It’s been a month since the hospital tour, and I’d be lying if I said the thought of Hunter having a baby with Jenna didn’t make me a tad bit stabby.
Okay, a lot stabby.
I know what Hunter said and that his chances of having kids are low, which I believe, but even if there’s a one in a million chance that he could, what if Jenna’s right, and he really is the father?
That thought weighs on me, though it shouldn’t, considering he’s not mine to be territorial of. I still feel protective of him, though, as my best friend. Maybe it was those feelings or the fact that I keep resisting how I truly feel that had me texting him that night to lay with me.
The moment he wrapped his body around mine, I didn’t care about the consequences, the guilt, or the past. All that I could think of was the present and how badly I wanted him to touch me—even if just once. I didn’t actually think he would, though I should’ve known better. His hands so intimately on my body caught every nerve on fire, and I burned hot for him. I needed him—in any way he’d give me—and when my body shook, I knew my feelings poured out after holding them back.
I was lusting over him.
Or worse—falling.
That night with him in the dark is exactly where things between us stayed. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone. I found him in the kitchen, making breakfast, and it was as if nothing happened. We ate together like always, I left for work, and he texted me a couple of times to check on me. That night, we ate dinner together, watched the season’s final episode of YOU that had us both dropping our jaws, and chatted more about baby names.
I couldn’t tell if he wasn’t bringing it up for my sake or if he wanted us to pretend it never happened since I nearly begged him to touch me in the first place. Did he only do it to make me happy and he was now embarrassed? Was it too awkward to even discuss?
Did he wish it never happened?
The thoughts flooded my mind for days, and since he never brought it up, neither did I. Now a month has passed, and it’s like we’ve both decided to take this secret to the grave. I’m not sure what I would say anyway if he did mention it, especially after all this time, but I can’t help thinking what it meant to him—if anything.
Did it mean as much to him as it did to me?
Why would it? He poured his heart out to me, and I turned him down. Now all I can think about is how he touched me out of pity, and the thought gives me secondhand embarrassment.
Ugh.
We managed to survive Thanksgiving together. It was the first big holiday without Brandon, which brought on bouts of sadness, but Sophie and Maddie came over, and we all feasted together. Didn’t hear from my mother either, not that I expected to at this point. My sisters helped keep my mind busy enough not to dwell on my feelings, though.
Then Mason and Liam stopped over later to watch football with Hunter. We decided to make this our new Friendsgiving tradition and watch all the Friends holiday episodes.
Of course, Maddie then suggested we play football with girls versus boys. I kindly reminded her I was too pregnant to even walk to the bathroom without losing my breath.
With the baby coming any day now, everything is ready and set up. Baby items have not only taken over my bedroom and closet, but a few family friends sent us a high chair, jumper, sleeper rocker, swing, and bouncy seat, which are now in the kitchen and living room. Poor Hunter has to walk through a maze to get from one room to the other.
He hasn’t complained once, though, not that I expect him to. Hunter’s embraced every part of this, which makes him even more incredible. He surprised me last weekend and brought home a cute stuffed bear that we named Lil Paws, so we could “test” out all the baby gear. It was adorable to see Hunter get so excited, which makes me even more sad that he can’t have kids of his own. He deserves more than anyone to find a woman who can make him happy, get married, and build a life and family with, even if it’s through adoption. I know he wants a family; I can see it in his eyes, which hurts so damn much.
Now it’s a week before my due date, and I’ve been having contractions for the past few days. I know Braxton Hicks is common, and it’s my body’s way of practicing, but it hurts like a bitch.
“You okay?” Hunter asks as I hunch over the couch and press a hand to my back. “More back pain?”
“Yeah, it’s a stabbing sensation.” I squeeze my eyes and try to breathe through it. “Is it too early to ask for drugs?” I half-tease.
“Want ice or heat?” he asks before he walks to the kitchen.
“Both,” I reply. “And maybe a shot of tequila.”
