“I know you will. And I promise to do everything in my power to be the sort of mother our daughters deserve. Someone kind and patient and loving. The sort of mom I know you had, because I see how she shaped you into the man you’ve become.”
“She really did.” Holding her close, I breathe in the sandalwood scent of her hair. “I know you’ll be a great mom, Haze.”
“I’m going to try. And I’ll also work hard every day to be the very best co-parenting partner you could ask for.”
“You already are.”
“God, I’m so lucky. I get to be with the ultimate Dead Sexy Daddy.”
Chuckling, I brush my lips over her temple. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
She shifts in my arms with a sound I can’t quite identify. “Um, Luke?”
“Yeah?” I bury my face in her hair, so happy she’s in my arms again.
“Not to kill the mood, but I think my water just broke.”
I leap back in alarm, nervous system launching into panic mode. “Are you okay? Are you in pain? Is this too soon? Should we call someone or?—”
“Molly told me this morning it could happen anytime.” She winces, then looks at her shoes. “I think those are goners. Ew.”
“Not ew.” Kissing her softly, I smile. “It’s part of you—part of us.” Grinning, I pick up the go-bag in the corner. “Now let’s get to the hospital.”
Laurel Alina Spencer-Lovelin and Rosemary Dawn Spencer-Lovelin arrive in the world on a sunny Wednesday morning in February.
They’re surrounded by love and by family.
“It’s my turn to hold Rosie.” Mason bumps Lucy as he cradles a wrinkly infant in his arms. “The superior twin is always born first. Everyone knows that.”
Lucy glares at her twin and doesn’t trade babies yet. “They’re identical, you idiot. And they’re both perfect.”
“Agreed,” Mason says, rocking the baby. “Think I can score one of these?”
I watch Hazel’s cousins cradling our girls. “Not that specific baby, no.”
“Please don’t steal babies,” Hazel requests from her hospital bed. “Ours or anyone else’s.”
I move to her side, planting a kiss on her temple. We watch in bemusement as Lucy starts to hand Rosemary over to Mason. “Okay, I’ll trade now. Give me Laurel, please.”
“Wait,” Mason says. “She’s making that cute face again. Okay, here.”
As soon as they’ve swapped, Lucy smiles. “The joke’s on you, jerk—she needs her diaper changed.”
“I’ve got it,” I say, swooping in to take my daughter. “I’m a pro at this already.”
“He is.” Hazel watches me work, the pride in her eyes lighting me up from inside. “At the rate he’s going, he’ll be breastfeeding in no time.”
Chuckling, I keep my gaze trained on my daughter. She flails one wrinkled pink fist as I peel off the poop-filled diaper and tidy her up for a new one.
I know I’m supposed to find this part of it gross, but I can’t stop marveling at what a miracle it is. I helped make this tiny human. I’m a dad.
Not a bad one at that.
At some point while I’m changing my daughter, Mason and Lucy say their goodbyes and file out of the room. With their scheduled shift finished, we’ll soon see more family come through. I’ve lost track of the order, but it might be my mother or maybe Cassidy and Jake. Could be Amy and Cooper or even Hazel’s own mom flying in from Croatia. I love that they’ve drawn up a schedule so everyone can meet our girls and nobody gets left out.
“Here you go.” I hand her back to Hazel. “Fresh as a daisy.”
“Thank you, my love.” She stretches to kiss me. “I’m so proud of you.”
