by Bella Andre
But then she realized…it was their daughter. A little girl with lungs she wasn’t afraid to use.
“She’s absolutely perfect,” the nurse said after she did a quick newborn health check, counted fingers and toes, then swaddled the baby in a small white blanket with blue and red stripes down the side.
Full to the brim with more joy than she’d ever known was possible, Lori reached out. “Please, let me hold her.” The moment the nurse laid the baby on her chest, her little girl started rooting around for her first meal. When Lori bared her breast, the baby easily latched on, drinking with a rapturous look on her pretty face.
“She’s beautiful, Lori. Just like her mother.” Grayson looked both joyous and overwhelmed. “Looking at the two of you—I’m falling in love all over again.”
He reached out to stroke over their baby’s hand, and when she curled her tiny finger around his, Lori’s throat grew tight.
“I want to have a dozen more just like her,” she whispered, the pain already forgotten.
Almost forgotten, she thought as she shifted her hips slightly and winced.
The doctor cleared his throat, and Lori looked up in surprise. With her entire world centered around her daughter and husband, she’d forgotten there was anyone else in the room. From the look on his face, Grayson seemed just as surprised by the interruption.
“Lori, Grayson—congratulations. Your daughter is absolutely lovely. And Lori, if you don’t mind me asking, are you an athlete, by any chance?”
“I’m a dancer.”
“Ah, that explains why you are so strong. You barely needed a full five seconds of pushing. I must say, you’ve convinced me that my wife is right when she says ballroom dancing classes will do my health some good. In any case,” he said, looking down at her chart, “you should heal up nicely. Your chart says the baby is thirty-seven weeks, but she’s a perfectly healthy seven pounds and already seems to be nursing without trouble. The nurse will be back soon to take her for a little wash. If you have any questions or concerns over the next week, here is my card with my contact information.” He set it on a nearby console table that was stocked with diapers and more blankets. “Don’t hesitate to call, day or night. I’m very pleased that I was able to be here with both of you today.” He shook their hands, then left the room, closing the door behind him.
“Can you believe we made her?” Lori moved the baby to her other breast. “Isn’t she amazing?”
“I’ve never known anything more amazing.” Grayson carefully sat on the edge of the bed so that he could be close to both of them, stroking the baby’s cheek as Lori nursed her.
Lori kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Now, about a name.” When he groaned, she held up her hand to forestall his protests. “I know you’re not the world’s hugest fan of the names that I come up with for our animals.” Which was why they had agreed to not even discuss baby names until their daughter was born. “Although you’ve got to admit that Carmelo is a pretty inspired choice for our new puppy.”
“Was that just today?” He ran a hand through his hair. “It feels like a lifetime ago.”
“Crazy, right? When we woke up today, little miss was still in my belly. And now here she is, loud and proud and perfect.” The baby had fallen asleep nursing, so Lori lifted her into Grayson’s arms.
He looked nervous for a moment, at least until he was cradling their daughter. Lori swore he was already the best dad in the whole wide world as he softly whispered, “I’ll never let anyone or anything hurt you.”
Witnessing the love overflow from his heart straight to their little girl made Lori choke up again.
Suddenly, he went still, his eyes meeting Lori’s. “Mary. Her name should be Mary.”
Finally, Lori’s tears spilled over. Shifting the baby slightly to one side, he leaned down to kiss them away. All this time that they hadn’t been able to decide on a name, it was because they’d been overlooking the only one that would ever have been right. Of course they should honor the woman who meant everything to Lori, her seven siblings—and everyone else who was lucky enough to be loved by Mary Sullivan.
“Mary is the perfect name for our baby.”
CHAPTER NINE
A few minutes later, the nurse came to take little Mary for a bath, promising to have her back in fifteen minutes. Grayson was torn—he didn’t want to let either the baby or Lori out of his sight. Not because he was frightened that something bad might happen to them, but simply because he loved both of them so damned much.
“I’ll be fine,” Lori said, reading his mind. “In fact, there’s no time like the present to get started on my eighty-seven family phone calls.” She picked up her phone and snapped a picture of him holding Mary. “Perfect. I’ll start by texting that to everyone so that they can ooh and aah over our gorgeous girl.”
Eighty-seven wasn’t far off the mark. There were Sullivans everywhere. San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Maine, London, Australia—suffice it to say that if you closed your eyes and threw a dart at a map, you were bound to find a Sullivan living there.
“Don’t get into too much trouble while we’re gone.” He gave Lori another kiss before heading for the door.
From the nurse’s expression as they headed down the hall, she was clearly wondering what kind of trouble his wife could get into while lying in a hospital bed, having just given birth. But she didn’t know Lori the way he did. Fifteen minutes was easily long enough for them to return to an entire circus performing in the small hospital room—with Lori in the lead role, dancing on a high wire in stilettos.
Not that she would have time for any of that right now. Because what she didn’t yet know was that her mother and sister were far closer than a phone call away.
Though Grayson had had the shock of his life when Lori’s water had broken on the beach, he’d at least had the presence of mind to send a joint text to Mary and Sophie to let them know that Lori was in labor. Thirty seconds ago, he’d received a text saying that they were only minutes away.
