Page 82 of Promise You Forever

“Eli and I just wanted to thank everyone for coming. Today was really special for us and sharing it with all of you is all we ever wanted.”

He helps me up, and I turn sideways toward him, smoothing my skirt to show off my tiny bump. “And we are also overjoyed to announce that come spring, we’ll be adding our little baby to Hartstone Ranch.”

Everyone cheers and hollers for us to kiss. The cheers are even louder as our lips meet.

“When are you due?” Amber asks.

“March,” I answer.

“Foaling season,” Sam yells. “Perfect timing, boss.”

Luke looks sideways at our brother-in-law and shakes his head. “I can’t believe my sister married you.”

“You and me, both,” Janey lifts her glass of wine in a salute to her brother. Sam leans in and whispers something in her ear that makes her blush.

Luke leads me out into the grass to have our first dance as husband and wife under the stars. It’s a cool, early autumn night, but being nestled in Luke’s arms while “Yellow” by Coldplay filters through the speakers? Nothing has ever felt more right.

Luke

Five months later

Watching Eli grow our baby the past nine months healed parts of me I didn’t even know I needed healed. Anxiety tried to getthe best of me, and succeeded several times, but she’d slip her hand in mine and pull it toward her belly until we’d inevitably feel our son kick or throw an elbow. That’s all I needed to come back from the edge of panic. A couple extra appointments with my therapist helped, too.

Now as I walk down the hospital corridor with a sub sandwich loaded high with all the deli meat she could ever want, I blink away tears of gratitude. Somehow the life and love I thought I’d never have found me. I’m not sure if I’m worthy of these gifts, but I’m going to fight like hell to love them and keep them safe.

Opening the door slowly so I don’t wake either of them if they’re sleeping, my eyes lock on Eli. She’s radiant. Her finger softly strokes our son’s cheek as he nurses. I can just barely hear his grunting noises as he goes to town eating. She looks up at me when I set the bag down on the table, her eyes sparkling with desire, which I’m ninety-nine percent sure is for the sandwich and not me.

“Feed me.” She bites at the air.

“You look like a feral raccoon when you do that.” My lips tilt in a smile as I unwrap the paper and hold the sandwich up to her mouth.

“Wait until you can’t eat for almost twenty-four hours while you push an eight-pound melon out of your body,” she says before taking a bite. She moans and chews, her eyes drifting shut. “That is the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

“Excuse me?” I snatch the sub back.

“Brooks,” she whispers down to our now sleeping newborn. “Don’t be like your dad when you’re older and feel insecure because you can’t measure up to the taste of a sub sandwich.” Her eyes meet mine with a mischievous sparkle. “I said what I said.”

She tucks her breast away and lifts our little boy to hand him off. She feeds him, I burb him. He’s only been with us for a few short hours, but the system works so far.

I watch as she basically inhales the sandwich like a human garbage disposal. It’s impressive, really. This was the only thing she craved during her pregnancy, and, of course, she couldn’t have deli meat. She tried steaming it but said it lost its appeal when it was hot.

After I get one good burp out of Brooks, I lay him down in the bassinet to get him swaddled and hold him for a while. I look over when I hear Eli crumple the wrapper and put it in the bag. Big, silent tears roll down her cheeks as she looks at us.

My brows slam together with concern as I lift the baby into my arms and step closer to her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She rolls lips between her teeth and looks away, trying to pull herself together. “I just love you both so much. I didn’t know I could love like this. I feel like my heart is stretching to make room for him.”

I cup her cheek and wipe the tears away. “I know. It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” she swipes her hand over her cheek. “Fucking hormones.” She grabs a few tissues and blows her nose.

“Try to sleep for a while now that you’ve both eaten.”

I watch as she drifts off, my eyes moving back and forth between her and Brooks. Every so often his little lips move like he’s nursing in his sleep. His thick dark hair has the slightest bit of curl to it, and his eyes look dark blue. I was hoping all our kids would come out looking like their mama, but this one appears to be a carbon copy of me.

One down, three to go.

Eli

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