He kissed my hand. “Okay. That sounds good to me.” All of a sudden, I felt uncomfortable. I started to shift around. “Lilly, you okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, my eyebrows furrowed. “I’m just a little uncomfortable. I’m feeling a lot of pressure.”
Evan, who had been studying the contractions on the monitor, snapped his head up. “You’re feeling pressure? Okay, let’s take a look and see what’s going on.” He put on a pair of gloves and Luke helped me pull my knees up. He placed one hand on my swollen belly and the other he felt to see if I’d made any progress. After a few moments, his eyes looked from Luke’s to mine, and a bright grin spread across his face. “Lilly, you are fully dilated and I can feel her head. Get ready to push. You’re about to meet your baby,” he said. He walked over and pushed a button on a speaker, telling someone to send the nurse in. A second later, my nurse came back in the room and was helping Evan into his gown and mask.
Tears of joy welled up in my eyes, and Luke kissed my forehead. I looked over to him, and he whispered, “We’re about to meet our daughter.” He had tears glistening in his eyes too. He gave me a quick kiss and stepped aside as two more nurses came into the room and lowered the bed. After they took off the lower half of the bed, they had me scoot down until my bottom was just about hanging off the bed and they helped me place my numb legs into the stirrups.
A minute later, Luke was at my side again, holding my hand. I leaned up, and Evan, in his place in front of me, said, “Okay, Lilly, when I say push, I want you to bear down into your bottom and keep pushing until I count to ten, okay?” I nodded, and he said, “Okay, push!” He started counting, and I pushed with all my might. Even though I wasn’t feeling any pain in my abdomen, the burning in my bottom was pretty strong. When he said ten, I relaxed and tried to catch my breath. After a two second break, I started pushing again. I pushed and pushed…I feel like it had been forever. I looked at the time on the clock. I had been pushing for almost forty-five minutes. When I took my last break, I felt so tired and I didn’t think I could go on.
“Lilly, just one more push, and the baby will be out,” Evan said.
“I’m so tired, I can’t!” I cried.
“Evan’s right, Lilly. Just one more big push and she’ll be here. Come on, you can do this,” Luke said, holding my hand tightly and kissing my forehead. I took a deep breath, and sat up. Using what energy I had left, I pushed as hard as I could until I thought I was going to pass out. Right before I was going to give up, I felt an enormous relief, and a tiny cry. “Well, there you are. We’ve been waiting for you. It’s definitely a girl,” Evan said. “Here’s your daughter,” he said, placing her gently on the towel that I had now registered had been placed on my chest.
My eyes fell on her, and I was instantly in love. She was perfect and pink and gorgeous. I looked at Luke, who had streams of tears flowing down his cheeks. We both looked into each other’s eyes, and said in unison, “Bella.” I’m glad we both agreed. Shortly after I came back home, Arabella, the little girl I met that Christmas, had passed away. She left an impression on me and Luke, so we only found it fitting to name our baby girl after her. We also decided to have her middle name be Margaret, after Luke’s mother. Now our baby girl had two angels watching over her. Luke went into his first official act as a new daddy and cut her umbilical cord, grinning the whole time. After that, Evan took Bella to have her APGAR scores checked, which were perfect. After a few minutes, she was wrapped in a pink blanket, warm and snuggly, and Evan placed her in my waiting arms. “Hello, beautiful Bella. We’ve been waiting for you, princess,” I cried softly. She was the most precious thing I have ever held in my arms. I knew then I’d do anything in the world to protect her. I held her for a few moments before I handed her to Luke, and I could see his heart melt for her. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I watched him gently holding our baby girl. When he started gently singing “Tiny Dancer” to her while kissing the top of her head, I cried even more tears of happiness, if it were even possible.
After about an hour, I was all stitched up and dressed in my post baby pajamas and I was in a wheelchair waiting to go to my recovery room. Luke reluctantly left my side and handed Bella back to me so we could head to the room. I wanted to get settled, because I was dying to introduce Bella to her family. Luke grabbed all of our bags and we headed down the hallway to the room. Once we were there, Luke took Bella for me so the nurses could help me into the bed. My epidural was wearing off, but my legs still felt a little tingly.
