Authors: S.E. Hall

Evolve Series Box Set (115 page)

BOOK: Evolve Series Box Set

13.23Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Read Book Download Book

ads

They all stand up at once, Laney rushing forward the fastest. "Well?" she asks animatedly.

"Did ya'll have bets going?" I ask.

"Duh," Tate chuckles. "Better than betting on the Falcons."

"All right, team girl over here," I point, "team boy over here. And where are Evan and Whit?"

"On their way back from deer camp," Zach laughs, "I'd hate to be Evan right now. You know Whit is pissed she missed it."

"Only two on team boy huh?" I size up Zach and Tate and hear Laney's grunt beside me. Turning to the pink team, I raise my brows at Dane. "You're team girl?"

He grins. "I'm team Laney wants a girl."

I rub my chin, flicking my eyes between both groups, making them sweat. "You guys know better than to bet against Laney. It's a girl!"

"WOO HOO!" Laney screams, letting go of the blue balloons and leaping at me, wrapping the free hand around my neck. "I knew it! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Aunt Gidge," I kiss her head, putting her down to accept Bennett's onslaught then bro hugs from the rest.

"So, what's her name?" What's she look like? When can we see her?" Laney rapid fires off.

"I don't know yet. Emmett's sleeping, so we haven't talked about her name. And she's beautiful, head full of black hair like her mama. Lil’ chunk, I'll tell ya. Eight pounds seven ounces."

I've never seen Laney so excited. I'd barely heard about Parker's triplets being born, but damn if she's not chomping at the bit for my girl. "When can we see her?" she whines.

I rub my head sheepishly. "I don't know, Gidge, they didn't say. But I think there's a window to the nursery. That's where she's—"

And she's gone like a streak of lightening down the hall.

"Okay, then," Dane clutches my shoulder and shakes my hand, "go take care of business and keep us posted when you can."

***Emmett***

"And then, Daddy said, ‘no way, woman. I'm your man and that is that.’"

I wake and turn my head to the sound of his voice, silently watching him talk to our baby bundled in his arms. I'm so tired, but I don't want to miss this. She lets out some whines, fussing, and he sticks his pinky finger in her mouth. "I know, I know, you're hungry. Should we wake up Mommy?"

He lifts his head and catches my gaze, smiling sweetly from ear to ear. "Looks like we already did. Mornin’, Mama, somebody wants a boobie. It’s her,” he nods down at the baby and I have to chuckle at his need to clarify, “I told her I’d share.”

"Bring her here." I push myself up, stomach fluttering. I'd taken classes, but I don't think you can prepare for the feeling that comes when you’re to feed your child for the first time.

Sawyer laughs as I unsnap the breast flap in my gown. "Well isn't that handy? I'll be stealing that for home." He wiggles his eyebrows at me. "You got her?" he asks, carefully placing my daughter in my arms.

I nod, eyes blurring with tears as I really look at her for first time. "Look at this hair," I sniffle, fluffing her mop of dark fuzz. Her little head flops around, no control, as she searches for my breast. "Hold on, little piggy." I help her, and it takes her a minute, but naturally, like a baby bird just knows to flap and leave the nest, she begins feeding.

Sawyer leans over and kisses first my head and then hers. “Beautiful,” he murmurs almost under his breath. “Have you thought about a name?”

I had, nothing that I had to name her though, and no way am I leaving him out of this, so I shrug. “A few ideas. What do you like?”

His face lights up with hope, then quickly recovers, attempting a see-through mask of nonchalance. “I mean, I had a few ideas too, here and there.”

“Sawyer,” I goad, “I can tell by the look in your eyes that you know exactly what you want to name her.”

“Well,” he fidgets, “since we’ve been calling her Alex all this time, I thought maybe Alexandra would be cool for the middle name? Too uppity for the first name, though.”

I nod encouragingly. “I love it, perfect, we keep Alex. Now what about the first name?”

“She’s our first miracle, together, so I was thinking about us, something special. Lots of things always make me think of you and me, but above all, is one song in particular.” His feet shuffle on the floor, his hand behind his neck rubbing nervously. “What do you think of Presley?”

“Presley Alexandra Beckett,” I breathe out as he sucks in a loud breath.

“Beckett?” He smiles through watering eyes. “Really?”

I’d been nervous about that last part, feeling presumptuous, but seeing his face now, that worry disappears. “Of course,” I whisper.

“Goddamn, Em,” he says, then winces. “Sorry, bad Daddy.” He kisses her sweet head and looks up at me. “You cripple me, woman. I love you.” He gulps, collecting himself. “I love you so much. And I love you, Presley Alexandra Beckett. Our girl. And just so you know,” he lifts my chin, “Beckett sounds good with Emmett Louise too.”

EPILOGUE

***Sawyer***

My daughter is amazababy, defying all laws of gravity, digestion…and Pampers.

“Good Lord, Princess P! You dropped a bomb on your daddy, didn’t you?”

One “P” fits all with her—Presley, Princess, Poopy Pants…

“We gotta switch diapers, baby, this is ridiculous. How do you get it down your leg?”

I swear she saves ‘em up for me. Emmett is all the time kissing her naked lil’ hiney—no way she’d do that if she’d ever gotten one of these gems! Quite proud of herself, she coos and gurgles little spit bubbles out her mouth, arms and legs flailing wildly as I wipe…and wipe…in vain.

“That’s it, shower time!”

I refasten her diaper and wrap a blanket around her, snatching her up and heading for the bathroom. Presley and I seem to take a shower every time I watch her alone. She is the cleanest baby ever, except for the few minutes of mass destruction before the shower. Today Emmett’s at her “Body after Baby” class, which puts her gone two hours round trip, and this is already our second shower today. Presley loves it, though, and it’s the easiest way I’ve found to get her clean when she surprises me with one of her “treats.”

Dr. Greer was sad to see me go, I’m sure, but my new best friend, Doc Horton, the pediatrician, says Presley and her Pooprotechnics are totally normal. I’m shopping second opinions, but in the meantime, I’ve got this down to a science.

Turning on the water to let it warm up, I turn the shower head to spray at the bench seat, then lay P down on a towel while I take off my shirt and slip on the still-wet trunks hung over the bar in the shower. Yes, Emmett laughs too, but I just don’t know the rules on that, so…. Next, I take all Presley’s poop-covered accessories off and sort into two trash bags, which I cleverly now keep a box of under the bathroom sink. I pick up the culprit and in we head to sit on the shower seat. No way do I stand and risk dropping her, so we chill on the bench while the water hits her bottom, doing its job.

Her little hands, going a mile a minute, swat around as we play the “can Daddy catch and eat your fingers game.” She gets in a good hit on my chest, right above my heart, right on my newest tattoo. “That’s right P, that’s you and your mommy, huh?”

Emmett says I’m crazy, but I think Presley’s consciously drawn to it. Over my heart is the profile of a Queen Alexandra butterfly—right where they both landed.

Explore More About the Evolve Series!

Twitter: @emergeauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/S.E.HallAuthorEmerge

Emerge book trailer, by Lisa at Pixel Pixie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZhNPJW_FE4

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/19xitqD

Dane facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanefromEmerge

Evan facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Evan-Mitchell-Allen/409174755862025?directed_target_id=0

Sawyer facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sawyer-Beckett/227467650737311

Emerge playlist: http://www.pinterest.com/emergeauthor/emerge-playlist/

Embrace playlist: http://www.pinterest.com/emergeauthor/embrace-playlist/

Entangled playlist: http://www.pinterest.com/emergeauthor/entangled-playlist/

Other works by S.E. Hall