Unexpected Eva (Triple Trouble #3)(118)

I am and she’s gorgeous.

My wife. Mrs. Black.

All big, pouty pregnancy mouth, big boobs, and bum. I can’t get enough. Her swollen belly looks like someone stuck a bicycle pump into her tummy button and pumped her up to the size of a hopper ball.

Perfect.

I sealed the deal and made her my wife as soon as humanly possible and proposed at the following year’s Winter Ball. Now that did give the gossips something to talk about.

Carefully, trying hard not to upset her, I move slowly in her direction. The last thing I want to do is poke the bear.

Still pacing, she breathes in and out fast.

“Breathe baby. It’s going to be okay. Can we get back in the car? The sooner we get to the hospital, the sooner we’ll meet our little girl.”

Eva’s whole family is excited. Eva is the only one of the girls to have a baby girl herself. So far, anyway.

Our girl is special, like her.

“She’s not coming out. No way. Nope. Not happening.”

“You know that’s not how this works?”

She walks over to the car, braces her hands on the hood. “Oh boy. I’m not prepared for this scheduled C-section nonsense. Did we remember everything? Is everything in the bag? Did you bring her clothes to leave the hospital in?”

I walk over to her and rub her back gently.

“Eva. Look at me.”

She tilts her head sideways to meet my eyes.

“It’s time.”

“I don’t think I’m ready,” she whimpers.

“You are. And I will be with you every step of the way.”

“You have to promise not to peek over the screen, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You do not need to see what is going on when they cut me open and when she is coming out. It’s not right for you to see that,” she mutters.

“I promise.” She’s mentioned this a few times.

“And as soon as she is born, we have to call our boys on FaceTime. Lincoln is waiting with Hamish and Archie.”

Our boys.

“Yes. I am under strict orders.”

Our three boys have gelled together as if they are real blood brothers. It’s a wonderful thing to watch Lincoln with them. Archie and Hamish adore him. They all love each other.

It’s a goddamn sin Ewan never took the first steps to get his drinking addiction under control. He hasn’t seen his boys since his car crash. If he had, he would see how funny, smart, and kind they are. I see them, see everything they are, every single day and I provide for them emotionally and physically.

My sons.

With a daughter on her way.

Our life is a fusion of noise, laughter, and shouting with an extra dollop of mayhem. The dance studio never lets up and is busy all year round; the hotel is booked out continually; we are still working toward our six-star goal, and our dance retreat has a waiting list.

Eva’s family drops in sporadically and our noise levels in the house are off the scale. I love it. Fraser and Hunter have become firm friends and they trust me to look after their girls when they are away on golfing championships. Eden and Ella always seem to be visiting or on the phone or just around us.

There is never a dull moment. Especially now that we have two new Labrador puppies. My old friend Sam sadly passed away not long after Eva and the boys moved in. It was as if he knew I was going to be okay and had a new family to keep me company.

I still miss him.

Charlie and Edith visit faithfully every week on a Wednesday evening for supper and quite often they take Hamish and Archie for a sleepover to help us out.

My life has rotated a full three hundred and sixty degrees. From calm to chaos.

One thing I’ve realised is love doesn’t come in a neatly bowed package. It comes in all shapes, sizes and shades. It comes with many ups and downs. It comes in the form of two little boys, I am proud to call my sons. It comes with an instant family of nephews, two sisters-in-law and two seriously talented sportsmen brothers-in-law. And a man who is one of my closest friends who I am now honored to call my father-in-law. It comes with Eva’s estranged husband who I will never let near my beautiful girl ever again. It comes with a warrior woman. My sunshine goddess.

And it smells like sunshine too—fresh, sparkling and invigorating—I bathe in it, her, daily.

“Should we go? The hospital staff are waiting for us. I have organised the best team for you, Eva. You are safe and they will look after you. I’ve got you, Sunshine.”

Eventually she agrees to get back in the car.

Four hours later our big, beautiful butterball baby girl is born into the world. All chubby cheeks and dimples like her mom. Eva was a champion and she was so brave.

Rocking my daughter gently back and forth in my arms, I lower her down for Eva to get a good look at her.

“What are we calling her?” Eva looks up at me, flushed and tired.

I was given the honor of naming our little girl.

It was easy. And given her fuzzy blond hair, now it makes it even more perfect.

“Thea.” I smile down at my two girls. “It means goddess of the sun, dawn, and the moon.”

“That’s beautiful.” Eva sighs.

“So are you, Eva. You’ve changed my life.”

Eva reaches out and takes my hand.

“You changed my life too, Knox.” She rubs her thumb back and forth across my skin.