Page 86 of Blackout: Book Two

“Oh, yes, give me one second,” the nurse says as she rises from her seat. “Go right in and I’ll bring it into the room.”

“Why do I need a wristband?”

“It’s hospital protocol and allows you to stay with Lacey and the baby,” Reina explains. “They check the bands to make sure they match.” She pauses as we reach a room. “Here, we are,” she whispers and for a moment, all I can do is stare at the closed door.

Forever is on the other side.

All my tomorrows just waiting to be claimed.

I slowly turn the knob and the second my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room I spot Jack. Sitting next to Connie, he holds a tiny pink bundle in his arms. He lifts his head, and a smile spreads across his face.

“Looks like Grandpa’s time is up,” he says softly to my daughter. “Daddy’s here, Jacqueline.”

Jacqueline.

Until a few days ago, we still couldn’t agree on a name. I remembered Lacey saying if we had two sons, she wanted to name them Jack and Dominic, so I suggested Jacqueline. She volleyed with Dominique. I still wasn’t sold on naming a child after me, but I was all for naming our daughter after the best man I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.

My feet start to move, the soles of my boots swallowing up the space separating me and the new girl in my life. I pause in front of Lacey’s bed and take in her sleeping form. My hand touches her foot as I take a moment to watch her sleep. She was barely legal when I first fell in love with her and at times that love was selfish. I’ll never understand why she chose me, but I’m done questioning it. If life has taught me anything, it’s accepting my blessings and Lacey, she’s my greatest one. My dream girl. The mother of my child. My queen.

A whisper of a cry sounds, pulling my attention away from one beauty to another. Jack stands, gently rocking my baby as he moves to stand in front of me and I get my first glimpse of heaven. My chest tightens as I stare at the single most perfect little human ever to grace this Earth. She squirms in her grandpa’s arms and I watch in awe as she scrunches her button nose. Her lips part and a yawn escapes her. It’s such a simple act and yet my fucking heart explodes at the sight of it, making me very aware of how deep a father’s love runs. Every breath I take, every beat of my heart, are hers from this point forward. A man doesn’t realize how much has been missing from his life until he stares at the child he created and suddenly becomes complete. He doesn’t know how vulnerable he is until he looks at his daughter for the first and realizes he will never share such emotion with another soul.

Blinking away my tears, I welcome them as they slide down my cheeks and silently hold out my arms. With a gentleness I never knew he was capable of, Jack eases my little girl into my arms and we’re a perfect fit. These arms of mine were made to hold her.

“Hey, there, sweetheart,” I say huskily. “It’s Daddy. God, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on,” I whisper, bending my head to kiss the tip of her nose.

My nose.

A little bit of leather in a tiny package full of lace.

“You look just like your mommy,” I murmur. “My two girls.”

Just as I utter the words, I recall Jack’s promise to me.

They’ll be there waiting for you when you get out, I promise. Until then just know I’ve got them. I. Got. Them.

Always, a man of his word.

Lifting my eyes, I meet his gaze.

“Thank you,” I rasp. “For taking good care of my girls.”

“Always, son,” he winks.

“She’s named after you,” I add.

“Poor kid,” he teases but there is no mistaking the emotion in his voice or the gratitude in his eyes.

“I don’t know,” I say. “I think she’s pretty lucky.”

Patting me on the shoulder, he stares at me thoughtfully.

“Yeah, she is,” he agrees before drawing out a heavy breath and turning to Reina and Connie. “I think our job here is done, ladies. What do you say we leave the happy family?”

Connie stares at the baby longingly for a beat before Jack mutters a curse.

“For fuck’s sake, Connie, I’ll give you and Reina free rein with my credit card. Go buy baby shit and let the man bond with his daughter. They’ll let you hold her again. I promise.”

“To be fair, you’re the one who has been hogging her since she was born,” she fires back. “And don’t curse in front of her. I don’t want my granddaughter’s first word to be fucking shit.”

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