Page 147 of It's Always Been You
I grab her face, and she goes quiet. “You’re going to be an amazing mother, Evie. Mark my words.” She’s been incredible with Teddy from the very beginning, and she’s also taken to being his step mother like a duck takes to water. I have no doubt mothering will come naturally to her, but even if it doesn’t, well, that’s okay, too.
She nods warily, rubbing her stomach. Pulling her in by the waist, I bend to kiss the tip of her shoulder. She’s wearing the most adorable maternity dress, and it makes me want to get the ball rolling with this labor and delivery . . . My lips slide up the curve of her shoulder, trailing kisses up her neck before landing on the corner of her jaw. She jumps when I nip her, then laughs, cringing away from me.
“What do you say we try and get this show on the road?” I ask, wagging my brows as my hands wander all her beautiful new curves. Pregnancy looks incredible on her.
“I’m too tired,” she complains, trying to shimmy out of my grasp. “Juststandingtakes superhuman strength these days. I could honestly use a nap right now.”
“I’ll do all the hard work,” I promise, bunching the skirt of her dress in my hands as I nuzzle her neck. “And then you can take a nap. You’ll sleep better afterward. Trust me.”
She laughs again. “I’ll tell you what,” she teases, disentangling herself from me and backing away, hands clasped behind her back. “I’ll let you make love to me . . .” She pivots suddenly and sprints off, laughing shrilly. “If you can catch me!”
My girl. Always keeping things interesting.
I bound after her. “I willalwayscatch you.”
Unfortunately for me, Teddy and Jamie are waiting for us when I catch up to her downstairs. Jamie cringes when he sees Evie looking flushed, still giggling as she rounds the corner. Just to get under Jamie’s skin, I grab her by the back of the dress, whirl her around, and dip her into a passionate kiss. She’s red-faced and flustered when I set her back on her feet.
“Ew,” Teddy groans, flopping down onto the couch.
“Yeah,” Jamie concurs in a petulant voice. “Get a room.” He likes to pretend he doesn’t like seeing us together, but our relationship has grown on him. He was the best man at our wedding, and I know he would have officiated it himself if Evie wasn’t intent on having Pastor Mark do it.
“What kind of ice cream did you get?” Evie asks, collapsing onto the couch next to Teddy. She wraps an arm around him and kisses his cheek. He snuggles into her embrace, smiling.
“What do you think?”
“Mint chocolate chip?”
He nods.
“Excellent choice,” she says, yawning. Her expression shifts from one of contentment to discomfort, and she sits up, clutching her stomach. “Ugh.”
I kneel in front of her and take her hand. “Everything okay?”
“Braxton hicks, I think,” she says, cringing as she leans forward. “They’ve been coming pretty regularly all afternoon. And they seem to be getting worse.”
Jamie and I exchange a wary glance. Evie is past her due date. “How regularly?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I haven’t been tracking them.”
“Maybe we should.”
“The baby can’t come today,” she insists, glancing at the stairs. “The nursery isn’t finished.” She stands, as if she plans to go back upstairs and continue moving those stuffed animals around.
“Just relax,” I insist, trying to steer her back toward the couch.
She shakes her head. “No—agh!” She stiffens, then folds over in a violent sneeze. Righting herself, she gasps and glances down, shocked. Her face flushes bright red. “Oh my gosh.”
“What?” I demand, frantically looking her over.
“I think—” She shoots Jamie and Teddy an apologetic look. She lowers her voice for my ears only. “I think I just . . .” We gaze at each other, wide-eyed. “Either that, or . . .”
“Um, Evie?” Teddy says pointedly, wrinkling his nose slightly as he points at the back of her dress. “I think you might have just peed your pants.”
“Oh my gosh,” she groans. “It’s actually happening.”
Jamie jumps up and rubs his hands together, grinning. “It’s showtime.”
“No,” Evie laments, gazing at the stairs.
