"I am going to assume, from the fact that you are still wearing last night's tuxedo at," James consulted his watch, "eight thirty-two in the morning, that the date went either really well or really badly." James tilted his head as Barney bounded up the front steps. "Did you even go home?"

Barney shoved his hands deep into his pockets and ducked his head before he met James's curious gaze. "Things went really well."

James peered past Barney to the BMW parked at the curb. "If Robin's waiting in the car, she doesn't have to. She's welcome to come in anytime."

"That's good to know," Barney answered, "but Robin's not in the car. I was a perfect gentleman last night. I saw her inside as far as her lobby, but we are going out again. Lunch on Thursday. Ellie will be in daycare, so no sitter needed." Barney fought the urge to bounce on the balls of his feet.

James counted on his fingers. "First date last night, second date on Thursday. That makes this coming Sunday your third date. First one in four years. Little brother's getting back in the game. I don't have to call Rhonda French to give you lessons again, do I? Mom said she's been asking about you."

Barney affected an exaggerated shudder. Two encounters with Rhonda French were more than enough. Maybe if he'd never been with her the first time, he wouldn't be in this mess at all. No telling, though, who a Rhonda-less Barney would have become, but if it meant he'd never have met Robin, he didn't want to find out. "Does she still call me Barry?"

"About half the time." James answered with a dry laugh. "She said you should come around sometime."

"No, thanks. It's not even an actual date on Sunday. I'm probably going to spend more time with strange dogs than I am with Robin. She's working the event, and I'm bringing Ellie. We're going to be in a park full of people, dogs and cameras all day long. Nothing is going to happen."

James held up one finger. "Except for Robin meeting Ellie. That's going to be big. Is Robin ready for that?" James stepped back into the entryway and motioned Barney inside. Ellie's portable playpen, broken down and folded, leaned against the staircase, next to stroller and car seat.

Electronic bass notes thumped down the stairs from behind Eli's closed door as Barney followed James down the hall toward the kitchen. No other voices. No baby sounds. Too quiet. He jingled the keys in his pocket. Slightly better. "I hope so. She's the one who invited me, remember? Besides, it's not all going to be about Ellie. I'm meeting Robin's dog. Robin has a dog now, did I mention that? Black and white mutt, one ear up, one ear down. Alberta. You know, after the province, which doesn't make any sense, since Robin is from Vancouver. Vancouver would be a lame dog name. In New York, I mean. It could probably work somewhere like Seattle, or maybe Oregon. Someplace where dogs wear bandanas instead of collars. Maybe I should bring Alberta a present. Not a bandana, though. Dogs like tennis balls, right?"

James pivoted and planted one hand square in the middle of Barney's chest. "Got to stop you there. You're babbling. I get it. You're nervous about Robin meeting Ellie." He turned Barney toward the open pocket doors leading to the living room and pointed him toward the couch on the far side of the room. "Sit. Stay."

Barney dropped onto the leather cushions and folded his arms. Leave it to James to cut through all the crap. Ellie's stuffed zebra lay on the coffee table, next to a pile of crayons and construction paper. "Tom's out with Ellie again, isn't he?" Barney picked up the zebra and checked sewn-on eyes and mouth for loose threads. Nothing. Good. He set it down on the next cushion. Second time in a row Tom and Ellie were out when Barney came to get her, and third time this week. He wasn't imagining the pattern.

"He is," James answered as he settled into the wing chair next to the couch, "and this time, I asked him to take her. Sadie, too."

Barney stood the zebra on all four legs and let it flop onto its side. "Is this the part where you tell me I should be prepared for the chance that Robin really can't handle being around Ellie? That it's going to be like losing Robin all over again, but I can't go off the deep end this time because I have Ellie and you're sick of cleaning up my messes?" Barney scrubbed both hands through his hair. "I know all that. Robin said Ellie's not a dealbreaker. I asked her outright. She wouldn't like about something like that. I know there's no way of telling until they actually meet, but," his gaze flicked to the open door. No telling, either, when Tom and the girls would get back. "Robin asked me to come up with her last night. This morning. After midnight. She said I could stay. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I have to do things right this time. For Robin and for Ellie."

"And for yourself." James leaned forward, hands clasped, elbows balanced on his knees. "It's good that you're looking out for Ellie, and that you're considering Robin's feelings, but you're the only brother I've got. I'm going to need you at the top of your game."

Barney knew that catch in James's voice. "Everything okay?"

This time, it was James who looked back toward the hallway. "Tom does want another kid. We were up with Ellie last night and it came out."

Barney let out a low whistle. "That's big." Want to take this one? He flicked the zebra's front hoof with one finger. "Do you want another kid?"

James scratched at the back of his neck and sucked air through his teeth. "I love having Ellie around, and she does remind me how great it was when Eli and Sadie were little. We never had an actual newborn, so I get the appeal of finally getting to experience this stage." James cast a pointed look at Ellie's zebra. "Our kids were babies a long time ago. Tom and I were both a lot younger then. Eli will be eighteen and out of the house in three years. He's even talking about the Army, if you can believe that. Sadie's almost ten; she'll be a teenager before we know it. I want Tom to be happy. He's a good father, and I love him, but-" he trailed off with a shake of his head.

"You'll figure it out. You're still up for borrowing Ellie once in a while, right?"

"Yeah, sure. If Tom and I aren't home, Eli is becoming a hot commodity in the neighborhood babysitting market. He said to mention he'll give you the family discount."

Barney stood the zebra on its hind legs and pumped one of its front legs in the air. "Awesome. I'll take him up on that."

The front door clattered against the wall a split second before Sadie's footsteps pounded against the hardwood floor and up the stairs a moment before she knocked on Eli's door. Tom's steps, slower and more solid, stopped. The door didn't close. "Want me to get her for you?"

Barney hauled himself from the couch. "I'll do it. Could use some help with the car seat, though."

"No problem." James pushed himself out of the chair and followed Barney down the hall.

Tom stood in the doorway, one hand on Ellie's head, one hand on the doorknob. He ducked his head at Barney's approach. "Hey. Sadie had the best idea while we were at the park. James and I were going to surprise Sam by bringing the kids and filling the front pew at service. You and Ellie should come. We could put the car seat in the van, and you guys wouldn't have to go all the way home and drive out later."

Sure, Sadie's idea. "Crap, it's not his birthday already, is it?"

"Nah. Mom just thought it would be nice for Dad to have his own family present because he's talking about family today." James slipped by Barney to put an arm around Tom's shoulder and whisper something Barney couldn't hear.

Tom let out a long breath. "It would mean a lot." He dropped a kiss on Ellie's head and lifted her out of the sling.

Not, Barney guessed, only to Sam. "That actually does sound good, but I'm not exactly dressed for it." He took Ellie from Tom and settled her on his shoulder. "Did she eat yet?"

"She doesn't want anything to do with the soy formula, but Eli got her to take half a bottle." Tom extricated himself from the sling and draped it over the banister. "You're talking to Dr. Flynn about going back to cow milk based, right?"

Barney rubbed Ellie's back in slow circles. "I know how to feed my own kid."

"Tom." There was a world of warning in James's voice.

Tom held up both hands in a placating gesture. "Sorry. It really would be good for Sam if everybody came. You can grab a shower here, and I can lend you something less, um," he swept Barney with a quick glance, "formal. How'd it go last night, anyway?"

"It went well." Barney shifted Ellie into the crook of his arm, his hand supporting her head. Blonde wisps curled around his fingers. "What do you say, want to see Grandma and Grandpa early?"