Five Years Later
“Evie?” Sam’s emotion-filled voice seemed to pull his wife out of her daydream. She stood in front of their mirror, hand splayed over her belly, and he knew she was saying a prayer that the little miracle nestled in her womb would stick this time. Lord knows, he’d been down on his knees every day doing the same thing.
“Did you get Sammy Jo dressed? I know we’re supposed to leave in a few minutes and I’m not even close to being ready. I’m sorry.”
He shook his head, taking two steps closer to her, wrapping his arms across her waist. He’d never stopped pressing his hands to her belly during her pregnancies. Not when they got pregnant right after their first anniversary, not when they suffered three more losses after that one. Bennett’s bench was now not only his. It belonged to Callum, Aurora, Nathan, and Lillianna, too. They hadn’t known whether those babies were boys or girls, but each name just fit in their hearts for the pregnancies.
“I got her dressed. She’s out front with Mom. I also sent a text to Abby asking if Katy wanted to come over and play with her before we all go.” He sighed, his hand dipping down to the slight swell of her belly as he kissed the soft curve of her neck. “Take a breath. We can be a few minutes late. Seb and Emma will understand. I know it’s been hard, with pregnancy around us every which way we turn.”
She shook her head. “I love that our friends are building their families. I just hope this time, it’s our turn, too.”
Evie glanced over at the nightstand. He noticed she’d taken out her medication from the fridge, drawing the solution that would hopefully keep their current pregnancy thriving, up into the needle that Sam would have to stick into her bottom. It was obvious after the first time that she tried to jab herself— and ended up hunched over the toilet throwing up her lunch— that Sam would have to step up and poke her. It was only twice a day, but he hated seeing her in pain.
“This baby is going to make it, Evie.”
“You can’t know that.”
“I guess I can’t. But I just have a feeling. Like Sammy, she’s a fighter too.”
“She?”
There was no way he could know for sure, but he just felt it from the moment Evie had gotten the positive test result. This baby was like her sister. She was going to be in their arms by the end of the year.
They’d been through two rounds of IVF to get to that point. The first retrieval yielded two eggs, and Evie was inconsolable. After both failed to fertilize, she’d wanted to quit. But Sam encouraged her to have faith. And the last time, she’d had one perfect egg that had turned into one perfect three-day embryo. They hadn’t wanted to miss their window for a fresh transfer, so Sam and Evie decided against genetic testing at that stage. Now that she was eight weeks along, she’d be able to do a blood draw sometime in the next month for the screening .
“Yeah. I’ve got a feeling. And Sammy was telling me at breakfast that she’s going to have a little sister named Savannah. Apparently she played with her in a dream last night.”
Tears filled Evie’s eyes. “I would love for her to have a sister. But I just want this baby to make it. I can’t?—”
“Shh. I know. I agreed that this would be our last go of it.” Sam released her and scooped up the medication. “You know, Emma would understand if we didn’t go today. If this ba?—”
“We are not missing this. It’s a huge day for her. It’s a huge day for Daisy, too. My friends deserve to be celebrated.” When he shook his head and sighed, Evie just smiled. “I’ve got this, Cowboy. Now, poke my ass with that needle and let’s get out of here.”
“Never heard you call it a needle before, baby, but you know your cowboy is always ready to poke you.”
She laughed, and for a moment, Sam had his Evie back. The one who had hope for the future. The one who laughed, and was playful. The one whose heart hadn’t been fractured over and over again with the loss of their children.
Sam replaced the cap on the needle once the medication was administered, pressing a kiss to the spot where just a tiny bit of blood escaped through her skin.
He grabbed her dress from the bed and gently tugged it over her head. Once her arms were in the sleeves, Sam wiped away the tears on her cheeks.
“You built this beautiful house for us, Sam. With all these precious bedrooms. I’m sorry I failed you.”
“There has not been one single day since you showed up all those years ago ready to whip my butt into shape that you have failed me, Evie. Not a single day. This is our story, written together. We get to decide the outcome of those rooms. Sammy Jo has one. And this baby will have another. Who’s to say God won’t surprise us with more babies in the future? Who’s to say we won’t pick up hobbies that need space, and that’s how we’ll use those rooms. Maybe Mom will want to take one of them in the next couple of years when she gets sick of going off to spiritual retreats in the woods? No one knows what the future holds. But there is one thing that is certain. I’ll be standing right here, loving you through each and every moment I get with you. Through all the ups and downs.”
“I love you, Cowboy.”
“I love you too, Bluebell.”
“Boys! Let’s go!” John yelled up the stairs. “Katy, can you make sure your brothers have their shoes on?”
“Yeah, Dad! I’ve got it!”
