Emma hadn’t expected saying goodbye would be so difficult the following morning at breakfast. She hated leaving all the wonderful people she’d met and would genuinely miss them. They exchanged numbers and promised to stay in touch. Kalispell wasn’t far, so they could still meet on weekends, providing the butter bean cooperated.
Emma wondered if she would see Dylan before she left. It would probably be easier on the two of them if they didn’t. She had three and a half hours before her car service arrived. The rental company had already come and picked up her car. In hindsight, she should’ve done that a week ago.
After breakfast, she headed back to her room. She wished she could have checked into the hotel in Kalispell sooner, but she had to wait until noon.
“Emma.” One of the older women who had teased her about Dylan only a few days prior stopped her on the staircase. “Why don’t you join us for one last sleigh ride around the ranch before you go? It’s just going to be us girls. We’ve already booked it, and you can be our guest.”
“Oh I don’t think—”
“Nonsense.” The woman hooked her arm in Emma’s and steered her back down the stairs. “We have that cowboy hottie, Wes, ready and waiting.”
“Oh, okay.” Emma allowed the woman to lead her through the lobby. She guessed there wouldn’t be any harm since it wasn’t Dylan. And how bad could a sleigh ride be with a couple of cowboy-crazy rowdy women? It actually sounded like fun.
The sleigh ride was anything but tame, and Wes egged them on. She had officially heard every dirty joke known to man. Not from Wes. From the women. They even sang dirty songs instead of Christmas carols after stating Christmas was over with and it was time to celebrate being women. Emma began to wonder just how much celebrating they had done before embarking on their little adventure.
Even though her group of rebels was far from romantic, Emma couldn’t help but think about the many sleigh rides she had taken with Dylan. She missed him already and she hadn’t even stepped foot off the ranch. When Wes reined the sleigh to a stop at the location she and Dylan had made love, Emma thought her heart would shatter into a million pieces.
In the distance, a single draft horse and sleigh approached. To her surprise, it was Dylan. He stepped out of the sleigh and walked toward her, carrying a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses. Wordlessly, he took her gloved hand, helped her out of the sleigh and led her to the future chapel site. The sound of sleigh bells jingled behind them, as Wes and company drove away.
“You all had this planned, didn’t you?” Emma asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” Dylan tipped his hat. “I couldn’t let you leave without showing you how much you and your baby mean to me. I’ve spent most of my thirty-five years alone. Even though I wanted a family to call my own, I never saw it in my future. And I know your little butter bean isn’t mine biologically, but I have this unexplainable attachment to her mother and that automatically led me to fall in love with her, too.”
“Dylan, what are you saying?” Emma clutched the roses to her chest.
“I’m saying I love you, Emma Sheridan. I don’t want to spend another day without you by my side. I have been so stubborn and pigheaded that I haven’t truly seen what is right in front of me. I don’t want you to go to Kalispell today. I don’t want you to go back to Chicago once your daughter is born. I want you to stay. Here. In Montana with me.” Dylan reached into his pocket and knelt in the snow on one knee. “As my wife.” He held a diamond ring in front of him. “Will you marry me?”
“Dylan, I’m having a baby,” Emma said as tears stung her cheeks.
“And I want to be a part of her life. I want to raise her as my own.”
“No.” Emma gripped his shoulder. “I’m having a baby. Now!”
“Holy crap!” Dylan pocketed the ring and sprang to his feet. He swept her into his arms and carried her to the sleigh, bundling her in blankets before taking the reins. “It’s going to be all right. I’ll take care of you. I promise nothing will happen to you or the butter bean.”
By the time they reached the hospital, Dylan thought he would have a heart attack.
“I should have taken Lamaze classes.” Emma said as they wheeled her down the hallway. “I should’ve learned how to breathe properly.” Dylan ran beside her as she squeezed the life out of his hand. “I’m sorry I ruined your proposal.”
“Don’t worry about that. There can always be another proposal. There’s only one butter bean.”
“Oh, God!” She screamed as she doubled over in pain. “My baby is coming and I still don’t have a name.” They reached the delivery room and two women in pink scrubs helped her out of the wheelchair and into a gown.
“Is the father staying for the delivery?” one of the women asked Emma.
“Oh, I’m not the father.” As much as he would love to be in the room for the delivery, he didn’t want Emma to feel uncomfortable.
“Yes, he is.” Emma winced as they eased her onto the bed. “You are her father. I accept your proposal.”
