Facing Calgary's Dream
Page 41
He ignored her comment as he placed his hand on her stomach. “I’m alright but are you?”
“Of course, I am. Your parents are going to take me home so you can bask in the glory of this win, okay?”
“Let me change and I’ll take you home.”
“Ryne, no! You need to celebrate with the team. I’ll be just fine. Your parents will make sure.”
“I’ve had my celebration. Give me a few minutes to shower and I’ll be right out.” Just as he leaned in to kiss her, she crumbled in his arms clutching her stomach.
“Jen, hey, what’s wrong? Is it the baby?”
His parents surrounded them immediately. Before she could utter a word, she felt a warm trickle of fluid run down her legs. “Ryne,” she said nervously. “I just think my water broke.”
“What? Are you in labor?”
She nodded her head. “I think I am.”
Jacques took over. “Ryne, go shower and change. I’ll get the car, and Jacklynne can help Jen to the players’ entrance.”
She took one look at Ryne. She knew he was just as scared and nervous as she was. He kissed her cheek and hurried back to the locker room. “I’ll be right back. Wait here.”
In less than five minutes, Ryne was by her side. He tightened his arm around her and guided her to the back doors. Just as they reached the entrance, she clutched his hand. “Are you having a contraction?”
“I think so.”
Jacklynne grabbed ahold on her hand. “Breathe, Jen. Don’t forget to breathe.”
When the contraction had ended, they hurried out the door. Jules waited with Lauren, Emma, and Oliva for Philippe and Etienne. Jules would go home with the girls while Etienne, Philippe, and Lauren decided to follow them to the hospital.
Less than three hours later, Jen and Ryne welcomed their bundle of joy— a baby girl. The Braxton Hicks contractions she thought she’d had for hours were in fact real, and she’d been in labor a good portion of the day.
Tears of joy ran down not only her but Ryne’s face as well. She clutched her precious little girl to her chest.
“Look at her Jen, she’s perfect.” Ryne ran his hand lightly against his daughter’s hair. He leaned his head against Jen’s and cried. It had been a truly emotional day for them. He still hadn’t fully come to terms with winning the Stanley Cup, but add in the birth of his daughter, and this was a day he’d never ever forget. Who could imagine? All of his dreams had come to fruition. He had fulfilled his career goals, just had his first child, and he had a beautiful wife.
“Ryne, hey, you okay?”
He sniffled. “Yeah. It’s been one hell of a day.” He brushed the tears from his eyes. “I still can’t believe it. Who would have thought when I woke up that I would achieve all of my goals in one day? Never in my wildest of dreams. Never.” He leaned over, brushing a kiss on the baby’s head and Jen’s brow. “I love you so much, Jen.”
She smiled up at him and clasped his cheek. “I love you too.” She nuzzled his neck as he wrapped his family in the first of what he knew would be many hugs.
“We need to name her,” she said now through her own tears.
“Let’s enjoy this moment. We have time.”
Epilogue
Two days later Jen and the baby came home. They stopped off at the big house before heading to their own place for some much-needed rest. Ryne had gone home only long enough to change clothes and gather Jen’s suitcase, spending the remaining time at the hospital.
They decided on a name for their daughter, Jacklynne Rose. It was Jen’s idea to name her after his mother, the mother who now meant the world to her. She chose her mother’s and grandmother’s name of Rose as her middle name. They hadn’t told anyone about her name; they’d chosen it just that morning before they were released from the hospital.
For the first time, they pulled up to the ranch as a family. She felt like she had when she first arrived two years earlier as only Jacques and Jacklynne were waiting for them on the porch. “I gather everyone else is inside.”
“Probably. I’m sure Mom didn’t want to overwhelm you and Jacklynne.”
“I remember the first time you brought me here. So much has happened since that summer day.”
“You’re so right.”
Ryne parked the car and came around to help Jen before opening the door and gathering Jacklynne. Jen watched as he carefully removed the car seat. Thankfully, Jacklynne had fallen asleep on her first car ride, and he was doing his best to keep it that way.
He guided her towards the steps. “Where is everyone?” she asked as she found herself wrapped in her mother-in-law’s arms.
“On the deck waiting for you and… Do we have a name?”
“We do,” Ryne said with a smile on his face. “Let’s join the rest of the family, and we’ll share it with everyone.”
Jacques took a quick peek at his adorable granddaughter. He brushed a sweet kiss on Jen’s cheek. “How are you feeling, my dear?”
“I’m doing pretty well as long as this little lady keeps taking a nap.” She chuckled. “I’ll be glad to go home and sleep in our own bed.”
“I’m sure you will. Let’s make this a short visit; we don’t want to tire you out.”
They gathered on the deck. All of the Fergusons were present along with Lauren. She’d held off returning to St. Louis until Jen came home from the hospital.
As Jen came through the French doors onto the deck, she saw her friend off to the side speaking with Philippe. She noticed Lauren’s smile and focus on him as he spoke. Lauren looked better than when she had first arrived. Jen was concerned for her friend and hoped that she’d return to Calgary later in the summer.
