Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
“You guys like your T names, huh?”
She chuckles. “Yeah, that’s Tyler for you. He wanted to name Ava Thea, but I said no way. I wanted at least one of my kids to have a name that didn’t start with a T.”
After another goal horn sounds, my head snaps back to the game.
“No,” I yell, my hand balled into a fist at my side. “They’re in the lead now.”
Dad crosses his arms over his chest and smiles. Of course, he wants Duke to win. I would want the same for Noah if he were on the ice.
No matter the outcome of this game or playoff series, I’m proud of Dean. He made it to the playoffs his first year in the league. He did so well in the regular season he was named as a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy for his outstanding performance. It’s the equivalent of the Rookie of the Year trophy awarded in other sports. Noah will be here by the time Dean finds out if he won.
Everything is finally falling into place. I just scored a job sitting in this box. Dean is crushing it with the Flyers. Duke has a girlfriend. I’m still shocked by that news. And Noah is on his way.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
DEAN
In the middle of the night, I hear Kat get out of bed. She’s so close to her due date that I’m constantly worried about her. Of course, I find her in the kitchen. Her giant baby bump is illuminated by the refrigerator light as she drinks milk from the plastic jug. I can’t help but laugh, and she hears me.
“Don’t judge me,” she groans with a sly grin on her face.
I step into the room and take the milk from her hand, pulling her into my arms. “How are you feeling?”
“Hungry. Tired. Scared.”
“It’ll be okay, Kitten. Noah will be here any day now. Fear is just a lack of preparation, and we’re ready for Noah to come. So, don’t worry.”
Her lips crash into mine, and her tongue slips into my mouth. She grips my hair between her fingers, tugging hard as she pulls me closer to deepen the kiss. Our passion for one another intensifies with each second that passes… until I feel a gush of liquid on my feet.
Eyes wide, I peel my lips from hers. “What was that?”
Kat raises her hand to her mouth. “That was my water.” She speaks between her fingers before lowering her hand to her side. “At least I think my water broke.”
I smile and rest my forehead against hers for a few seconds. “Either that or you pissed on my feet.”
“I was supposed to have a few more days.” She waves her hand in front of her face to fan herself. “I’m not ready for him.”
“Listen to me, Kitten. You can do this, okay? I’ll be there with you the entire time.”
“Right,” she breathes. “I can do this.”
“I’m here if you need an assist.” I wink, and she returns my smile.
“There’s no one else I would rather do this with than you, Dean.”
“I would hope not.”
She kisses my cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. We need to get you to the hospital.”
“I have to take a shower first.”
“Of course, you do,” I deadpan.
“I don’t want to be all gross. I’m covered in fluid.”
A mixture of panic and excitement stirs in my chest as I walk Kat to the bathroom. My son is almost here. Having a baby at twenty-three was the last thing I’d ever planned, but now that I’m about to become a father, all the missing pieces in my life are falling into place.
After spending months preparing for Noah, his birth is the complete opposite of what I had imagined. Standing at Kat’s side, she squeezes my hand for dear life. I tell her to breathe. She glances up at me, her teeth clenched in either pain or anger. It’s hard to tell with all the yelling she’s done since the doctor told her to start pushing.
A few more minutes pass with the curses flying out of her mouth like a sailor.
“Push,” the doctor says, and Kat squeezes my hand with superhuman strength.
A few seconds later, Noah’s screams fill the room. I smile like a fool as my gaze travels between Noah and Kat. The doctor holds Noah up to show him to us before passing him to the nurse, who asks me if I want to cut the umbilical cord. I nod, somewhat nervous. What if I screw this up?
Noah is tiny and beautiful. He looks like a mini version of me with his dark hair and blue eyes. When I look at him, my eyes fill with tears that I blink away. Cutting into the cord is weird, sort of like slicing through a thick, wet rope. But I feel more bonded to Noah. His mother got to carry and nurture him, but this is something I get to do.