Hunter chuckles, and moments later, he returns with a frozen bag of veggies and a hot washcloth. “Turn a bit,” he directs, then sits behind me. He lifts my shirt and pulls down the band of my leggings.
“On the left side, it feels like a damn Charley horse,” I tell him, fighting the pain.
Placing the ice on my lower back, he then wraps the hot cloth around my neck. I try to relax to see if the tension will ease up, and after twenty minutes, I finally feel a lot better.
“Would you mind grabbing me a bottle of my nail polish from the bathroom?” I ask before he takes a seat. He gives me a funny look in return. “I want to have pretty feet for labor.”
Chuckling, he shakes his head but doesn’t say anything as he walks into the hallway. A minute later, he returns with two bottles.
“Which color?” He holds up a pink color and a teal glittery one.
“Your pick,” I say.
“You want me to choose?” he asks, arching a brow.
“Yeah.” I shrug. “Which one do you think?”
“Hmm okay.” He holds them up and looks at them with deep consideration. “The pink one is obvious since it’s a girl, but this one…” He holds up the other. “This one says I’m a badass.”
“That’s pretty insightful for nail polish,” I mock. “Teal it is.”
Hunter hands it over, and I prop one foot up on the coffee table as I shake the bottle. Once I open it, I lean over as far as I can, struggling to reach my foot. When I can’t, I lean my arm around my belly and try that way.
“Well shit.” I groan.
“I think there’s an error in your hypothesis,” he quips, clearly holding back laughter. “Belly circumference is bigger than arm’s reach.”
I glare up at him, a smug grin painted on his chiseled face. “Thank you, Einstein. I realize that now.” Doesn’t help that my back was just hurting earlier. “I can figure this out,” I say, more to myself than him.
I lean my leg slightly outward, keeping my foot planted on the edge of the table, and stretch my arm out as far as possible. Barely just reaching my big toe, I manage to paint half of it. It’s half-assed, but then I realize I can’t reach the next one.
“Ugh.” I surrender, slouching.
Hunter clears his throat, causing me to look up at him. His arms are crossed over his broad chest as he flashes me his infamous shit-eating grin. “What?” I snap.
“Here, give me.” He holds out his hand, and I furrow my brows at him.
“For what?”
“You want your nails painted or not?” He gives me a pointed look.
My shoulders fall as I hand it over. Hunter sits down on the coffee table, takes my foot, then places it on his knee. I watch as he meticulously paints my nails, one by one, and even holds up my foot and blows on my toes to dry them faster.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“Well, if the construction biz doesn’t work out, you have a plan B,” I tease, smiling at how pretty they turned out. “How are you so good at that anyway?”
“Years of carefully tearing shit down, carefully measuring things, and fine-tuning blueprints. It’s not much different actually,” he explains. “All meticulous tasks.”
He motions for me to give him my other foot, so I do. Again, he focuses intensely on my nails and does a great job. Hunter blows on them, and once they’re dry, I stretch my legs out and admire his work. Hunter takes his phone out and snaps a picture.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Sending a pic of my handiwork to Hayden,” he says with a chuckle. “He’s gonna give me so much shit.”
I snort at the fact that he’s willing to send his brother a picture, knowing he’ll be teased. His phone immediately vibrates. Hunter shakes his head with a smile after reading it.
“What’d he say?”
He gives me a side-glance and pops a brow.
“What? Tell me.”
He inhales a deep breath, then chuckles. “He said I’m whipped.”
“Hey! Did you tell him it was your idea!”
“No.”
“Great. Now he probably thinks I’m a blood-sucking villain who makes you paint my toenails and wait on me hand and foot.”
“Trust me, he doesn’t think that.” He shakes his head, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
“Thank you, Hunter,” I tell him. “You’re a man of many talents.” In and out of the bedroom.
I look over at him, wondering if he can read my thoughts, and when he blinks away with a nervous shiver, I fear he really can.
Things go quiet, and when my phone beeps with a text message a minute later, I’m thankful for the distraction.