Once I was comfortably in bed, Luke placed Bella back in my arms. She started smacking her little lips in a sucking motion. “I think our girl is ready for her first meal,” Luke said. I grinned and unsnapped my nursing camisole. Bella’s little mouth instantly found my breast, and she latched right on, drinking with all her might. It was the strangest, most beautiful feeling in the world. I giggled at her little sucking noises she was making. After about fifteen minutes, she let go, letting me know her little tummy was full. I held her little head up and rested it against my shoulder, massaging her back. All of a sudden, a teeny tiny little burp escaped her lips, and Luke and I giggled. “That was the cutest sound I think I’ve ever heard,” he said.
Just then, a soft knock sounded on the door. “Can we come in?” I heard Mama ask.
Luke finished snapping my camisole shut, and I said, “Sure, come on in.” I placed Bella back in the cradle position with her face toward the door so they could all see her little face when they came in. Everyone came walking into the room carrying lots of flowers and gifts. There was a collective gasp when they saw her, and I smiled brightly. “Oh, she’s so beautiful!” Mama cried.
Daddy came and kissed me on the forehead, and reached out to pat Luke lovingly on the shoulder. “She is beautiful, Lilly. Congratulations you two,” he said.
Alejandro was standing by Mama, smiling at me and waving his hand to fan himself, trying to keep his tears at bay. Violet was holding Sarah, tears streaming down her face. Evan was behind her, his head resting on hers. Jack was holding Daisy around her arms lovingly and kissed the top of her head. “So,” Daisy asked, “What’s her name?”
Luke looked at me. “Why don’t you tell them, baby?”
I took a deep breath and smiled. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Arabella Margaret Beckett. We’re calling her Bella for short,” I said. Daisy grinned at me, and Jack winked.
“I think that’s beautiful. Welcome to our family, Bella. We are so happy to finally meet you,” Daisy said. “Okay, now we need to decide something extremely important. Who gets to hold her first?”
Everyone laughed, and I looked up into Luke’s eyes. I had never seen him so happy and proud, except perhaps on our wedding day. “I love you so much, Luke Beckett.”
He leaned in and kissed me and gently caressed Bella’s tiny head. “I love you more, Lilly Beckett. Thank you.”
“For what?” I asked, smiling.
“For being my everything,” he whispered in my ear.
“Right back atcha, handsome,” I said. With my husband on my left and our daughter on my right, cradled in my arms, I had never in my life felt happier.
Three months later, things were better than ever. It was December and close to Bella’s first Christmas. I was with Bella in her nursery, just rocking her and holding her close. She had a late nap during the day so she was wide awake. I had taken the day off from the restaurant (which was busier than ever), and Luke was still at his office for a late appointment, so it was nice for Bella and I to have this alone time. I was sitting in the glider, holding her and singing to her while she looked into my eyes. To my surprise, her eyes were bright jade green, just like mine. I had hoped they would have been blue, but Luke said he was thrilled to have another green eyed girl in his heart. I continued singing my song to her, and she just watched me. When I sang to Bella, all she did was just stare at me, like she was studying me, usually with a tiny hand on my cheek. When Luke did it, it was like he cast a spell on her and she
would always fall fast asleep. I heard the door open and close downstairs. “Hey girls, I’m home!” Luke called out.
“We’re in the nursery!” I called. “Daddy’s home, Bella. Are you excited?” I said to her, and kissed her on her little nose. I heard quick steps up the stairs, and Luke was standing in door way. Walking to me, he kissed me and then Bella. “Welcome home,” I said.
“Thanks, sorry I’m late.”
“Oh, no worries. Did you eat dinner? I can make you something.”
“Oh don’t worry about it. I stopped at this little restaurant in town called Lilly’s. They have some great food. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”
“It sounds familiar,” I laughed. “Did you have a good day?”
“Yes, but it’s even better now that I’m home with my ladies.” Smiling, he turned to Bella and said, “Hello, princess! You want to come to Daddy?” he said, wiggling his fingers.
Bella reached out her chubby hands to Luke and squealed. He picked her up and showered her with kisses. I smiled at them.
“Listen, why don’t you take some time for yourself? I can get her down,” he said.
“Well, she had a late nap this afternoon. But, I’m sure if anyone can get her to sleep it’s you. You’re like the baby whisperer,” I laughed. I stood up from the glider stretched my arms. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. You’ve had her all day, and I want a little time with my baby girl. Go take a bubble bath, watch some TV, whatever you want. I’ll let you know when she’s asleep,” he said.
