Page 115 of Adoring Delaney

“She’s having my grandson on Reagan’s kitchen floor,” my mom muttered.

“Yeah, she is.”

“Figures.”

I chuckled again and kissed my mom’s head. “I was thinking the same thing,” I admitted.

“That one lasted seventy-two seconds,” Jackson told Ethan. “What’s it look like down there?”

Down there?

Holy shit.

“Baby’s crowning,” Ethan answered.

My mom sucked in a breath and I watched Jackson—if it was possible he seemed to relax even more.

“All right, Honor, listen to me, you have to breathe. Laney, help her. Not fast and shallow, deep breaths, yeah. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Take over, Delaney, I’m gonna help Ethan.”

“Got it. Honor, honey, I’ll do it with it you.” Delaney had a wet rag on Honor’s forehead and I could see her grimacing in pain from Honor’s death grip on her hand. “He’s gonna be here any minute, breathe with me.”

Laney was taking care of Honor and Jackson was talking my brother off the ledge he was currently teetering on.

“Here’s another one,” Jackson announced as Honor started to scream. “You’re gonna have to do it, Ethan. You remember how?”

Do what? What was my brother gonna have to do?

“Laney, grab her under her leg and pull it wide,” Ethan said. “Jack, you got the other one. Sweetness, you’re gonna push through this contraction. You’re doing good, Honor. Take a deep breath and push.”

Push? What the fuck happened to not pushing and waiting for the ambulance? That sounded like a better idea.

I would swear it on a stack of bibles, that Honor’s shout shook the house. I didn’t know if she was pushing or auditioning for Fright Fest but good God it didn’t sound good.

“Good job, Sweetness. Just relax until the next one. Carter,” my brother snapped.

“What do you need?”

“Sit behind Honor. Her next contraction you’re gonna pick up her shoulders and let her rest against you so she can push.”

“Copy that.”

I did as he asked and Laney and Jackson shifted so my legs had room on either side of Honor, and not even a minute later Honor was crying out. I lifted her, slid in behind her, and had her back to my chest. She was almost fully sitting and Ethan was praising her, Jackson was holding her leg, and Laney was still holding a washcloth to her forehead.

“Give me a big push, Honor. Breathe and push as hard as you can,” Ethan demanded.

Every muscle in Honor’s body coiled tight and she bared down and this time with no sound she pushed.

“Head’s out,” Ethan announced but did not look up from what he was doing. “You’re doing great.”

“Let him ease out, E,” Jackson reminded Ethan.

“There you go, Honor. He’s coming, Sweetness. One shoulder’s out. Almost…little push.”

Suddenly the wailing cry of my nephew filled the room and Honor’s body sagged against mine. Laney and Jackson eased her feet to the floor, and even though my brother hadn’t looked up from his son yet, I could see tears dripping off his chin.

He glanced up, locked eyes with me just long enough to show his gratitude before his gaze went to his wife. He lifted a tiny bundle wrapped in my aunt Reagan’s frilly guest bathroom towel and placed him into Honor’s outstretched arms. Laney helped her bring the baby to her chest and I got my first look.

Beautiful.

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