He couldn’t wait for them to meet his little girl—and for Lori’s mother to know, without a doubt, how much she meant to both of them.
From the first day he’d met Mary Sullivan, she had welcomed him into her heart with open arms, treating him like another son. And he’d loved her the same way, as a second mother he was so very lucky to have.
Gazing down at his daughter, wonder moved through him again. He wasn’t sure he’d ever look at her without thinking she was a miracle. Okay, maybe one day there might be a few speed bumps to navigate when she was a mouthy teenager, which any daughter of Lori Sullivan’s was sure to be. But he’d still love every last hair on her head—and would protect her to the ends of the earth and back.
At the same time, he wasn’t sure he’d be getting over the trauma of Lori’s labor any time soon. As soon as she had grabbed his arm in the car, he’d known the pain from her contractions must be severe. His wife was plenty melodramatic—but never over anything physical. She could sustain injuries that would fell someone twice her size.
His heart had almost stopped a few times, first in the car and then in the delivery room. Thank God he truly believed what he’d told her on the beach—that she was the most resilient person he knew. And now he understood that the same was true for himself.
Life might not always be easy and full of roses, but there was no one he’d rather spend each day with than his sparkling, crazy-making wife.
After a quick lesson from the nurse on giving Mary a bath, putting on the tiny newborn diapers, then swaddling her in a blanket so that she felt safe in her warm cocoon, Grayson and the baby headed back down the hall to the birthing room.
With perfect timing, Mary and Sophie came through the double doors into the maternity ward. “Grayson, congratulations!” Mary kissed him on the cheek, then put her hand over her heart as she looked at her new granddaughter. “Oh my, isn’t she a beauty?”
Sophie immediately reached for the baby. “Please, may I hold her
?” Her expression was full of love as she nuzzled her niece. “Hello, sweet girl. I’m your Aunt Sophie, and I love you.”
Though Grayson knew the baby probably still couldn’t see all that clearly, he swore little Mary did a double take when she looked into Sophie’s eyes. As if to say, You look like my mama, but you’re not actually her.
Her rosebud mouth had just started to scrunch up into a wail when Lori called out, “Stop gabbing in the hallway and give me back my baby!”
Mary laughed as the four of them headed toward the delivery room. “Good to know labor hasn’t taken too much out of her.” But as Sophie took the baby in to her mother, Mary stopped in the hallway and put her hand on Grayson’s shoulder. “How was it?”
“Lori is as strong as ever. She blew me away the entire time.”
Mary didn’t look at all surprised. “I’m glad to hear it. And how about you, Grayson? How are you feeling?”
He’d suspected that she’d felt his past darkness bubbling to the surface at the baby shower. Mary Sullivan wasn’t attuned only to her children’s feelings, she also cared deeply about each of her children by marriage.
Now, he gripped her hands and looked into her eyes, so like his wife’s. “I’ve never been happier.”
Her smile was bright and lovely. “That’s wonderful news. You and Lori are going to be wonderful parents.”
“Mom!” Lori called out again, clearly impatient. “Get in here—Grayson and I have something to tell you.”
Sophie’s eyes were already shining when Grayson and Mary walked up to the bed. Obviously, Lori had already told her twin the baby’s name.
“Honey, your daughter is so beautiful!” Mary kissed and hugged Lori. “I’m so proud of you both.”
“I know. She’s totally awesome, isn’t she?”
Soon, the baby was cradled in Mary’s arms. “Aren’t you precious?”
The depth of emotion in Mary’s whisper brought tears to Grayson’s eyes. And he clearly wasn’t the only one, because Lori sounded choked up as she said, “Mary Sullivan, meet Mary Sullivan-Tyler.”
Mary looked up, stunned. “You…you named her…”
“After you.” Tears spilled down Lori’s cheeks as she reached for both her mother and daughter. “I owe you everything, Mom. And I can’t wait for my daughter to realize she has the coolest grannie in the entire world.”
The women were all hugging and crying, and Grayson’s own cheeks were wet as he stepped into the happy circle of women. His daughter was so lucky to have all of them.
As lucky as he’d felt from the start, knowing the Sullivan clan would always have his back—just as he would always have theirs.
* * *
All her life, Lori had sworn she wasn’t a crier.
Only to cry while visiting with her sister and mother in the hospital—and also during every one of the bazillion phone calls she made to the bazillion members of her family around the world.
How could she be anything but totally blissed out when she had the most wonderful, incredible husband and daughter in the world?
Lori had just woken up from a short nap—giving birth really took it out of you—to find Grayson standing by the window, cradling little Mary in his arms. He was humming an out-of-tune, utterly unrecognizable song, and their daughter was looking up at him as though he was responsible for the sun, the moon, and the stars. Which, Lori could confirm, he absolutely was.
Lori’s breath caught in her throat as he started to move, spinning their daughter in a slow circle, then lifting her high before lowering her into a slow, sweet dip.
Watching their first father-daughter dance, Lori fell in love all over again.
And knew that she was going to keep falling for the rest of her life.