Sophie: So I met someone.
Lennon: WHAT? Tell me more.
Sophie: We met through that dating app I downloaded months ago. Of course, I was reluctant at first, but then we had brunch last week, and *sigh* he’s so dreamy. Great job, owns his own house, even has a little dog.
Lennon: Wow, really? I’m so happy for you, sis! But why is he single if he’s so ‘perfect’? Did you find his skeletons yet?
Sophie: He says he just hasn’t found someone he’s been able to fully connect with yet. We chatted for three hours at the restaurant! It felt so natural.
This is the most I’ve ever heard Sophie talk about a guy before, and I want to be really happy for her, but I’m also cautious. I thought my ex, Malcolm, was something special too before he cheated, tried to humiliate me, then broke my heart. Of course, I got the last word, but it still affected me for a long time.
Lennon: YAY, that’s exciting! What’s his name? Do you have a pic of him?
Sophie: Here’s his profile pic, and his name is Weston.
I look at the photo she sent and give my approval with a thumbs-up emoji.
Lennon: He looks cute. What’s his job?
Sophie: He’s a correctional officer. His uniform is sexy too ;)
Lennon: LOL, good to know! Do I get to meet him?
Sophie: Not yet! Hopefully soon, though. We’re going on another date this weekend. I can’t wait!
I can practically hear her squeals in my head, and I’m genuinely excited for her.
“What are you laughing about?” Hunter asks.
“Sophie. She met a guy, and she’s gushing about him. It’s pretty sweet.” I set my phone down and look at him.
“She give up on Mason already?” The corner of his lips tilts in a mock grin.
I snort, shrugging. “I think she was sick of waiting, and she should be. If he was interested, he had plenty of opportunities to make it known.”
Hunter frowns, then looks away. “Well, Mason’s had a rough past, which changed him a lot. It’s not exactly if Mason’s interested in someone that’s the problem; it’s his issues that stop him. Not to mention who his father is and his family background. Let’s just say, there’s been a lot of drama.”
“What do you mean?” I ask curiously.
“His father is the district attorney, and I know first hand what it’s like to grow up with a father in a public position. It puts him in the spotlight, good and bad. He dated someone in college and…” He pauses, then shakes his head. “Sorry, it’s not my story to tell. I don’t know if he would want you or Sophie to know actually.”
I nod, respecting his decision not to air out Mason’s dirty laundry, but take the opportunity to bring up something else.
“So I heard they have a girl roommate?” I eye him and watch the corner of his mouth tilt up.
“Had. She moved out a while ago,” he tells me.
My mouth falls open. “So they’ve lived with some chick all this time, yet no one has ever said a word about her? Is it a big secret or something? I’ve never even met her or know her name or anything.”
He shrugs and chuckles. “It’s complicated, and she was never really home anyway. If you wanna know, you’re gonna have to ask them. I’m sure one day it will all come out,” he says with a mock grin, teasing me. I don’t push it any further, though curiosity has the best of me. It says a lot about how much he cares about them and keeping their trust, and I don’t want to overstep.
We spend the rest of the night munching on snacks and watching TV, and at ten, we decide to head in for the night. This last week of school before Christmas break is so busy between getting everything ready for maternity leave and writing a detailed schedule for the substitute teacher who’s taking over my class for the next three months.
It’s three in the morning when pain shoots down my stomach to my groin. It feels like the baby is clawing her way out, and when I try to move, the pain intensifies. I manage to move onto my side and pull my knees toward my chest. The Braxton Hicks are stronger than they’ve ever been before, and breathing through them just isn’t an option. Instead, I groan, unable to hold back.
“Lennon!” Hunter whips my bedroom door open. “Oh my God. You’re not okay.”
“No, no, I’m fine. I just need to stand up and reposition myself,” I insist.
Hunter grabs my hands, pulls me to my feet, and I immediately hunch over the bed as I try to catch my breath.
“These can’t just be Braxton Hicks, Lennon. You’re in labor,” he states matter-of-factly.
