I Never Expected You (I Never 2)

“Uh-huh.” I stare at Haylee in amazement.

Could my girl be any more beautiful, the way the sun reflects off her? She is a vision, an angel. My angel.

Wow, now my eyes are filling up. That’s my baby girl in there. I feel the warmth of Haylee’s palm cupping my cheek, her fingers spread while her thumb brushes away a fallen tear. Shit, look at me being the one all emotional.

“Baby, are you okay?” she asks, and I place my hands over hers.

I can’t hide back my smile. “More than okay. I mean…” I choke on my words. Get yourself together, man. “I know that’s my baby in there, and I know we’ve seen pictures of our peanut, but actually to feel her. It just…it just feels so real.” I press my lips to hers as the Ferris wheel begins to move.

I place my hand back on her belly as the ride makes its way around to the start, but instead of stopping, it continues for another loop.

With my forehead against hers, I tell her, “I love you, Haylee. You too, baby girl.”

“Emme,” Haylee says just above a whisper.

Who? Did she say the name Emme?

I pull back with my brows pinched together.

She places both her hands over her growing bump and continues. “Emme. I want to name her Emme after my brother. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and then when we found out it was a girl…I just thought it was meant to be.”

I crash my lips to hers and kiss her just as the cart comes to a stop. I extend my hand, and when she links her fingers with mine, I feel the same spark I felt all those years ago. Once out of the way of the people boarding the ride, I lead Haylee through a clearing in the crowd. I turn to face her once we find an empty spot. I crouch down to my knees. Haylee grabs my shoulders in an attempt to pull me up, but I don’t budge.

“Zach, what are you doing? People are staring.”

“Let them,” I respond before closing the distance between me and her baby bump. I don’t even care if people stop and listen.

“Hey, Emme. It’s Daddy.” I feel Haylee’s grip tighten on my shoulders as if I were holding her up. “I just want to tell you I love you very much. Your mom and I both do. Just a few more months, and then we get to meet you.”

The sound of sniffling brings my attention back to Haylee. I look up to see her wiping away fresh tears. I turn back to the bump to place a sweet kiss on her stomach before rising.

“You like the name?” she finally asks.

“It’s perfect. I have an idea, and if you hate it, then we move on from it.”

“Okay.” She draws it out, unsure as to what I am about to suggest.

I smile at her and tuck a stray hair behind her ear. “What if we name her Emme Danielle?” She doesn’t say anything, so I continue. “I know it’s stupid to think about, but I’d like to believe that they brought us together. The beauty of us came from the ashes of our loss.”

“Wow.”

“I know it was a crazy suggestion.”

“No, it’s just that that was beautiful and so deep.”

“So what do you think?” I am more than happy to go with whatever name she wants, but silently I hope she likes this one.

Rising to her toes, she whispers against my lips, “I love it. Emme Danielle Jacobs.”

I close the space between us, pressing my lips against hers, having her as close as she can be with her stomach.

I break the kiss and lean my forehead against hers. “Now how about we go share the news? I don’t know about you, but it was killing me not to spill the beans that we know it’s a girl.”

She nods and takes my hand. We start to make our way back to the car—of course, not without stopping for two funnel cakes. Yep, Haylee ate her entire cake and even some of mine. I’m sure everyone is beginning to wonder where we are and if we will be back. I think we’ll end up just staying over.

When I slowly open my eyes, my heart skips a beat as I take in the view in front of me. Zach is sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the hospital room, rocking our baby girl back and forth.

Stubborn like her father and two days after my due date, our precious Emme Danielle Jacobs arrived at 7:43 a.m. this morning after twenty-two hours of labor.