Page 47 of A New Chapter in Rosewood Beach

Everyone else murmured their agreement, and Samantha and Hazel shared a knowing grin.

“Oh, I couldn’t,” Terrence stammered. “I’m not a member of your family or anything like that?—”

“Nonsense.” Dean shook his head. “You’re Mom’s date. You two are still on a date, aren’t you?”

“I bet you didn’t think it would go like this.” Jacob grinned.

“Come on, Terrence,” Vivian said with a smile as she stood up. She took her hand in his and tugged him to his feet. “Come and meet my new grandbaby with me.”

The nurse led them down a clean white hallway. Vivian had noticed that the nurse hadn’t mentioned the gender of the baby, and her excitement grew as they approached Alexis’s room. She couldn’t wait to find out.

“Here are your first guests,” the nurse said in a hushed voice as she opened the door.

Vivian and Terrence stepped inside the room. Grayson was standing beside the bed, his forehead sweaty and his eyes shining. He was grinning from ear to ear and he looked like the proudest father in the world. Alexis was lying back in the bed and resting, looking exhausted but absolutely glowing with happiness. In her arms was a darling baby, still pink with tightly shut eyes.

“Hi, Mom,” she said softly. “Hi, Terrence. Come and meet our beautiful baby boy.”

Vivian let out a coo as she sat down on the bed next to her daughter. “Hello there, handsome boy,” she whispered, looking down in adoration at her newest grandchild. “You look like you could really use those mommy cuddles you’re getting. It’s such a big world, isn’t it?”

Alexis laughed. “He’ll get used to this whole open-air thing. The doctor said he’s perfectly healthy. I can’t wait to bring him home and have him there with us.”

Vivian reached out and touched her finger to the baby’s miniscule thumb. She remembered giving birth to her own children and the exquisite feeling of happiness and relief that always followed. She felt overcome with excitement about having a new little member of their family.

“I’m so happy for you, darling,” Vivian said, kissing Alexis’s cheek.

“Thanks, Mom.” Alexis beamed at her.

Vivian gazed at her grandchild and Alexis for a few more moments before turning to look at Grayson and Terrence, whowere standing side by side. Grayson was still grinning, clearly on cloud nine, and Terrence looked a little misty-eyed.

How on earth did I ever think that there would be no more excitement in my life? she thought with a chuckle.Here I am wearing a drenched cocktail dress at the birth of my grandchild!

Her heart swelled with happiness. She met eyes with Terrence, and she knew that she couldn’t wait to find out what other unexpected adventures life had in store for her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“Hi there. Aren’t you just the sweetest thing? Aren’t you?”

Vivian laughed as she watched her daughter stare down adoringly at her new son. They were sitting in Alexis’s living room together, both of them drinking in the sight of the baby as if they could never get enough.

“Let me know the second you decide on a name,” Vivian said.

“We will—we’ll probably have a party or something.” Alexis grinned. “Grayson and I thought we had the name figured out—we had one picked out if it was a girl, and one picked out if it was a boy. But now that he’s here, we’ve changed our minds. We want to wait until we think of a name that just seems to click with him.”

“It’s not uncommon to decide after the baby is born.” Vivian smiled. “I’m sure you’ll think of something wonderful.”

“I have a feeling I’m just going to wake up in the middle of the night tonight and know what it is,” Alexis said with a laugh. “But Grayson and I have vowed to sit down with a baby name book tonight after he gets home from work.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing else I can do for you?” Vivian asked. “I’m happy to do anything, really. I know how tired you must still be feeling.”

Alexis shook her head with a smile. “You’ve already stocked our refrigerator with fried chicken and potato salad and did all the dishes and took out the trash and cleaned the bathroom and the floors.” She laughed. “I don’t think there’s anything else you could possibly do.”

“All right.” Vivian smiled. “If you say so. But I’m happy to stop by and help anytime. I’m so full of energy right now.”

She and Alexis shared a grin and then went back to staring at the baby.

My heart is so full,Vivian thought, feeling her chest ache with joy.My second grandchild! How incredible.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out and looked at the screen curiously. When she saw that it was a text from Terrence, her heart skipped a beat.

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