Then Comes Marriage (Hanna’s Happily Ever After Book 1)

by Lillianna Blake

  “I’m okay, we’re almost there.”

  “Almost as in a few minutes or almost as in ten minutes?”

  “More like ten.”

  “Okay, now you have my sister and my niece in that jeep with you, understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Noella!” I groaned again. “What are you talking about?”

  “I want you to remain very calm, Jake, and focus on your driving, but you get her to that hospital a little faster. Got it?”

  “Faster than ten minutes?” I took the phone off speaker and put it back to my ear. “Noella, am I going to have my baby in AJ’s jeep?”

  “Hanna, listen to me, breathe and listen to me. You might have been having contractions without realizing it, so you may be further along in your labor than we thought. Everything is going to be fine. Just do your best to stay focused on your breath and remember the pain won’t last forever.”

  “Noella? You’re going to be there, right?”

  As we passed under a bridge the call dropped.

  “Noella?”

  Jake went over a bump in the road and I let out a cry.

  “Ouch!” I shifted in my seat and forgot all about my breath.

  “Hanna, it’s okay.” He took my hand and squeezed it. “Focus on me, focus on my voice. I’m going to get you there, I promise.”

  His words did calm me enough to regain my focus. If the baby was going to come so soon, I needed to be ready to welcome her.

  “Just focus on the road. It’s okay, Jake, I’ve got this.” I gritted my teeth and focused on love flowing through me. I wanted her to feel that, not panic or fear. I wanted her to know that she was going to be welcomed.

  My phone began to ring but I blocked it out. I blocked out the sound of the sirens and the other traffic. I blocked out the bumps on the road and the subtle swerves of the car.

  I filled my thoughts with memories of Noella’s boys as babies. I thought about the first time I’d met Samantha’s daughter, Abby. I thought about all the babies I’d ever held. I was about to have one of my own and no matter the circumstances—no matter what I might decide I’d done right or wrong—that in itself was a miracle.

  “Almost there, baby.” I heard Jake whisper his words.

  I began to speak as well. I hoped my mantra would be enough to convince my little girl that she didn’t have to be in too much of a rush.

  Chapter 30

  “Hold on, baby girl, we’re almost there.”

  I chanted the words between breaths when I could actually get them out from between my clenched teeth. I ran my hands along my stomach; each stroke reminded me of what all the pain would lead to.

  My mind flashed back to the last visit with the doctor, when she’d assured me that I would likely go past term. My heart ached as a quick fear passed through me.

  What if she wasn’t okay? What if she wasn’t healthy? What if it really was too early?

  Fresh tears slipped down my cheeks.

  “Almost there, Hanna, almost there.”

  I realized that Jake was doing his own chant and that he needed it as much as I needed mine. I heard him slam on the horn, which only added more noise to the sirens.

  I closed my eyes tight and pictured the baby girl I would soon have the chance to meet. As much as I was eager to hold her, I was more worried about her being ready to make her entrance into the world.

  What if I’d just stayed home? What if I hadn’t danced so much? What if I’d realized I was having contractions earlier?

  Then I remembered the doctor’s words. That wouldn’t have stopped the labor, because the baby was more than likely ready and once I got to the hospital they would make sure that she was ready.

  But what if we didn’t make it? What if the next contraction was the one that pushed her out?

  I had no idea how to tell how close I was to that happening. Even if I did, I wouldn’t have been able to think clearly enough to understand it. All I knew was pressure and pain, and that the hospital was still too far away.

  There were so many things I’d planned to do before this day. I was going to have the perfect song playing and scented candles and my sister by my side. I was going to be calm and excited and well cared for—not hunched over in the front seat of a jeep.

  As fear collided with my frustration, I felt a full-on meltdown approaching. I knew I would be a blubbering mess by the time we got to the hospital if I didn’t get control.

  I closed my eyes again. I remembered my friends surrounding me, the sounds of their voices and their touches. I remembered what it felt like when we’d surrounded Blu and reminded her of her power. That was what I needed to remember myself.

  I am strong, I am fierce. I am a warrior princess and I can do absolutely anything.

  My breathing began to slow, my focus returned and I felt my power flow through me. I no longer tried to control my body but trusted it, and I began to relax. The more I relaxed, the less pain I felt, though my heart still pounded.

  “Zara, Jake.”

  “What?” He glanced over at me. “Are you okay? Are you getting delusional?”

  “No!” I laughed through the next contraction, then regulated my breathing and spoke again. “I want our baby’s name to be Zara. I know we haven’t talked about it.” I had to force my words past and couldn’t explain everything I wanted to say. “But Zara is her name.”

  “Zara.” He repeated it in a soft tone, then nodded. “I think it’s a perfect name, Hanna. It’s beautiful and I know why you chose it. It will be a perfect fit.”

  “I love you, Jake.”

  “I love you too, sweetheart—so much.”

  As I opened my eyes, I could see the hospital sign ahead of us. The contractions were still coming, but Zara had yet to make her entrance. Soon we would be safe and sound in a hospital room with all the help we needed.

  As I rubbed my hands along my stomach and felt another contraction, I smiled despite the pain.

