Epilogue
FINN
S he’d never believe me, but Harper looks so fucking hot today.
That’s easy for me to say when I’m not the one with swollen ankles and heartburn, or the one who can’t sleep for more than an hour at a time, but to me, she’s always been beautiful. Even more so with her belly stretched as she has provided a home for our child for the past nine and a half months.
So yeah, it’s official. I have a bit of a pregnancy kink, but only when it comes to Harper.
She’s not due for another two weeks, but I know if it were up to her, she’d be happy to give birth any minute now.
Tonight is what will be our last official date night before the baby arrives. I’m taking her to her uncle’s restaurant, Terra & Mare, since it’s where we had our first meal alone together. Even if it wasn’t officially a date.
It’s crazy when I think of how far things have come in less than a year. Crazy mostly because it feels as though it’s always been like this. I can’t imagine Harper not being in my life, and more than that, I barely remember my life before her.
When we’re shown to our table, I pull out her chair, and she takes a seat. She’s wearing a black knit dress that I love because it shows off her curves.
The hostess lets us know the waiter will be over soon to take our order. But before the waiter makes an appearance, Rome comes out of the kitchen wearing his chef’s uniform. He must’ve been made aware of our presence.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He bends to give Harper a kiss on the cheek. “How are you hanging in there?”
Harper sighs. “I’m ready to meet this little human.” She rubs her hands over her swollen belly.
Rome chuckles. “You remind me of Harley. By the end of each pregnancy, she’d about had enough.” He turns his attention to me. “What about you? You make sure to give lots of foot rubs to my niece. That always improved Harley’s mood.”
“Doing my best.”
Harper and I share a grin.
In reality, what I’ve been giving Harper is a lot of sex. Not that I’m complaining. Her libido has been through the roof lately, and I’m happy to provide what she needs.
“Your parents were in here last night, Finn.”
“They were?”
He nods. “With Austin and Holly. Practically had to kick the four of them out because the restaurant was closing.”
“Sounds about right.”
My parents moved to Lake Starlight a few months ago and have settled in just fine, both in the community and with Harper’s family.
In fact, our parents spend a lot of time together.
I think it started as them wanting to get to know each other better because they’d be sharing grandparent duties, but it’s morphed into a real friendship.
When my parents first mentioned that they’d be moving here, I worried that maybe Harper would be averse to the idea, but she took to it with open arms. I don’t have a big family like hers, so I appreciate, more than I can express, how open she’s been to involving them in our lives since they arrived.
We chat with Rome for another couple of minutes until he sighs and glances back at the kitchen. “Well, I need to get back to work, but I just wanted to pop by and say a quick hello.”
The waiter comes over and takes our drink order before promising to return in a few minutes to take our food order.
“It’s weird to think that this will be our last dinner out for a while. At least with just the two of us.” Harper reaches for her water.
“I know. I keep imagining what our baby might look like. I keep picturing you holding her and wondering if she’ll get your red hair or my dark hair.”
She chuckles and sets her water back down on the table. “You’re still so sure it’s a girl?”
“Team girl all the way, baby.”
Harper shakes her head and singsongs, “You’re wrong.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?”
The waiter returns with Harper’s mocktail and my sparkling water, and we order our food.
Once he’s left the table, Harper lets out a big sigh. “I have to go to the bathroom before I can drink this. I need to make room.”
I can’t help but feel bad for her. She must pee fifty times a day now.
“Let me help you up.” I get out of my chair and come around to her side, helping to slide the chair back and letting her use my arm for leverage to get up.
“Thanks.” She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and walks toward the bathroom.
I’m not even back in my seat before she gasps. I whip around, and she’s standing a few feet away, staring at a pool of liquid between her feet.
“Oh my god, my water broke.”
I rush over, my heart racing. This is it. Oh my god, is it too soon? She’s not due for almost another two weeks.
Harper looks up at me with wide eyes full of trepidation.
I take her hand and help her step away from the amniotic fluid without slipping. “It’s okay. We got this. Let’s head to the hospital, okay?”
She nods, and I lead her to the front door then grab our coats from the coat check. I don’t bother looking around the restaurant to see if I know anyone. There’s no point. I can already predict what will be in Buzz Wheel tonight.
