Harvest of Love: Insta-Spark Collection

“Say it,” I pleaded. “I want to hear you say it.”

“I’m pregnant. You’re going to be a daddy.”

My fingers spread wide over her stomach, unable to stop touching her. Our child was there. Right there under my hand, growing.

“How far along?”

“About six weeks. It’s pretty early.”

Lifting her shirt, I bowed my head, pressing my lips to her skin. “Hi, little pea. It’s Daddy. I can hardly wait to meet you. I’m going to love you so much.”

Looking up at Dani, I smiled, despite the tears still running down my face. “I already love her.”

“It could be a him.”

“It doesn’t matter. I love our little pea.” I looked around. “Hey, where is my other little pea?”

Dani laughed as she looked around, picking it up and holding out her hand to show me. “Right here. You have thousands of them growing at home.”

I took it from her hand, shaking my head. “Nope, this one is special. I’m framing it.”

She giggled.

“That explains the wine and the sleepiness. Anything else I should know?”

She drew in a deep breath. “I can’t be around the studio when the kiln is on, and I have to be careful with the glazes.”

“No pottery, then. You can paint.”

“No, Noah. I’ll be careful. I checked online, and the glazes I use are safe. I’ll wear a mask and gloves too, as a precaution.”

“I don’t want you to overdo it.”

“I won’t. I’ll only finish the orders I have, and then I’ll stop. I promise.”

“When can we tell people?”

“Soon.” She tilted her head with a wry smile. “Can you keep it a secret?”

I shrugged sheepishly. “I’ll try.”

Her eyes shone with mirth. “So, our family will know the day we get back.”

My chest warmed at her use of “our family,” but I had to agree. She knew me too well. They knew me too well. “I’ll try,” I repeated. “They might…guess.”

She started to laugh. “Yeah, one look at your face and I think they will.” Her voice dropped a little. “I don’t have to ask if you’re happy about this news.”

I beamed at her, cupping her face and drawing her close. “No. I’m ecstatic. Beyond ecstatic.” I looked down at my hand still resting on her stomach. “You, me, and our little pea. It’s the start of our family, Dani. I’ve never been happier than I am at this moment.”

I kissed my wife, holding her close. Encircled in my arms was my whole life.

My family.

Epilogue

Noah

The hospital ward was quiet, the halls deserted at this time of the night. I looked over at my sleeping wife. Twenty hours of labor and a few scary moments for both of us had totally exhausted her. She’d tried desperately to keep her eyes open but finally gave in to my pleading and allowed herself to fall asleep. I couldn’t sleep, my emotions too close to the surface—my joy too much to contain. All I wanted to do, all I had done since she was born, was hold my daughter.

Lily Kristine Edwards screamed her way into the world, fussing and wailing until they placed her in my arms. Then she turned to my chest, snuggling and content, staring up at me, blinking and looking like a sleepy owl, including the tuft of wet hair on her head that glinted golden brown.

The love I had felt for her while Dani was pregnant was nothing compared to the all-encompassing wave of emotion I felt in that very moment. I’d thought I was prepared. When we found out the baby was a girl, I was beyond thrilled and expected to bond with her strongly, but not like this. It seeped into every molecule of my body, and I knew I would never be the same. As deeply as my love for Dani had changed me, this love would direct me for the rest of my life.

I ran my finger down her downy, pink cheek. She was perfect. My little pea. She was tiny—only weighing in at six pounds—but she was healthy. Her hair was decidedly golden brown like mine, but her eyes were a darker blue like her mother’s. She was truly a mix of Dani and me.

“You need to put her down and get some sleep, Noah. She’ll be awake again soon and want to be fed.”

I smiled at my sleepy wife, carrying Lily over and gingerly sitting down on the edge of her bed. “I can’t let her out of my arms.”

“She loves her daddy already.”

“Her daddy loves her.” Leaning over, I nuzzled Dani’s pale cheek. “He loves her mommy, too. So very much.” I kissed her again. “But you are the one who needs the sleep. All I did was let you break my hand. You did all the tough stuff.”

She giggled, a small grimace crossing her face as she shifted. “Sorry about the hand.”

I flexed my sore fingers. “You are freakishly strong, woman.”