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I hope you loved catching up with Lori and Grayson! Please be sure to sign up for my newsletter (bellaandre.com/newsletter) so that I can let you know the release dates for all upcoming books, including Cassie Sullivan’s book—the first Maine Sullivan—coming Spring 2019!
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Please also enjoy the following excerpt from the first San Francisco Sullivan book, THE LOOK OF LOVE
Chloe Peterson is having a bad night. A really bad night. The large bruise on her cheek can attest to that. And when her car skids off the side of a wet country road straight into a ditch, she’s convinced even the gorgeous guy who rescues her in the middle of the rain storm must be too good to be true. Or is he?
As a successful photographer who frequently travels around the world, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women, and whenever he’s home in San Francisco, one of his seven siblings is usually up for causing a little fun trouble. Chase thinks his life is great just as it is—until the night he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. Not only has Chase never met anyone so lovely, both inside and out, but he quickly realizes Chloe has much bigger problems than her damaged car. Soon, Chase is willing to move mountains to love—and protect—her, but will Chloe let him?
Enjoy the following excerpt from THE LOOK OF LOVE…
Chase almost missed the flickering light off on the right side of the two-lane country road. In the past thirty minutes, he hadn’t passed a single car, because on a night like this, most sane Californians—who didn’t know the first thing about driving safely in inclement weather—stayed home.
Knowing better than to slam on the brakes—he wouldn’t be able to help whomever was stranded on the side of the road if he ended up stuck in the muddy ditch right next to them—Chase slowed down enough to see that there was definitely a vehicle stuck in the ditch.
He turned his brights on to see better in the pouring rain and realized there was a person walking along the edge of the road about a hundred yards up ahead. Obviously hearing his car approach, she turned to face him, and he could see her long wet hair whipping around her shoulders in his headlights.
Wondering why she wasn’t just sitting in her car, dry and warm, calling Triple A and waiting for them to come save her, he pulled over to the edge of his lane and got out to try to help her. She was shivering as she watched him approach.
“Are you hurt?”
She covered her cheek with one hand, but shook her head. “No.”
He had to move closer to hear her over the sound of the water hitting the pavement in what were rapidly becoming hailstones. Even though he’d turned his headlights off, as his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, he was able to get a better look at her face.
Something inside of Chase’s chest clenched tight.
Despite the long, dark hair plastered to her head and chest, regardless of the fact that looking like a drowned rat wasn’t too far off the descriptive mark, her beauty stunned him.
In an instant, his photographer’s eye cataloged her features. Her mouth was a little too big, her eyes a little too wide-set on her face. She wasn’t even close to model thin, but given the way her T-shirt and jeans stuck to her skin, he could see that she wore her lush curves well. In the dark he couldn’t judge the exact color of her hair, but it looked like silk, perfectly smooth and straight where it lay over her breasts.
It wasn’t until Chase heard her say, “My car is definitely hurt, though,” that he realized he had completely lost the thread of what he’d come out here to do.
Knowing he’d been drinking her in like he was dying of thirst, he worked to recover his balance. He could already see he’d been right about her car. It didn’t take a mechanic like his brother Zach, who owned an auto shop—more like forty, but Chase had stopped counting years ago—to see that her shitty hatchback was borderline totaled. Even if the front bumper wasn’t half-smashed to pieces by the white farm fence she’d slid into, her bald tires weren’t going to get any traction on the mud. Not tonight, anyway.
If her car had been in a less p
recarious situation, he probably would have sent her to hang out in her car while he took care of getting it unstuck. But one of her back tires was hanging precariously over the edge of the ditch.
He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Get in my car. We can wait there for a tow truck.” He was vaguely aware of his words coming out like an order, but the hail was starting to sting, damn it. Both of them needed to get out of the rain before they froze.
But the woman didn’t move. Instead, she gave him a look that said he was a complete and utter nut-job.
“I’m not getting into your car.”
Realizing just how frightening it must be for a lone woman to end up stuck and alone in the middle of a dark road, Chase took a step back from her. He had to speak loudly enough for her to hear him over the hail.
“I’m not going to attack you. I swear I won’t do anything to hurt you.”
She all but flinched at the word attack, and Chase’s radar started buzzing. He’d never been a magnet for troubled women, wasn’t the kind of guy who thrived on fixing wounded birds. But living with two sisters for so many years meant he could always tell when something was up.
And something was definitely up with this woman, beyond the fact that her car was half-stuck in a muddy ditch.
Wanting to make her feel safe, he held his hands up. “I swear on my father’s grave, I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay to get into my car.” When she didn’t immediately say no again, he pressed his advantage with, “I just want to help you.” And he did. More than it made sense to want to help a stranger. “Please,” he said. “Let me help you.”
She stared at him for a long moment, hail hammering between them, around them, onto them. Chase found himself holding his breath, waiting for her decision. It shouldn’t matter to him what she decided.
But, for some strange reason, it did.
…Excerpt from THE LOOK OF LOVE by Bella Andre © 2016
Buy THE LOOK OF LOVE
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Please enjoy the following excerpt from THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT (Rafe Sullivan’s story), the first Seattle Sullivan book…
