Epilogue
NINE MONTHS LATER, CEDAR RIDGE, IDAHO
JACI
He thought he was going to get the last word in, but he’d never dealt with a pregnant woman at the end of her third trimester with a nesting instinct the size of the Grand Canyon.
“I will finish this custom order, and I will wash the bedding for our daughter’s crib, and I’ll do it on my head if I have to. Now, please. Go. Play with Archer and the boys. Don’t you have a meeting scheduled today?”
I was looking forward to some alone time today and had just a few more hours before Simon came home from school.
I had a list of things to get done before this little miss made her debut.
Why couldn’t men understand that? But luckily for me, my man made up for it in many delightful, inventive ways.
Like last night, when he showed me that my nonexistent waist and added pounds did nothing to curtail his need to be inside of me.
Just thinking about how he’d carefully arranged my legs and placed a pillow under my hips to ease my discomfort while also amplifying my body’s need for him, my nipples puckered and an aftershock tugged low in my belly. It had been just what we both needed last night.
The stress of his new job, although he loved it, and the impending birth of our little girl, which we were both excited for, had us needing the release. In fact, maybe I had some time and he could be late to his meeting.
“Yeah, about that. Archer’s on his way over. He says he has a gift for the baby and wanted us to have it before she’s born.” Rafe had the good sense to back up as he made his announcement.
I mean, I liked Archer, and his brothers.
But the man had no personal life. He spent more time here than at his own home.
Often when they were in Rafe’s office discussing new ideas for training, I’d catch snippets of conversation that interestingly included Kelee Johansson’s name, who’d been our realtor.
There was definite history between them, and I’d wondered why he’d chosen her brokerage firm for his adjacent affordable housing project if they didn’t get along.
I thought she was a lovely person, but she seemed to bring him nothing but aggravation.
Then, there was every time I suggested having a group dinner, she’d beg off.
Another aftershock that I quickly realized was so not one of the blissful kind you sometimes get after sex, shot through my belly along with a new ache in my lower back.
“Babe, you just turned stark white? Is it the baby?” Fear, concern and love all twined together in Rafe’s voice as his complexion went pale too.
“Yeah, about that. I might be having contractions. Now stay right here; we're not racing off to the hospital yet. We’ve got time, and I need to call Devon’s mom. Mazie’s going to keep Simon with them until Becca can catch a flight to be here. Now, help me get the bedding into the washer. Please?”
My husband recovered from his momentary shock.
Who could blame him? We thought we had at least another two weeks.
“You want to do laundry. Now?” Hands on hips encased in well-worn jeans, a muscle hugging dark blue henley with the ranch’s logo on the chest and work boots, he looked like the new version of himself he’d created since moving to Cedar Ridge, but he sounded suspiciously like the former Major Lucas, Commander of base security.
“Yes. But I’m willing to compromise. If you want to take on the washing, drying and making of the crib before we bring Baby Lucas home, I’ll not worry about it now and go finish packing my overnight bag.
” I waited a beat to see if he’d bite. Teasing Rafe just kept getting more fun the longer we were together.
“We can’t keep calling her “baby Lucas” and wait, you haven’t finished packing yet?
” Turning on his heel, my contractions forgotten for the moment, which was my plan all along, he stomped down the hallway from my studio to our bedroom.
The sound of drawers opening and closing and some new curse words I wasn’t familiar with reached me as I waddled after him.
Stupid hip flexors had been plaguing me for the last few weeks.
“You sure you know what I need in the hospital, dear?”
“Jaci, please. Now is not the time for your sassiness. I can’t properly respond now, can I?”
“Oh, but seeing you holding a thong in one hand and my favorite shortie nighty in the other is very entertaining. Besides, think of last night’s activities as a pre-response.
It’s going to have to hold both of us over for at least the next six weeks.
” Another contraction hit, this one sharper.
I cradled my belly with one hand and reached out to Rafe with the other.
He was at my side immediately. He let me squeeze his fingers while he counted out my breath for me. “Still want to wait before leaving for the hospital, dear?” His tone gentle and sarcastic, I blew out my breath as the contraction disappeared, then chuckled.
“Only if you let me pack my things and you call Mazie, please?”
“Deal.” He released me and grabbed his cell. “And oh, by the way, Mrs. Lucas. You, my stunner of a wife, will rock this birth, okay?”
“Oh, Rafe. Now is not the time to make me cry. How did I get so lucky with you? I love you so much.”
“I’m the lucky one. Love you more.” Rafe took my hand in his again. “Hold on tight, I've got you. Now breathe it out, and then we’ll leave for the hospital. I can’t wait to meet our little girl.”