Chapter 31
Thirty-One
“ A re we late?” Evie asked as they walked up John and Abby’s driveway. It had been a week since everything happened with Garrett, and Sam was still hovering over her. He barely let her walk to the bathroom on her own. Which was why she’d insisted that it was too close of a distance to drive, wanting to move her body a bit while it still wasn’t super uncomfortable to.
And although she would never, ever admit it to him, she was regretting that decision. It was sweltering out. She was well and properly soaked in sweat by the time they made it to the house across the road.
“We aren’t late.” Sam had the goofiest grin plastered on his face. “Jackson and Grace look like they just got here, too.”
Evie’s eyes landed on a truck parked off to the side of the driveway, where Jackson was helping Grace down.
“Evie! Sam!” Her friend’s face lit up as she waddled towards them.
“Hey, Grace. How are you feeling?” Sam asked, his hand sliding to the small of Evie’s back .
“Like I’m about to pop. I know I’ve still got three weeks to go, but good grief, this little guy is giving me a run for my money just like his brother did.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to go back home?” Jackson asked.
“No. I want to see my friends and I want you to have time with the guys.” She turned to Evie. “I don’t know if it’s started happening with Sam, but I swear when you get really close to your due date, men lose all sense of themselves and become anxious old grannies.”
“Thanks for that, Gracie.” Jackson dipped his head to press a kiss to Grace’s neck.
Evie laughed. “Sam’s been that way since the very beginning.”
“And with good reason.” Next thing she knew, Evie was smooshed against his chest, as she was peppered with kisses.
That familiar warmth of love spread through her chest as they separated. She thought she saw a conspiratorial look pass between the men, but chalked it up to her overactive imagination and hyper hormones.
She should have known to trust her instincts. The men had let Evie and Grace walk in front of them, and when she opened the door to go inside, all their friends were there waiting, surrounded by balloons, party hats, flowers, and a big banner that read: EVIE AND GRACE’S BABY SHOWER.
“SURPRISE!” A chorus of voices washed over them.
“It’s a girls’ night baby shower!” Emma’s laugh carried through Abby and John’s house. Evie couldn’t hold back her giggle as she accepted a warm hug from her enthusiastic friend.
“Did you know?” Evie turned to find Sam over her shoulder.
“Yeah, I knew. And I knew how much you would protest, because you are strong and independent and don’t need anyone’s help. But I want you to be celebrated, Bluebell. You and Jellybean deserve to be loved on. Now go in and have fun with our friends.”
Time flew by as Evie and Sam made their way to say hello to everyone. Eventually, after the most delicious meal of grilled steak, Hasselback potatoes, watermelon, a pasta salad so incredible she needed to ask Daisy for the recipe, and more sweet treats that she should have indulged in, the group split, with the guys going outside with the kids and the girls taking up residence in the living room.
“Oh, my goodness. Evie. That baby is going to be popping out of you any day now. Look at this belly!” Emma placed her hands right over Jellybean.
“Don’t remind me. I’ve still got five weeks to go. It feels like she can’t possibly take up any more room than she already is, but I know she’s going to. Sam’ll need to put me in a wheelbarrow to get me back over here for the wedding.”
“I’m sure he can think of more fun ways to get you where you need to go!” Emma winked as she made her way towards Grace. “And you! How is my newest little nephew doing in there?”
Grace winced and shifted her body, stuffing another pillow behind her back. “He’s a little stinker just like Jack was. I’ve been having prodromal labor pains for three nights now.”
“That’s terrifying. How do you know when it’s the real thing?” Evie asked.
“Well, we’re still three weeks away from the due date, so that’s floating around in the back of my mind. And when these contractions start, they’re consistently two to three minutes apart. There’s no build up to them.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s honestly more annoying than anything. Thankfully, Nellie and Tom have Jack tonight so Jackson promised to run me a bath when we get home. It’s the only thing that seems to get them to calm down.”
“Mom!” Evie watched as Addie, Emma and Seb’s daughter, bounced into the living room, Seb trailing behind her looking dazed. “I asked Dad if I could have a brownie, but he said I needed to ask you since it’s getting close to bedtime.”
Evie smiled. Something radiated between Seb and Emma as she turned to talk to her daughter.
“Of course you can. One brownie before bed won’t hurt anything.”
