#Bae (The Hashtag Series Book 8)

by Cambria Hebert

  She seemed surprised but didn’t say so. She and the doctor retreated as Ivy and B rushed to see the baby.

  “Oh my goodness, he’s perfect!” Ivy said when Rimmel handed him over. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared down at him. “So tiny,” she mused.

  “That’s gonna be us soon,” Braeden whispered as he looked over Ivy’s shoulder at his nephew.

  “What?” Rimmel gasped.

  Ivy winced and glanced up at me, then at Rim. “We were waiting to say anything.”

  “You’re pregnant!” Rimmel exclaimed.

  Ivy nodded, and B grinned like he was the man. “We just found out. I wanted to wait ‘til after the shower today to tell everyone.”

  “That’s the best news ever!” Rimmel said, her eyes on the baby. “Congratulations!”

  I held out my hand to B for us to shake. “Congrats, man. It’s good news.”

  “I need to see him,” Braeden said. “Uncle inspection.”

  “Watch his head,” I demanded when he took the baby from Ivy.

  “I’m your favorite uncle,” he said, as my son stared at him wholly. “You got a few more, but I’m the best.”

  “Let me have him,” Rimmel said. “They’re gonna come back, and I want to kiss him.”

  Braeden slipped him into her arms and kissed her head. She smiled down at the baby, then looked up at me.

  Unable to stay away from her another second, I climbed in the bed, squished right up against her on my side, and put my arms around both her and my son.

  Rimmel kissed his head and adjusted his hat, then laid her head against my chest.

  My chest was so full it felt tight. The amount of love and possession I felt in that moment was unsurpassed by anything else.

  “Does he have a name yet?” Ivy asked.

  I glanced at Rimmel. We hadn’t discussed names very much because she was so superstitious throughout the entire pregnancy.

  She nodded, almost shy.

  I adjusted the black-framed glasses on her nose and kissed her temple. “Let’s hear it.”

  “Blue,” she said.

  “Like the color?” I puzzled.

  She smiled, looking up. “For the color of your eyes, the color of my favorite hoodie…”

  “I can dig it,” Braeden said.

  “You don’t get a say,” I told him without looking away from Rimmel’s upturned face.

  She picked out a name that reminded her of me… What isn’t to love?

  “Blue.” I tried it out. “I like it.”

  “Blue James Anderson.” Rimmel went on and glanced back down.

  He yawned like he was unimpressed.

  “Love it.” I agreed on the name, kissing her on the head. “I love you, too.”

  The nurse walked in, wheeling a clear baby bassinet along with her. I glowered.

  Rimmel sighed. “Go with him, Romeo. And make them bring him back as soon as possible.”

  “Anything for you,” I said and forced myself off the bed.

  Instead of letting the nurse place him in the bassinet, I did it. He started crying almost immediately. Hell, I’d cry too if someone made me leave Rimmel’s arms.

  “Is he okay?” Rimmel worried, getting ready to vault out of bed.

  “He’s fine,” I assured her.

  As I was leaving, Braeden joined me. “Don’t worry, sis,” he told Rimmel. “I’ll get Drew and Trent, too. No one is gonna bother our man Blue.”

  “There’s more of you?” The nurse gasped.

  “I apologize in advance,” Rimmel told her sympathetically.

  Ivy snickered. “I’m going to go tell Valerie. She’s probably on pins and needles.” She leaned down to give Rimmel a quick hug. “Congratulations,” she whispered.

  “Thank you,” Rim replied with the familiar sheen of tears in her eyes.

  The nurse went out the door with B and Ivy, but I hung back just a second.

  “What are you doing?” Rimmel asked, staring after her son.

  “Little Blue Jay is just fine, baby. I’ll catch up with them in a few. But first, there’s something I need to do.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “What?”

  I surged forward, making fast work of the distance separating us. Careful of her body, I cupped her cheeks in my palms and kissed her soundly.

  When I lifted my head, there was a dreamy quality to her stare and her lips turned up in a soft smile.

  “What was that for?” she whispered.

  “That,” I said definitively, “was for breathing.”

  I kissed her again.

  “And that was because I love you so fucking much.”

  “So fucking much,” she echoed. “Now go watch over our son,” she urged.

  I held her hand until I had to let go to keep walking. Out in the hall, I jogged to catch up to my son, and when I looked down, I saw the perfect balance. Romeo and Rimmel, all mixed together.

  He was tangible proof that two hearts could absolutely beat as one.

  Rimmel

  The door remained closed.

  Not locked, yet with an unspoken seal no one ever crossed.

  Until recently that is. But not yet by me. Or Romeo.

  Or the baby boy was cradled in my arms.

  Blue was four days old and perfect in every way. You know how they say life can change in an instant, in the blink of an eye?

  Whoever said that was probably a parent.

  No love is ever so swift than the love that smacks you when your child is first placed in your arms. In that moment, everything shifted, everything changed.

  The gravitational pull that held Romeo and me together spread to include our son. We already had a family, a big, crazy, loving one. Evie was part of that family; she always would be.

  But Blue made it complete.

  My heart belonged to Romeo, but now it orbited around our son.

