Page 90 of The Game Plan
Tears trail down my cheeks as I stare at the two most beautiful girls in the world. Savannah was a total badass as she pushed for two hours until Lennon finally made her appearance. There’s no greater feeling than hearing the first cries of a newborn baby. The relief. The joy. It’s breathtaking. Earth-shattering.
I want to remember this moment for the rest of my life. Her ten tiny toes and ten tiny fingers. The way her little hands ball into fists. Everything about her is perfect.
It turns out, the contractions Savannah didn’t tell me she was having last night were actual contractions and not the Braxton Hicks she suspected.
I lean down and press another kiss to Savannah’s sweaty forehead as I wipe away a few dark strands that have stuck to her face. Even with her eyes rimmed with exhaustion and body completely spent from pushing our girl into the world, Savannah is still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
“I’m so damn proud of you.”
She smiles at me. “You probably shouldn’t cuss in front of your daughter.”
My eyes widen, and she chuckles. I press a gentle kiss on Lennon’s hat-covered head. “Hear that, Lennon? Your mom thinks she’s funny.”
I sit in a chair next to the bed as Savannah and I stare at our baby.
Our baby.
Our daughter.
It still feels surreal that she’s mine too. That Savannah is trusting me to be the father figure in her daughter’s life. Savannah never had a father role—her own left before she was born—and it’s such an honor to be chosen to love them both. I promise myself I’ll be the best dad I can be. I’ll protect them, love them, and make sure they never have to live with the fear of abandonment. No matter how hard life gets, no matter the circumstances, I’m never letting them go.
They’re mine now.
And that’s a treasure I’ll cherish till my last breath.
I thought I knew what happiness was. It used to be running onto a football field and playing the game I loved. Spending time with my teammates who became brothers as we laughed, joked, and never took life too seriously.
But nothing touches this.
Lennon presses her tiny body against Sav’s bare chest, and I watch her expression shift as she tries to figure out this new world. I can’t blame her; it’s full of chaos. Her nose scrunches and her lips purse almost as if she’s tasted something sour before she lets out a soft cry.
“Aw,” I coo. “Her little face looks like she sucked on a lemon.”
Savannah stops her hand from where she was gently patting Lennon’s back to look down at her. Sav’s head whips in mydirection, eyes widening in concern. “Oh my gosh, you’re right. Do you think it’s because of all the lemon I ate?”
I huff a laugh as I brush my thumb across her soft cheek. “Maybe. She’s my little lemon, and you’re my peach. My beautiful, sweet and sour citrus girls.”
Sav shakes her head. “I love that. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Sitting back in my chair, I watch Savannah hold Lennon, her tiny fist moving against Sav. The nurses dimmed the lights to create a calming environment for the hour or so of kangaroo care between Sav and Lennon. It’s time for them to spend chest to chest, bonding in ways I’m too wrapped up watching to fully grasp. The only sound in the room is Lennon’s soft coos. It feels like time has paused, and it’s just the three of us in our own bubble.
“Do you want to hold her?” Sav asks.
I nod, trying to play it cool, but my heart damn near pounds out of my chest. Moving back by the bed, I start to reach for Lennon.
“Wait,” Sav says, and I freeze. “You should take your shirt off. You need to bond with her, too.”
“Peach, if you wanted to see me without a shirt, all you have to do is ask.”
She rolls her eyes and chuckles as I take off my shirt. Sav shifts as I reach forward, and she gently passes Lennon into my arms. I hold my breath as she settles against me. Time freezes. Within seconds of her being in my arms, I’m completely done for. Tears spring to my eyes as I look down and admire everything about her.
Lennon’s whole body is barely longer than my forearm. She lets out a soft sigh, one of those newborn noises that makes my chest tighten in a way I didn’t know it could.
“Hi, my little Lemon,” I whisper, voice cracking on the last word. “You don’t know it yet, but you’ve got the best mom in the world. And I promise to always protect you, sweet girl.”
I glance at the woman who’s given me the gift of being a father and smile at her closed eyes. She’s exhausted and completely spent. I gently rock Lennon as she flutters her eyes, ready to join her mom in dreamland.