“Thank god for daughters. Is it really hot out today, or is it just me?” Abby asked, digging her fingers into her back. His poor wife was a week away from her due date and miserable. It felt weird that she’d had such a difficult pregnancy this time around, when her pregnancy with the twins had been so smooth.
Yes, John had gotten Abby pregnant on their honeymoon. With twins. It was the best. She decided not to go back to teaching while their kids were little, and that was perfectly fine with him. He’d support her in her dreams, no matter what they looked like. Luke and Landon were born three weeks early, but came out healthy little tanks and bypassed any time in the NICU, which had been a huge worry for Abby. Now, they were just feral little rascals.
The current baby in her belly had been a surprise to them both. They’d agreed that things felt settled with Katy and the boys. But one day, Katy placed a hand on Abby’s belly and laughed about always wanting a sister, and they knew.
“I think it’s you, sweetheart.” He bent over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting his hand fall to where their daughter was clearly doing somersaults in her mama’s belly. “Are you feeling okay? I’m sure Emma wouldn’t mind—LUKE STOP THROWING THAT IN THE HOUSE—if we missed today. She understands.”
“I am not going to let a few contractions and a looming due date stop me from celebrating Seb and Emma.”
His heart dropped. “Can we go back to the part about contractions?”
“It’s nothing.”
“How many?”
“A few.”
“Abby,” he growled.
“Fine! Fine. They started an hour ago… maybe two. I think they’re fifteen minutes apart. Probably longer. It’s not a big deal, Deputy.”
“Let’s go.” John laced his fingers through hers and started pulling her into the living room. From the time Abby had her first contraction to when Landon’s head was crowning had been a horrifically short amount of time. He was traumatized from her screaming about his head coming out while they were still in his truck. “Everyone over to Uncle Sam and Aunt Evie’s house! Mom is having the baby!”
“Mom!” Katy’s eyes went wide. “Are you really?”
“No.” Abby shook her head back and forth. “I’m not. Your dad is being silly. Uncle Sam did message a few minutes ago to see if you wanted to help them with Sammy Jo.”
“Are you sure the baby isn’t coming?”
Abby placed her hands on Katy’s face. The two of them were inseparable, and it never stopped being amazing to John. “I’m sure, kiddo. You’ll be the first person I tell, after Dad, if I think anything is going on.”
“Are you sure?—”
“We’re going,” she snapped, cutting John off.
“Alright. Come on, guys. Everyone in the car. We gotta go over to the ranch first, then we get to go to Uncle Seb and Aunt Emma’s!” John ushered the kids out the door, his eyes bouncing back to his wife every few seconds. He ran around their van to open her door.
“Are you sure about this, Baby? We can drop them off with your brother, or one of mine, and go get you checked out?”
“Stop asking me. I’m NOT messing this up for Emma. We’re going. Get in the car and drive.”
He tried to ignore the way she grimaced and grabbed at her belly. Lord help him if he had to use his emergency baby delivery training. He’d just had the refresher, but had absolutely no interest in trying to deliver his own child.
Thankfully, after stopping at the ranch and finding out Sam and Evie were running behind, it wasn’t too long of a drive to Sebastian and Emma’s place. They’d moved to the country a few years back, wanting more room for Addie to run around and play in. Their home was expansive and beautiful, and they volunteered to host most of the friend get-togethers.
Ten minutes after they left the ranch, John was busy unloading their kids from the car while he watched Abby pretend to not have another contraction.
“Mom, are you sure it’s okay to go play?”
“Katy, it’s fine. I promise someone will let you know if…” she paused, and John was by her side.
“Abby?”
“Nope. I’m good.” He watched her jaw clench. “Go play, Katy.”
Their daughter nodded once, taking off after her brothers. But John didn’t miss the way she looked back, worried about her mom.
“Hey, guys.” Hank clapped John on the back. “I got your paperwork pushed through for paternity leave.”
Hank and John both decided to stay working for Clarence County. Hank was still Sheriff, and John was happy to be working under him as a deputy. The Coopers and the Porters had built a corporation together that oversaw the pumping of crude oil off their land. It provided a comfortable life for their families.
“Thanks, Hank. I think we’ll probably be taking it any day now.” His hand pressed on his wife’s belly, where it was promptly slapped away. God, he forgot how feisty she got at the end. “How’s Daisy doing?”
“Great. Can you believe this has been her easiest one? Madison was a terror, but Henry and this baby seemed to take mercy on her.”
“They say it gets easier…” Abby huffed.
“So. This baby your last one? What do you think?” Hank asked.
“This is it,” Abby responded with a gasp.
“I don’t know, baby. We always talked about having five or six,” John teased. He laughed until her hand latched onto his arm, her fingernails digging into his flesh.