“It’s too early…” I argue. “I’m not ready. I have to work tomorrow. I can hold her in. It’s probably false labor anyway.”
“Lennon, what?” he asks startled.
Glancing over at Hunter, he looks at me as if I’ve gone crazy.
“You are ready! You’re just freaking out because it’s really time! We have to get you to the hospital.”
Not letting me argue, he goes to his room and comes back dressed thirty seconds later. He grabs my hospital bag from my closet, then asks if I want to change.
“No, they’ll make me wear a gown anyway,” I tell him, then he’s taking my hand and leading me out the door.
Everything moves at double speed when we get to the labor and delivery floor. They immediately admit me into a room, hook me up to the monitors, insert an IV, and I learn I’m already four centimeters dilated.
I text Sophie and Maddie, knowing they’re probably sleeping and won’t see my messages, but I want them to know as soon as possible. Hunter, of course, is a godsend, constantly asking me what I need, getting me ice chips, and rubbing my shoulders. The fact that he’s never experienced this before has me wondering how he’s so calm and eager to help in any way he can. I thought I’d be the one talking him through this, but instead, Hunter’s keeping me relaxed.
The nurses assume Hunter’s the dad, and since neither of us correct them, they wrap a hospital bracelet around his wrist. He might not have fathered this baby, but he’s just as invested in this as I am.
“I want you in here,” I tell him after the fourth hour of waiting.
“I am,” he says, furrowing his brows.
Tilting my head, I shoot him a look. “I mean when it’s time to deliver,” I clarify. “I know we haven’t really talked about it, considering everything, but as I’ve learned, plans change.”
“You do? Really? Are you sure?”
I grin at him, nodding. “Absolutely. Well, I’m ordering you to stay above my waist, though.”
Hunter cracks a smile and laughs. “Deal.”
An hour later, my doctor arrives and breaks my water to speed up the progress. Dr. Potter warns me the contractions are about to get more painful, and if I want the epidural, it’s now or never.
“Yes, please. It’s hurting badly already.” I wince. She squeezes my hand, then tells me she’ll be back.
“I can’t believe I’m going to meet her soon,” I say to Hunter once the room clears out. “It feels surreal.” He stands next to the bed, then bends down and kisses my forehead. “I’m scared,” I admit. “It’s so painful.”
“I know.” He brushes his hand across my cheek, then fixes the flyaway hairs on my face. I actually love when he does that. It’s so comforting. “Brandon would be so excited. He’d be losing his damn mind,” Hunter tells me with a soft smile, and tears well in my eyes. He knows I was thinking about Brandon and always knows just what to say. I wish he were here to experience this with me, and I miss him so damn much, but knowing I’m about to have his baby gives me the strength to do this without him. Though I don’t always feel strong, and there are days I just want to curl into a ball, I feel his presence. It gives me the comfort I need to keep moving forward.
Twenty minutes later, a crew comes in ready to give me the epidural. I can already feel the contractions coming harder and faster. I try to catch my breath as I pant through them. Holy fuck.
As they explain the procedure, my eyes widen at the needle and the fact that I need to be completely still or I could get nerve damage or worse. I know the risks, but seeing and experiencing it is different than just reading about it.
One of the nurses nearly folds me in half over the bed while I hold a pillow to my chest. Hunter’s standing next to her, looking concerned as hell, and though I can’t talk or move, I make eye contact with him to let him know I’m okay.
“You’re doing great. Almost done,” a nurse says.
I try to steady my breathing, and when the anesthesiologist tells me it’s in, and she just needs to tape it up, I release a relieved sigh.
The contractions that were about an eight out of ten on the pain scale earlier are now at a zero. So I take advantage of it and try to rest.
“Take my phone in case my sisters finally wake up and text me,” I say, handing it over.
“What’s your passcode? Is it still 6-6-6?” he asks smugly, reminding me of the time I freaked out on him after Brandon’s accident when he tried to get into my phone. I was such a bitch, but it didn’t stop him from being there for me at a time when I needed him most.
