Love at Blind Date Complete Series: Books 1-4

by Lorelei M. Hart

  Please let Rex be right. Please let me be strong enough.

  99

  Rex

  “Don’t move. You’ll feel a small prick and some pressure.” I held Jason’s hand as he lay on his side, and the anesthesiologist, a very sweet middle-aged omega, set up the epidural.

  Inwardly, I wanted to collapse on the floor, curl my knees under my chin and howl, but I had a job—as did everyone else in the room. And mine was to support Jason so the professionals could bring our little one into the world safely. Jason had carried them this far and now he had to hand over control to a team of doctors and nurses.

  My beloved was amazing. His hand gripped mine tightly as I rested my forehand against his. I counted his breaths which mirrored my own and whispered, “I love you,” over and over. “And I’m so proud of you.”

  After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor peered over the screen between Jason’s head and the rest of his body. “Epidural’s all done. You did great, Jason.”

  We’d been told it would take a few minutes to get the baby out—less if it was an emergency—but about an hour to complete the surgery. While the seconds ticked by, Jason and I teased each other about our blue surgical caps and my mask and gown, though Jason couldn’t see the shoe covers I was wearing.

  “Can you feel this?” the doctor asked.

  “Feel what?” Jason replied.

  “Guess we’re good to go. You might feel a pulling sensation. One of my patients described it as rummaging around in her tummy.”

  Jason’s eyes searched mine. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m both scared and unbelievably excited.”

  “Me too.” I was almost incapable of speech, and my heart beat in tandem with the machines measuring Jason’s blood pressure and heart rate and whatever else they were doing.

  Sweat was pouring from my palm as I squeezed Jason’s fingers, and he asked, “Are we really doing this?”

  “I think it’s too late to turn back now.”

  “Definitely,” the doctor piped up.

  And in a blur of voices and beeping and nurses counting instruments, a shill cry rang out that almost stopped my heart, and over the top of the screen appeared a tiny red human who was protesting loudly. No, that baby is more purple than red. “It’s a girl,” the doctor told us.

  “Is she real?” Jason sobbed.

  And I couldn’t hold in the tears. What had seemed almost a fantasy during the past months—despite Jason’s growing bump and the repeated sonograms—was staring me in the face. She probably wants to return to her warm snug little home and be left alone. Salty wetness streamed over my lips and dripped onto Jason, mingling with his own tears.

  A nurse holding our little one brought her to Jason so he could kiss and touch her. We both inhaled her scent, and I imprinted it in my memory for the rest of my life.

  And then she was whisked away to a corner of the operating theater, and Jason wept. “I want to see her.” We’d been warned the baby would have to be examined, but we’d just met her and wanted her back.

  I smothered his brow with kisses. “She’ll be here soon,” I reassured him. He’d carried our child for nine months, and I couldn’t imagine his anxiety at being separated from her.

  “Here she is.” A nurse lay our little one on Jason’s chest, and he examined her fingers and toes while he mumbled, “You know me. I’m the voice you’ve been hearing for months. Welcome to the world, Ava.”

  Ava was the only girl’s name we’d agreed on, though we’d come up with lots of boys’ ones. “She looks like an Ava.”

  “I agree.”

  With Jason and Ava back in the room, I took pics of my future husband and our daughter. There were photos of Ava in the crib, in Jason’s arms, me holding her, her crying, asleep with her fists clenched and her eyes open.

  I sent them to my family who were eager to visit, but we needed alone time with our daughter and managed to put them off until the afternoon. “We’re a family,” I whispered, not wanting to wake Ava who was asleep in my arms.

  “You don’t have to hold her, Rex. She can sleep in the crib. She’ll have to learn to put herself to sleep eventually.”

  But I couldn’t let her go. I nuzzled the head of dark hair and the soft, newborn baby skin. “Don’t want to,” I whispered as I hugged our daughter to my chest. She would have recognized Jason’s heartbeat and I wanted her to know mine too.

