“Maybe if we have another one we'll find out. I wanted to be surprised,” Jenny said.
“When we have another one, baby,” Kyle said. “You heard the nurse. They need our business.”
“We'll talk about that after this baby comes home. I'm not making any promises.”
“You're so cute pregnant,” Kyle said.
“Okay,” Gavin snapped. “We get it.”
Becky went through another contraction and looked over at Jenny. Kyle saw Jenny wince the same time Becky did.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yep,” she answered. “My stomach cramped up. I knew I shouldn't have eaten all that food for lunch.”
Becky looked up at Kyle and nodded her head toward Jenny. He had no idea what she was trying to say through her motions.
Julie walked in and interrupted Becky's signal. She wrapped her arms around Becky's neck and hugged her.
“Where's Ethan?” Becky asked.
“Home with six kids. I'm not leaving until you go home,” Julie said with a smile.
As soon as she finished, Becky had another contraction. Then Jenny winced again. Julie's eyes shot over to Jenny.
“Sympathy pains?” she asked. “Why are wincing when she has a contraction?”
“It's nothing. I've been feeling a bit strange and my stomach cramped up for a second.”
Julie put her hands over her mouth and started to laugh.
“What's so funny?” Jenny asked.
“Nothing,” Julie said.
Then she walked over to Kyle and pulled him off to the side.
“Your wife is in labor and doesn't even realize it. Pay attention to your watch for each time she winces. Time how far apart they are.”
Kyle knew his eyes were wide. Julie put her hand on his arm.
“It's fine, Kyle. I'm thinking from the look on her face that you two will be having a baby as well.”
Kyle starting watching. It seemed like every time Becky had a contraction, Jenny winced. After a few more times, Julie shook her head and turned to Kyle.
“You see that. They are spaced exactly the same. Did they plan this shit?”
“I don't think so,” he said.
Julie walked over to where Jenny was sitting and leaned down next to her.
“Tell me everything you've been feeling today,” she said.
Jenny went on to tell her about her back hurting, the indigestion, and the stomach cramps she'd been having all day. Just as Julie began to suggest that Jenny get checked, Jenny let out a yelp. Then Julie looked down before looking back at Kyle.
“You're having a baby. Her water just broke,” she said.
Jenny instantly had tears in her eyes.
“Hey,” Julie said. “Everything is fine. You've been in labor this whole time. It's not so bad.”
“Are you crazy?” Becky asked. “Don't lie to the poor thing.”
“Shut it,” Julie said. “Not everyone takes it as hard as you do.”
Julie took Jenny by the arm and led her out of the room. Kyle held the door and took Jenny's other arm. They walked to the funny nurse and the woman's mouth dropped.
“I was just kidding,” she said.
“Her water already broke,” Julie said. “Get her a room. She's not going anywhere. She was in labor before she even got here.”
They put Jenny in the room right next to Becky.
“I want to be there for Becky,” Jenny said. “We can have the baby after she does.”
“I'll check on Becky for you,” Kyle said. “You're not leaving this room.”
Of course the entire group of girls had the same doctor, so they just had to wait for her to get there for Becky. Kyle called and left a message just in case.
The nurses had Jenny in bed and hooked up to monitors in no time. Before long, she was in the same position as Becky.
Kyle never left her side for one second. Julie ran from one room to the next. John and Sandy showed up and were keeping Jenny company as well. Gavin even popped his head into the room a few times. He assured Jenny that they were on their fourth child, so he was able to leave the room for a minute.
The doctor went back and forth between the two women and joked that she knew they were good friends but were taking it to a whole new level.
Julie went over to be with Gavin once it was time for Becky to push. Jenny had no idea how much time had passed. She was already exhausted and trying to sleep in between contractions. Kyle wasn't so sure they made the right choice on having a delivery without any pain relief. His wife was in pain, and he couldn't do a single thing to take it away from her.
Julie came back into the room to announce the room next door had a healthy baby boy. Kyle sat right next to Jenny until they kicked everyone else out of the room. It was baby time. Jenny was so tired, but she did an amazing job of following exactly what the doctor was telling her. When Kyle saw that beautiful, tiny face and heard that little cry, tears filled his eyes instantly.
“It's a girl,” Kyle said through his tears. “We have a perfect little girl.”
Jenny let her tears fall as soon as their eyes met. Kyle cut the cord. When they handed Jenny her little bundle, they both stared at her.
“A girl,” Jenny said. “Look at her, babe. She's absolutely perfect. Look at her cute little nose. She looks like her daddy.”
“She has your cheeks,” he said. “I love her so much already. The two of you are everything to me. I will do anything to keep you safe and show you both how special you are.”
“You better go get your parents. I'm sure they heard her cry from over there,” Jenny said.
John, Sandy, Julie, and Gavin came into the room. John didn't waste one second getting his grandchild into his arms. Sandy laughed as she stood next to him.
“Do you know we now have twenty kids between all of us,” Gavin said. “She's so cute. You two did good. Of course my boy is cuter. Can't help but tell you that.”