“Har, har,” I mock. “It’s 0318.”
Hunter furrows his brows as if he’s trying to figure it out. I shrug. “The night we met. When Brandon and I started dating.”
“Oh.” He nods but doesn’t say anything else about it.
I rest my head on the pillow and enjoy the magic of drugs as another contraction hits, but I don’t feel it. A chair scratches the floor, and Hunter sits in it next to me. He takes my hand and holds it while I drift off to sleep.
A nurse wakes me up an hour later, and I look over and see Hunter fell asleep too. He’s hunched over, resting his head on his arm but still holding my hand. I feel bad for waking him, considering he’s been up since early this morning when he rushed me here.
I’m dilated to six centimeters now, which means I’m making progress. A nurse tells me to rest, and she’ll come back in a few hours, but if we need anything to push the call button.
I grab my phone from Hunter and see my sisters sent me half a dozen text messages each and called me three times.
“Hey, you were sleeping on the job,” I tease when he shifts in his seat.
“Shit, sorry.” He scrubs his hands over his face.
“It’s fine, don’t worry. Why don’t you go get some coffee while I call them?”
“Are you sure?” he asks as if he doesn’t want to leave me, which I find so damn sweet.
“Yes, I’ll be fine,” I reassure him. “She’s not coming for a few more hours at least.”
Though I can’t feel the contractions, there is a little tightness.
Once Hunter leaves, I call Sophie first, knowing she’s probably already on her way to pick up Maddie.
It rings once. “Soph is speeding, so you better be holding that baby girl inside your vagina!” Maddie says as soon as she picks up, confirming my suspicions.
“Well, tell her to slow down! I’m not even pushing the baby out yet.”
“Oh thank God. Soph, you can slow down, geez!” she shouts.
“My baby needs her aunts in one piece, please.”
“We’ll be there in five minutes, less if Sophie blows this red light,” Maddie says.
“Oh for fuck’s sake. You two are gonna give me a heart attack. Stop freaking me out!” I shout.
I stay on the phone with them until they enter my room.
“Whew, no baby yet,” Maddie immediately says when she sees me.
Rolling my eyes at her dramatics, I give them hugs as soon as they come to me.
“Where’s loverboy?” Sophie asks with a shit-eating grin.
“Don’t start with me. I’m about to pop out a baby!” I scowl. “I told him to go get coffee since he was falling asleep. He should be back soon.”
They sit with me as I recap everything that’s happened. I sent my boss a text and let her know what was going on, and Hunter said he was taking his vacation early, which made me feel guilty as hell but arguing with him about it was pointless. He’d do it regardless.
Hunter returns with a large hot coffee and a cup of ice chips for me. My stomach is growling, but I’m not allowed to eat until after, which is horseshit if you ask me. They probably say that just so you’ll work harder at pushing your baby out. Like a weird labor incentive.
My sisters and Hunter keep a conversation going, occupying me while time feels like it’s dragging. Everything felt so rushed, and now that I’m situated, this waiting game is for the birds.
Finally, my doctor comes in with two nurses to see how far I’m dilated. Hunter stays by my head as they check me and announce I’m fully dilated, and they’re going to get everything ready now.
“What does that mean?” Maddie asks giddily. “Is it baby time?”
“Yep, gonna have you start pushing in just a minute, Lennon.” The nurses move effortlessly around the room to set up for delivery. When Dr. Potter and I discussed my birth plan at my last appointment, I told her I wouldn’t have my mom or the father of the baby with me, so I wanted my two sisters in here instead. I hadn’t decided on asking Hunter at that point, but there’s no way I want him to leave now. In fact, my chest tightens at how real and fast this is all happening.
Suddenly, I feel like I can’t do this. It doesn’t feel right.
“Hunter…” I mutter softly, but when he turns and looks at me, I know he heard me over all the commotion.
“Yeah? What is it? Are you okay?” He leans over so we’re only inches apart.