  By early evening, after my parents and brother had oohed and ahhed over Ava and brought presents, flowers, and an array of fruit and snacks, Jason’s eyes were drooping.

  As he was still confined to bed with the epidural in place until morning, I’d been learning how to change a diaper. I’d practiced on a doll at home, but Ava was a squirmy bundle and my first effort had the diaper falling off.

  “You’ll have to put her down sometime as she’ll have to… you know… learn to walk, go to school and college, get a job, maybe have a boyfriend.”

  “Never. I’ll carry her through life.”

  Jason rolled his eyes and then burst into tears.

  “Did I say something wrong?”

  His lower lip trembled as he said, “That was so beautiful.” Add then he screwed up his face. “Don’t make me cry or laugh.”

  The epidural was wearing off. “Do you need painkillers?”

  “I’m fine for the moment.” He outstretched his arms. “My turn.”

  Not wanting to hand over our daughter, I grumbled, “I’m sure the books said you should take a nap.”

  But his glowering look had me place Ava in his arms. “Sharing is caring, Rex.”

  I hovered by the side of the bed as my husband-to-be fed our daughter. “Wow! I wish I could do that.”

  “Just as well you can’t or I might never see her.”

  Epilogue

  Jason

  “That suit looks good on you.” I slapped Rex’s ass playfully.

  “Thanks. You want to know my secret?” I loved playful Rex and serious Rex and Ava’s father Rex. Heck, I’d even grown fond of ornery Rex, not that I saw him often.

  “I’d love to know all your secrets.” I grabbed his tie and gave it a little tug, guiding him closer to me. “How do you look so good in that suit?”

  “Shh, don’t tell, but it’s the suit.” He bit my bottom lip.

  “You must have an amazing tailor,” I teased, nipping his lip back. “It must’ve cost you a fortune.”

  “Naw. Not really, I just had to do him.”

  I couldn’t help it. I barked out in laughter and even snorted, waking poor Ava with a start.

  “You need to stop being funny,” I scolded as I walked around him to the stroller where she had fallen asleep. “Sorry Daddy was so loud.” I unbuckled her and brought her to my chest. “It was your papa’s fault.” I nestled her in close.

  “I wasn’t the one who laughed.” He held out his grabby hands for our daughter.

  “Get out of your suit so I can do the final alterations without working around baby drool.”

  “Yes, sir.” He dropped his hands to his side and walked into the changing area.

  Technically I wasn’t back at work yet, but I wanted to be the one to sew our wedding suits. I’d probably have been better off letting Keith make them. I was so tired from the middle-of-the-night feedings that I’d had to take out more seams than I ever had even when I was first learning.

  “You still look tired, little one,” I cooed at her. It was still surreal that she was ours. “You can go back to sleep. Your daddies will behave.

  “Don’t listen to him, Ava. Trust me. I know them both well—they are not going to behave,” Keith walked over and held out his arms for her, and I placed her gently in them.

  “Truth is, Uncle Keith thinks you're lucky.” He started to sway from side to side. “She likes you,” I noted as she watched him intently.

  “I’m likable,” He singsonged back. “Nice job on the suit, by the way. Want me to finish it up for you?”

  “No
. For some reason I want to do it.”

  “I get that.”

  “What do you get?” Rex said as he walked out of the dressing area in his jeans and tee, his suit folded over his arms. “You got my turn at holding her?” He faux-pouted.

  “I’m like a ninja like that.” Keith walked over and offered her to Rex who placed the suit down on the counter and snuggled her up close. “You guys should do this again. You make good ones.” Keith winked. He wasn’t wrong.

  “We’ll take it under advisement.” Rex leaned in close and whisper-shouted, “I’m thinking nine.”

  Nine? Was he crazy?

  “On that note, we should go and meet up with the wedding planner.” I put the suit at my station. I only had maybe a half-hour of alterations to do, but given we were getting married in a week, it was a lot. “And then maybe you can have some Uncle Keith time while Daddy gets the suit done and Papa buys some big something or other.”