Let it. Let Lake Starlight know that the woman I love is about to give birth to our baby. I’d shout it from the rooftops if I could.
* * *
God, it’s so fucking hard to watch the woman you love be in so much pain.
Twenty hours later, we’re finally at the part where Harper is pushing.
She opted for an unmedicated birth, even after my insistence early on that she didn’t have to be a hero and should get the epidural.
Maybe that was selfish of me, but watching her writhe in pain and not being able to do anything about it, was pure torture.
But she stuck it out and now our baby is almost here. Harper has been pushing for more than half an hour though, and I can tell she’s losing steam. I share a look with Holly, who is on the other side of Harper.
“I can’t do this,” Harper says with tears in her eyes. She’s sweaty and spent, red-faced and exhausted, but she’s never been more beautiful.
“You can do this, Harp.”
She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head. “I can’t. I’m so tired.”
“Hey, look at me.” When she keeps her eyes closed, I add a little more force to my voice. “Look at me.”
Her bloodshot eyes open, and she meets my gaze.
“You’ve got this, Harper. You’re the strongest woman I know.
Now stop doubting yourself, because I know you can do this.
I know how much you already love our baby and how excited you are to see them.
It’s gut-check time, all right? When the doctor tells you to push in a minute, I want you to take all that strength and determination and stubbornness I know is inside of you and focus it on pushing, okay? I’ll be right here with you.”
Determination settles into Harper’s features, and she blinks a few times and nods. “Okay, okay. I can do this. You’re right.”
Holly gives me an approving smile and a nod.
“We’ve got another contraction coming up,” the nurse says.
“All right, Harper. Are you ready to meet your baby?” Dr. Stewart asks.
She nods and clenches her jaw, and I know somehow that this next push will be it.
When the time comes, Holly and I support Harper’s back. She grunts and screams and cries, but this time, the doctor tells her to stop.
“The head is out. Just one more, Harper,” the doctor says, and Harper pushes again. “It’s a boy!” Dr. Stewart calls.
Seconds later, we hear the shrill cry of our son.
I bend down and wrap my arms around Harper, who’s crying now. “You did so good, baby. You did it. We have a son.” I back up enough so I can see her eyes, my own filled with unshed tears, and slide some of the sweat-slicked hair off her face. “I’m so proud of you.”
The nurse brings our son over to Harper now that he’s been checked out and given a clean bill of health and sets him on her bare chest, then she eases the blanket over them up to his shoulders.
Harper’s arms instinctively go to his bum and his back. “Hello, little man.” She looks up at me. “He has your hair color.”
We share a small laugh as it’s been a big question in our minds.
“You did so well, Harp,” Holly says, tears streaming down her face. “What’s his name?”
Harper looks at me to tell her.
“Hollis Benjamin McDonald,” I say with pride.
“We wanted to work your name into it somehow, and since it’s a boy…”
Holly’s hand flies to her heart. “Mine? Why?”
Harper reaches out with one hand to take her mother’s. “If you hadn’t tried so hard to have me, I wouldn’t even be here. I know you weren’t able to carry me, but you went through a lot to make it happen. This little guy wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that.”
Holly dissolves into tears and kisses Harper’s forehead.
After a few minutes, Harper looks up at me. “Do you want to hold him?”
I have to press my lips together to keep from bursting into tears at the thought of holding my son for the first time. I strip off my shirt and ease myself into the bed beside Harper. As if she’s an expert, she gently hands our son to me.
I place him against my chest and cover him with a blanket, making note of every squeak and small noise he makes. And when I look over at Harper looking at the two of us, I know that I was right. The universe did play a role in getting me here because I’m exactly where I was always meant to be.
* * *
“Okay, no more visitors for a while. You need some rest.”
No sooner have the words left my lips than there’s another knock at the door.
I love Harper’s family, I do. But there are a lot of them, and they all want to see the newest addition, which has left little time for Harper to rest.
When I turn toward the door though, I know it will be a while before she’s resting now because Jack stands there with a wide smile. He must have flown in from Los Angeles as soon as someone told him Harper was in labor.
“Jack!” There’s no missing the excitement in Harper’s voice.
I’ve met Jack and his wife, Shelly, a couple times when they’ve been up here visiting over the past few months.