“With your blessing, Emma and I would love to keep the team tradition alive and giveour sonthe middle name ‘Michael’.”
His heart clenched in his chest. It had been overwhelminglyemotional when Hawk asked after his son was born. The same when Lily and Gunner found out their baby would be a boy after having the girls. And now Seb and Emma, too.
“Your son?” Sloane asked, her hand tightening in his.
Emma nodded.
“God, congratulations, you two! You really want to do that?” he asked, the familiar sting of tears burning his eyes.
“We love you,” Emma said. “And we want to honor Mikey. But we also understand if it’s too much. We’d never want to take?—”
“Stop. I love you both so much, and I’m… It means so much to me. I’d be honored if our sons shared the same name, Cap. Truly. Honored.”
“I think the girls wore themselves right out today,” Gunner said as he walked into their bedroom. Lily was in bed, on top of the covers and still fully dressed, her eyes looking at the television but not focused on what was playing.
“Oh, I know they did. I swear, we need to get together with everyone everyday like that. The girls would never fight bedtime again.”
Gunner smiled. “It’s kind of hard with everything going on now. Nash and Lacy are only here part time, and Gage and Sloane are traveling more.”
“Don’t remind me. I’m still pouting over their trip to Montana without the rest of us.”
“You couldn’t go, even if Wings flew you there himself with Doc on board.”
“I could have. Your son is stubborn. He won’t let me go into labor on the ground. I doubt he’d be so bold as to let my body do it in the sky.”
“Speaking of our son, how is Graham?”
“Being as stubborn as ever,” Lily groaned as she placed her hands on her belly.
She was so fucking beautiful. Gunner didn’t think it was possible to love her any more than he did when he confessed his feelings to her after they moved to Silver Springs. But with each day, with each moment of life, with each pregnancy as he got to watch her body grow with the children they’d conceived together, it was magical. And he didn’t care how many tears he cried, they were all the same. The love-filled tears came at Sage’s birth. And at Magnolia’s. And he was certain more tears would come when Graham decided to finally give his mama a break and evacuate the cozy home she’d given him for the last nine months.
“I know you want him to come, but it’s good that we didn’t miss the day for Seb and Emma.”
“I know. I just thought Magnolia would come early and she was so stubborn. Leave it to your son to show her up.”
“Noli was born after her due date. We aren’t even to his yet. Next week.” Gunner took her hand and kissed her wrist. “We just have to make it to next week.”
Lily’s face scrunched up, her free hand landing low on her belly. “Mm, next week.”
He watched as she closed her eyes, blowing out her breath. He didn’t think she was timing the contractions, but he sure as hell was. They’d gone from every twenty minutes at the end of the baby shower, to every ten minutes by the time they pulled into their driveway. And now as the darkness of night blanketed their home, they were at every seven to eight.
“I need to get up and roll my hips on that damn birthing ball. But I feel like I could fall asleep here.”
“I have a better idea,” he smiled as he squeezed her fingers. “Why don’t you take a bath? I know your back is bothering you.”
“Birdie said rolling on the ball would help get him intoposition. And I’m afraid if I take a bath, it will scare away these contractions.”
“Take the bath,” he smiled. “They’re getting closer together.”
“They are, aren’t they?” she whispered.
Gunner helped Lily up from their bed, guiding her gently into the bathroom. He knew she would likely be in there for an hour or so, which gave him plenty of time to get things ready. He turned on the water, checking that the temperature wasn’t too hot, before helping Lily up over the edge. His wife’s face immediately relaxed as nearly every part of her body sank under the water level. Just her bump and her breast stayed above…
“Don’t look at me like that,” Lily laughed. “I don’t get it. I’m the size of this house and you still look at me like I’m beautiful.”
“I’m not looking at youlikeyou’re beautiful. Youarebeautiful. You are perfect. Fucking sexy as hell carrying our son. Just like you were when you carried our daughters. Do not get out of this tub without me here to help.”
“Sure thing.” She winked and he knew without a shadow of a doubt she would try to ignore his instructions. That just meant he needed to install the car seat quickly. No problem. He was a pro at those things now.