Blinking, I blurt out, “I’m freaking out. I don’t know why.”
“Lennon, look at me,” he demands.
I release a short breath and stare into his intense eyes. “You’re the bravest person I’ve ever met, and I know deep in my heart that you can do this, you hear me? I know you wish Brandon were here with you, but you have to believe he is. He’s going to be watching over you and the baby for the rest of your lives, so use that comfort to give you strength.”
I steady my breathing and nod frantically, tears blurring my vision at how soothing his words are to me.
“You’ve got this, Lennon. I know you do,” he encourages, his tone firm and confident.
“I couldn’t do this without you, Hunter,” I tell him with pure vulnerability. “Thank you for being here. I know this isn’t easy for you.”
“I’m here, Lennon.” He winks, then leans down and presses his lips to my forehead. “No matter what, remember?”
Hunter’s motivational chat distracted me while the nurses finished up everything, and now the doctor tells me it’s time to start pushing. Dr. Potter gives directions to Sophie and Maddie, who are in charge of holding my feet up while I’m breathing through the contractions. When I’m not, I’ll rest them in the stirrups for a few seconds before starting again.
“Got it?” Dr. Potter asks us. “Teamwork.” She flashes me a wink.
“I’m exhausted already,” I tease.
“Don’t say that just yet, Mama. Let’s do a practice push for ten seconds.”
The next ninety minutes test everything inside me as I sweat, curse, and groan. When the doctor says one more push and she’ll be here, I picture Brandon’s face. Tears stream down my cheeks as the sadness of him not being here hits me harder than ever before, and I use every ounce of bitterness I have to push as hard as I can.
Then the world stops.
And my body proves it’s much stronger than I ever thought possible. When I finally take a breath, I feel her little body being placed on my chest. The nurses wipe her clean as I look at her precious face looking back at me with a what the fuck just happened expression. I laugh-sob at how much I already love her. Her arms and legs flail and stretch as she tries to cry, and I’m too in shock to know what I’m supposed to do.
“She’s gorgeous, Lennon,” Sophie says.
“She really is,” Maddie adds.
They’re both tearing up and staring at my precious girl.
“Hey, baby,” I whisper, my bottom lip trembling as I brush a finger against her cheek. “You’re finally here.”
“Do you want to cut the cord, Daddy?” a nurse asks, and the four of us freeze.
“No, I think Mommy should,” he answers without missing a beat. “She’s the one who did all the work, after all.”
I look up at Hunter with tears in my eyes, and though my vision is a bit fuzzy, I see the admiration in his expression, and I want to pull him into the biggest hug for being here for me. He encouraged me nonstop, let me squeeze the shit out of his hand, and whispered in my ear not to give up when I felt I couldn’t do it anymore.
He’s truly one of a kind.
The next couple of hours are insane. My head spins as everything happens so fast. I cut the cord, then they stitch me up as the nurses finish cleaning up the baby, then hand her back to me all wrapped up. My emotions bubble over at the realization that she’s really mine. My little girl.
Doing skin to skin was important to me, so they let me unwrap her and lay her on my bare chest for an hour before they take her for shots and tests. I hate that Brandon isn’t here to be with her, and as if Hunter senses my anxiety, he asks if I want him to go with her. Immediately, I nod and tell him to take pictures and not let her out of his sight. For all the hospital knows, he is the dad, and if that’s what it takes to give me peace of mind, then I’d scream it from the rooftops. No matter what, he’ll always be someone important in her life.
Sophie and Maddie stay with me while I’m wheeled into a new room. I didn’t even realize they were taking photos until I see all the snaps they got, and as soon as they message them over, I send one to my mother.
Lennon: She’s here. Healthy and perfect. I hope you meet her someday.
I don’t know if she’ll respond or even care at this point, but I won’t let her use it against me in the future that I didn’t tell her.