  “Complex.” He put her in the stroller and buckled her in. “Papa’s buying a complex.” What he didn’t say was that he was buying it to donate it to the city for their new community center after hearing their last bid had been rejected. Sometimes the man melted my heart.

  We said our good-byes and met with the planner, which I thought was completely overboard given the small affair we were having. I mean, who needs a wedding planner for a tiny terrace wedding? It turned out we did apparently.

  And really it wound up being for the best. By the time our wedding day arrived, we were in a no-stress zone. I’d worked with enough grooms and brides to appreciate how rare that was.

  With our family and close friends gathered around us, we said our I-Do’s overlooking the city. It was magical and beautiful and something I’d never even imagined possible the first time I stood in the same place.

  “Let me see your ring,” Colin asked, camera in hand. He was the best man in more ways than one, as it was a combination of his app and persistence that got us where we were. We should’ve known he’d take the opportunity to get some photos for his app.

  “People are not going to be wowed by my ring.” I held it out to him.

  “A ring’s a ring.” He snapped a picture, took my hand, and moved it so he could snap another and another.

  “That’s where you are wrong.” I gave my hand a little shake. “This ring means that I found someone who loves me for me, understands what I value in my life, respects my desires, and puts his family first.”

  “A plastic ring says all that?” He set the camera down at his side. “You really went all out, big brother.”

  “Silicone,” Rex puffed out. “And one day I hope you find someone who loves you enough to give you one too.” He wrapped his arm around me.

  “Me too.” Colin picked up his camera and took another photo. “This one’s for me, not the app. To remind me what real love looks like when it comes knocking on my door.”

  He smiled and walked around us and over to Keith who was playing with Ava. Keith had changed her out of her fancy dress and she was now comfy in her footed pjs.

  “I meant every word of my vows, Rex.” I turned to face him. “Every word.”

  “As did I, Husband.” He kissed my lips softly. “As did I.”

  Blind Date For Father’s Day

  A very special thank you to Steph S. for naming our sweet, tech-savvy, soap opera-addicted, but interfering grandmother and matchmaker! The name Stella gives Gran personality and allows her love for Ethan and zest for life to shine through every chapter.

  100

  Keith

  “Three wedding parties.” Andrew stood there with his chest puffed out. I didn’t blame him after landing three entire wedding parties while I was on a delivery that took far longer than it should’ve.

  “Well done.” He beamed at my praise, and it was well-earned. There had been a few times when he had just started that I’d been worried this place would be too much for him. We were a small shop on the outside, but we had a very steady business and our quality was what kept us that way. But Sebastian took him under his wing and many many more patient hours than I would’ve had later, and here we were.

  “When are their fittings?” He told me the details, and I wrote them on our paper calendar, the one Jason insisted we use in addition to anything computerized. We were going to need to start limiting events pretty soon. We just didn’t have the manpower. Not with Jason still on partial paternity leave.

  “Sebastian getting you guys lunch?” He was so addicted to the local sub place. At first I thought maybe he had a crush on one of the counter people, but then I discovered he also picked them up from the one by his place, and often ate them multiple times a day. They weren’t that good, but if they kept him happy I was all for it.

  “He should be back by now.” Andrew squished his lip funny, something he tended to do when he was nervous, and then his face bloomed. “Never mind. He’s here.” He jogged over and opened the door, Sebastian with three subs and a drink container with four fountain drinks.

  “Did you get them all?” Andrew was like a five-year-old kid. I wasn’t even sure about what.

  “Yes.” Sebastian sighed. “That’s why I was late. I made them open the new case, just for you.”

  Squeeing. The air was filled with squeeing. Over I still didn’t understand what.

  “You are the best. That’s why I love you,” he kissed the man’s cheek, who consequently turned a bright red.