“No. This is it. The baby’s coming.” Her eyes bounced up to his, filled with worry.
“What?”
“I-I… I was wrong. We waited too long. My water just broke.”
“Shit,” John hissed, wrapping his arm around her back.
“Do NOT make a scene,” she groaned through gritted teeth. “Get the kids to one of your brothers and let’s go. She already feels like she’s between my knees.”
“I’ll go get someone for you guys.” Hank smiled as he turned away, jogging towards the front porch where Jackson and Grace were talking to a few of the other shower guests.
“Fuck.” He held his breath as tears filled her eyes. “Hey. It’s fine. I just took my refresher. I can deliver the baby if we need. But that’s not going to happen because we have a plan in place. Grace and Jackson are going to take the kids. We are going to the hospital. She’s going to wait.”
Jackson jogged over to his side. “Hey, get going. We’ve got the kids.”
“Are you sure?” Abby asked, panting as she doubled over with another contraction.
“Absolutely. We can’t wait to meet our newest niece, but we definitely want to do it at the hospital, not in the middle of Seb and Emma’s driveway.”
“Make sure you tell Katy what’s going on… and that I’m okay.” She cried as John helped her into the car.
“They will.” He grabbed her hand over the center console and pressed his lips to her fingers.
“I love you, Baby.”
“I love you too, Deputy. Let’s go meet our little girl.”
“Do you want to feel? They’re kicking up a storm right now.”
Sebastian moved to put his hand on Daisy’s belly, but his wife hip-checked him out of the way and set both her hands right where he was about to touch.
“Sprinkles. Don’t you think I’d like to have a turn feeling our baby move?”
“Don’t think I didn’t see you doing exactly that while I was tied up with the caterers.”
“Busted,” Daisy laughed.
The bond between those two women never ceased to amaze Sebastian. He’d known asking Daisy to carry their baby had been emotional for Emma on so many different levels, but it also seemed to bring their friendship to an even stronger place.
Sebastian was looking forward to the birth of his second child. It was a wild time to be having a baby. Sprinkles was opening its tenth franchise in Texas, Montgomery Equities had offices in six major cities around the country, and his former SEAL team members at Montgomery Defense had scored some major security contracts since he opened the business in Silver Springs. He’d just said hi to the guys and their partners, who were all there to celebrate his wife and baby. It felt so surreal after spending the last few years celebrating his friends’ incredible milestones.
“I don’t know how to ever thank you for the gift you’re giving us, Daisy. There aren’t words?—”
“And there doesn’t have to be. Because we aren’t just connected here,” Daisy pulled Emma’s hand over her heart and placed her own on Emma’s chest. “We’re connected here, too.” Her hand slid to Emma’s solar plexus. “We are burned across each other’s souls, Em. Hank is the love of my life, but so are you. You’re my soul sister. Seeing you happy, it’s like healing a part of my own heart, too.”
“Alright you two,” Seb cleared his throat. “No crying right now.”
Emma swiped at her cheek. “We’re not crying. Are we Daisy?”
“Who, us?” She let out a soggy laugh. “Not us!”
Sebastian wiped at his own eyes. He’d cried on very few occasions over the last few years. His mind immediately thought of the day Addie had first called him Dad. That had been such a big moment for his family. And when Emma held his hand and became his wife. Yeah, there had been tears there too. Something about settling into his family, one with strong females all around him, had softened all the rough edges of his soul.
“Let’s go get you both some cupcakes and open up some presents.”
“Now that sounds incredible. ”
“I’m still mad that you wouldn’t let me bring any brownies today.” Daisy said as she looped arms with his wife.
Emma sighed. “You’re already baking the most important thing for us.”
“I still could have made brownies.” Daisy laughed. “Oh. Here, take your husband’s arm. I need to run to the bathroom!”
Sebastian watched as Daisy took off into the house. Emma threaded her arm through his, resting her head on his arm.
“Thank you, Seb.”
“For what?”
“This life.”
He inhaled sharply. “Emma.”
“It’s better than I ever could have hoped for. Having you and Addie. Agreeing to let our friend carry our baby when I couldn’t…”
“All that matters in the end is that our family is here, together, happy and healthy.”
Her fingers traced over the spot where he had two small star tattoos in honor of her and Addie.
“Are you ready to add another star to our little constellation?”
“Yeah, Sprinkles. I really am.”
“Okay, Mom’s taking Katy to the hospital so she can meet the new baby, and Dad took the twins back home with him.” Jackson slid his hands around Grace’s waist. Her hands were wet from washing dishes in the sink, and he took full advantage, pressing kisses up her neck while she flicked water at him.
“That was quite the baby shower.”
