Page 76 of Blue Line

“I don’t have one.”

I gasp. “I’m sorry. Come again?”

“I guess technically it’s A.”

“Like the letter A?”

“Yes.”

“Well …”

He chuckles. “Told you it wasn’t that exciting.”

“Who doesn’t give their kid a middle name?”

“My parents couldn’t agree on one that went with my first name, so they picked A because my mom’s name was Anna.”

“That’s a sweet story, even if it is weird you don’t have a middle name.”

“Well, now you know my deepest darkest secret,” he says, the sarcasm evident in his voice.

“That I do. That I do, Weston A. Reynolds.”

Chapter twenty-nine

Wes

“You ready for this?” I adjust my grip on the baby shower gift I’m holding and turn to peek at Hadley.

She swallows, fiddling with the basket in her hand. Another gift from the two of us. She insisted that the swing I’d picked out for Hunt and Mads was for the baby, and we should put together a gift for the parents, specifically momma, since she’d be doing the hard work. Didn’t have to tell me twice.

We may have gone a little overboard, hence the huge basket Hadley’s carrying, which is filled with Madison’s favorites: gift cards to the local coffee shop and a few of the restaurants she and Hunt enjoy, and a few other things Hadley deemed essential.

“Hads?” I prompt.

She squares her shoulders, turning to me. “Let’s do this thing.”

With that, we make our way up the sidewalk toward Hunter and Madison’s house. Pausing at the door, I try to decide if I’m supposed to ring the doorbell or just go in. Before I can make a decision, the door swings open, and Elias, Hunter’s half brother, who I haven’t seen since the season ended—almost three months ago now, since it’s early July—is standing there.

“Hey, E. Good to see you. Didn’t realize you were back in town,” I greet him.

“Hey, guys.” He breaks out into a slow grin, glancing between Hadley and me. “I wanted to be close in case Hunt needed me. Besides, I couldn’t miss their baby shower.”

I can understand that. According to what Hunt told me last week, Madison’s technically full term and could go into labor at any moment. And aside from her dad and her aunt, they have no other family here. I’m sure Hunt’s cousins, who were more like parents to him, would be down here in a heartbeat for the birth of his first child if he asked them, but I know he hasn’t.

“Hi, Elias,” Hadley says.

“Heard congratulations are in order,” he says, stepping back so we can head inside.

“Yep, we’re engaged,” I say.

“I’m happy for you. Both of you,” Elias says as he rounds the corner and pauses in the entrance to the living room.

“Thanks,” Hadley says.

I scan the room, noting that most of my teammates and their partners are here. There’s even a few of the retired guys who still live locally.

“I’m gonna go find the guys,” I tell her once we’ve dropped off our gifts. “Do you want to come with me?” I study her, trying to figure out how she feels about this. Aside from the moment on the sidewalk, I can’t tell if she’s nervous or not.