Chapter 35
Thirty-Five
“ L et me see the ring!!” Daisy squealed as Sam helped Evie out of the truck. She held her hand up and Daisy’s eyes went wide. “Oh, it’s stunning!”
“I love it so much. But I love the cowboy I get to spend the rest of forever with so much more.”
“How did your mom and sister take the news?”
Sam smiled. “They were over the moon. Abby was more than happy to point out that she always wanted a sister and is thrilled with Evie now becoming hers.”
“That seems like something Abby would say. Okay, let’s go in! I’ve got brownies waiting to celebrate.”
“How are you feeling?” Daisy set the plate of brownies down on the coffee table and Evie waited for Sam to pass her one.
“Good. Aside from the scare we had last week, I’m honestly fine. A few Braxton Hicks contractions every now and then, but nothing concerning.”
Hank walked into the room with their drinks. “Congratulations, you two.” He shook Sam’s hand and smiled at Evie .
“Thanks, Hank.”
“So, what are the plans? Are you going to get hitched before the baby comes?”
Evie looked at Sam, ready to hear his answer.
“I’d like to,” he said. “But Evie and I don’t want to take away from John and Abby. They deserve to celebrate their special day and just have the focus be on them. Especially after everything they went through last year.”
“That’s really sweet of you guys.” Daisy handed Evie a glass of water.
“I think we might do something quiet down at the courthouse a few days after. I’m due that week, but most first time moms go past their due date, and with Jellybean still measuring a bit small, I’m thinking she might give us a few extra days before she comes.”
“We’d really love to be there,” Daisy looked at the both of them with such hope in her eyes. “Even if it is just something small, and you’re planning to celebrate later. We’d like to be there to celebrate you both. Right, Hank?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’d love that.” Evie reached over and squeezed Daisy’s hand. “Can’t get married without the woman who is responsible for me coming to Bell Ridge in the first place.”
“I just had a feeling in my gut that you were the right woman for Sam. It worked out better than I ever imagined.”
“Alright,” Hank cleared his throat. “I think we should probably go over some of the proposals we’ve gotten from drilling companies to see if anything is remotely interesting to us, before Daisy pulls you both into planning out your entire wedding by lunch.”
“Are you sure you want to do this with me?”
There hadn’t been a proposal that either couple felt was right for their land and families, so with hugs and handshakes, and a plate full of Daisy’s brownies, Sam brought Evie back to the apartment. Their afternoon plans were to sit down and go through the online birthing course, but for some reason, Evie didn’t seem to believe that he wanted to be there.
“I’m going to be there when she’s born. I want to be able to support you however you need me to.”
“I wasn’t even going to do a class. What more do I need to know than I want them to inject me with drugs to take away the pain the second I get there?”
Sam bent down and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Then that’s exactly what I want for you, too. But I still think this will help.”
“Sylvie sure seemed to think so, too. I guess I should trust the woman who birthed two humans to know a thing or two about what’s needed.”
The first hour of the birthing class had lulled Sam into a false sense of control. They’d practiced some breathing techniques, and learned about the signs of early labor, which was everything that had been listed off to them when they’d arrived at the hospital the week before. Sam was feeling more confident about the whole process and being a good partner to Evie when the time came.
But the second hour is where things took a dramatic and intense turn in the course material.
“Are you okay?” Evie hadn’t taken a full breath since the baby started crowning on the video, her body like a concrete pillar pressing against him. “Bluebell?”
“I think I’m going to be sick.” Her bright brown eyes met his, and all he saw was an ocean of terror looking back at him. He forced down his own queasiness. That video was not for the faint of heart, but he wasn’t about to let Evie see even one drop of the worry that was coursing through his veins.
“Hey, whoa. Okay. Let’s put a hold on this for a minute.” Sam reached over to the laptop and paused the video before sinking back onto the couch with his arms wrapped around Evie. Her head nuzzled into the crook of his neck and he placed his hand on her belly. “What’s going on?”
“I shouldn’t have watched that. I-It was better not knowing that it’s going to be like… like that.”
“It’s not that bad.”
