When she felt able to speak without bursting into tears, she said, “All my stuff for delivery is in my bag at home.”
“It’s still by the door, right?” He cleared the gruffness in his throat and pulled out his phone before dropping back into his chair after her nod. “I’ll ask Asher or Loyal to get it.”
“Please,” she requested as two nurses came into the room. At the start of another contraction, she tightened her grip on his hand.
“Done.” He kept his fingers twined with hers while texting with the other hand.
After the pain subsided, one nurse checked her vitals while the other checked the fetal monitor screen and then adjusted the belt across her belly. They advised the doctor would be back to check her progress in a half-hour, and then left them alone once more.
Mae took a deep, cleansing breath to relax as much as possible between contractions. Merit’s phone vibrated with a response, and he checked the screen. “Loyal and Rox will grab the bag. Sounds like everyone’s coming.”
She bit the corner of her lip. “I really don’t want anyone in here with us.”
“I’ll make sure they stay in the waiting room.” Then he typed out another text.
“It could be a while,” she warned after a glance at the clock. She’d been in labor with Ian for over eight hours.
Merit shrugged and brought their joined hands up to kiss the back of hers. “That’s on them. I’m staying right here with you the whole time.”
“Thank you.” She leaned back against the pillow with her eyes closed.
“I can’t believe our Lamaze class starts next week,” he muttered into the silence a minute later.
“I’ve been through this before, remember? I’ll let you know what to do when the time comes.”
“Is there anything I can do to help now?” There was a note of helplessness in his voice. “Do you want anything? Back rub? Foot rub? Something to drink? Anything?
She opened her eyes and rolled her head toward him with a bemused smile. It was hard to believe there was a time she thought him nothing more than an irresponsible playboy. He was so much more than she’d ever dared imagine, and she was the lucky one who got him.
“How about you just keep talking,” she requested. She’d noticed many times during their late night chats how the low rumble of his voice had a way of soothing her soul. “It’ll keep my mind off the what ifs.”
“Well…” He scooted his chair closer. “I actually have a what if of my own for you.”
She raised her eyebrows with curiosity at his sudden solemn tone.
“Earlier you mentioned equal partnership. What if we made it official?”
“You mean for the business?” she asked with confusion.
“I mean for us.” He shifted in his seat while drawing in a deep breath, then lifted his gaze to hers. “Mae Lockhart, will you marry me?”
She blinked in shock. Looking at the beautiful face she’d come to love so much, there was no controlling her emotions as tears filled her eyes. His image blurred, but not enough for her to miss his anxious frown.
“I’m sorry I don’t have a ring yet.” He grimaced. “And I know it’s not the most romantic place to propose, but—”
“No, don’t apologize,” she exclaimed, reaching to pull him closer. “It’s perfect. This is absolutely perfect.” When he rose to lean over the bed, she cupped his face with both hands just as her next contraction began to build. “You really mean it? Even after tonight?”
“Especially after tonight.” He touched his forehead to hers, his breath a caress against her lips. “I want you by my side always, in everything. I want us to be a family. You, me, Ian, and the baby.”
“I love you so much,” she whispered, closing her eyes as she tried desperately to enjoy the moment through the intensifying pain.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” She gave a quick, choppy nod, happy tears wetting her cheeks as she slid her fingers into his hair. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He leaned in the final inch to cover her mouth with his—only to freeze when her fingers clenched hard in his hair as the contraction reached its peak.
Chapter 32
“One more push, Mae,” Dr. Steven encouraged. “You’re doing great.”
Merit supported her from behind, bracing her back against his chest as she death-gripped his hands each time the doctor directed her to bear down. He’d thought she was amazing before this, but watching her give birth to their child put her up at goddess level.
My goddess.
She squeezed his hands hard with the final push, and seconds later, a tiny wail split the air. Relief flooded through him at the sound, and Mae sagged against him with a half-sob, half-laugh. The doctor rose up to place the baby on her chest.
Merit stared in amazement at their teeny human, face all red and kinda slimy as it screamed its little lungs out. In the surreal moment, his throat clogged, words deserting him as instant love flooded his chest.
“We’re going to have Dad cut the cord, and then we have to get your little boy here on oxygen in the NICU so we can get him checked out.”
The word boy took a second to register.
“Oh, Merit, look at him,” Mae choked out as she cuddled their son against her bare skin.
He turned his head to press a kiss to her damp cheek without taking his gaze off the baby. “He’s perfect. You did great.”
A hand tugged on his arm. “Sorry to rush you, but we need you over here, Dad.”
Merit followed the nurse’s urging to stand by the bed and took what looked like scissors from her hand. After she clamped near the baby’s belly, he cut as directed, and then stepped back when more people in scrubs crowded him out of the way.