“They share the same birthday,” Jenny said. “Maybe they'll be best friends.”
“I guess I'll go home so Ethan can come see his new niece. He's not happy that he missed it. Don't let him stay long,” Julie said. “You know what would be funny?”
Everyone looked at her and waited for her to finish.
“If they fell in love and got married,” she said with a smile. “Born one room away on the same day. That would be the sweetest thing ever.”
“Bullshit,” Kyle snapped. “No way is his little boy going anywhere near my baby girl. She's never dating. I will chase away every little punk that comes even close to her.”
“You saying my son wouldn't be good enough for your daughter?” Gavin asked. “Maybe my son would be too good for her.”
“No man will ever be good enough for my little girl. You just keep your boy over there,” Kyle growled out.
Kyle walked over to John and took his little girl back into his protective arms. Then he sat down next to his wife.
Everyone in the room burst into laughter, and Kyle couldn't help but join them. He looked over at his gorgeous, exhausted wife and then back down at his daughter. He really was the luckiest man in the world.
Epilogue
Two Years Later
So much was changing with the five guys and their families. The kids were playing sports and going to school. It seemed liked the group could never get together without missing someone or an entire family anymore. Becky and Jenny knew it was time for everyone to take one more vacation together. It had been over three years since they had all been in Hawaii at the same time. The kids were only going to get older and the parents would be running around even more than they already were.
The two women got together and found a week they knew would be able to work for Gavin and Kyle. That was their week. It just so happened to be the same week that both of their little ones were turning two. They made cute little party invitations and mailed them out to all of their friends and even their own husbands. Jenny knew their phones would be ri
nging when everyone realized the party was in Hawaii. Each and every one of them had a house there, so there was no reason they couldn't make it happen.
The invites arrived and their phones were blowing up with calls from the rest of the group. A few of their friends mentioned that maybe Becky was a bad influence on Jenny since they were both in on the planning together. Kyle and Gavin were both surprised that their women had kept the secret long enough for the men to get their invites.
Kyle chartered a plane just as he had for the wedding. The flight was even louder than it was before. All of the kids were super excited to be together. It was as if they had never missed a day of being together. Some were fighting and some were playing.
When the plane landed, Kyle grabbed his little girl in one arm and his wife's hand in his and headed for one of the cars. He couldn't wait to get a few minutes of quiet. Jenny couldn't help but laugh at his reaction to all of the kids. They stayed in their house for the rest of the day. Kyle snuggled in with his beautiful wife and their little girl between them. He kept his hand on Jenny's growing belly while they fell asleep to the sounds of the ocean through their open windows.
The first couple of days were filled with playing, relaxation, and friendship. The ladies spent time together, and all of the guys went golfing. They all came together to spend time on the beach as a huge family and talk in the evenings. Kyle spent some time working inside during the days. He tried not to take too much time away from his family.
The day of the double birthday party, Jenny and Becky decorated outside. All of the women cooked and brought their food together. They had tables set up for all of the kids, and the adults found chairs and pulled them into a circle. Kyle and Jenny stood off to the side and couldn't believe that everyone had come together.
Gavin and Becky had their twin girls that were almost nine, their little boy that was seven, and their birthday boy that was two. Gavin had hired another assistant as well as someone to help him run the company. He wanted to be home more with his wife and kids. There was no way he wanted them to grow up while he was at the office. His company was doing well, and he hoped that at least one of the kids would be interested in taking it over one day. They loved their place in Hawaii and spent the summer traveling.
Ethan and Julie had their son Ethan that was seven, their twin boys that were five, their little girl that was almost four, and their baby girls that were almost three. Ethan had completely given all control of the company over to Kyle. He was pleased with the way everything was going and had no reason to ever step in. His time was spent with his wife and six very busy children. Julie loved their house in Hawaii and got Ethan to spend the entire summer there. With the kids getting older, they knew they would need to be home more and were taking advantage to being away while they could. Ethan was the best dad, but he joked around with his kids often. Julie constantly told him that one day it would bite him in the ass. Ethan knew he had a long while before that would happen.
John and Sandy spent as much time as they could with their grandchildren. They'd taken Eric, Sarah, and John to Hawaii with them several times. Kyle and Jenny hadn't been willing to let their little one go without them.
Kelly and Eric had Eric and Sarah that were thirteen and John that was seven. Eric enjoyed working, and Kelly still refused to let John shower her with money. She did enjoy the house her brother bought her in Hawaii every chance she got.
Heath and Tara had Jordan that was twelve, Jason that was eleven, their little boy that was five, and their daddy's girl that was four. The two older boys considered Heath their father, and he treated them exactly as his own children. He loved them and made sure to encourage them in anything they wanted to do. He'd sold his construction company to one of the men that had been with him from the start. He was still building homes for charity, and Tara loved being a part of it. She was writing romance novels and doing an amazing job. All of the ladies in the group read her books and joked with her and Heath about the steamy scenes. She donated a portion of the profits from her sales to certain charities that she felt strongly about. Heath and Lisa were still close. The two couples got together often for dinner. Tara and Lisa had become very good friends along the way.
