Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 143(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 143(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
I nod. “You’re right,” I agree amiably. “This was definitely my doing.”
“Okay, Laurie,” Rachel says, positioning her arms in the water between Laurelin’s legs. “It’s about time. You’re going to have to push now. You ready?”
“No!” Laurelin yells, but she begins to push anyways.
I’ll never forget the sight of my beautiful girlfriend delivering our child, her face twisted in pain and concentration, her hair sticking sweatily to her forehead while soothing harp music plays in the background. Rachel is in a deep squat, her hands between Laurelin’s legs as she murmurs encouragement. Meanwhile, I’m kneeling behind the inflatable pool, my hands on Laurelin’s shoulders, massaging them gently as I watch the water begin to turn red with blood. This could easily be a scene in a horror movie.
I’ve never been a religious man, but I find myself praying fervently. Please let this go well, I think. Please let this go quickly. Please let Laurelin be okay. Please let our baby be healthy. Please…
After what seems like an eternity, a piercing infant wail splits the air, and Rachel beams at Laurelin and I. “It’s a boy!” she cries.
Laurelin bursts into tears, and helplessly, so do I.
Rachel places the baby into Laurelin’s arms, and the gorgeous woman cradles him close to her breast, her tears splashing down onto his perfect little face. He screws up his eyes, coughs a little, and then stares up at us both. My eyes seem to be at risk of permanently leaking, and I wipe my hand across them to little effect. I’m potentially happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life, and happier than I could have ever hoped to be.
There’s just one piece of this perfect puzzle that’s missing, but I bide my time. Right now, we’re focused on the newest member of our family, and Laurie and I coo over the beautiful creation we made together.
“He’s gorgeous,” she breathes.
I press a tender kiss to her lips. “And he looks just like his mommy.”
Later, when Rachel and Channing are chatting in the kitchen, I hold Laurelin close to me. Our son, wrapped in a little yellow blanket, blinks sleepily up at us, and then with no preamble, sneezes mightily. Caught off guard, Laurelin and I start, and then we’re laughing until we’re crying for what must be the eighth time tonight.
“I’m sorry I said I hated you,” Laurelin says with a sniffle. “It just came out, but I didn’t mean it.”
“That’s okay,” I assure her, kissing her on the cheek. “It was my fault, after all.”
She smiles. “But look what came of it.” We stare down again at our beautiful son, who’s drifted off to sleep in his mother’s arms. “He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?”
This is the moment. I can feel it, and I swallow hard past the lump in my throat.
“Laurelin,” I begin, trying to figure out how to word something so important. “You know I want to be with you forever, right?”
She glances sideways at me, her smile gentle. “I suppose I had a feeling.”
We chuckle. “Then promise,” I say, stroking her cheek with my thumb. “Promise you’ll be mine forever. Promise me that you’ll be my wife, sweetheart. Will you do that for me?”
Her grin widens. “We’re not going to get married while I’m in this state, are we? We’ll have a real ceremony, right?”
I shout with laughter again.
“Is that a yes?”
She smiles then, her eyes full of love.
“Yes, Tate Connor. I’d love to become Mrs. Tate Connor, forever and ever and always.”
I lean forward and kiss her full on the mouth.
“Good, because I wasn’t going to let you say no, anyways. I love you, Laurelin Saint Connor. This just makes things official.”
The beautiful blonde giggles and smiles at me, and I claim her mouth once more. After all, Laurie just gave me the best gift of all, even if I accidentally started out as her sugar daddy. But things change, and life changes. Now, I have the woman I adore in my arms, and with our baby, life is fresh and beautiful once more.
* * *
THE END