Here comes the bride…
I hummed the words as the cellist played the wedding march and Whitney appeared in the doorway, looking so beautiful and happy it made my heart squeeze.
I looked over at Calvin, watched his face struggle with emotion at seeing his bride for the first time. Then I looked into the audience. At the entire Beast team, all standing and looking at Whitney. Except Ace. He was looking directly at me, love shining in his eyes.
Glancing down at my hands, the ring he gave me shimmered under the light. I’d accepted it only a few days ago, on Thanksgiving, when he’d proposed so romantically.
“Darlin’,” he’d said with his patented smirk. “When the fuck are you going to say yes?”
How could a girl turn that down?
The Beasts won the playoffs with Ace fiercely defending his space on the field and killing almost every ball that was pitched to him. But in the end, they’d lost in the sixth game of the series, losing by one run.
It was heartbreaking.
Ace took it hard. We all did. The entire city did.
But everybody was proud too.
It had only been the Beasts second season. To get that far with such a new team was amazing. And who knew… maybe the third year would be the charm.
There had only been one little hiccup to everyone’s post season bliss, and that was when Rhett introduced the team’s new catcher — Todd Morris. The Todd Morris, one of the guys Whitney dated when she and Calvin were apart. The Todd Morris, who had hit the pitch that hurt Calvin’s arm. The Todd Morris, who was standing among the Beasts right now, supporting his new teammates but looking at Whitney a little wistfully, I thought.
Next season would be very, very interesting. Todd catching for Calvin? I stifled my grin, then stifled a groan when a pain shot through my stomach.
Braxton Hicks. I’d been having them for about a week now.
The wedding was perfection, and by the time it was over, not a dry eye was in the house. Soon, we were whisked away to the reception
The food was served, toasts were made, and the wedding party joined the new couple on the dance floor after their first dance. I was so happy for Whitney and for Calvin too. They were the very definition of happiness. And when Ace took me in his arms, I knew we looked just as happy.
The wedding cake turned out incredible, and there was much chatter about it from the wives and girlfriends milling about. I knew it would explode my business, making me even more grateful for my sister, who was taking over the running of the bakery while I was on maternity leave. I’d already hired two experienced bakers to help with the demand.
Glancing around, I smiled to see Hannah in Jack’s arms. They were doing really well together, and thankfully, Jack and Ace had become friends. Everything in my life was perfect.
Ooooouch.
Except for these stupid contractions.
“Are you okay?” Ace asked, looking concerned and I forced a bright smile on my face.
“Absolutely. I just hope the real contractions aren’t too much worse than these Braxton ones,” I muttered. “That one hurt like hell.”
“Are you sure they aren’t real ones?” he asked, his hands moving to my belly while everyone danced around us.
I nodded. “My due date is still a week away. And this baby had better not dare spoil Whitney’s day.” I pointed a finger at my bump. “Hear that, buster?”
As if in acknowledgment, the baby gave me a kick, right on the bladder, making me almost pee myself.
Ace was still looking at me in concern, so I forced myself to relax in his arms. We were beginning to draw attention, especially from Whitney who was mouthing are you okay?
I smiled and nodded at her, then murmured to Ace, “Dance with me.”
As he whirled — okay, waddled — me around the dance floor, my thoughts drifted to the old hotel Ace bought and was renovating for homeless vets. He’d strong armed every player to chip in, Rhett too, and when we went by to see it last week, it looked almost ready for the men to move in.
“Why was there a glass room in the courtyard?” I asked him.
“What?”
“At the Beast’s Den. There was a glass room. It didn’t look like a green house, and I’ve been thinking about its purpose.”
His smile was so sexy as he looked down at me. “It’s a room for Oscar. He’s a vet who can’t stand being in enclosed spaces. There will be curtains he can pull for privacy if he wants.”
“That’s really nice.”
Ace kissed my forehead, then kept his lips pressed there. “He’s a good guy.”
“You’re a good guy.”
I felt him smile against my skin. “Never thought I’d hear that come from anybody’s lips.”
By the time Whitney and Calvin ran through the flying rose petals, I was exhausted. I’d taken off my shoes hours ago because my feet were beginning to resemble little pigs. Ace brought me another glass of sparkling grape juice, then tapped his juice glass against mine.
“Love is blind,” he said, his grin growing broader, “marriage is the bifocals.”
I swatted him on the stomach, but couldn’t disagree. “But not us, right?”
“Honey, our eyes have been wide open for a long time now. We’ve seen everything of each other, good and bad.”
Another contraction hit me, this one like the force of a train. God, it hurt. I looked up at him. “I have a feeling you’re about to see another side of me… soon.”
***
“Breathe, Holly. You can do this.”
I looked up into Ace’s face and snarled. “Shut up, you asshole. This is your fault. Your fault! Aggghhh….” Then I was crying and begging him to forgive me for calling him an asshole. A minute later, I was cussing him out again.
Labor had turned me into a crazy person. Bi-polar mixed with homicidal tendencies with a splash of raging lunatic thrown in.
“Epidural,” I screamed. “Now!”
“Holly,” Ace said calmly, “You specifically told me you wanted to do this—”
I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down until we were face to face. “Now!” I hissed.
He looked scared. Good.
“Holly, I need to check you,” the nurse said. “You’re progressing really quickly, so an epidural might not be possible.”
Not possible?
Did she just say not possible?
I slapped my thighs closed. “Just call the anesthesiologist. I’m not progressing too quickly.” I smiled at her, and she backed away. “I promise.”
The nurse, Ginger, looked at Ace. “She’s having what we call precipitous labor, which means everything is happening very quickly.”
“That’s good,” he said, “right?”
Ginger shook her head. “It sounds great, but Holly’s body is transitioning so quickly that she’s having trouble keeping up. Also, her body hasn’t had time to release the pain-relieving natural endorphins that come with conventional labor. She’s experiencing this… raw.”