I blinked, and Dr. MacDonald was there, smiling and nodding like I knew what I was doing. I had no idea. Everything hurt. I felt like I was being split in two, but somehow my body knew what to do. Pain swelled, and I pushed. It retreated, and I breathed. Again and again and again. And in the space between, there was Max. His warmth. His touch. His voice. His scent.
“You’re doing so good, Daze.”Push. Breathe.“Almost there, baby. Almost there.”Push. Breathe.
I grounded to him until it felt like I was made of nothing but searing pain and sweet words. And then, with a giant rush of relief, the dam released, and the world came rushing back with the sweetest, piercing cry.
Not mine.
Hers.
“She’s here, Daze.” Max smiled at me, tears in his eyes. “Lucy’s here.”
And then she was on my chest. Wiped and ruddy and crying. The most surreal minute of my life—that final minute when she’d gone from being inside me to lying on my chest.
“She’s perfect,” Max said hoarsely.
She was perfect, but I was too exhausted, too full of awe to do anything but stare. She was perfect and beautiful. And everything. And mine. I blinked to clear the fog of tears and looked at Max.
And his.
My daughter was his.
Chapter 32
Max
“Ican’t believe how perfect she is.” My voice cracked under the strain to keep it quiet so I didn’t wake her.
The last two hours had gone by in a blur of doctors, nurses, weighing, holding, staring,loving,and with every moment, I just wanted more.
Turning, I looked at Daisy as I lifted her hand to my lips. “Just like her mother.”
Her blush made my heart beat lighter.
“I was afraid you weren’t going to make it,” she said, and it was the first attempt to broach what had happened before the monumental, perfect moment that our daughter was born.
“There was nothing that could keep me from you—from both of you,” I promised and kissed her knuckles. The back of her hand. Her palm. “It’s over, Daze.” She looked at me. “They’re never going to come near you—come near Lucy again.”
“Max…” Her eyes rounded, hope overflowing through them. “How?”
My jaw tightened, but before I could speak, the door opened.
“Sorry to disturb Mom and Dad.”I’d never get tired of being called Dad.“Just wanted to check and see if either of you needed anything?” Jennie asked.
Daisy and I looked at each other and then said, “No,” in unison.
“Okay.” Her smile flattened. “Is it okay if I tell your family member it’s okay to come in? He’s been waiting…”
Family.Todd.
I looked to Daisy. “Your call, baby.”
I was more than happy to tell him to take a hike, but maybe putting off this conversation was worse than getting it over with.
“Yeah, he can come in.”
Jennie left, and there was a moment of privacy.
“We have to talk to him, Max.” She stared at Lucy, but I could see the turmoil fighting through her expression.He was her father too.
