Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game(81)
“That’s because I was a super special baby.”
Mom laughed. “True. Very true.” She then hurried out of my room, and I heard her pounding down the stairs. I crossed the hall into the nursery and once again was bombarded by a pink overload. In response to Mom’s choice for the nursery, Greg often mused the line from Steel Magnolias that the room looked like it had been hosed down with Pepto Bismol.
My sister played happily in her Pack N Play. “Hey Baby Girl,” I said. She jerked her head up to peer at me. As always, Mom had her decked out to the nines with a frilly dress, tights, and a headband with a giant flower on it. Why she needed a headband since she barely had any hair was beyond me.
Emma Grace grunted and held her arms out to me. “Okay, okay, don’t be so pushy, Miss Spoiled,” I teased.
When she rewarded me with one of her beaming smiles, my heart instantly melted. “Emma Grace, give your favorite brother a kiss.” She leaned over to bestow a slobbery smooch on my cheek. “That’s my pretty girl.”
It was hard to believe she was almost seven months old. Time had flown since her birth at the beginning of October. I’d managed to leave my dorm at Georgia Tech to head over to Wellstar-Kennestone to be there for her arrival. Mom had offered to let me stay in and watch, but I’d said, “Oh hell no!” without hesitation.
In the end, I stayed in the waiting room with Grammy and my aunts and uncles while Greg stayed in with Mom. Once Emma Grace made her grand entrance, I went in to see Mom. Emma Grace was barely half an hour old when I held her in my arms as tears streaked down Mom’s cheeks, and Greg boohooed like a total pansy. Well, I guess I shouldn’t make too much fun of him—someday I guess I’ll know what it’s like to have a kid of my own.
Hoisting her onto my shoulder, I headed down the hall to the stairs. When the doorbell rang, I got a little more bounce in my step. Throwing it open, a smile stretched across my face. In a way too sexy sundress for her own good, Maddie stood on the front step.
“Hey beautiful,” I said.
She grinned. “Hey yourself. And thanks.”
Emma Grace squealed happily and waved her tiny hand at Maddie. With a giggle, Maddie said in a sing-song voice, “Aw, does my precious angel think I’m ignoring her?” She then took Emma Grace from me. As Maddie smothered her in kisses, I cleared my throat. “Um, hello? Where’s my compliments and lovin’?”
Maddie’s dark eyes took on an amused glint. With a slightly sexier lilt to her voice, she said, “Aw, does my precious, but jealous, boyfriend think he’s getting slighted for his beautiful baby sister?”
I poked my bottom lip out teasingly. “Yes, I do.”
“Then let me remedy that.” Leaning over, Maddie brought her lips to mine. I shivered with need when she thrust her tongue into my mouth. She’d come a long way in the almost year we’d been dating. We’d been an official couple since that day on the airplane. Although it was a grueling, eye-opening experience, I wouldn’t have taken anything for our time in Costa Rica. Thankfully, when it came time to leave for college, things weren’t too hard considering I was in downtown Atlanta at Georgia Tech, and she was at Georgia State.
Just as we were getting hot and heavy, another squeal of protest from Emma Grace caused us to pull away. “You are such an attention whore,” I teased.
“Noah, don’t say that word in front of Emma Grace!” Maddie admonished.
I grinned at her outrage. “She doesn’t know the difference.”
“It’s still not right.”
With a smirk, I questioned, “Don’t tell me I’m going to owe the Cuss Can?”
Maddie giggled. “You just might.”
I groaned as Mom’s heels clicked down the hall. “I’m finally ready,” she said with a smile.
Mom leaned over and kissed Maddie’s cheek. I was happy that two of my most favorite women in the world got along so well. Well, I guess I should say my three most favorite women since Emma Grace adored Maddie as well. Maddie loved spending at least one night of our weekends home baby-sitting for Mom and Greg to give them a date night. With Emma Grace in bed by seven, we had the evenings to ourselves to watch movies and make-out a little.
Of course, we hadn’t gone there yet. Third base was as far as Maddie would let me, and it was seriously killing me. I mean, yeah, she was keeping me satisfied with that, but I wanted to really be with her. But I loved her too much to pressure her, and I knew when the time was right, we would go there.
Once we got Emma Grace loaded into the SUV, we headed over to Jake’s. At first I thought the Life Celebration might include all his old buddies, but Mrs. Nelson told me she wanted to keep it very small—just the immediate family, which included me and Maddie. As we neared his house, the familiar pangs of grief tightened in my chest. It was true that time healed all wounds, but it didn’t quite mend a broken heart.
When we arrived at Jake’s house, Jason greeted us at the door. “Hey guys!” he said with a beaming smile. As Mom and Maddie stood talking with Jason and the Asshole, I headed on down the hall to the kitchen.
Mrs. Nelson bustled around, putting the final touches on the food. I couldn’t help smiling when I saw who she was balancing in her arms.
Two months after Emma Grace was born, Presley gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl—Evelyn Hope Nelson. Evie, pronounced Ev-e, was Mrs. Nelson’s namesake, and I had to give Presley props for doing something so thoughtful. Of course, Presley was practically a member of the Nelson family now—Jake’s old room had been given to her and Evie so she could divide her time between her house and Jake’s. Even the Asshole had warmed to her, and as for his granddaughter, Evie had him wrapped around her tiny finger. It was good for Presley having the support considering she was in college and working part-time. Of course, the Nelson’s took care of most of the financial obligations for Evie. And I had to hand it to Presley. She’d really done a 180 and was a good, caring mother.