I kissed him. “Don’t take too long, hubby.” Swatting playfully on his bottom, I heard him chuckle as I walked out of Bella’s nursery and through our bedroom to our private bathroom. A bubble bath sounded great, so I decided to do that. I ran the water and once it was sudsy and warm, I sank down into it. I laid in the tub and washed the day away and after about fifteen minutes, I heard Luke in walk into our room. “You got her asleep already?” I called out, stepping out of the tub and into my robe.
“My voice is like magic,” he teased. He was unbuttoning his shirt when I walked into the room. “Hey beautiful,” he said.
“Hey yourself,” I said, and slid my hands into his shirt, taking it off his arms. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Oh yeah? How glad?”
Tugging at his undershirt and pulling it over his head, I ran my fingers down his chiseled abs and purred, “Let me show you.” He pulled me into a kiss with one hand cupping my chin and the other untying my robe. He slid it off my shoulders and I stood before him, completely naked. “God you’re beautiful.”
He cupped one of my breasts, which were now bigger since I was nursing. “You sure you’re not just turned on by the boobs?” I teased.
He laughed. “I don’t care if they get bigger or smaller. They are yours, and that’s what really turns me on.” I unbuckled his belt and slid his pants and boxers down in one movement, and he was as naked as I was. He picked me up into his arms and quickly moved to the bed, laying me down. He covered my body with his, and my legs parted as he cradled himself between them. I shifted my hips, and after a steamy kiss and we connected, getting lost in each other. I was in heaven.
I know that I made the right choice when I chose love over my career. I had never been happier in my life. I had everything I never knew I wanted. I still had my career, and it is thriving just as much now as it was in California. I had a handsome husband that I loved more and more each day, and now a beautiful daughter that constantly took my breath away all because I took a chance. All I had to do was say yes…and it was the best decision I have ever made.
The End
Acknowledgments
Wow, how can I say thank you to everyone that has encouraged me on my crazy little adventure into writing? I guess I just have to start. Thank you to my husband James for everything….loving me, fighting with me, putting up with me, giving me time to create Luke and Lilly’s story, and giving me inspiration for Luke’s character and every male character I will ever write, and everything in between. To my daughters…thanks for being the best friends a girl can have. Mommy loves you! To my parents, and my sisters and brothers…thanks for listening to me bitch and whine about this book for months! Aren’t you glad it’s finally out so I’ll shut up? (Yeah, you could only be so lucky.)
As some of you know, besides being an author, I am also a licensed cosmetologist, and I’m proud of it! It is a rare thing in to be fortunate enough to love what you do and love where you work, and I have to say that I have both of those things, and I’m a very lucky girl. I work with some of the greatest, funniest, and most intelligent women I have ever known and I feel honored every day to work with them. They may not know it (or they do now, haha), but I put a little bit of each of the best parts of them in the characters I write. Thanks girls, you make the days a little more fun!
Last but not least, my writing has definitely been influenced by two things; music, and other talented authors. To all my unknown muses…thanks for the inspiration.
I love hearing from fans of the book, and good or bad, I love feedback! If you love this book, let me know so my head can get bigger (just kidding)! If you don’t love it, that’s okay, but if you have some constructive criticism, I’m all ears..just be an adult about it! Otherwise, I might have to pound on you a little bit. (Again, just kidding.) You can find me on my official author page on Facebook, Author Mellie George, and you can also follow me on Twitter, @AuthorMellieG. Thanks for the love!
Table of Contents
Copyright
dedication
Chapter 1 Going Home
Chapter 2 Family Dinner
Chapter 3 Luke
Chapter 4 Truth
Chapter 5 Late Night Chat
Chapter 6 Butterflies
Chapter 7 Strange Encounters
Chapter 8 Lunch with an Old Friend
Chapter 9 Brody’s Bar
Chapter 10 Dream a Little Dream
Chapter 11 Dinner Invitation
Chapter 12 Confessions
Chapter 13 What Happens at a Bachelorette Party…
Chapter 14 No Going Back
Chapter 15 Waking up in Heaven
Chapter 16 Clearing the Air
Chapter 17 Rehearsal Dinner
Chapter 18 Slumber Party
Chapter 19 Wedding Day
Chapter 20 Christmas Day
Chapter 21 The Beginning of the End
Chapter 22 Surprise Indeed
Chapter 23 So Happy Together
Chapter 24 …And Baby Makes Three
Say Yes Page 22
