One Beautiful Promise (Very Irresistible Bachelors 4)

Rob was holding one of Skye’s hands. I took the other one between my palms, rubbing it a bit so she wouldn’t be cold.

“Wait, your hair got out of the plastic a bit.” I tucked it back in under the elastic band, smiling at her. I was talking her through the procedure, explaining every step. Usually the person who performed each task explained it, but Skye seemed very relaxed while I was talking, so I kept doing it. Twenty minutes later, baby Dumont was here.

“Oh my God, he’s so tiny,” Skye whispered.

Rob clasped his wife’s hand tighter. Things were a bit of a blur while the doctor closed up the incision and the nurse evaluated the baby. Then everyone was transferred to the postpartum room.

The baby was so adorable! Tiny and red and crying his lungs out, right until he felt his mom’s skin, and then he quieted a bit. Rob was looking at his son and wife with misty eyes. Truthfully, I was tearing up too. Thank God Dr. Johnson was in charge.

“He’s beautiful,” I whispered to Skye.

“I know, right? Takes after my husband.” She chuckled, looking up at Rob. “Aww, baby. Want to hold him too? He can do that, right?”

“Of course,” I said. “Just adjust your clothes so he has skin-on-skin contact.”

The three of them looked so perfect that I couldn’t help but ask, “Want me to take pictures?”

“Yes. Please,” Rob said, taking his phone out of his back pocket and handing it to me. My hands were still a little shaky with emotion, so the first two pics were very blurred. I got it right on the third try. I swear to God, my heart just sighed when I looked at the pic and then back up at the real life models.

“Hmm... what do you think? Should we keep Jonas? Or is Richie better?” Rob asked.

“What’s that?” I inquired.

“Well, we had multiple names on our list,” Skye said. “We were mostly certain we’d go with Jonas but thought we’d wait until he was here to check if it... fit.”

I laughed, feeling my heart sigh again. They didn’t need me to explain what was happening anymore, so there was nothing for me to do but join in the baby appreciation.

“What do you think? Jonas or Richie?”

I looked at the tiny bundle, focusing on his face. “I’m thinking Jonas.”

Something squeezed inside my chest. My eyes stung as I imagined how it must feel to hold a baby—your baby. I hadn’t allowed myself those kind of thoughts in two years. Each time I’d attended a birth, I’d fought them with all I had. Now I didn’t want to fight them. On the contrary, I wanted to let that sense of wonder and joy wash over me.

“Well, hello, little guy. You might be named Richie. It’s still up for debate,” Skye whispered. She caressed the back of his head with her fingers. Rob was still the one holding him, and by the look on his face, he didn’t plan to let him go anytime soon.

“Okay, thanks, Laney. For coming here, for keeping Skye so calm. You have no idea how stressed out she was on the way.”

“I’m happy I could help.”

He’d said I calmed down Skye, but I had a feeling he was more relaxed too when I was around.

I was on Winchester duty today. God, I liked the sound of that so, so much.

For some reason, I’d expected half the clan to come visit, but only Tess and Amelia arrived half an hour later.

“Where’s everyone else?” I asked.

“Skye said she preferred if we didn’t all come at once,” Amelia said.

“I’m afraid the baby will be overwhelmed,” Skye said.

Okay, that made sense, but I’d been so sure Cole would be here that I couldn’t help but feel deflated. Wanting to make myself useful, and suddenly feeling like I was intruding on a family moment, I headed to a vending machine to bring drinks for everyone. I couldn’t help myself and texted Cole on the way.

Laney: Both your sister and your nephew are perfectly healthy. And SUPER ADORABLE.

I might have overdone it with the caps, but I was so excited that I just couldn’t hold back. This immense joy just needed an outlet—for now, that was capitals.

Cole: Hey! Heard you’re there with them from Isabelle.