  His eyes were blue; they had the same kind of magic in them Romeo’s held. Every time this baby looked at me, I felt engulfed, like the entire world narrowed down to just him and me. The only other person I’d ever met with so much power in just a single look was his daddy.

  The light, downy hair barely covering his head was irresistible to the touch; his tiny, heart-shaped lips were pink and always begged for kisses.

  He knew my voice and the sound of Romeo’s. Those round, blue eyes would follow our sounds whenever we moved, and when he’d find us, he never looked away.

  I won’t lie. Sometimes when I looked at him and my heart swelled, I thought of my lost daughter, the one I never got to meet. I wondered if she would have the same eyes, the same hair, the same hungry appetite.

  I wouldn’t ever know the answers to those questions, but it didn’t make me love Blue any less. If anything, it made me love him more because I understood all too well the fragility of life.

  “This is your big sister’s room,” I told him softly as he gazed up at me. “I think she’d want you to have it, though. Are you ready to see?”

  He didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. It was more a question for myself.

  Was I ready to go in, to face the past and the future all in one single moment?

  Romeo was standing right beside me. He leaned over and wrapped his hand around the doorknob. I took a breath and nodded. The door swung in.

  It felt like my heart caved in a little at the first sight of the room. I recalled what it had been before its glory now—a mostly empty space with a chair, a few stuffed toys, and a crib. This room always seemed cold to me. Empty. Sad.

  It wasn’t sad anymore. It was absolutely perfect.

  In keeping with the house, the walls were light gray, soothing and soft, perfect for a sleepy baby. The hardwood floors were covered with two large area rugs, one patterned white and gray beneath the brand-new black crib, and a yellow one that looked like a cloud in the center of the room.

  The wall behind the crib had a white stencil design, and in the center was a large, yellow wooden B. Everything was
done in white and gray, but there were lots of yellow accents. The windows were draped with beautiful curtains, and the rocking chair was inviting.

  No detail was left unattended. Valerie’s stamp was everywhere.

  Almost shy, I stepped into the room as my eyes roamed. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered to Romeo, glancing over my shoulder to see if he approved.

  He gave me an ornery smile. “My mother wouldn’t settle for anything less than the best.”

  I giggled. He was so right. She was so smitten with the baby in my arms. I didn’t go a single day without seeing her in the four days since he’d been born. In fact, she’d probably be here later.

  Rocking a little as I walked, I noted the closet, which was organized and stocked. There were even some blue outfits hanging among the mostly green and yellow I’d chosen before I knew he was a he.

  “I don’t know how they got all this done in four days.” I was in awe.

  “My mother and Ivy?” Romeo scoffed. “I’m surprised the whole house isn’t redone.”

  I had to agree. I pivoted, noting the yellow dresser against the wall, and froze. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I wandered closer. My eyes never once left the picture sitting in a silver frame.

  It was the only picture we had of Evie, her first and last sonogram.

  They framed it. Added it to this room.

  A sob caught in my throat as I stared at the tiny image. It was so fitting she was in here.

  Romeo wrapped his arms around us from behind, his chin settling on my shoulder. “Feels right.”

  “Yes,” I murmured. “It does.” A tear slid down my cheek, but I didn’t brush it away. I didn’t have to. It was okay to cry about Evie. It was okay to be sad. It was also okay to be happy.

  Life wasn’t just any one thing. It was a combination… a melting pot of emotions, a mix of salty and sweet.

  “You’re being greedy,” Romeo whispered. With one hand wrapped around me, he caressed the top of Blue’s head with the other.

  “He looks like you,” I told him.

  “My genes are more dominant,” he declared, matter-of-fact.

  I turned in his arm. “Is that so?”

  “The proof is right there in your arms.”

  Well, I couldn’t argue with that, now could I?

  Romeo leaned forward, hugged us both against him, and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “It came true,” he whispered.

  “What?”

  “The wish I made right before he was born.”

  I tipped up my head to look at him. He held his arms out for our son. Gently, I handed the bundled baby over, taking care to cradle his head.

  “I got him.” He promised, concentration turning his handsome face serious.

  I stepped away, watching as my giant husband tucked the tiny baby into his chest and fussed with the blankets, making sure he was warm.

  He’d only been a father four days, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt exactly what kind of father he was going to be to Blue and to any other children we were lucky enough to add to our family.

  Exceptional.

  Exceptional (adjective): Not typical, unusual, uncommon, extraordinary, rare, unprecedented.

  “I’m getting pretty good at this.” He boasted, glancing up at me to grin.

  “Yes, you are.” I smiled, watching them.

  “Romeo?” I asked as I wandered over to caress the soft pile of clean blankets on the end of the changing table.

  “Yeah, Smalls?” he answered quietly, his face downturned as he studied our son.

  “What was your wish?”

  “For him to know your love, the kind of love I’ve only ever seen you capable of giving. The kind you give to me every day.”

  My heart did a cartwheel in my chest. “You’re still my #bae, Romeo.”

  “Did you just call me a shithead?” He scowled, but his eyes danced with laughter and love.

  “Don’t use that language in front of my son!” I scolded.

