“Really glad to see you doing so well, Rick. Everyone sends their best. I’ve got to be going now. I’ll see you later.”

He made a hasty exit from the room and missed the knowing looks that passed between the Garzas. Tina leaned her head down on her husband’s arm and kissed his hand. She had much to be thankful for.

*  *  *

It hit him like a ton of bricks. The chaos was complete. Cole was speechless at the sight that met him when he walked into the house.

The baby was crying.

Morgan came running from the kitchen with a heated bottle full of baby formula.

Case was competently patting his son’s behind, trying to soothe him until the arrival of food.

Buddy had disappeared into his room, convinced that dirty diapers and burping babies left a lot to be desired. He’d decided to admire and cuddle when the opportunity arose, and wait until Charlie could communicate on a higher level than shrieks.

Cole grinned. Now this is what I call, “coming home.”

“Hi, everyone,’ he said. “So, this is my nephew. Hi there, fellow,” he crooned, and stroked the baby’s crumpled cheek. His little mouth turned automatically toward the touch, and for a moment, his crying hushed. “Aren’t things going your way today? Boy, can I ever sympathize. Where’s Lily?” he asked, wondering where the new mother was in all this melee.

“Taking a shower,” Case said, and resisted the urge to sock his brother-in-law. “If I were you, I’d be a whole lot more concerned about where Debbie was.”

Cole’s smile disappeared. The sick feeling came back into his stomach with rude force. “What the hell do you mean?” he asked.

Buddy sauntered into the room. “She’s gone.”

Morgan thought fast and shoved a chair behind his son’s knees just before he hit the floor.

“What do you mean…gone?”

Case already regretted the hasty way he’d announced the fact. They’d all suffered a similar panic only moments before, but his son’s distress had taken first place in the sequence of things to be done.

“He means she’s packed. She’s gone. She’s on her way back to Oklahoma. That’s what he means,” Case said shortly. “I told you things were bad. It took you damn long enough to show up and fix them. Looks like you were an hour late and a dollar short.”

“Oh God!” Cole groaned. “When did she leave? Does anyone know when her flight leaves? Maybe I can catch her before—”

“She won’t be on the plane.”

All eyes turned toward Buddy’s bland announcement.

“What do you mean?” Morgan asked. He’d spent too many years seeing that same expression on his son’s face at the worst possible moments.