While they ate, they discussed a variety of topics, but as usual, the talk eventually turned to business.
“I’m looking at some property in Rose Township for our next development,” Tony said.
Shane looked up from his plate. “Really?”
It was news to Jess too, and she waited for Tony to say more.
“What would you think about working there, Jess?” he asked.
Rose Township was located between Grand Blanc, where she and Shane lived, and Clarkston, where Tony and Jean and her dad lived. The area was mostly made up of hilly farmland, but new housing developments were popping up here and there.
“That would be fine,” she said.
“But?” Tony prompted, obviously sensing her hesitation.
Jess set down her fork. “I’m just wondering about what will happen once the baby comes.” She hadn’t meant to bring it up today, on Christmas of all days, but since they were on the topic…
“Jeannie?” Tony said, turning it over to his wife.
“We were talking about that,” Jean said with a smile in her eyes. “I would love to help you out with the baby once he or she arrives. If you’d let me.”
“And you wouldn’t have to work full time if you don’t want to,” Tony added. “I can always hire someone else to fill in on the days you’re not there.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, as they’d been known to do recently. Glancing around the table, she realized how very lucky she was to have such a warm and loving new family.
Shane rested a hand lightly around her shoulder. “Babe? You ok?”
She nodded. “I would love it if you helped out,” she said to Jean, and then to Tony, she said, “And thank you. I would prefer to work part time after the baby comes.”
“That’s settled, then,” Tony said, clapping his large hands together.
“Time for dessert!” Hannah piped in.
“Oh, yes,” Jean said, and she scurried back into the kitchen.
Jess started to get up to help clear the dishes, but Tony motioned for her to stay seated. “You’re exempt for the next nine months,” he said, winking at her as he picked up her plate.
Once they were both out of hearing range, Hannah leaned across the table and said, “Mom’s going to watch our baby too, so it’ll be perfect!”
Not quite, Jess thought, considering her own mom wasn’t there to meet her first grandchild.
Shane leaned in and gave her a sweet peck on the cheek, which immediately gave her comfort. “Everything’s going to work out fine,” he said, smiling down at her.
“And who knows, by the time the baby is born, your sister might be back in Michigan too,” Hannah added.
The thought of that made Jess smile. Whether or not Beth and Matt stayed together, it would be nice to have her sister back home again.
For the next few hours, Jess enjoyed the company of her new family. After dessert (pumpkin pie, of course), they exchanged gifts around the small artificial tree that Jean had set up in the corner of the living room. It felt odd at first, unwrapping presents while wearing a sundress and sandals, but Jess quickly got into the spirit. Besides, she’d never outgrown the pleasure of opening presents!
She’d just finished opening a box with a beautiful crystal bowl inside when Jean handed her another gift. “After all you’ve done for us? This is too much,” Jess said.
“I plan on spoiling my kids for as long as I live,” Jean said. “And my grandkids too!”
“You already are,” Hannah said, admiring the baby outfits that Jean had given her.
Jess slowly started to open the next box, but Shane grabbed it out of her hand. “I can’t take it,” he teased.
“Well, it’s for both of you, so go ahead,” Jean said.
Shane had the box open in no time, and she pulled out a collection of baby bibs and onesies.
“I know it’s premature, but I saw them when I was shopping in Cruz Bay, and I couldn’t resist. Since we don’t know the sex yet, I bought neutral colors.”
“These are so cute!” Jess exclaimed, sorting through the clothes.
Shane held up the bibs one at a time, and everyone laughed over the sayings on them: Spoiled by Grandma, Awesome runs in my family, and Grandma’s my name and spoiling’s my game, were among them.
“Just wait until she finds out the sex of the baby,” Tony said, smiling down at his wife.
“Oh, I already know,” Shane said, and everyone looked at him quizzically. “It’s going to be a boy. A big, strapping DeMarco boy like me!”
Epilogue – Nine months later
“It’s a boy!” Shane shouted as the doctor held up their newborn baby.
“It is?” Jess asked, feeling slightly disoriented. She’d been in labor for what had felt like days when, in reality, it had been about nine hours.
“A healthy, robust baby boy,” the doctor said as he handed the baby off to the nurse.
Based on the loud crying that ensued, Jess believed him.
“Do you already have a name picked out?” the nurse asked as she cleaned him off.
“Yes,” Jess and Shane said at the same time.
They’d discussed names at length—boy and girl names since Jess had stayed firm on not wanting to know the sex beforehand.
“A.J. DeMarco,” Shane said proudly. “A is for Anthony, after my dad, and J is for James, after Jess’s dad.”
“Oh, how sweet,” the nurse said as she swaddled A.J. up tight.
Jess had been cleaned up at the same time, and now she was sitting upright, waiting impatiently to hold her baby boy.
“Here you go, mommy,” the nurse said, placing the bundle in Jess’s outstretched arms.
“Oh my God,” Jess said, cradling A.J. for the very first time.
“I know. Can you believe it?” Shane said. He was leaning over the bed and staring at their child in awe.
“No, I can’t. He’s huge!”
Everyone in the room started laughing, Shane most of all. “I told you he would be strapping.”
“He’s just about eight pounds,” the nurse said.
“No wonder I felt like I was carrying around a basketball these past few months!”
Shane brushed her hair back from her damp face. “You did good, babe. Really good.”
“Well, you helped,” Jess said, smiling up at him.
He shook his head vehemently. “I couldn’t have done what you did over these past several hours. No way.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you,” the nurse said, and she quietly slipped from the room, closing the door behind her.
“Shane?”
“Yeah?”
“Is that a tear I see in your eye?”
“Huh? Me? No!”
Jess giggled as one of his tears deceived him and ran straight down his handsome, stubbled face. She reached over and swiped it away, but she kept her hand there for a moment. “I love you.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.” And then he reached down and gently took the baby from her arms. “And you too, A.J., my big, strapping boy.”
THE END
Author’s Note:
If you enjoyed An Island Christmas Wedding, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. And while you’re there, check out my other sweet and sexy contemporary romance novels!
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Thanks for reading!
An Island Christmas Wedding: A Novella Page 10