Everything I Shouldn't / Everything I Need (56 page)

BOOK: Everything I Shouldn't / Everything I Need

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A few minutes later, once they've cleaned the baby up and wrapped her in a blanket, they bring her back over to us, placing her on her mother's chest so she can say hello. Sarah looks down at her, a beautiful smile on her face as she strokes our daughter's cheek. "Hi Amelia," she says, her voice catching. "I'm your mommy." She takes my hand in hers, pulling me down to stare at our daughter with her, saying, "And this, this is your daddy. You're such a lucky girl." Amelia's eyes are wide as she stares up at us, the downy blonde hair on her head covered by the cap they've put on her.

My heart squeezes with the emotions running through me, and I press a kiss to the top of SarahBeth's head. "I love you so much." Watching her with our daughter, I know without a doubt that I want to ask the question I've been trying to find the perfect time to ask right now. I've been carrying a ring in my pocket every day for the past three months, trying to figure out when the best time to ask her would be. This, right here, is what I want her to remember. Holding our daughter close for the first time, and knowing I want her to be my wife.

Pulling the small box out of my pocket, I take her free hand in mine, causing her to look up at me in question. "SarahBeth, I've loved you in one way or another your entire life." Her eyes turn misty, and I have to clear my throat before I continue, "You are my life. You and Amelia. I want to spend the rest of my life with you both, going to sleep with you every night and waking up with you every morning. I want to watch you be a mother to our daughter, I want to watch you love her fiercely. As fiercely as you love me. There will never be anyone else for me but you, I will love you every single day." She's crying now, tears falling silently down her cheeks as she waits for me to finally ask, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she sobs, pulling me down to kiss me. I slide the ring on her finger as we kiss, not breaking apart until Amelia starts to protest being held so tightly between us. SarahBeth looks down at the ring, staring at it just long enough to make me worry she doesn't like it. Finally, she breathes, "It's beautiful. When can we get married?"

David laughs from across the room, dragging her attention away from my face as he and Lyric walk over to us. He leans over to kiss her before hugging me, saying, "You did good. Congratulations you two, on your beautiful daughter and on finally making deciding to marry my sister." The last is said as a joke, but SarahBeth still slaps his arm at the same time Lyric does. She hugs us both as well, congratulating us briefly before the rest of our friends come in to meet the baby. The only person missing tonight is Tyler, but I know why he's been staying away. He'll come over once we're home, when we're alone.

After introducing Amelia to everyone, SarahBeth looks tired. Manda comes in to shoo everyone out so she can rest, taking Amelia to the nursery. Sarah protests, not wanting the baby out of her sight, but Manda tells us, "Trust me, you'll thank me for this in a few days. This will be the last night of sleep you'll really get. I'll bring her back in a few hours so you can feed her." She's so tired she doesn't protest for long, and as soon as Amelia and the nurse leave the room, she scoots over, motioning for me to lay down beside her.

Not wanting to hurt her, I say, "I can just sleep in the chair," but she shakes her head.

"No, I want you with me. Please, Jeremy?" I can't say no to her, I never could, so slipping off my shoes, I climb in the hospital bed next to her, putting my arm around her already much smaller stomach. She's asleep in minutes, and my last thought before I follow her is that I hope next time we have a boy, because I can't go through this more than one more time and I know she's going to want another baby some day.

I'm awful at acknowledgments, but here goes!

My betas - first and foremost, this book would be so bad without you! Bianca S & Bianca J, you've been with me since the beginning and I adore you both, even when you're yelling at me to get off Facebook and write! Rachel Miles, you were one of the first bloggers to fall in love with David, and I'm so glad you did! Your feedback has been invaluable! Sary Belgodere, you're amazing! You're always quick with feedback and I love reading your emails.

My husband and kids - I would get so many books written if you weren't here to interrupt me every five seconds with requests to buy games on Steam, asking me what's for dinner, or telling me that I need to do this thing or that thing. I love you guys, really.

Melanie-Anne Bussiere - Ahh! We're here again! You really are my twin, I love you dearly and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you to fret to. Your plot and story feedback is something I rely on and without it I think I'd go insane. We need to figure out a quicker way to travel between Canada and NC, either that or I just need to move.

Annie Gabor - I love that you love David and the rest of the crew. Thank you for putting up with my neurosis and attempting to help keep me organized! I plan on putting you to work this month, so be ready!

Holly Ward - Writing Second Chances with you changed my life. I'm so glad to count you as a friend! You're an amazing resource when it comes to Indie Publishing, and I'm so thankful we tweeted all those months ago!

Emily Snow & Aly Martinez - you two are some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Thank you for the laughs, the encouragement, and even for yelling at me to get off Facebook and write!

Sara Eirew - Your photographs and covers are freaking amazing and I can't wait to work with you again! You made my covers so pretty and eye-catching!

Natalie & Between The Sheets PR - you do an amazing job getting the word out about my books! Thank you for everything.

I can't even attempt to list all the blogs out there that have supported me or pimped me out, but a few that are very close to my heart include All is Read, Biblio Belles, Martini Times Romance and Love Between The Sheets. Bloggers are amazing, you spend so much time helping Indie Authors get noticed. I don't know what we would do without you!

Stacey is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author of Second Chances (co-authored with H.M. Ward) and the Nashville Nights series.

She is also a wife, mother, writer and self-professed bookwhore – not necessarily in that order! As the mother of three growing boys, her Kindle has become her temporary escape from the insanity of boys, dogs and her husband. Stacey can usually be found curled up with her iPad when she's supposed to be writing or creating endless playlists on Spotify.

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No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying or recording, or by any storage and retrieval system without permission in writing.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and situations are the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, event or location is coincidental.

Cover Photography & Design by Sara Eirew @ Sara Eirew Photography & Design

Editing by Staci Jo Cranor

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