Her jaw dropped. “Says the person in this relationship that does not have to squeeze a watermelon out of their body! Oh my god, Sam, how can you be so calm? That’s horrific. I knew I’d need to do it, but I don’t know what I was thinking. I was lost in the baby bliss. The cute outfits and the sweet cuddles. The thought of all the precious memories we’d make together over the years. Not that. There’s nothing blissful about that. ” She frantically waved her hand at the computer screen, which was now frozen on the laboring woman screaming out in pain. Whoops. He probably should have just closed the whole laptop instead of trying to pause it.
“I’m calm because I’ve seen lots and lots of animals give birth in my life. And it’s all been messy, and primal, but really incredible and beautiful, too.”
Her head raised up off his shoulder and her finger jabbed into his chest. “If you’re trying to compare me giving birth to a cow giving birth, I swear to God, Cowboy, you can call off our wedding right now.”
Sam captured her finger and pressed a kiss to it. “We aren’t calling off a damn thing.”
Evie’s eyes welled up with tears.
“What’s wrong?”
“I got thinking about Lemon. ”
Oh no. She was spiraling, fast.
“Come on. Up you go.” Sam jumped up, placing his feet on either side of Evie’s as he helped her stand. Her belly was getting so big, it was almost comical.
“What are we doing?”
“We’re going to dance.”
“What?”
“You heard me. You’re going to put your head over my heart, and we are going to slow dance until you’re feeling calm. Then we are going to finish this birthing class because you are the strongest, fiercest woman I know, and if anyone can handle it, it’s you.”
He continued to lead the slow back and forth rock until he felt the tension start to leave her body.
“What are we going to do about the apartment when the baby comes?”
“What do you mean?”
“Sam. I love it up here, but there isn’t even a bedroom for her. We have to figure out something.”
“Ah. Here. I wanted to wait until things were finalized with the county, but I think today is as good a day as any…”
He held her hands as she lowered herself onto the sofa.
“Why are you being so cryptic?”
“Because. I’ve been working on a little surprise, and it’s probably time I let you in on it.”
She had the cutest questioning look on her face that he couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss her.
“Remember how I told you I branded your name into my hat the night of the solstice?”
“Yes. How could I forget that?”
“Well, over the next few days, I spent time sketching.”
“Sketching…”
“Our house.”
Her eyes lit up. “Our house? ”
“The one I’m getting ready to build you. I wasn’t sure it was going to be possible right away, but with the money we’ll have coming in from the oil, it’ll be more than possible.”
Sam opened his laptop and found the folder where he kept the plans.
“This is the layout and the plan I submitted to the county for permits. I should be hearing back from them this week.”
“Five bedrooms? That seems like too many!”
“Maybe right now.” His hand reached over and covered her belly. “But I plan to fill up all of those rooms over the next few years.”
“Oh you do, do you? I thought you’d want to enjoy time with me not being the size of a hot air balloon.”
“Bluebell, don’t take this the wrong way, okay? But right now, knowing you’re carrying our girl, I honestly don’t think I could be more attracted to you. I’ll love you through every stage of our lives together. But this…” Sam rubbed over the curve of her belly. “This is so fucking sexy to me.”
“You’re going to need to turn the AC up if you keep talking to me like that.”
Sam laughed as he sneaked a playful nip of her earlobe. “I’m okay with that.”
“Normally, I would be too, but you can’t just drop a whole house in my lap and not tell me how we are going to get everything done with the baby coming and planning a wedding while trying to figure out the future of the ranch and what drilling means for it.”
“Shit. This wasn’t meant to stress you out.”
“It’s not.” She sighed. “Okay, maybe it is.”
“Let’s make a deal. Your only project for right now is to focus on you and Jellybean, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“That’s not fair, Sam.”
“Give and take, isn’t that what you told me? Right now, the finish line with the baby is all you need to be thinking about. After that, we can reevaluate.”
“Fine. But let me see what you’ve drawn for the kitchen, at least. I need to know if you’ll have enough room to cook up all of my weird cravings while I’m busy growing all those babies you want.”
Sam laughed. “Let me show you what I’m thinking…”