First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

speak. Leah enjoyed his solid presence.

When another contraction hit, it was only because of Cade that she stayed on her feet.

“I think we should wake up now,” he said. “Just in case.”

“Don’t these things take hours, sometimes days?”

“Sometimes, sometimes not. Haven’t you done the classes?”

“Tuesday,” she shook her head.

“How come you waited so long? Shouldn’t you have taken them weeks ago?”

Leah didn’t want to answer. She briefly tried to wait him out but soon gave up.

“Well, yes, but I rescheduled.”

“You rescheduled,” he repeated her words back.

“I was sick.”

“You were sick?” his voice was mildly concerned but then he chuckled. “You’re a terrible liar, hun.”

“Okay, fine! I put them off. I didn’t want to take them with Lily and I didn’t want to take them alone. I kept thinking if I waited long enough—” Leah closed her mouth. She should not have said anything. She felt stupid putting off something so important just in case Cade would change his mind and want to be involved.

“I’m an idiot,” he said. “I was mad and stubborn but I should have—”

“Cade!” Whatever he was going to say was lost when she gripped him tightly, “I think my water just broke.”

“Wake up!” he said. “Wake up!”

Cade shook her.

“Leah, wake up!”

But it wasn’t Cade, it was Robert. She was sitting on the bench. The porch light had been turned on and Robert was in her face shaking her.

“I’m awake,” she told him. Leah did not need to look down, she could feel the wetness. She looked just to be sure.

“I think it’s time,” she told him.

“Should I text Cade?”

“He knows.”

Robert looked at her skeptically. He took out his phone, wavering. Leah sighed.

“Text him if it will make you feel better.”

He smiled but before he could do anything his phone pinged. Leah wanted to laugh at the expression on her brother-in-law’s face.

“Um . . . he says he’ll meet us there.”

Leah did laugh then. She started and couldn’t stop. She was still laughing when Lily popped her head out the screen door.

“There you two are! What is so funny?”

“Robert’s face,” Leah managed to say. “Oh and hey, my water broke.”

Leah then laughed at Lily’s face. Laughed until she cried. Laughed until another contraction hit and her sister jumped into action.

Chapter 43

“My God, I make beautiful babies,” Cade boasted proudly, holding a tiny bundle in his arms. Lily was pouting because her turn holding the baby was already over.

“Hey, I did a lot of the work, mister!” Leah teased. She thought her voice sounded tired. No, she’d passed ‘tired’ eight hours ago. Or was it longer? Leah didn’t even know. She was exhausted. And sore.

Leah tried not to think about the pain. Or the fluids and various substances. She shuddered. She felt like her body had been turned inside out.

“Are you okay?” Cade was instantly at her side.

She grimaced, remembering.

“Don’t think about it,” he told her soberly.

She tried not to but her body throbbed as a constant reminder.

“You were freaking amazing, love.”

Leah thought Cade was the amazing one. He was at her side the entire time. Lily had stepped aside and let Cade be completely involved. Completely present.

Real life.

In the flesh.

Cade Emerson.

This version was somehow even better than the dream-Cade and she loved him so much more.

“How’s the ice pack?” the nurse asked.

“Helping a lot. Thank you.” Leah was not used to people being up in her business but that ship had sailed hours ago. So when they cleaned her up and put ice between her legs, she was grateful. Giant granny panty, diaper, ice pack combo and all. It was exactly what she needed.

“Robert texted,” Lily interrupted Leah’s thoughts, bringing her back to the present. “He’s getting the girls ready. Then he’ll pick up Sky and Liam on the way.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m a mess!” Leah panicked.

“You are beautiful,” Cade insisted.

Lily scoffed and dug through the bag she brought. She pulled out a hair brush and a makeup bag.

“Bless you.” Leah let her sister wash her face, apply a little makeup, and attempt to do something with her hair. She felt marginally better.

Leah closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds and heard the tiny cry of her child. Her body felt so foreign to her right now but also somehow it naturally knew what to do. It felt surreal.

Cade laid their baby to her breast. Tiny pink lips found her nipple and sucked. Leah knew she was lucky. Not all babies latched on so quickly. Thankfully, their child knew what to do.

Leah watched, absolutely fascinated. It might get old later but right now it was beautiful. She looked up and saw Cade was equally transfixed.

“Sky and Liam both took a bottle,” he said.

Leah looked back down. She watched Cade gently stroke the tiny hand at her breast. Long fingers, still tinged purple, flexed and grabbed on to Cade’s thumb.

“Good grip,” Cade said proudly.

Leah smiled. She could not believe her life right now. She was a mother. She had a living, breathing child. And she had Cade at her side. It was almost more than she could fathom.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Lily broke the moment. “Robert just called from the van. All the kids refuse to eat breakfast and demand to be brought here immediately. He’s about ten minutes out.”

“Good,” Leah and Cade said at the same time. Leah was ready for the rest of her family to be here.

“I’ve been here all night,” Lily reminded them.

Leah just smiled sweetly. She knew where her sister was going with this. She wanted to know the gender of the baby, but Leah and Cade were waiting to tell everyone at once.

“I even left the room for the delivery. I’ve been accommodating and done everything you’ve asked of me . . .”

Leah looked at Cade. He merely smiled at Lily as well.

“You seriously aren’t going to tell me?!” Lily made a rude noise that startled the baby. Hands on her hips, Lily waited a few more seconds before giving up.

“Fine. I’m going for coffee,” Lily pouted her way