EDEN
“She’s lovely, Jacob,” I hear my brother whisper as softly as his deep voice will let him, but I’m too tired to open my eyes.
“She is,” Jacob answers softly. Pride drips from his voice. “She looks just like Eden.” My lips start to quirk upward before my eyes open. The two men are standing side by side. They’re both huge. Tall and muscular as they stare down at the bundle of pink between them.
“Eden,” my brother calls out. “Shit! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you, honey.”
“It’s okay.” I smile.
“You did amazing.” My big brother nears and sits on the chair next to my bed. He reaches for my hand, and his thumb strokes the top of it. “She’s perfect.”
“She’s perfect,” I say sleepily before yawning.
“Shit, okay, you rest, and I will get out of your hair. I gotta get back to Cami and the kids.”
“Okay.” I smile.
“We’ll come by the house when you guys get discharged,” he promises, and I nod.
“Can you take Mom home?” I ask.
“Owen and Tess already did.”
“Good.” I smiled, exhaustion getting the better of me. “Later,” I wave and my big brother chuckles.
“Later.” He leans in and kisses my forehead. “Proud of you, sis. She’s perfection.”
“Thank you.” He stands and hugs Jacob before making his way out of the hospital room.Jacob moves toward me, our daughter in his arms. He sits on the edge of the bed, and I rest my head on the side of his arm.
“She may have my blonde hair, but she looks like you,” I whisper happily. The last four years proved to me that everything happens for a reason. Every road life took Jacob and me was for a reason. For us to meet one another when we did.
We’ve been inseparable since the snowstorm.
I moved in about a month after, and we got married two weeks later at the ski resort in town by the lake. The gazebo was filled with as many flowers as family. My giant brothers and their beautiful wives and their kids along with Jacob’s family surrounded the gazebo. My mom walked me down the aisle and into Jacob’s arms. She loves him for me.
His parents and two of his six siblings flew in from Florida. It was great to get to know them a little better. We both grew up in a large family and couldn’t wait to create our own, so we started trying right away.
Our son made his way into our lives kicking and screaming exactly nine months after our wedding. Once the doctor gave the go-ahead, we started trying again. Our girl took a little longer, but she was worth the wait.
“You really think so?” he asks, staring at her like he’s trying to see it. I smile.
“Mhmm,” I sigh happily. “She has your mouth and your ears. And I’m pretty sure your eyes.”
“You can’t tell that yet. They could change.”
“Maybe,” I whisper.
“It’s okay if she looks like me, since our boy looks like you with those beautiful eyes,” he mutters happily.
“They’re both such a good mix of the two of us.”
“I love you, angel,” he says with so much emotion I feel warmth spread through my chest.
“I love you, too, Daddy.” I wink, and he growls before crushing his lips against mine.
He pulls away, and when our eyes connect again, I can see how much he loves me. No hesitation or bullshit. Sure, we have had our bumps along the road, but it’s only ended up making us stronger.
“She’s as lovely as her mama,” Jacob compliments again, and I smile.
