Jesse doesn’t laugh this time, instead he shakes his head from side to side, looking at me like I’m nuts, but wisely doesn’t voice that little opinion.
“He’ll come when he’s ready, babe.” Growling, I close my eyes. “You’ve got a good home for him there. He’s happy.”
“He’s doing somersaults inside of me and stretching me in ways that should be illegal. I’m tired, I want to be done,” I whine.
Jesse hums, his lips still pressed against my skin. “I know. He’ll be here soon. Just gotta bake him a little while longer. You’re a fucking survivor, babe. You can do this.”
Lifting my hand, I sift my fingers through the strands of his hair and tug on them slightly so that he’ll look up into my eyes. He lifts his gaze to meet mine and his eyes soften on me. I hold my breath as he shifts so that his face is just inches from mine.
“Laurel,” he murmurs. “You got this. You are so fucking strong and you’re going to bring my boy into the world. I know you’re tired, but you are so fucking perfect.”
Tears had filled my eyes, but they’re now falling down my cheeks. I’ve been having Braxton Hicks contractions for two weeks, painful ones. I’ve gone to the hospital twice and my doctor four times, begging, pleading for relief. I’m exhausted and nobody is taking this baby out of my body.
“I love you, Jesse,” I whisper.
It’s only the third time that I’ve said the words to him. He smiles, his teeth showing bright and white. He always looks so fucking excited when I tell him that I love him, it’s not a phrase that I use often, because to me, it’s not something that I’ve experienced much in my life and I’m still scared when it comes to him and us.
His lips touch mine and he lets out a soft sigh. “Love you, babe.”
My chest swells at his words. Jesse, unlike me, is liberal with his declaration of love and each time is a gift that I cherish and adore. He doesn’t just say the words to me, either. He shows them each and every day.
The first thing he did when I practically went back to him on my hands and knees was to buy a house in Gallup for us. Weirdly enough there was one for sale just a few miles up the road from Beaumont, Louis, Wyatt, and Ford.
All we need is for Rylan and Channing to get something on that road and we’d practically have a family compound. The only thing that sucked was that the house needed to be gutted and remodeled, so we’re still in my little place until it’s finished.
JESSE
Standing in what will soon be my new family’s home, I lift my gaze up to the ceiling and realize there is something missing. Next to me, Beaumont grunts and I look over to him to see that he’s looking at the ceiling too.
“It’s missing something,” I point out.
“Beams. You need some wooden beams.”
Frowning, I lift my gaze up to the ceiling again and realize he’s right. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I call my contractor. We start talking about beams. Do I want them to be solid wood, or faux? Do I want them made out of knotty alder like the cabinets in the kitchen or a different material?
My phone beeps with an incoming call, but I ignore it, wanting to get this beam shit ironed out before it’s too late. A few seconds later, it beeps again. I ignore it again and continue talking to the builder.
Beaumont’s phone rings and I turn from him, walking away to finish up the conversation that I’m in the middle of.
“Jesse,” Beaumont shouts. Turning to him, I lift my brows, confused as to why he would interrupt my call. “It’s Laurie. It’s time.”
My entire body freezes. The builder asks me a question, but I don’t hear him. The phone falls from my hand and clatters to the concrete pad that is my living room floor. I can’t move, I can’t breathe, I can’t think… I fucking can’t do a goddamn thing.
It’s time.
Time.
TIME.
Beaumont walks over to me, picks up my phone, I hear him tell the builder that I’ll have to call him back, but it sounds like he’s a million miles away. Then he grabs my shoulders and gives me a hard shake.
“Your fuckin’ baby is comin’, get your ass moving. I’m driving,” he snaps. I don’t move right away, my feet are fucking stuck to the ground. “Laurie needs you,” he barks and that is when my entire body jerks.
I run. Both of us run. Beaumont drives toward the hospital, but he’s not driving fast enough. Laurie needs me, my Laurie. Guilt crawls up my throat at the thought of her not having me at her side.
Thankfully, when we arrive at the hospital, Beaumont doesn’t search for a spot. Instead, he pulls up to the front and lets me out. I throw the door open and run. I know where the maternity ward is because Laurie made me go with her on some boring ass tour.
My feet carry me toward her. Exeter is standing in the waiting room and her lips curve up into a smile at the sight of me. I’m sure I look like a fucking mess, but I don’t care.
“She’s in room four. Through those doors and to the right,” she states.
Lifting my chin, my feet move quickly toward that room. I hear Laurie cry out and I push the door open to see Hutton standing at her side, her eyes wide.
“You made it,” Hutton mutters.
“I’m here,” I say, but my eyes are on Laurie.
Hutton walks away from the bed, toward me and touches my shoulder before she tells me to go to Laurie’s side. I hurry over to her side and slide my hand in hers.
“I’m so tired, Jesse,” she whimpers.
Nodding, I gulp and squeeze her hand, looking directly into her eyes. “You’re a fucking warrior, babe. You got this.”
The doctor walks in, his eyes shifting from me to Laurie and then he sits down at the end of her bed. “Let’s check you, how far apart are your contractions?” he asks.
“Two minutes,” Laurie groans.
The doctor lifts his gaze to me and he nods once. I don’t know what the fuck that means. I need to know what the fuck it means though. My heart starts to race as he puts his hands between my woman’s legs. She grinds her teeth together and throws her head back.
“Well, who’s ready to have a baby?” he asks.
I gulp, my eyes shifting from him down to Laurie. She smiles up at me with her exhausted eyes. Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek. “You got this. I love you, Laurel.”
She nods once, her gaze shifting to the doctor. “Let’s do this,” she grinds out.
Dipping my chin, I touch my mouth to Laurie’s forehead. This is the moment that I decide without a doubt that I’m going to make this woman my wife. She is mine, this is my family, and I can’t live without them.
“Let’s get ready to push, he’s ready to make his grand entrance.”
Laurie licks her lips, and I hold her foot and her hand as she bears down and pushes. It doesn’t take long, in fact, it’s so much faster than I ever thought possible, but my son enters the world. I stare at his sweet little body as he is laid on Laurie’s chest, in complete awe.
“Fuck,” I whisper. Lifting my hand, I touch his head at the same time my lips touch Laurie’s temple. “Thank you, babe. Thank you for giving me this beauty.”