“Yeah,” I say quietly. “I had the laser treatments done."To get rid of your name on my skin,I don’t say aloud.
Beatrice nods, and her hand goes to her own exposed belly where she still has my name tattooed in the same font. “I guess that’s to be expected since you hate me now.”
Giving her my gentlest smile, I stroke the backs of my fingers down her damp cheek. “I don’t hate you, Beatrice. Not at all.”
“Do you still love me?” she asks, letting down her walls and letting me see the old Beatrice, the one I fell for years ago.
Hell. What am I supposed to say to that?Because in this moment, watching her struggle to bring our baby into this world, I do feel a deep sense of love for the woman. I think she’s fucking amazing.
“Yes,” I admit, resting my forehead against hers.
“Another one,” she gasps, gripping onto my shoulders and holdingme close to her while a contraction wracks her body. “Phoenix, I think… I think it’s time to push.”
Less than thirty minutes later, Reece Annette Hale enters the world with a cry that seems way too loud for someone so tiny.
“Oh my god,” I gasp, my eyes locked on the bright-pink, squalling infant. “You did it, Beatrice.”
“Yeah,” she pushes out through red, chapped lips.
A nurse wipes down the little one, and then she attempts to hand her to me, but my eyes go to Beatrice. “Do you want to hold her first?”
My heart plummets when she shakes her head and turns her face toward the wall, not even looking at the baby. And like it’s affixed to a roller coaster track, my heart once again shoots to the sky when I look down at my daughter.
I take Reece in my arms, and she whimpers and calms when I cradle her. Yeah, I’m a goddamn goner. She blinks up at me with blue eyes the same shade as mine before closing them, letting her long eyelashes rest on soft, rounded cheeks.
“I’m your daddy, baby girl,” I whisper, swiping my face against my shirt so I don’t drown my poor daughter with the tears streaming down my face. “You are so beautiful, and I love you more than anything.”
She peeps one eye open, regards me for three seconds, then closes it with a sigh, seemingly unimpressed by her father. Then I feel the wet spot on my shirt. She peed on me, and it makes me laugh.
“Well, you’re already acting surly, miss ma’am,” I tell her, kissing her forehead. “You’re going to give your daddy all kinds of trouble, aren’t you?”
She doesn’t answer, but her tiny rose-colored lips twitch, as if she already finds the idea of giving me hell funny. I love this little girl so damn much. I knew I would, but I didn’t expect this depth of emotion. It’s unlike anything I could have even imagined: a clenching of my chest, a tightening of my throat, a reprogramming of my entire freaking brain. I am Daddy; hear me roar.
Reece is tiny, though she has the chubbiest little cheeks I’ve ever seen. A riot of dark hair is plastered to her head, the ends curling up a bit.
“Dad,” one of the nurses interrupts with a gentle hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, but we need to take Reece for a few minutes, but I promise we’ll bring her back, okay?”
With a scowl on my face, I hand her over and then go back to Beatrice’s bedside. “You did so good,” I tell her. The doctor has finished up between her legs, and I pull her into an embrace and whisper into her messy hair. “Thank you, Beatrice.”
Her body feels weak in my arms, but what she just did was the strongest thing I’ve ever witnessed. I’m in awe of her.
“Is everything okay with… the baby?” she asks when I release her.
She’s never used Reece’s actual name, and it’s always bothered me, but I let it go. “She’s perfect. How are you feeling?”
“Tired. Thirsty. Hungry.”
A nurse pours a glass of water and tries to hand it to Beatrice, but I take it, holding the straw to her lips. She drinks greedily until the glass is empty. “I’ll order you some food,” I tell her. “What do you want?”
“Burger, fries, and a sweet tea,” she says instantly, and I pull out my phone and place a delivery order.
“Done.” I glance over at the bassinet when I hear Reece let out a loud yell, and I swear I want to rip the world apart. “What’s wrong?” I call, stomping over to see what the fuck they’re doing to my daughter.
An older nurse swipes at Reece’s heel before flashing me a patient smile. “Calm down, papa bear. Just a simple heel prick. It’s standard. We needed a little blood to screen for any serious conditions.”
“Oh. Well, I guess that’s okay.” I reach down into the glass bed and stroke my baby’s cheek. She grasps my finger in a tiny fist and brings it to her mouth, quieting her cries. I’m overwhelmed at the trust this little person already has in me, and I vow to myself that I’ll do everything in my power to give her anything she’ll ever need. Including an unending supply of love.
The hospital has a private lounge set up for my family, and as I enter, I’m bombarded with what sounds like a million questions, which I attempt to answer.
