Page 120 of Play the Game
I’m not sure of much of anything right now, except that I’m sitting in a hospital bed holding my daughter.My daughter. I’m someone’s mom now. And Cooper keeps looking at me like I am all he needs in this entire world, and it’s doing crazy things to my insides because he’s all I need too.
So yeah, I should be exhausted. But strangely, I’m not.
“Damn straight you’re lucky to have us.” I glance up at the doorway, laughing again as Cece barrels into the room, pink caftan billowing around her legs, purple glasses slipping down her nose, and the entire Wyles family behind her. Pam brings her hand up to her chest as she takes me in, tears springing to her eyes and her gaze traveling between me and the baby, much like Cooper’s just was, Rob’s arm around her shoulder. Jo grins at me and bounces on the toes of her pink sneakers, Jordan snaking anarm around her waist. Noah wraps his arms around Hannah from behind while they both beam at us, and Elliot’s eyes gloss over with tears as Amelia slides her hand into his and leans her head on his shoulder.
Not just Cooper’s family. Mine too. Ours.
The love they brought with them into this room is so enormous I can reach out and touch it.
I don’t know how I got this lucky.
“Shit, sorry we’re late! Fucking extra innings,” Chris says as he appears in the doorway behind the Wyles family, Rio by his side. He’s disheveled and out of breath, dressed in athletic shorts and a Strikers T-shirt he must have thrown on after his post-game shower. “Ev,” he says, breathing heavily, stopping in his tracks and staring at me holding the baby, a tear sliding down his face. Rio wraps an arm around Chris’s waist, wide grin splitting his face as he takes me in. My throat tightens as love for both of them swamps me.
I have all the family I have ever needed right here in this room.
Cooper leans over, pressing a kiss to my head and bringing his lips to my ear, his hand stroking up and down my back. “You okay with this? I don’t even know how they got in here, but I can kick them all out if it’s too much.”
I turn my head, kissing his cheek. “You have two very attractive and persuasive brothers who work in this hospital and could probably talk themselves onto any floor they wanted. I’m more than okay with this, but thank you for checking.”
Cooper snorts. “I’m sure I didn’t hear you calling my brothers attractive just now.”
Smirking at him, I bump his shoulder with mine. “I sure did because I’m not blind, but don’t worry. You’re the only Wyles brother who gets me going.”
“I fucking better be,” he practically growls, but it loses some of its effect when he grabs my water bottle from the table beside the bed and holds the straw up to my mouth, kissing the side ofmy head like he needs to be connected to me in some way at all times. “Drink, baby.”
I do, but before I can say anything else, Cece waves him away. “Stop fussing, Cooper. Evan is a grown woman. If she’s thirsty, she’ll drink.”
Cooper gives her a bland look. “This isn’t just any woman. This is the woman I love who gave birth to an entire baby today. My baby.” He turns to look at me, eyes swimming with love and possession that makes my stomach flip. “Our baby. And you better fucking believe I’ll be fussing over her. Today and every damn day.”
Jordan, dressed in scrubs with a stethoscope slung around his neck like he just came over from the children’s hospital next door, whistles under his breath.
Jo fans herself dramatically. “Daddy Cooper is hot Cooper. Jesus.”
“No shit,” Noah says. “I felt that in my soul.”
Everyone in the room bursts out laughing as Cece pats Cooper on the cheek and then leans in, wrapping her arms around him. “Good boy. That was a test. You passed.”
Cooper huffs out a laugh and hugs his grandma for a second before she lets him go and turns, focusing all of her attention on me. The room falls silent as Cece bends and kisses my forehead, then studies me with a smile. “I don’t have to ask how you’re feeling. I can see it all over you.”
I take a shaky breath because being the focus of Cece’s all-seeing gaze is a heady thing. “Can you? I was just thinking that I have no idea how I’m feeling. It’s been a bit of a day.”
Cece chuckles, smoothing a hand over my hair. “It sure has. You’re happy. Tired but not. A little bewildered. A lot in love with your very good man. Wondering if what you’re feeling about your baby girl is love, too, or if that will come later. You feel lucky. Changed but not. Grateful. Everything.” Cece’s gaze holds mine, eyes serious. “You feel everything.”
“Yes,” I agree, tears clogging my throat as Cece accuratelynails every single emotion I haven’t been able to pinpoint. “That’s exactly right.”
Cece nods, satisfied expression on her face. “I know. I’m a little bit psychic. Now, enough about you. I have someone very important to meet.”
I laugh, heavy mood broken as I lift the baby up, placing her in Cece’s arms. No one in the room moves. No one makes a sound. This loud, loving, always chaotic family is utterly silent as they all watch Cece study the baby. As they give her this moment first.
Cooper reaches out and takes my hand, squeezing it, and my heart just expands with love for all of them.
“Perfect,” Cece murmurs, stroking a finger down the baby’s cheek. “The most perfect baby in the entire world who is absolutely going to give both of you a run for your money,” she says, grinning wryly at Cooper and me. In a flash, I remember Cooper’s long-ago prediction that we would have a little blonde hellion with an independent streak a mile wide and a penchant for mischief, and I know he does too because he glances at me and grins, tossing me a wink.
Pam steps up beside the bed, leaning down and wrapping me in a hug. “Proud of you, honey. I love you and I am so, so proud of you.”
With emotions extremely close to the surface, tears cloud my eyes and spill down my cheeks at the feel of her arms around me. At this hug that screamsmom. “Thank you,” I manage. “Thank you for being here and treating me like part of your family even though I kind of came out of nowhere.”
“Oh honey,” Pam says, standing up. “If you think that the whole lot of us wasn’t barreling in here the hot second you had this baby, you don’t know us very well. And you are my family. You’ve been ours since the minute you set foot in my house with Cooper looking at you like he couldn’t breathe without you. And now you made us grandparents, and I just love you to pieces. Weneeded you, and I think you definitely needed us. Who doesn’t? We’re fantastic.”