“Do you have a name for this little guy?” The question came from the nurse transferring the baby from Mae’s chest to a rolling crib with clear plastic sides. The crib was immediately surrounded by people.
Unable to keep sight of the baby, he turned his gaze to Mae’s, eyebrows raised.
“Maverick Matthew Diamond,” she stated.
He was surprised by a sting of tears even as he grinned at her. Ian had suggested Maverick a couple of weeks ago because he said it was a cool name like Merit’s. He’d loved it and loved that Mae did, too. His own middle name wasn’t something they’d discussed, but he loved that she wanted to use it.
As Maverick was wheeled from the room, the nurse turned to Merit. “Doctor has to finish up with Mae, but you can come with us if you want?”
He looked askance at Mae. She nodded and waved him to go along. “Yes. Go. Stay with him.”
First, he hurried over to the bed and cupped her face for a kiss. Then he leaned his forehead against hers. “I love you. Thank you. For saying yes, for our little boy, for…everything.”
It was a little after midnight when Merit left Mae’s postpartum room and headed out to the waiting area. Honor was napping on Asher’s shoulder, and he was surprised to see Bryce in the midst of all his family, with Ian asleep in the chair next to him. Apparently, Mae’s brother listened as well as she did.
When he caught his father’s gaze, his dad stiffened and reached out a hand to his mom. They immediately drew the attention of the rest of the family, and Merit couldn’t contain a wide grin as he approached. Asher nudged Honor, and Merit waited for Bryce to shake Ian awake before he announced, “Mae and Maverick Matthew Diamond are both doing well.”
He’d planned to say his fiancé, but with Ian there, he realized they needed to tell him first. Together.
Amidst a mixed chorus of “Oh, it’s a boy!” and, “Congratulations,” Ian jumped up and ran toward him.
“You used my name!”
Merit scooped him up into his arms for a tight hug. “Sure did. It’s a good name.”
“Give us the details,” his mom demanded. “When can we see them?”
“Mae’s sleeping right now, and Maverick will be in the NICU on oxygen for a couple of days until his lungs devel
op more.”
“But he’s okay?” Honor asked with concern, her hand on her own belly. After what he and Mae had just gone through, he understood the anxiety in both her and his brother’s expressions.
“They assure me he’s good.”
“How big is he?” Ian asked.
Merit set him back on his feet and showed him with his hands spread so far apart. “He is almost eighteen inches long, and weighs five pounds, one ounce. They’re happy with his size for how early he is and said it’s a good sign.” He looked back at his mom as he added, “Only Mae and I are allowed to see him for the moment, so you’ll have to be patient, Grandma. Maybe tomorrow.”
She grinned, a sheen of tears brightening her brown eyes as she moved in to hug him. “I’ll do my best. Congratulations, hon. I’m so happy for you both.”
That started a round of hugs from everyone, and as the excitement settled down, his dad pulled him aside. “It’s been quite the night for you.”
“You could say that,” he agreed with a wry smile. It had been life changing—and now exhaustion had begun to creep in.
“I want you to know I’m reinstating your trust fund tomorrow.”
Surprise dipped his brow. “Why?”
“So you have it if you need it.”
He left it at that, and Merit was thankful. The doctors were cautiously optimistic, and he didn’t intend to go down any scary rabbit holes. “Thanks, Dad.”
“And anyways, I can see you’ve become the man I always knew you could be.”
His dad’s gruff voice triggered a lump in his own throat. “Is this where you say I told you so?” he teased.
“That wasn’t the point of any of it.”
No, he supposed it wasn’t.
“Are you happy with where you are now compared to six months ago? Are you proud of the man you are?”
He gave a solemn nod, head held high. “I am.”
“Good. That’s all your mother and I wanted.”
He shot a glance toward his mom as she sat listening to Ian chatter on. “You never mentioned mom in all this.”
His dad shrugged.
“You took all the blame.”
“That’s what a man does,” his dad said quietly. “That’s what a father does.”
Merit nodded. He got it now. Stepping forward, he pulled him into a tight hug as emotion choked his throat. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, Mooch.”
The nickname surprised a laugh as they broke apart. When his dad lightly patted his face, he was shocked to see tears in his eyes.
“I am proud of you, Merit. I always have been. I’m sorry I didn’t show it sooner.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t do more to earn it sooner.”
They shared an awkward smile, and then a nurse interrupted to let him know Mae was awake and asking for him so they could go see the baby together.
“Can I go, too?” Ian asked.
“In the morning, bud.” He glanced up at Bryce. “Are you good to bring him back tomorrow?”
“Definitely. Just name the time.”
