Of course, our Nashville contingent is in attendance. Josie, who helped prepare everything and has been my rock while I’ve been gone on maternity leave. Shelby, if she ever comes back after her dramatic exit. Beau, Theo, and Asher, and of course, his daughter, Adalyn, who looks adorable right now in her pig tails and blue dress as she holds Ace with the help of Asher supporting his head. We have Linc and Ainsley, and obviously,we had to invite Maddox’s new best friend, Simon, and his wife Charlie. They brought their daughter, Lainey, who has fit right in with Adalyn and Maddox’s niece.
It’s a sight to see. And I love every minute of this.
“Everything good boss?”
“Quit calling me that, at least today,” I say as I nudge Josie’s shoulder. “Your work is done. Just enjoy it now.”
“That I can do,” she says as she picks up a chocolate peanut butter brownie. “I get why you craved these. They arereallygood. Did you do something different though? There’s something different about them?”
“I didn’t bake them,” I say. “I thought you did?”
“Me? You know I can’t get the peanut butter sauce right,” she says. “Whoever did it, I’m glad they’re here. Because I can’t make them, but I sure as shit can eat them.”
Maddox sends me a wink like I’m supposed to know what that means. Wait, is he signaling me to the brownies? He didn’t make these. He couldn’t have.
Right? Right.
Maddox laughs and I make a mental note to talk to him later about whatever that was. Josie went all out when I told her that I wanted to have everyone at the bakery to officially meet Ace. And she didn’t disappoint. Cookies, cupcakes and mini cheesecakes. Scones, cherry danishes and apple tarts before they go out of season. Carrot cake for Shelby. Cinnamon rolls for Beau.
And of course, bear claws for Maddox.
The dessert that started it all.
I felt bad I couldn’t help her more, but I did try a little. It’s been three weeks since Ace came into the world, and while I know I’m not ready to come back to the bakery full time, it has been nice to get in here every once in a while to rememberthe life I have outside of feeding, changing diapers, and washing bottles.
Seriously, how does a baby who now weighs a whopping eight pounds, three ounces go through so many diapers? I was ready for it—at least I thought. It only took me two days to realize I vastly underestimated how many diapers we’d go through in a day.
And how many outfits he’d wear.
And how many showers I thought I’d take.
But I wouldn’t trade any of that for the world. And neither would Maddox.
With the timing of Ace’s arrival, Maddox was able to miss a few days of practice before he reluctantly went back. Luckily, it was a home game, and Coach McAvoy gave him a waiver to spend the night with me and Ace instead of the team hotel that Saturday. I’m so glad he’s with a team that values family like the Fury, because I don’t know what I’d do if he hadn’t been there with me that first week.
I can’t ever believe that I had a single worry that Maddox wouldn’t want to be part of this child’s life. I know we’re only a few weeks in, but no way could you ever convince me that this man won’t be one-thousand-percent in our child’s life in any way he can.
And I think he’s starting to believe it, too.
I know he was worried that he could be like his dad. That when the baby came, he’d be scared and eventually panic and leave. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Maddox regularly takes the nighttime feedings, even if he has practice in the morning, and always takes care of bath time. When I told him once that I could do it if he wanted to relax after practice, he told me to go lay down and rest. It was only after I walked past the bathroom and heard Maddox talking to Ace—like he did the day he was born—that I understood why.
It’s their time. The time for the two of them. I know something like that only goes on for so long, but I hope they always have something like that.
Because if there’s one thing I haven’t underestimated is how much Maddox is not like his father. Not even close.
“You okay?”
Maddox’s arms snake around me, his lips next to my ear before he kisses my cheek.
“Yeah. Just taking it all in.”
Maddox stands with me, doing the same, as we watch our family and friends love on our little guy. Theo is holding him now, and I laugh as Kitty and Phyllis are literally drooling over the tattoo-covered baseball player holding a baby. At some point, Shelby has come back in, her eyes going from loving when she’s looking at Ace, to daggers when she’s looking at Beau.
And sure, there might be a touch of hatred between my best friend and my brother, but it doesn't outweigh the love that is in this room. Nor does it cover the love I feel every day from the man standing behind me.
“How did we get so lucky?” Maddox says as I fall back into his hold. “Sometimes this doesn’t feel real.”
“I ask myself that every day.”
