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I maneuver my body next to Henley’s as she scoots over to make room for me. She knows it’s me. She always knows when it’s me. It’s my smell, or at least that’s what she says. As soon as I’m seated, her body clenches and she makes a loud grunting noise. Fuck! I hate this shit.

  “Just breathe, baby. Breathe,” I comfort her with my voice. She always tells me that my voice is what keeps her grounded.

  Within a few minutes, she’s relaxed again.

  “Mindy, right?” I ask the dark haired nurse from earlier. She’s tapping away at the computer across the room.

  “Yes, Mr. Bonelli. Everything okay over there?” She walks away from what she was doing and heads toward the bed.

  I rise to a sitting position with my feet planted firmly on the floor, never releasing Henley’s arm. “Yes, everything is as good as can be expected, but I was wondering when Dr. Walters will be here.”

  “Don’t you worry about Dr. Walters.” She hesitates for a second, looking down at her watch. “He should be here any time. I notified him as soon as I received your call earlier.”

  I lean in toward Henley and kiss her softly on the cheek. “Did you hear that? The doctor is on his way. Everything’s going to be fine.” She shivers under my touch.

  “No matter what I say today, remember that I love you and I’m so thankful to have you,” she whispers. A couple of tears roll down her face. I wrap my arm around her and pull her into my body. “I love you, too, baby.”

  She relaxes again for a couple of minutes, and then another contraction hits. Her breathing is ragged, and she’s slinging profanities right and left. God, I love this woman.

  4

  Henley

  After ten hours of excruciating labor, Dr. Walters lays this beautiful baby boy on my chest. Caleb’s breath is warm on my cheek as he leans in closer to get a good look at the new love of my life. I slowly trace my fingers over my son’s face as I memorize every curve and angle. His cry is music to my ears. I could lay here and listen to the sound of his sweet voice forever.

  “You did it, Henley. He’s beautiful. Just like his mother,” Caleb whispers.

  This moment between my husband, my son, and me seems so intimate. I wish everybody in the room would leave and give me this much-needed time with my boys.

  “Does he look like a Benjamin?” I ask my husband. We decided on a couple of names, but never made a final decision. Our plan was that our baby—whether male or female—would have a name of their own. To become the person he or she is destined to be. So we chose not to name our future baby Bonelli after anyone, even though Caleb’s boss and my good friend, Smitty, felt that if the baby was a boy then we should name it Reginald after him, of course. Even as much as I love Smitty—it’s not happening.

  “He definitely looks like Benjamin Tate Bonelli,” Caleb says.

  The nurse takes Benjamin from me to give him a bath, but says she will bring him back shortly. It takes everything I have in me to let him go. I want to scream that he’s mine and I can bathe him, feed him, and give him the love and care he needs, but I don’t, because the last thing the staff needs to think is that I’m a crazy blind lady. Because then they may not let me take Ben home.

  “He’s beautiful. We made this amazingly beautiful kid, Henley. Thank you for giving me this life,” Caleb tells me. His lips are soft on my forehead. Tears fall from my eyes again. It must be hormones, because I have cried more in the last twelve hours than in my entire life.

  I trace Caleb’s lips with my fingers before moving them across his cheek, over his eyes, down his nose, and around his chin. “He looks like you,” I say softly.

  Caleb wipes my tears again and places another sweet kiss on my cheek.

  “He’s beautiful, baby. The most beautiful little boy in the world. Thank you for making my life complete.”

  I smile as his lips meet mine. The kiss is soft, sweet, and means more to me than any words he could ever say.

  He quickly moves away from me as I sense Sierra’s presence.

  “You have a beautiful baby boy, Mrs. Bonelli. He’s back from the nursery. Are you ready for him?” she asks.

  I nod. “Yes.” I’ll always be ready for him. I grin as Sierra helps to adjust me in the bed, so that I’m comfortable holding my son.

  “How much did he weigh? I forgot to ask earlier.” I was so caught up in all my silly emotions I completely forgot to ask the doctor how much weight I’d been carrying around for the last few weeks.

  “He weighs eight pounds and two ounces. Quite a big baby for your little body,” Sierra giggles, placing Ben in my arms. He immediately nuzzles into me. Even though he’s swaddled in a blanket, his warmth radiates through my gown to my skin. And his smell is one that I will never forget. I hold him near and place a kiss on his face. His breathing is a bit quick, but from what I’ve learned about babies—this is normal. Caleb wraps his arm around me as he sits on the edge of the bed.

  This is my life and I welcome it. The one thing I was so afraid of for so many years feels so damn right. If it weren’t for Caleb’s persistence, I would still be wandering the streets of New Orleans without any direction. Without any hope. And without the love of this amazing man.

  About the Author

  Emery grew up in Southern Arkansas and has lived most of her adult life in Northern Louisiana. She spends her days working as a Nurse Practitioner in rural health and her nights reading, writing, and occasionally sleeping.

  She loves real life romance… lots of angst and heartbreak, but always a happy ending.

  Also by Emery Jacobs

  Twisted Fate Series

  Twisted Fate

  Chasing Fire (Coming Soon)

  The Beautiful Fate Duet

  Beautiful Torture

  Beautiful Forever

  Standalone

  Until Him (Coming Soon)

  Connect with Emery

  Website: http://www.emeryjacobs.com

  Facebook: facebook.com/emeryjacobsauthor

  Twitter: twitter.com/ejacobswrites

  Instagram: instagram.com/emery_jacobs

  Email: [email protected]

  Facebook Reader Group: facebook.com/groups/954199601323358

  Sign up for Emery’s Newsletter: eepurl.com/bPxj5f

  A Note from the Author

  First, thank you for reading Beautiful Baby. I hope this story gives you the closure needed for Henley and Caleb. After reading Beautiful Forever for the hundredth time I realized that this was not the end of their story. There was more—so much more. And I hope that Beautiful Baby gives you the more that you needed. I love Caleb and Henley and I hope that you do to! Thank you again for reading the final chapter in their happily ever after.

  Acknowledgments

  Taylor Roth—Thank you for being the best PA ever! You keep me organized and focused! You are the BEST!

  Kristi Falteisek with Foreword PR & Marketing—Thank you for everything you do! Even though I’m last minute ALL the time you are always patient and kind. And I truly appreciate you and all you do. Without you I’d be lost.

  Nancy Smay—I know that I’m an editor’s worst nightmare, but somehow you were able to dig through my words and make everything sound amazing. Thank you for editing Beautiful Baby! I hope this is the beginning of a great writer/editor friendship.

  Julie Deaton—Thank you Julie! You never let me down. As always you are my final eyes before formatting and like all the times before you add the finishing touches to make my story the best it can be.

  To my husband—you are wonderful, but I guess you already knew that, huh? Thanks for putting up with my many hours locked away in my office or talking about this book to the point of making you want to go anywhere just to get away from the sound of my voice. And yes, I have read through it for the last time—for now. But guess what? I’ve started the next one.

  To my son—even though you’re grown—well kind of grown. Thank you for being you. My absolute greatest accomplishment. I’m thankful every day that I’m y
our mom.

  Amy Queau: Thank you for designing the perfect cover for Beautiful Baby You somehow have the ability to read my mind. You are AMAZING!

  Annie Anderson: Thank you for the last-minute formatting!! It’s perfect!

  To every blogger, reader, author and friend who has shared my teasers and cover, or who has promoted my book—thank you—because without your support no one would know my books exist.

  To the readers—thank you for taking a chance on a new author. You guys are the best! I really hope you loved Caleb and Henley’s final chapter in their happily ever after.