Wednesday a little after nine-thirty a.m., Merit stood beside Mae as she hugged Ian with his back to her chest while they watched Maverick through the glass.
“He’s so little,” Ian said in awe.
“He’ll grow, Scoob. Just like you did.”
“How big was I?”
“Six pounds, five ounces. I’m getting used to you little guys.”
“He looks funny.”
“So did you,” she teased. “Like a wrinkly little alien.”
He giggle-snorted. “I did not look like an alien.”
Merit smiled as Mae shot him a grin. Then she dipped down to rest her chin on Ian’s head. “Hey, Merit and I wanted to tell you something.”
“What?”
Merit’s pulse skipped as she said to Ian, “He asked me to marry him, and I said yes. That means the four of us will be a family together. You okay with that?”
He spun around, eyes wide as he looked from Merit to his mom. “Really?” Mae nodded, and Ian suddenly fixed a very serious gaze on Merit. “Does that mean you’ll be my dad, too?”
His breath hitched at the direct question. Mae found and squeezed his hand as he gave Ian a hopeful smile. “If you want me to, yes, I would love to be your dad.”
Ian launched himself forward, and Merit caught him mid-leap. As the boy’s skinny arms wrapped tight around him and he buried his face in his neck, Merit reached blindly to draw Mae into the wet, messy embrace.
He ignored the nurses moving around them, didn’t care one bit if any of them saw him crying. He was proud of his family and the love he had for each and every one of them.
Thank you for reading!
(and keep reading so you don’t miss what’s coming!)
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DID YOU KNOW?
Some e-readers ask you to rate a book when you’re done reading...but those simple star ratings are NOT counted as actual reviews.
Reviews from readers help authors to be able to continue to write the books you love, so I really hope you enjoyed Merit and Mae’s (and Ian and Maverick’s) journey to love and family in Love You, Baby and would be thrilled if you’d leave a review where you purchased the book by clicking the link below.
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Please review Love You, Baby HERE
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Thank you so much!
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Also…
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FREE SPECIAL BONUS PROLOGUE
for Love You, Baby!
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Now, that Merit and Mae are together and getting started with family life, I know you don’t really need to know what happened the night of Asher and Honor’s wedding…but come on, where’s the fun in that??
* * *
I wanted some details, too, you know? *grin*
* * *
So, I’ve got a special BONUS Prologue just for my awesome readers!
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All you gotta do is CLICK HERE to download the free short story of Mae and Merit’s one-night-stand turned Happily Ever After!
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Enjoy! ~ Stacey
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Next up in the Must Love Diamonds series is Shelby and Dev.
* * *
She needs a bodyguard, but not the one who refused her body nine years ago.
Sexy former Special Forces soldier?
Devante Torrez.
High school crush who left her humiliated?
Also Dev.
Last person she wants as her bodyguard?
Yep…you guessed it.
* * *
Shelby Diamond has a stalker, and her Senator father enlists family friend and former Special Forces soldier, Devante Torrez, to be her protector. If she must have someone watch over her in close quarters, she’d prefer anyone other than the man who rejected her and never looked back—especially since she can’t get the noble jerk out of her mind.
* * *
After a career ending injury forces him out of the military, Dev doesn’t trust himself to keep her safe from the stalker, or himself, because he wants her as much now as he did when she offered her sixteen-year-old self to him on a silver platter—or a pink princess bed, as it were.
* * *
When the stalker grows bolder and gets much too close for comfort, Dev is forced to take the job, and soon discovers saying no to Shelby in any shape or form is even harder than walking away from her all those years ago.
* * *
Get ready for suspense, a ton of sexual tension, and a whole lot o
f love!
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PREORDER To Love and Protect NOW so it’s automatically delivered to your reader on May 5, 2020!
Recommended Read
If you’re a fan of secret baby stories – this one with a twist – check out Sam and Nikki’s story in the Romancing Wisconsin Series.
* * *
Nikki Rowen desires a family of her own—but first comes love, then comes marriage. She thought she had the former, until the moment she mentioned the latter and her boyfriend left her with nothing but a broken heart. Just as she’s beginning to doubt she’ll ever have a ‘til death do us part Happily Ever After, she meets her new neighbor in the most unexpected way.
* * *
In Sam Mallin's experience, the word family is synonymous with abandonment; he’s more than content on his own. Yet, in less than a week, he finds himself caring for an infant dropped on his doorstep, and playing house with his beautiful next-door-neighbor. When his feelings for Nikki deepen, he fears he’s nothing more than the ready-made family she so desperately wishes for. How can a self-proclaimed loner hold onto the two females most important to him without history repeating itself in a world of heartbreak?
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Love You, Baby Page 23