Josh and Lisa had their son Jack that was ten and their daughter Gracie Rose that was eight. Josh had opened several more restaurants over the years. Lisa was still a very active part of the business with him. While Josh was no longer fighting fires, Lisa still took baked goods to the station and had everyone in the group contribute every year to a huge party for the firefighters and their families. It was something that would always be a very important part of her life. Their son loved hearing stories about his father. He'd go with Lisa each week to drop off what she made. It scared Lisa to hear Jack so excited about being a fireman, but it also made her very proud to hear his passion. Deep down she knew that he would want to follow in his father's footsteps. Their little girl definitely took after the chef in her father. She was only eight but already following him around and going with him to the restaurants. Josh adored Lisa just as he had since he'd saved her from the fire.
Kyle watched his little girl play in the sand with Gavin and Becky's son and laughed. They really were going to grow up being best friends. He was pretty sure their moms were going to make sure of it.
Kyle walked up behind Jenny and wrapped his arms around her from behind. His hand rested in his favorite spot on her belly. When he felt the tiny kick against his palm, he laughed.
“Our little guy is definitely going to play football,” he whispered into her ear. “We need a whole team you know.”
Jenny laughed and leaned her head back against him.
“You could always borrow some of your uncle's kids for a team,” she joked.
“I want a house full of laughter,” Kyle said.
“We'll talk after this little guy gets here. I can't believe how lucky I am,” Jenny said. “I never thought I'd have a family, and now I have more family than I could have ever imagined. Our children will never have to wonder if they're loved. They will never be alone. There will always be someone to have their backs. They will have more love than they will ever know what to do with. Thank you so much for bringing me into this amazing family, and thank you for giving me the perfect life.”
“I'm the lucky one,” Kyle whispered into her ear. “I have the only woman I have ever loved right here with me. I never thought we'd be together, and now I can't imagine a moment of my life without you in it. You've given me a beautiful little girl, and I can't wait to meet our amazing little man. If you'd have asked me in college where I'd be ten years down the road, my life wouldn't have been even close to what it is. I've gained the craziest family, half of a company, a loving wife, and two babies. I remember a time I felt so alone. Thinking back, I can't believe I was the same guy. Thank you so much for taking a chance and trusting me to love you. My life is perfect because of you.”
Each of the guys and their wives gathered around them. They stood together watching all of the kids. Gracie Rose ran by chasing little Ethan. Jack was busy teasing Jessie about what she was wearing. Jason and Julie were playing a game against each other. There were kids everywhere.
“We're all pretty damn lucky,” Becky said. “Look at us and how far we've all come. When I stepped onto that cruise ship, all I wanted to do was be alone. I was ready to start over in a new place. Not in a million years did I think I would find the love of my life and this amazing family. It's been a crazy road. We may not get to spend as much time together as we used to, but I love every single one of you. I even love Ethan.”
The five guys burst into laughter.
“I love you too, sis,” Ethan said.
“Enough,” Gavin snapped.
Becky pulled him into a hug.
“Who would've thought we would all find love?” Julie asked, as she hugged Ethan. “I know I sure didn't.”
“I can't help that you fell for me,” he joked.
“More like you wouldn't l
eave me alone,” she said.
“That was the best thing he ever did,” John said. “We love you, Julie. Everything happened for a reason. I never thought one accident would change my life, but it did.”
“You're right about that,” Sandy said from beside him.
“It took a fire to bring my crush to me,” Lisa said.
“You couldn't have found an easier way?” Josh asked. “I'll never forget that day.”
“That was nothing compared to what happened to you,” Lisa said. “That is something I will never forget.”
“I learned to never work for a woman that can't make up her mind,” Heath blurted out. “She'll suck you right in.”
“I can't help that you looked so damn sexy in a tool belt,” Tara replied.
“I love you, baby,” Heath said, as he pulled his woman into his arms.
“At least we didn't write books about our men,” Becky said with a laugh.
“I can't help that I'm just that great,” Heath joked. “Maybe your men should be more like me.”
There were growls from all around before they started to laugh.
“We need to make this trip a once a year thing. No matter how busy we are or where we're all going, we need to bring our family together for one week each year. This is the one place we will always have. Our kids need to know how important family is to them. They need to know that they can each count of every single one of us just like we can each other. What do you think?” Becky asked.
They all agreed before Becky and Jenny pulled them into a group hug with a promise that they would always keep their family together.
The End.
Be sure to watch for my next novel - “His Assistant: The Final Story”
My serial “A Crush on Her Best Friend's Brother” has four parts that are releasing every other week as well.
I will also be working on a new serial, “A Bright Future”, “The Dark Night Returns”, and the first book in a new series.
I am not positive on release dates at this moment. Please join my mailing list and friend me on facebook to be notified of new release information. The links are below.
The Future of Love (Bachelor Billionaire #6) Page 20