A nurse wheels the baby into my room with Hunter on her tails, and he flashes me a wink as soon as he sees me. This man never ceases to amaze me. He’s been so protective of me, does whatever I need, and I know, without a doubt, he won’t be any different with the baby.
“She has a good set of lungs on her,” the nurse teases. “She’s ready to eat.”
Hunter excuses himself when the nurse starts talking about breastfeeding, and I know this is probably uncomfortable for him. I read up on it as much as I could, but I seriously have no idea what I’m doing. The nurse helps me, and within a matter of ten minutes, the baby has latched on and is sucking away.
“Try to get her to switch to the other breast in about five minutes or so,” the nurse instructs before she leaves.
“Does that hurt?” Maddie asks, wrinkling her nose. “Your boobs are massive, by the way.”
“Thanks.” I snort. “It feels...weird. I read that it hurts after a while, though,” I say, staring at this little human I’m now responsible for.
“She really is beautiful,” Sophie gushes. “I can see Brandon in her.”
I smile. “Me too.”
“Did you choose a name?” Maddie asks.
“Yeah, I think so…” I rub the pad of my finger along her forehead. Her hair is light, like mine, but she has Brandon’s nose. “I was torn between two, but after seeing her, I think she definitely looks like an Alison.” I stare at her, captivated by her little features. “After—”
“The singer of ‘Baby Mine,’” Sophie interjects. “Alison Krauss.”
“Yep,” I say proudly.
After I manage to switch her to the other side, she proves to be an eating champ, and I’m so grateful. I’ve read breastfeeding horror stories, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to or she wouldn’t latch on. I know we aren’t out of the woods yet, but it gives me a sense of pride to be able to feed her right away.
After feeding Alison, my sisters get ready to leave, knowing I need to rest, but they promise to be back later that evening. Hunter returns just as they head out, and I tell him it’s okay if he goes home to sleep too. Of course, he insists he’s fine.
“My brother says congrats,” he tells me, taking a seat in the rocking chair next to me.
“Oh, tell him thank you. You called him?”
“Yeah. Mason and Liam too. They said to let them know when they can come to visit.”
I raise my brows. “They want to come to see the baby?”
“Is that so surprising?” He smirks.
I shrug. “A little.”
“How’d feeding go?” he asks, changing the subject and keeping his focus on the baby. She’s wrapped up like a burrito, sleeping soundly in my arms.
“Really well, actually. I hope we can keep it up.” I turn and look at him. “Do you want to hold her?”
His smirk deepens. “Yeah.” Hunter stands, leans over me, and carefully picks her up. He acts like a total pro, not at all nervous about holding a newborn baby, which is surprising. “She’s so tiny,” he says once he sits back down.
“I know. She was seven pounds, five ounces, and twenty inches long.”
“That literally means nothing to me.” He chuckles, not taking his eyes off her.
“She’s completely normal in size. I think I was a tad bigger, but otherwise, the nurse said everything looks perfect.” I beam with pride. Even though my body is exhausted, and I hardly got any sleep before labor kicked in, I’m running on pure adrenaline right now. I could stare at her all day long or even worse—stare at him holding her all day long.
“That’s awesome,” he whispers, admiring her. “Does she have a name?”
“Alison,” I respond with a proud smile. “Alison Kay Locke.”
“Alison,” he repeats. “From your favorite lullaby.” I’m honestly shocked he remembered that. I only told him once that my favorite cover of “Baby Mine” was from that singer. At this point, though, I really shouldn’t be that surprised because he has the memory of an elephant.
“Yes, and Kay after my mother. She introduced me to music and this song, so even if she doesn’t want to be a part of our lives, Alison will always know where her name originated from.” I can’t hide the sadness in my tone, but I also won’t give my mother the satisfaction of ruining this moment for me. Whether she came into this world out of wedlock doesn’t matter. She’s perfect and amazing, and I already feel so blessed to be her mom.
“If your mother doesn’t, it’s her loss. Trust me,” Hunter says, meeting my eyes. “Alison’s already changed my life in less than twenty-four hours, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”