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“She’s doing great. Completely exhausted, but she was a champ.”
Sawyer picked up the box of Cuban cigars he’d brought with him last night. “Whenever you have a chance, let’s go outside and light these up.”
Wes nodded. “I have to go back down to the nursery where they’ve got Aiden and then make sure Hadley’s good.”
“Take your time,” Sawyer said.
“Wait, he’s in there right now?” Nash said. “We can see him through the window?”
“Yeah, come see him,” Wes said. “I don’t mean to be a dick, but we’re only having immediate family around him and Hadley for now.”
“We get it,” Eric said. “You guys don’t want your newborn around a bunch of germs.”
Nash hustled toward the door. “Aiden needs to meet his Uncle Nash first.”
Everyone hurried to follow, a crowd of us bursting into the hallway all at once. Jolie slipped her hand into mine and I gave hers a little squeeze as we made our way to the other end of the floor, where the nursery was.
“Oh, look at the babies,” Sariah said. “I swear I just felt a pang directly in my ovaries.”
“How can you not?” Jolie said, her tone dreamy.
“There he is,” Wes said proudly, pointing to a back corner of the room.
A nurse saw us and held Aiden up so we could get a look at him. He was wrapped up in a blue blanket, a little white cap on his head.
“Wes, he’s perfect,” Sawyer said.
I walked over and put my arm around Wes, emotion welling in my throat.
“He’d be so proud of you,” I said.
Wes put a hand over his eyes to cover his tears, his shoulders shaking as he cried. Sawyer came over and put an arm around him from the other side. There was no filling the hole Ben had left in our lives, but we’d never forget him. Wes and Hadley were raising Ben and Lauren’s kids as their own, which just showed how strong the bond between teammates could be.
The team was a second family to me, but being here reminded me that I missed these occasions when they happened in my actual family. Hockey had kept me from being there for the births of Andy’s kids.
Andy’s illness had been the catalyst for me to move back home. And even though he was in remission, I still needed to go. I didn’t want to miss every birthday and youth hockey game anymore.
Jolie smiled warmly at me and I felt a physical pain in my chest. It was so damn unfair how this was going down. She’d gotten a great job offer right here in St. Louis, and I knew she thought that since Andy was in remission, I wouldn’t be going to Nashville.
I needed to go, though. Much as it hurt, it was the right choice. And even though things were still new with us, I selfishly wanted to ask her to move with me.
What kind of asshole asked that of a woman who was about to finish her doctorate after years of hard work? Her family was here, and she loved them just as much as I loved mine.
Everyone got out their phones to snap pictures of Aiden as the nurse rolled him back toward Hadley’s room on a little cart with a clear dome on top. Wes followed along beside her, looking prouder than any hockey trophy could ever make him.
I wanted this. A family of my own. And Jolie was the perfect partner. Things had just started with us, but I felt it deep down. She was a total package, and she made me a better version of myself.
“Who wants to go get some breakfast?” Nash asked after we said goodbye to Wes. “I’m about to waste away over here.”
“Want to?” I asked Jolie.
“I wish I could, but I need to shower and get to the lab.”
She’d stayed all night, even when I’d told her to take my car home and get some rest. Jolie was everything I’d ever wanted in a woman and more.
“I’ll drive you,” I said, kissing her.
“No, go have breakfast. I can take an Uber.”