Addie threw her arms around Emma’s neck. “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“Love you too, kiddo.”
“I’ll be right in to help you cut one, okay? Wait for me in the kitchen,” Sebastian directed.
“Okay.” Addie bounced back out of the room in the same energetic fashion she’d entered with.
“Sprinkles.”
Emma stood and rushed into Seb’s open arms.
“Is everything okay?” Evie leaned over and whispered to Grace.
“I think that might be the first time Addie has called them ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’. I know they had a conversation with her a while ago, about using whatever terms she felt comfortable with. I guess she was ready,” Grace replied, clearly choked up with emotion.
“I didn’t realize she was adopted,” Evie admitted.
“By Sebastian, yes. But Emma… it’s a really long story, and not really my place to share. If you ask her about it, I’m sure she’d tell you. Emma isn’t shy when it comes to telling her story. But it is hers to tell.”
Evie looked at the scars covering Emma’s arms as she wrapped them around Sebastian’s back.
“I understand. You’re a great friend, Grace.”
“I’m just happy to have friends that are my family. You included. We pregnant ladies have to stick together. ”
“Yes we do. On that note, do you need anything? Another drink? Another brownie?”
“Don’t even think about getting up, Evie.” Daisy stood. “I’m happy to grab whatever the guests of honor might need.”
“I’m good for right now,” Grace replied.
“Me too.”
“Okay, now that I’ve pulled myself together, maybe we could open presents?” Emma walked behind the couch and started pulling out gift bags and boxes wrapped in beautiful paper.
“You guys didn’t need to do all this.” Grace smiled as Daisy handed her a bag.
“Nonsense. Our new niece and nephew deserve to be celebrated. A sprinkle for Grace and a shower for Evie!”
“Oh gosh. I’m going to pee my pants if I keep laughing like that!” Grace tried to hoist herself off of the couch, reaching for Abby’s outstretched hand when she started to struggle. “I need to use the?—”
She stopped, grabbing her belly and looking down at the floor. She must have dropped something off her lap, but Evie couldn’t see anything on the ground.
It didn’t register until Emma and Daisy jumped up from their seats.
“Grace, was that your water?” Abby asked.
She nodded, her eyes going wide as Daisy stepped up beside her. “Emma, can you go get Jackson?”
“Of course! Oh my God. Crazy things really are always happening at girls’ night.”
“Are you okay?” Evie asked as Grace grimaced and held on to her belly.
“Yes. I guess it wasn’t practice contractions today. Oh shit. I’m not ready at all.” She turned to Daisy. “We don’t have the car seat in for him yet. And I didn’t put together the bassinet. I don’t even have a hospital bag packed. Where is Jack going to stay? I don’t know?—”
“Gracie!” Jackson’s voice boomed as he ran into the living room. His hands slid up to her face, cupping her cheeks as he smiled. “Are you okay?”
“My water broke!”
“I know, beautiful. Emma told me. We should have stayed home.”
“And miss out on Girls’ Night?” She let out a soggy laugh and Evie felt her heart swoop as Jackson placed a kiss on Grace’s forehead.
“Let’s get you out to the truck before you have the baby on Abby and John’s couch.”
“As much as we’d love bragging rights to where our nephew is born,” John laughed, “I fully agree with Jackson for once. I can give you guys an escort into town if you want.”
A warm hand landed on the small of Evie’s back and she jumped.
“Sorry,” Sam whispered in her ear. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“What do you guys need us to do?” Hank asked as Evie’s attention went back to the flurry of action in front of her.
“No.” Daisy turned from her husband towards Grace and Jackson. Grace groaned and leaned over, clutching her belly. “Don’t worry about anything. Jackson, you get her to the hospital… as soon as this contraction is over. Hank and I will swing by your house and get things together for you. John, call your mom and make sure it’s okay for Jack to stay there. If not, we can take him for a couple days, no problem.”
“Sure, but Abby and I can watch him, too.”
“Right. We’ll figure it out.”
“Thank you, guys. I don’t… he’s not supposed to be coming right now.” Grace’s voice hitched and Evie felt her own emotions swell.
“You’re going to be fine. He’s just impatient like all the Boone men,” Abby joked.
Emma pulled Grace into a hug. “You are a badass, Grace. You’ve got this.”