“Look who’s here,” Jacques spoke as he reached for the car seat. He set it down on the patio table. “She looks like you did when you were a baby,” Jacques indicated to Ryne. “Look at her nose and hands. A Ferguson through and through.”
Jen smiled up at Ryne. She knew how much Ryne loved his daughter and was ever thankful the season was over. After Jacklynne was born, she noticed a grimace on his face. He’d kept it from her while she’d been in labor, but he’d reinjured his hip when he took the hard fall to the ice. It wasn’t serious and she was thankful the season had ended so he could get much needed rest. He’d decided to take some time off from his training to let his hip heal and spend the summer with his family.
“So, do we have a name?” Emma cheerfully asked at a decibel level higher than they expected. Jacklynne jumped in her sleep and settled back down.
“Emma, you need to tone it down a little now that Jacklynne is here.”
Ryne had slipped in her name wondering if his mother would pick up on it. It took her a second before the baby’s name registered. “Ryne, did you say what I think you said?”
He nodded. Both a smile and tears broke out on his mother’s face. “Jen and I would like to introduce Jacklynne Rose to everyone.”
As soon as Jacques heard the first mention of the baby’s name, he’d draped his arm around his wife. “Jacques, did you hear that? They named her Jacklynne.”
“I heard, dear.”
“And Rose is for my mother.”
“Oh sweetheart, it’s such an honor for you to have named her after me.”
“As far as I’m concerned you’re my mom now, so why wouldn’t we?”
Jacklynne walked out of her husband’s arms into Jen’s. “I’ll never forget the day Ryne brought you into our lives. I’ve loved you from that very moment.”
Jacklynne had woken, so Olivia and Emma got the chance to hold her. While they were ogling over their niece, Jen and Ryne took in the scene before them. Philippe and Lauren were still enmeshed in their conversation. “I hope he does something about that.”
“I do too, Ryne. I think he’s finally moved on.”
“I hope so. He seems happy now, and I think Lauren’s a part of it.”
Ryne grabbed Jen’s hand and looked her in the eyes. “Sweetheart, I can’t believe w
e’re standing here today, happily married, with our daughter. So much has happened since our first meeting.” He ran his finger down her cheek and smiled. “I still can’t believe I was traded to the Storm, and soon I’ll be parading the Stanley Cup down Main Street with you on my arm.”
He brushed an errant strand of hair from her face. “It took you and my love of this city to get me here. For a long time, I was facing what I like to refer to as Calgary’s Dream, but you made it come true. I’ve come to the team I love, faced my dream of winning the Stanley Cup, and fulfilled the ultimate dream of having a family. You and Jacklynne are my family. I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.”
“As far as I’m concerned I hope you’ll never have to face that day.”
He pulled her into a tight embrace.
“I love you, Ryne, and this moment will forever be etched into my memory. I’m wrapped in the arms of the man I love, and I’ve finally found my family.”
She glanced at Lauren and Philippe. “We can only hope and pray that our luck rubs off on them.” With that he kissed her then reached for Jacklynne’s car seat.
“We’re going to head home now.” He picked up his daughter and clasped Jen’s hand. Ryne’s life was complete. They were heading home. Home to a place both of them had longed for.
Jen’s life had come full circle since losing her parents. She’d recaptured the career of her dreams, discovered the love of her life, and finally found a family she could call her own. Nothing could be sweeter then what stood before her eyes. She’d dreamed of this day forever. One filled with love, hope, and a happily ever after. Her dream had become a reality, and she was ever thankful for that slip of fate when she practically ran Ryne over in the Generals’ parking lot. Her life had changed that day, and she’d always look back on it as the day she found herself.
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading Facing Calgary’s Dream. For news and updates from Anne Stone, subscribe to her newsletter. You’ll be treated to sneak peeks, giveaways, free books and bonus material just for signing up.
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About the Author
Anne Stone was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri but now lives in the cold state of Wisconsin with her faithful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She writes heartfelt sweet contemporary romance and is the author of the following series: Black Gold Management Agency, The Show Me, and Williams & Company. She loves to tell a story and that’s what you’ll definitely get in an Anne Stone novel.
Anne’s degree is in education but she has worked in the corporate sector managing a large number of staff. Now, she works from home where part of her day is still spent in the corporate world and the other part is dreaming of her heroes and heroines.
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Learn more about Anne by visiting
www.AnneStoneAuthor.com.
Also by Anne Stone
The Show Me Series:
Book 1:Life’s Second Chances
Book 2: Life’s Gateway to Happiness
Book 3: Life’s Turned Upside Down
Book 4: Life’s Second Journey
The Show Me Series Boxed Set: Volume 1 (Books 1-3)
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Williams & Company:
Never Lose Hope
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Black Gold Management Agency:
Book 1: Love's Final Match
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Black Gold Management Agency:
The Ferguson’s
Book 1: Facing Calgary’s Dream