  Today was going to be a very special day.

  It would be the day that Blu and AJ married, it would be the day that Dawn and Garrett got engaged, and it would be the day that my daughter, Zara, entered the world.

  Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, I felt my husband’s hand on mine and tears of gratitude flowed from me.

  My daughter was soon going to be part of a wonderful family and a powerful tribe.

  Please enjoy the following preview for

  “Then Comes Baby” (Hanna’s Happily Ever After, Book 2)

  Chapter 1

  I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of my daughter’s sweet head. As she squirmed against me, I felt tears gather once more—tears of pure joy. In the space of just a few hours, I’d gone from wondering how I could ever be a mother, to actually becoming one. Zara had arrived and all the worry that had coursed through me as we’d rushed to the hospital had suddenly vanished. She was here and that was all that mattered.

  “She’s so beautiful.” Jake leaned close and kissed the top of her head. I could see the euphoria in his expression and the tears that glistened in his eyes.

  “Can you believe it, Jake?” I gazed at him for a moment, then looked back at our little girl. “I still can’t quite believe it.”

  “I never thought it would happen like this.” Jake slipped his hand into mine and gave it a squeeze. “But you did it, Hanna, you were so brave.”

  “I didn’t have much choice.” I laughed. “Apparently Zara likes to make an entrance.”

  “Yes, she does.” Jake stroked one of her tiny hands.

  “We should let the others know that everything’s okay.” My heart fluttered as I recalled the moments before Zara’s birth.

  The doctor had been nervous, I could tell. And so was the rest of the staff. Zara was early and that could lead to some complications. But she was born with a wail that I could only describe as the cry of a warrior princess—true to the name I’d chosen for her. She’d announced to the world that she was there a
nd not afraid to make it known.

  Still, I’d held my breath as the doctor looked her over and fought back tears until the moment she was cradled in my arms and I could feel her breath, warmth, and strength.

  In the short time that I’d had before I’d actually delivered her, I’d berated myself for traveling, questioning every action I’d taken since my arrival in New York. I’d been certain that I’d done something to cause Zara to be born early.

  But the doctor had explained that sometimes these things happen—that there was no cause.

  As I thought of him, the doctor walked through the door.

  It was a bit of a shock to me to be faced with a male doctor when I’d spent my entire pregnancy working with a female doctor. But, though it had been awkward at first, when I’d seen his skill and dedication to the well-being and safety of myself and my child, I realized that he was exactly who I wanted to deliver Zara.

  “How is everyone?” He smiled as he walked further into the room.

  “She finally latched.” I smiled at him as he approached. “I think she’s doing good.”

  “She is.” He glanced down at the chart in his hand, then looked Zara over from head to toe. “However, since she was a bit early, we need to talk about a few precautions.”

  “What is it? Is she okay?” Jake’s eyes widened.

  “She’s fine—quite healthy.” The doctor placed his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “But to be on the safe side it would be best not to travel just yet. I understand you drove here, right? To New York?” He glanced between us.

  “Yes.” I bit into my bottom lip as a twinge of guilt rippled through me. “We thought it would be safer than flying.”

  “You made a good choice.” He smiled and nodded at me. “But keep in mind, you didn’t do anything to cause this. It was just time for Zara to be born. We would have liked her to stay in a little longer, but to be honest with you, she’s perfectly healthy. Unless something changes, you can both be released from the hospital the day after tomorrow, possibly even tomorrow. But I want to make sure that you consider staying put for at least a week—just to give Zara some time to get a feel for the world. If any issues come up, I’d rather you be here—near a hospital—than on the road. I know that might be difficult considering you’re here for a visit, but from the crowd in the waiting room, I’m guessing that you might have a few places to stay.” He grinned.

  “Crowd in the waiting room?” I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” I’d sent Noella back to the boys about an hour earlier, not long after Zara had been born. She’d been there for me through the last half of the birth and I couldn’t be more grateful, but I knew she was worried about her sons.

  “Maybe you should have a look.” The doctor nodded to Jake. “Everyone is eager to visit.”

  “Everyone?” I laughed. “Jake, who is out there?”

  “I don’t know. I thought everyone was still at the reception. I’ll go check.” He kissed Zara on the head again, then kissed my forehead as well.

  As he walked out with the doctor, I snuggled Zara closer and gazed into her bright eyes. She had a stare that melted my heart. It was as if she didn’t even want to blink.

  “Welcome to the world, sweetheart. I promise that I’m going to do everything I can to show you how wonderful it is.”

  Zara scrunched up her nose, squeezed her eyes shut, and gave a short cry as she squirmed.

  I smiled and kissed her cheeks. Things had not gone as planned, but the end result was everything I could have hoped for. As I cradled her closer, there was a light knock on the door. Jake stuck his head inside and smiled.

  “Are you ladies up for some visitors?”

  “Sure.” I smiled.

  Maybe Noella had returned with the boys or maybe Dawn had decided to come to the hospital.

  When the door swung open, I was surprised by all the faces I saw beyond it.

  End of the preview.

