Chapter 39
Thirty-Nine
“Alright, Mama. Here’s one fresh and clean little boy, bundled up extra tight and ready for his midnight snack.”
Jessie was in heaven. As powerful and incredible as it had been to hear Hawk proudly talk about ‘his girls’ throughout her pregnancy, it didn’t compare to how much her heart burst with pride thinking about her boys. Hawk, and their son… who still needed a name.
They had time. Birdie stayed the entire day, leaving just a bit ago to get some sleep at Beau’s.
She’d been so cautious in watching over Jessie and the baby since the delivery.
And although Hawk was a little apprehensive about staying home, there was no reason to leave.
Their son was healthy, and Hawk had already called Jake to see if he would be willing to make a house call in the morning to establish the baby’s medical care.
Of course their friend had agreed. They were blessed to have so many wonderful people supporting them.
“I called my mom and dad while you were resting. They’re over the moon. And as much as they want to get on a plane and come out to meet him, they don’t want to come before we're ready for them to be here.”
Jessie smiled. “I love your parents so much already.”
They’d limited the number of people who’d met Bee already to just Mae and Stone, and of course her mom and dad, too. Their friends and her brothers had been so understanding.
“Oh my god!” she screeched.
“What? What’s wrong.”
“The Founder’s Day setup. Did we… Did everything get done? My poor parents. I didn’t even think of it before now…”
The worry melted off of Hawk’s face. “Jesus, Jess. You almost gave me a heart attack.”
Little did he know how close she was to having her own, not just because of her panic over Lachlan’s fundraiser. Seeing him holding Bee against his bare chest, swaying in the moonlight with his shorts slung low on his hips was making her heart feel all sorts of wonky.
“Since Gunner, Stone, and Gage were here helping Colt, Hayes and Beau went back to work. Last I heard, it was all set to go. You don’t need to worry. You pulled it all off, even while giving birth. You’re incredible.”
“Our friends and family are incredible. I’m so thankful for them. And that Bee is finally here, safe and sound.”
Hawk nodded. “Do you want to try and feed him before you get up to use the bathroom or… shoot, I wasn’t thinking.
Maybe we should have done that first.” Hawk swayed side to side with Bee in his arms, but was by her side in an instant as she tried to get into a more seated position.
He shifted the baby into a seasoned one-arm hold while the other braced her arm and helped her move back against the pillows.
“You’ve sure got this dad thing down pat already.”
Hawk shrugged. “I practiced a lot.”
Wait… what?
“On who? Cami?”
Even in the dull glow of the nightlight placed by their bed, she could see his cheeks flush with color.
“No. Not on Cami.”
Her brows furrowed. “Do not tell me you have a secret child hidden somewhere.”
“No way,” he sighed. “You’re my one and only and forever baby mama.”
Jessie closed her eyes in dramatic relief. “Good. But that still doesn’t get you off the hook. You have to tell me now. Did you have a baby doll I wasn’t aware of?”
“No.”
“I just pushed your perfect nine pound baby out of my body, Hawk. I want to know. And I’m not above holding our son over you to get you to spill.”
“The cat,” he groaned as he grabbed the pillow by her side and laid it over her lap. She stared in silence as he placed the baby down on the pillow. Her son’s eyes were blinking up at her, his sweet face already turning to find her milk.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard that right.
” Jessie lowered one side of her nightgown and Bee promptly latched on to nurse.
A hiss filled the air as his powerful suckle stole her breath.
How had no one warned her breastfeeding would feel this way?
A rumble of a contraction lingered low in her belly.
“You okay?”
Jessie opened her eyes and saw the concern etched on his tired face.
“I’d be better if you would tell me more about this cat situation.”
He looked down at Bee, smiling. “She and I came to an agreement.”
“The cat and you—”
“I would get to practice my swaddling and rocking skills, and she would get some treats.”
“Hawk! She’s gained nearly five pounds since being with us! You’re going to get her in trouble!”
He chuckled. “She was scrawny to begin with. Now she looks happy. And it helped us bond.”
“I guess I can’t be too mad at that.”
As if on cue, a scratch and soft ‘meow’ came from the other side of their closed bedroom door.
“She probably wants a snack now, too. I’ll just go check that her water isn’t empty.” He picked up Jessie’s water bottle from the side of the bed, and suddenly her throat was as dry as the desert. “Drink the last of this and I’ll get you a refill while I’m down there.”
Jessie drank down the water greedily. “Thank you.”
“Don’t get out of bed until I’m back up here. Five minutes, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Alright, alright, I hear you. I know I fed you dinner, so don’t even try to get anything else from me. We’re friends, but I’m not going to stress your mom out by overfeeding you.”
Hawk had never been so exhausted, or so full of happiness, in his whole life.
In a way, although the hours ticked by and they were heading into a new day, he never wanted that day to end.
The day his son, his son, came into the world.
Fuck. He ran his hand over his face. Hawk had never been one for tears, but Jessie’s strength, her determination and the raw power he saw pouring out of her during Bee’s birth, he just couldn’t hold back his emotions when he thought about it.
Which apparently was going to be every minute of every day, because each time he looked at the baby, or at Jess, or his own hands that had cut the umbilical cord that connected the two of them and made the baby his own independent little bumblebee, his eyes welled with tears.
Marla wound herself through his feet and then skittered down the stairs, her paws clomping louder than Hawk had thought was possible. He chuckled, the water bottle in one hand as he made his way to the kitchen.
His first stop was the fridge, where he filled Jessie’s water back up from the filtered jug. She had been drinking like crazy, which was great. Not a touch of nausea since she was in labor, and that was exactly the outcome the both of them had hoped for the entire pregnancy.
A bowl of fruit salad caught his eye. He pulled the dish out, setting it on the counter top and grabbing the note left on the top.
Congratulations on the safe arrival of your sweet baby BOY! We all cannot wait to meet him, but take your time resting up and settling into your new family of three! Hawk, send all the pictures, and make sure if Jessie needs anything, she knows we’re all here for her!
We love you both so much!
Lily, Sloane, Lacy, Mae and Emma… (Oh, and the guys too!)
PS… I left a few casseroles in the freezer and will be happy to drop off more once you eat through those! I know you’ll have Dolly feeding you well, too, but I can’t help myself. Give that baby some extra special cuddles from me - Lily.
Hawk smiled. And then he felt the deep, raw, unsettled emotions he’d been shoving down since he realized Jessie was in labor started to bubble up. A shaky breath fell out of his lungs as he twisted off the top to Jessie’s water bottle and began filling it from the ice cold jug in the fridge.
Once he had that taken care of, he ladled a large scoop of the salad into a wooden bowl. As soon as the salad was back in the fridge, Hawk heard the floor creak behind him. Before he could turn, everything went black.