“Thank you,” Reed put in. “We should go home now, huh?”
“Yes. But I won’t keep you prisoner, love. We’ll go out more.”
He leaned up to kiss Hamish’s cheek. “As long as I’m with you, I’m happy.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Hamish said. “Let’s go home.”
“Let’s do it.”
Chapter
Five
“Hamish, I am not happy.”
Hamish glanced up at Reed, frowning. They’d been watching a movie, since Reed was pretty confined by his huge belly and swollen feet these days, and he’d thought they were having a nice morning.
But Reed’s face was showing some strain.
“What is it, baby?”
“Well, I think I’m really in labor.”
“What?” He sat up straight. “Your water hasn’t broken yet!”
Reed scoffed. “Yeah, it did that when I went to the bathroom at like, five this morning. You were sound asleep, so I just took a shower.”
He popped up off the couch like a jack in the box. “Oh my God. We need the midwife.”
“See, this is why I waited. But I think you’re right.” Reed showed him the birthline, which holy crap. That was so ready.
He grabbed the house phone to Alaina. “Hey, it’s Hamish,” he said when she answered. “It’s time.”
“I’m on my way.”
Two hours later, Reed was in the bedroom, the bed stripped to just sheets and towels, his body bowing as he pushed. How could he have hidden from Hamish this long!
“You’re doing great, Reed. So good.” Alaina smiled, her expression encouraging. “Hamish, rub his back, huh?”
“Of course.” Hamish would do whatever he could to make it better. If he could take this on himself, he would. They’d floated in the tub. He’d held Reed’s hand. And now he was going to love on Reed’s lower back. “You got this, baby.”
“Arrrnnnngh.” Reed made this wild noise. “I don’t feel like I got this.”
“But you do. If Starry can push out twins…”
“Oh, stop it.” But Reed did grin at him, just faintly.
“Push, Reed.” Alaina always looked so calm, but he had a feeling that was an illusion. She was a lot like a duck, he thought -- gliding along the surface, paddling madly underneath.
Reed pushed, making that noise again, and he rubbed and let Reed grab his free hand when he needed to, and it took forever, but before he could blink, it seemed, Alaina was making crooning noises.
“Here she comes. That’s good, Reed. That’s perfect.”
Yes. Reed had told him at the shower that they were having a girl.
Hamish couldn’t be more thrilled.
And then it was, “One more push, Reed,” and Reed yelled, and the baby slid free, and?—