  “I meant thank you. Not the I love you stuff.” Awww, Andrew had no idea I knew they had been sleeping together or dating or whatever it is called when you try not to let people know.

  “You thought I didn’t know?” I pointed to the ginormous subs, and Andrew handed me one. It would be good for both lunch and dinner. “Thanks.” I had a standing order. So yeah, fine, I was addicted too.

  “What has you so excited?” I asked. Poor guy looked like he was about to be punched or fired or set on fire or something horrible. I just wanted to hug him and make it better. Of course pissing off his man might not be the best way to do that.

  “Andrew, it’s fine. Really it is.” Sebastion spoke softly, so I could barely hear.

  “I was just excited,” he mumbled. “It’s okay to like things other than... you know... work.” He glanced at me. “And I work hard.”

  “No one said you didn’t, love.” And with that, Sebastion kissed the top of his head and Andrew relaxed. If I had known the stress of them hiding their relationship had been weighing on them so much, I’d have let the cat out of the bag earlier.

  “I do need to know what he got you that you think is so cool, and then you can tell Sebastion what you did while he was gone.” He bounced on the balls of his feet. Bounced. It was official, they were the cutest couple ever. They just better stay that way because we needed them both.

  “Bastian got me all four Shifter World collectors cups! All. Four.” He handed me the drink tray, and sure enough, four plastic cups with Shifter World slapped on the side and a picture of the hot men that made the show popular and some random animals that correlated with their shifter animals or what have you.

  “That is awesome.” Because if it made him happy, it was. “Now tell him your good news.”

  He told Sebastian all about the wedding, and I put half my sandwich on a paper towel and the other half in the fridge. I’d barely taken my first bite when my phone started announcing, “It’s your grandpa. You better pick up.” Because yes, I set it that way after missing one too many phone calls and hearing about it.

  “Hey, Grandpa,” I answered the phone and stepped out back, not wanting to ruin their lunch by the medical questions that I would inevitably ask.

  “It’s Aunt Kallie.” My stomach dropped. She should not have his phone. “Your grandfather, he had a—shit, he’s fine now—he will be fine, but he had a fall and I think you need to come down.”

  Ten minutes later, I was on my way out the door, giving Sebastian the keys and promising to make it up to both of them. T
he last thing I was expecting to hear was that my grandpa broke his hip...and then it got worse. He’d done it a week prior and no one called me. The guilt started to seep in and grow roots. I didn’t call him either. He’d had surgery and was doing well, but he was refusing to go to a rehab facility, and Aunt Kallie wanted me to get there and “talk some sense into him.”

  I had no intention of doing that.

  “Keith,” Jason answered his phone in a whisper. Shit. He had a sleeping baby.

  “Shit. I’m sorry. I hope no one is stirring.” I pulled up in front of my apartment building. I needed to pack—everything else could be done remotely. “I’m calling because I need to go for a while. Grandpa broke his hip.”

  “What do you need me to do?” Just like Jason. Always looking out for others.

  “I think the guys will be okay at the shop, but maybe could you come in just a little bit more?” I hated to ask, knowing how much he was loving his time home.

  “Yes,” he said almost excitedly. “Thank you.” Surely I heard him wrong.

  “Umm you’re welcome?”

  I’d grabbed my duffle and was filling it with a little bit of everything. I could buy more later if I didn’t coordinate or what have you, I just wanted to get on the road.

  “I need to get back to work and I kept finding excuses not to.” Oh. “And don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

  “Thanks, and just a heads up, Sebastian and Andrew know we know they are fucking.”

  “How many shades of red was Andrew?” This was easier. Better. I could gossip and not think about everything. I zipped up my duffle bag and swung it over my shoulder, glad I didn’t have pets to worry about.

  “Andrew—he was just Andrew, but Sebastian...I mean, Bastian was the color of that cumberbund they kept having us redo because they were sure we could find a better red.” I locked the door, leaving the hall light on, and threw my duffle bag into the car.