“Jack and Grayson seemed to have a good time. ”
“You know, they climbed that tree again and I had to spend thirty minutes trying to get them out.”
“Gracie, they’re five and seven year old boys. I think we just have to be happy we left the party without any broken bones or fires started.”
A soapy spoon lifted out of the sink and shook at him. “You were the one that insisted on teaching them outdoor survival skills for the past few years. I’m pretty sure they started digging out a bunker in the backyard this week.”
Jackson laughed. “God, I love those kids.”
“Yeah, we’re doing a good job with them.”
“When do you leave with Seb for that development meeting?”
He was so goddamn proud of his incredible wife. Not only had she brought their two boys into the world and made him the happiest man when she married him, but she prioritized their family’s well-being while pursuing her career. So much so that she was able to convince him to leave active firefighting.
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, after Gracie had Grayson, there were too many fears that rushed at him every time he entered a fire. He was relieved when his application to teach at the fire academy was accepted.
Grace and Sebastian had a long running partnership that was proving to be lucrative to both parties. She had an eye for true deals in undeveloped real estate, and Seb was happy to leverage that for all the work he was doing through Montgomery Equities.
“Tuesday. Your parents asked if they could have the boys overnight on Friday, though. I think they’re doing a cousin sleepover. Which will probably be even more important now for John and Abby.”
His hand slid to cup her cheek. “And when are you coming back? ”
“Friday afternoon.”
“So, you’re telling me, I have Friday night to wine and dine my wife without our wild hooligans running around cock blocking me every chance they get?”
Grace laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Jackson pinched her bottom and lifted her up onto the counter, smiling at the squeak of surprise she let out. He pressed his body between her thighs, stealing a hungry kiss from her.
“God, I love you, Gracie.”
She ran both hands, still slightly damp from the dishes, through his hair. “I love you too, Jackson.”
“MOM!! I’m scared!”
Grayson’s voice rang out through the house. Grace giggled, resting her forehead against his. “Save that thought for Friday, handsome.”
Hank slid into bed next to Daisy.
“Both kids are down for the count. Henry tried to get me to read two stories tonight, but he was out like a light the minute his head hit the pillow.”
“All that fresh air at the shower was good for them. We really are blessed to raise them with all our friends.”
His hand slid over Daisy’s belly, laughing as their niece or nephew kicked against the pressure.
“It’s wild to know this little one is coming soon, but that we’ll still get to sleep through the night once they’re here.”
“Exciting, isn’t it? We’ll get all the great cuddles and then come back to our craziness with Sunny and Henry.”
“Are you doing okay?”
“Of course. I’m Aunt Daisy. I’d always hold this sweet baby close to my heart, whether or not I actually carried her close to my heart.”
“We’re certainly always going to have a special connection to him , won’t we?”
A sharp elbow dug into his side and he laughed.
“I wrote down my brownie recipe today when we got home from the shower,” she whispered, wrapping her leg over his as she curled into his chest.
“You did? Why?”
“I’m going to give it to Emma when the baby comes.”
“Christ. Are you trying to kill the poor woman on the day her kid is born?”
Her big blue eyes stared up at him. “What do you mean?”
“She’s already going to be an emotional wreck because how can you not be when your child is placed in your arms for the first time?” His mind wandered back to the first time he held Madison, and then Henry. His eyes had filled with tears both times, and he didn’t hold a single one back. “But finally having that recipe will probably send her over the edge.”
“I thought it would be nice. You know she’s been asking me to give it to her for years.”
“It is a nice gift. Just maybe wait until things settle down emotionally for her and Seb.”
She sighed, her head falling back onto his shoulder. “You’re probably right.”
“Did you enjoy today?”
“Celebrating Emma and Seb and their beautiful family with Addie and the new baby? I’d say it was long overdue. I almost, almost forgive her for eloping and not telling us for two months. Almost.” She brushed her face.
Hank’s brows creased. “Why are you crying, Sunshine?”
“I just feel so blessed. That we’ve gotten to have all this time together. This family that we’ve built, with our kids, and with our friends. I never could have imagined when I came home all those years ago that this is where life would lead me.”
“All because a handsome sheriff failed to give a speeding ticket to the whirlwind who stole his heart.”
“Hm. I thought it was all because a sweet small town farmer charmed the pants off a cranky old sheriff.”
His fingers dug into her sides until she burst out laughing.
“You better close your eyes and go to sleep before you get yourself in trouble, Daisy.”
“Trouble sounds like fun.” She scrunched her face up and yawned. “But sleep sounds just a bit better tonight.”
He pressed his lips to her temple as she wiggled against his side to get comfortable.
“Goodnight, Sheriff.”
“Goodnight, Sunshine.”