The Billionaire’s Sweet Surprise(7)
Nolan, who hadn’t been around for Shannon’s pregnancy, kissed her knuckles. “I wish I’d been there for you,” he said solemnly. “But I promise I’ll definitely be there for the second one.”
Shannon shot him a look that said, not now buddy, and Nolan just grinned. If Vince knew his twin, Nolan would win that argument eventually.
“I feel so bad. It feels like my fault.”
Penny frowned. “Why? Babies come early all the time. We have to remember that we’re on their time schedule, not the other way around.”
He bent to whisper privately in Penny’s ear. “We had sex right before…and it was, uh, a little vigorous.”
Penny chuckled and patted him on the arm. “Well, don’t beat yourself up too much. Sounds like she was already in labor before you started knocking boots although I have heard that there’s something in sperm that does move things along.”
“What?” His spirits fell. “So it was my fault?”
“Calm down,” Penny said, openly laughing. “Four weeks isn’t terribly early. I mean, it’s early for sure, but it’s not like she’s only six months along. It’s going to be fine.”
Suddenly Lana came skidding around the corner, gesturing wildly. “C’mon! She’s at 10 centimeters and she’s starting to push! Get in there! She needs you!”
“Go! Go!” Everyone urged with happy smiles and Vince nearly tripped on his own feet in his haste.
Dr. Albright was down at the end of the birthing bed Emma’s face was florid from pushing. Her blonde hair, matted with sweat was scraped away from her face in a messy bun on top of her head and the wild, determined look on her face scared Vince a little but he hurried to her side. “I’m sorry I was telling—“
“SHUT UP.”
The demon voice coming out of his lovely wife effectively closed his mouth.
He didn’t know what to say. She was doing all the work. Maybe it was the best idea to just silently support her.
“You are a great birther, Emma,” Dr. Albright praised, looking up with a smile from between Emma’s legs. “Would you like to see the head?”
Vince swallowed, not sure if he could handle that image. “I’m good.”
“GET IT OUT OF ME!”
“One good push and your baby will be here,” Dr. Albright said. “Let’s go, give it all you got.”
Emma bore down and with a gush of fluid, something slippery and small slipped into the doctor’s awaiting hands. Dr. Albright lifted the tiny bundle, covered in God-knew-what with a quick announcement, “It’s a girl!” and then rubbed her down and suctioned her with a bulb.
Vince stared in wonder, his throat closing. “It’s a girl,” he repeated dumbly, still staring as the doctor moved quickly. The respiratory team stood by, waiting.
“A girl?” Emma cried softly, so exhausted. “Is she okay?”
“She’s going to be fine,” Dr. Albright assured, however, he handed the baby off to the team and she was whisked away, striking fear into Vince’s heart.
“Where is she going?”
“She’s a bit early and her APGAR, expectedly, isn’t as high as we’d like. We just want to be sure her lungs are developed enough. But in the meantime, let’s sew you up. We’ve got quite a bit of tearing down here.”
Vince didn’t even want to know what that meant.
He turned to Emma and tears filled his eyes. “I love you. You were amazing,” he said, kissing her damp forehead.
Emma stared blearily at him. “We have a daughter.”
“A daughter.” He nodded.
Emma dropped back against the pillow, mumbling, “I’m so glad she’s out.” And then she was asleep!
Well, that was more than okay. Emma deserved a little shut-eye after that experience. He smoothed the damp hair away from Emma’s face and gently kissed her forehead.
What an incredible woman. He would love her until he died for giving him this incredible life.
To say he was blessed…was to cheapen the word. For all he’d done in his lifetime, how had he gotten so lucky?
It was all because of her.
Tears sprang to his eyes.
He would spend the rest of his days making sure she always felt appreciated, loved and desired.
But for now…he needed to meet the newest lady in his life.
Vince stood on shaky legs. He was someone’s dad.
Hopefully, he was up for the challenge.
Bookmark: Epilogue
Epilogue
“Are you sure?” Vince asked, cradling his daughter, marveling at how she embodied sheer perfection. Ten tiny toes, ten exquisite fingers, five of which were clutched around his index finger.
Emma, rested after a long power nap, smiled at him from the hospital bed.
Everyone had seen the baby, brought gifts, ‘oooooed’ and ‘ahhhhed’ over her but now it was just him, Emma and baby girl.
And Emma had just dropped a bombshell on him.
“I know it might seem weird to name our daughter after the woman who’d come before me but if it weren’t for her, we never would’ve met,” Emma explained. She smiled. “Personally, I think Isabel is a beautiful name and, well, to be honest, maybe I’m being silly but I like the idea of giving the name something positive for you. Kinda full-circle, right?”
Vince’s throat closed up. “Isabel,” he murmured, nodding. “I think it’s perfect. Isabel Grace…I think it has a wonderful ring to it.”
“I do, too,” she agreed happily.
Isabel scrunched her little face and let out an unhappy squall, proving her lungs, though premature, were working just fine. He gently placed the baby in Emma’s arms and watched in awe as Isabel instinctively went to Emma’s breast.
“Looks like I’m going to have to wait my turn now,” he said, smiling as Emma breastfed their child. Emma smiled and returned her attention to the baby.
Oh my God, I have a child.
The powerful realization filled him with love, fear, scary pride, and the most intense feeling of total contentment that he nearly started bawling right then and there.
He held himself together by the thinnest margin because there was no need for tears. Today was the happiest he’d ever been in his life.
He had so much to be thankful for. How’d he get so lucky?
Vince took a long moment to just soak in the bliss of the private moment. Then, he realized with a laugh, he’d completely forgotten that he’d booked the Carmel cottage for the getaway weekend that never actually got to happen.
“So, funny story…I thought that maybe you needed a little pampering before the baby was born so I had booked a weekend at Carmel cottage for Valentine’s Day…except…well, our plans were a little waylaid.”
Emma melted at his admission. “Really? That’s so sweet. I would’ve loved that,” she said, but added with a tiny wistful twist of her lips. “But I think I got the best Valentine’s Day present right here…”
He had to agree.
Then Emma chuckled and surprised him with an admission of her own.
“I know you were beating yourself up over me going into labor after we had sex but I have a small confession to make.” She bit her lip, saying, “I may have been the one to throw things into overdrive.”
He frowned, confused. “How?”
“Well, I was freaking out over a bunch of things that seem kind of silly now that I’m no longer drowning in hormones and carrying around an extra person.”
“Such as?”
She waved away his question. “The point is…” her cheeks suddenly bloomed “I had booked a pole dancing class and it hadn’t exactly gone to plan. It was terribly embarrassing and probably way too strenuous for someone nine months pregnant.”
A pole dancing class? “Why?”
“I didn’t feel very sexy and I thought if I picked up a new sexy skill, that might help with how I was feeling inside.”
“You don’t need a stripper class to be sexy, babe. You’re hot stuff without it.”
Emma smiled with love. “I love that you feel that way. Remember how I said the problem was with me? Well, yeah…it was. I feel better now. I think it was just pregnancy weirdness.”
He hated to think that his adorable, hot-as-hell wife had ever suffered the belief that she wasn’t sexy. She was off-the-charts!
However…was it bad that he wanted to see some of those moves she picked up? She must’ve read his mind for she suddenly grinned.
“I might’ve retained some tricks…for later…”
What a fucking woman! He leaned in to kiss her soundly. “How long does it take to recover…”
Emma laughed and pushed him away. “I’ll let you know. For now…cool your jets.”