too much, but yeah. I’m enjoying pretty much every minute.”

They stepped into the room they’d visited the night before and found not only Lisa and Josiah with Silas, but the other couples they’d come to see.

Kelli sat in the recliner; Kyle curled up in her lap. Beside her, Luke held a small bundle wrapped in a bright green blanket.

On the opposite side of the room, Tucker was unfolding a portable playpen while Ginny sat with Demi on her knee, and a bundle of yellow in her arms.

“You’re saving us wandering through the halls to find you,” Karen offered, swooping in on Kelli. “Congrats on making it through.”

“Much better this go-round,” Kelli said after accepting the hug. “Ginny had the worst go of it.”

“The longest,” Ginny admitted. “But after the marathon of walking was over, delivery went well.”

The playpen ready, Tucker took Demi and plopped her into it. “You watch from there, sweetie.”

Demi popped to her feet, bouncing as she hung onto the top rail and looked around the room. Her grin widened. “Anton. Hi, hi, hi.”

“Hi.” Anton waved.

Ginny patted the seat beside her. “Here, Karen. You can have your first official cuddle from David.”

Karen greedily took the baby as Finn slipped in close and knelt so he and Anton could both see better.

David’s face was screwed up as if concentrating.

“Baby.” Anton shot out a hand as if to pet him. Finn leaned back barely in time to keep little uncoordinated fingers from poking David in the eye.

“Gentle hands,” Finn warned.

Anton’s eyes widened and he patted the edge of the baby blanket he could reach with as much control as possible. Which wasn’t much, so Finn stood and went to the other side of the room and stopped in front of Luke and Kelli.

“Congrats to you guys as well. We see you tried to make it simple to remember birthdays by stacking them up on top of each other?”

“Tried,” Kelli said. She pointed at Ginny. “But that one messed it up.”

“Three minutes after midnight. Sorry for being so slow,” Ginny drawled.

“Maybe the clock was wrong,” Tucker offered.

Next to him, Luke rose and took Anton. “Sit. You can have a go at cuddles with Kayla. She’s delighted to meet you.”

A moment later, Finn’s head was full of new-baby scent, his arms cradling a teeny wide-eyed infant who stared up at him as if memorizing his face.

Had Anton once been this small and helpless? Finn could barely remember those days even though he knew they’d happened.

Yet now his son had so much personality, with opinions and so many things that gave Finn delight.

He glanced around the room. Luke had put Anton in the playpen with Demi, and they were busy meowing at each other. Luke had stolen Silas from Lisa and was holding him up next to David. Josiah leaned over the playpen and offered the toddlers toys from the bag stowed by the side wall.

It was a moment of perfection. Not only the time shared with friends, but the way everyone was there for it. Babies passed through hands that cared for more than their own. Smiles and teases and laughter that was real and comfortable.

Finn was still thinking about it later that day when Zach arrived with little Anneka.

His best friend walked in the front door, Anneka tottering at his side. “We’re here, and I’ve got everything ready.” Zach spotted Anton standing by the couch. “Hey buddy. Ready to go see the horses?”