  He winced. “Sorry.” Romeo glanced down at the baby. “Your momma says you can’t say that word. I’ll be sure to teach you worse ones when you’re older.”

  “Roman Anderson!” I whisper yelled. “You are a poop head!”

  “Aww, don’t be like that, Smalls,” he crooned and came closer, walking gently as he carried Blue.

  When he stopped before me, he leaned down over the baby and kissed me soft. “You’re still my before anyone else, Mrs. Anderson.”

  Love you, I mouthed, kissing him again.

  Blue started fussing, and Romeo jerked back. “Hey there, Blue Jay. Tell your daddy what’s the matter.”

  Ralph scrambled into the room with Darcy not far behind and rushed to Romeo’s feet, where they sat quietly and stared up with wide eyes at the fussing new addition.

  Ralph whined a little, and I patted him on the head. “Good boy.” Even our two rambunctious dogs were wrapped around this little boy’s finger.

  “He needs to eat,” I said, reaching for him.

  Romeo stepped back, tugging his Blue Jay farther against him. “Don’t be interrupting man time.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “He’s hungry.”

  Romeo wagged his eyebrows. “You’re sexy when you’re bossy.”

  Well, it was a good thing I had that going for me, ‘cause I was back to drowning in sweats, wearing the same Alpha U hoodie every day, and never combing my hair.

  Who had time for anything else when they had a baby to love?

  Well, Ivy did. She had some kind of magical powers.

  “I’m gonna go make his bottle,” I said. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt man time.”

  Romeo crossed to the rocker and made himself comfortable. Both dogs lay at his feet.

  When I was in the hallway, I heard him say, “About time she left. Now let me tell you about football…”

  Little Blue Jay quieted down, and I knew he was listening aptly to the sound his daddy’s voice.

  All was right with the world.

  I smiled.

  P.S. Ivy had a little boy. They named him Jaxson, which made Blue and Jax less than a year apart in age. From the moment they met, they had an epic bromance, just like their daddies.

  Author’s Note

  It always seems impossible until it’s done. True words, especially when it came to writing this book. This book was highly requested—as in almost on a daily basis, people asked me for a baby book for Romeo and Rimmel since the day #Heart released.

  It got to the point it was all I was asked. I was never opposed to writing this book, but I didn’t want to write it just for the sake of writing it. I wanted there to be a story in my head for it. Because I love this series so much, I wanted to be able to do it justice.

  You know how you have a really great hair day and then you don’t want to go outside because you know it will be ruined? Or when you actually get your house super clean and beautiful, but then you don’t want to do anything to mess it up?

  That’s what it felt like to write this book.

  The Hashtag Series started out as a single book. A single idea of a girl with glasses. I was inspired by hoodies, football, and cool weather. I never intended it to be eight books. I never intended to have an entire family come together and literally take over my life.

  I guess the best things in life are unexpected (didn’t Rimmel say something like that?) and this series has definitely been that. The success this series has had (and I’m not talking necessarily in units sold) blows my mind. The characters have become so well loved it’s almost intimidating, even to me. Especially when sitting down to try and write about them.

  How would I ever live up to the first seven books? How many ways can you make two people kiss without it seeming like an endless run-on of the same words over and over again? How do you maintain the magic that surrounds Romeo and Rimmel?

  I know this book probably isn’t what people were expecting. It has a lot more feels in it than I *think* were begged for. I think e
veryone wanted happy, happy, happy… But this is what Romeo and Rimmel told me. It’s real, sometimes it’s raw, but it’s family, which is what they are.

  And in the end, there were three.

  A beautiful three at that.

  #Bae was scary because I basically started out in the prologue with something deeply personal and painful for a lot of people. In one hundred percent honesty, I’ve never experienced a miscarriage or infertility problems. I debated (even now that the book is done) if I should do it. The last thing I want to do is offend someone with my portrayal of something like this. I don’t want to hurt anyone or even try to lessen what those who deal with this feel.

  All I did was try to write it to the best of my ability, with compassion, but also as the characters told me. Everyone deals with miscarriage and infertility different; some struggle WAY more than Romeo and Rimmel.

  I just pray the story I wrote here does this series and this subject justice.

  Also, I hope you as a reader got all the feels you longed for. I hope the magic was there for you and the love between this family shone through.

  People will likely ask if this is really the end. Can you write more?

  My answer is hard, but it’s the only one I have. Yes. This is it. I could possibly keep writing, but it would ruin this “perfect” thing, and I don’t want to do that. (I don’t think this series is perfect in any literary or editorial sense. I hope you get what I’m saying here).

  I leave you with this. We will always be #family. These words and stories will always be here for the true #nerds out there. I will be eternally grateful for everything this series has brought to my life, and these characters will forever be in my heart. I hope you revisit these books and characters often, as I know I will.

  Thank you for coming on this #journey with me. Please keep spreading the word about this series, keep sharing the #love. Maybe someday it will grow big enough that we’ll all be able to see it onscreen.

  Next up for me is Arrow’s book #Blur, and then after that… a new adventure is waiting. I’ll see you all there.

  XOXO,

  Cambria

  Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than thirty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.