“You do?” Dylan ran to her side, unfamiliar tears wetting his cheeks. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”
“Okay, Mr. Happy. We need to get you in a gown, booties and a cap.” Dylan felt himself being spun in multiple directions. He’d never been in a delivery room before, let alone a delivery room where he was about to become a father.
“Oh, my God, I’m going to be a dad.”
Emma smiled weakly at him from across the room. “Would you please finish getting dressed and get back over here.” It was more of a demand than a question. And he was more than willing to oblige. Dylan bent down and kissed Emma softly on the forehead. “You’re doing good, honey. You’re about to be a mom.”
“Are you sure you want this? Are you sure you want this responsibility for the next eighteen years?”
The idea alone should have terrified him, but he welcomed it. He wanted a family with Emma more than anything else in this world. “There’s no one else I would rather spend my life with.”
“Okay, Emma,” the doctor said. “This baby is coming quickly. I’m going to need you to give me a couple of good pushes when I say so. Are you ready?”
“No.” Emma shook her head. “I don’t even have a name for her.”
The doctor laughed. “You’re not the first person that’s happened to. You’ll figure it out. Now I need you to give me a push on the count of three. One. Two. Push.”
Emma squeezed Dylan’s hand even tighter as she tried to sit up and push at the same time.
“Keep an eye on her blood pressure,” the doctor said to one of the nurses. “Emma, I’m going to need you to push again. She’s almost here. On the count of three. One. Two. Push.”
Emma pushed again, her breaths more ragged as one of the machines began beeping wildly. Dylan read the concern in the doctor’s eyes.
“You can do this, baby, you can do this, baby,” he reassured.
“I’m so tired.” Emma looked up at him. “I don’t think I can.” Fear was etched across her delicate features.
“You can do this. I have faith in you. I’m right here by your side. You look at me. You look into my eyes and you don’t stop looking into my eyes until that baby is born.”
“Okay, Emma, this is the last one. I need you to push or we’re going to have to deliver this baby by cesarean. On the count of three. One. Two.”
“Push,” Dylan said in unison with the doctor. “Push, Emma. Push.”
“There we go,” the doctor said. The sound of a baby’s cry reverberated throughout the room as the doctor held her up for Emma to see. “Dad, would you like to cut the cord?”
Dylan nodded, unable to speak. A nurse handed him the scissors, instructing him to cut between the clamps. She was so tiny, but not as tiny as he had feared. And she had a mop of brown hair, just like her mom’s.
“She’s beautiful, Emma.”
“I want to hold her.” She reached out her arms.
The doctor carried the infant to a small, padded table and laid her under a heat lamp as a nurse began rubbing her vigorously with a towel. “We’re going to clean and examine your daughter. We need to make sure she’s healthy since she’s six-and-a-half weeks premature.”
“Is she okay?” Emma struggled to sit up. “Tell me! Is my baby okay?” Panic crept into her voice.
“Shh, sweetheart. They’re taking good care of her.” The wait seemed endless as a small team gathered around the table. Dylan had never known fear until this moment. And he hadn’t known he was capable of a love so deep.
The doctor returned, carrying a pink swaddled bundle. “Mama, meet your daughter.” She placed her in Emma’s arms. “We’ll need to run more tests in a few minutes, but she’s doing great.”
Tears spilled down Emma’s cheeks as she held her baby. “Hello, Holly. I’m your mommy.”
“I can’t believe you’re actually here.” Emma cradled her daughter. “My beautiful girl.” After numerous tests, they had assured her Holly was healthy. Emma couldn’t believe how blessed she was.
“She’s beautiful, just like you.” Dylan brushed Emma’s hair away from her face. “And I love her name.”
“Holly Jax Slade. I don’t remember ever seeing Holly in a baby book, so I’m not sure where I got the idea for the name but somehow it fits. I think it was all that Christmas spirit you showed me. And Jax,” she sighed. “He had to be a part of this somehow. I swear he was watching over her today.”
“I still can’t believe she has my last name.” Dylan beamed proudly beside them.
“And I can’t believe I’m going to be your wife. Speaking of which, whatever happened to that ring you were going to slide on my finger?”
Dylan reached into his pocket and pulled it out. “It’s right here, future Mrs. Slade.” Dylan held her hand in his. “Now are you sure about this?”
“Oh, I’m definitely sure I want to be your wife and raise our daughter together,” Emma said as he slid the ring on her finger.