  Get “Then Comes Baby” here:

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKDX6M6

  An introduction to The Bride Tribe series…

  Chapter 1

  His fingers caressed mine as he grasped my hand. I watched, eyes wide, as he lowered himself to one knee. This was it. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. My heart pounded loud and steady. It pounded so loud that I couldn’t make out his words as his chocolate-brown gaze locked on mine. It pounded so loud that I couldn’t even hear my own voice as I answered a question I wasn’t sure he’d even spoken.

  “Hanna?” His voice cut through my heartbeat as he called out my name. “Hanna, are you there?”

  “I’m right here, silly.” I smiled and my heart continued to pound.

  When my eyes popped open, I realized it wasn’t my heartbeat I was hearing. It was someone knocking on the front door of my apartment.

  I jumped out of bed and barely managed to grab my robe as I ran for the door. With one arm in a sleeve and the other caught in the sash, I realized that the robe was upside down.

  “Jake, I’m here. Just a sec.”

  “I’ll just come in.”

  I heard the slide of his key in the lock and struggled to get my robe situated over my nightgown. It wasn’t really a nightgown—it was a lacy piece of cloth that barely covered my full-bodied frame.

  The knob turned and the door swung open just as I managed to get the robe twisted into place. I folded the sides across my body and watched as Jake stepped inside.

  Every time I laid eyes on him, it was like the first time all over again.

  At a party thrown by a mutual friend, he’d walked in an hour late, drawing all the attention with his wide smile and big brown eyes. At thirty-five he was in better shape than I’d ever been, and his warm personality made him even more attractive. I’d stared at him—openly. He’d noticed, but I still hadn’t been able to look away—at least not until he’d walked toward me.

  “Didn’t you hear me knocking?” He smiled as he closed the door behind him. “For a second there I thought maybe you weren’t home.”

  “I was dreaming.” I cleared my throat and clutched my robe tighter around me. It was still surprising for me to be around him in intimate moments. As much as I’d worked on my self-esteem over the past year, I still didn’t expect him to enjoy the sight of my body.

  “Oh?” He raised an eyebrow and settled his hands on my hips. “About me?”

  His lust-filled voice tantalized my senses.

  “Always.” I bit into my bottom lip.

  “I know I probably shouldn’t have shown up so early, but honestly, after last night, I can’t stand to be away from you.” He caressed my cheek in one smooth movement.

  “Last night was wonderful.” I shivered in response to his touch. “I’m happy you’re here.”

  “Good, because I’m going to make you breakfast.”

  “You don’t have to do that.” I laughed.

  “I want to.” He met my eyes. “I want to make you breakfast for the rest of our lives.”

  My heart pounded again. So it wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a dream at all. I glanced down at my hand where no ring sparkled—because when Jake had tried to slide it onto my finger, it wouldn’t fit. My cheeks flared with heat at the memory.

  “I’m sorry, I thought I had the right size.” He slid the ring down as far as it could go.

  “It’s alright. I might have put on a few pounds.” I did my best to hold back tears of both happiness and embarrassment.

  “Don’t be silly, you look fantastic. I must have just made a mistake. I’ll get it resized right away.”

  “No. Don’t. Just give me a few weeks and it should fit.”

  “Hanna, I want it to fit you now.” He slid the ring back off my finger. “I love you exactly the way you are. You’re gorgeous from head to toe and there’s no need to change anything. I’ll get it resized. Besides, do you really think you’ve put weight on your fingers?” He grinned, leaned in and kissed my neck.

  “Yes, I do think that’s possible
, actually. It’ll be good motivation for me. Before we can get married, I need to lose the weight anyway. It’s time for me to be healthy. It’s not just about how I’ll look in a wedding dress. It’s about knowing that we’re starting our lives together as healthy as possible.”

  “That’s a good thought—when you put it that way.” He sighed and looked into my eyes. “But if you’d let me, I’d marry you right now.”

  “Jake, I want us to get married, but it’ll be a moment that we can look back on for the rest of our lives. I want it to be special.”

  “I understand.” He kissed my forehead. “As long as you know that you’re gorgeous and there isn’t a single thing I’d change about you.”

  “And the same goes for you.” I drew him into a deep kiss.

  As his hands traveled the curves of my body, I felt the love in his touch.

  I knew he told the truth—but I still wanted to change.

  I brought my attention back to Jake, who seemed to be studying me intently.

  “I really want to see that ring on your finger. Are you sure I can’t just get you the right size?” He caught my hand and ran his thumb along my empty ring finger.

  “Soon. I put it in a safe place, until…”

  “Until…” He nodded. “So, in the interest of you actually showing off the ring, I looked up the healthiest breakfast I could find—I’m about to launch your taste buds into an entirely new experience.”

  “Okay.” I grinned. “That sounds delicious. What can I do to help?”

  “Nothing. Oh, yes, maybe some music?”

  “Sure. Let me get dressed first.”

  “Or…” He grabbed me around the waist. “You could just stay in that.” His forehead touched mine as he looked into my eyes. “Or less.”

  “Nope, no way.” I smiled as I pulled away from him. “I’ll put on some music.”