Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 133224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“What did you buy me?” I smile. “I thought we weren’t doing gifts until tomorrow.”
“This is for both of us.” He puts the basket down next to the tree and sits down beside it. “Open it.”
I smile and pull the ribbon and lift off the lid, and my eyes widen as I gasp. “Oh . . . a puppy.”
A beautiful little golden retriever looks up at me.
“Oh my god.” I gasp as I pull it out. “You bought me a puppy?” I whisper. I hold it up. “A little girl puppy?” I squeak. “Blake . . . ,” I whisper.
“What are you going to call her?”
“Oh.” I look at her beautiful little face. “What shall we call her?” I whisper in awe.
His eyes twinkle with love. “Whatever you want, baby.”
“Daisy?” I hold her up. “Do you like the name Daisy?” I ask her.
She replies with a big lick to my face, and I laugh out loud. “Oh, I love you.” I reach over and kiss him as she wiggles in my arms to break free. “Thank you.”
“Do you like her?” he asks.
“I love her, and I love you.”
Chapter 22
Rebecca
Seven months later
Ring, ring . . . ring, ring . . .
“Hello,” Blake grumbles from beside me in bed.
I squint at the clock. “What time is it?”
3:00 a.m.
“That’s great, man.” Blake smiles. “Can I do anything?” He listens for a moment. “Just stay fucking calm, okay? Juliet needs you to be calm.”
I sit up. “Is Juliet in labor?” I mouth.
He nods with a smile.
“Ahhhh.” I jump out of bed, run to the bathroom to get my robe on, and race downstairs to get my phone. I accidentally left it charging.
I see three messages in my group chat with the girls. The first message is from Juliet.
It’s happening.
Contractions are five minutes apart.
My water just broke.
See you on the other side.
xoxo
Chloe replies.
Ahhhh, I’m so excited.
Good luck baby.
I quickly reply.
You’re going to be such a great mom.
It’s your baby’s birthday.
Ahhhhhh!
I wait for the reply. It doesn’t come.
I take the stairs two at a time and run into the bedroom to find Blake lying down peacefully with his eyes closed. “What are you doing?” I stammer.
“What does it look like? I’m going back to sleep.”
“How can you sleep at a time like this?” I gasp.
“I close my eyes.” He snuggles in to get comfortable.
“Shouldn’t we do something?”
“Yes, come to think of it.” He flicks back the blankets. “We should have sex.”
“Oh my god, how can you think of sex at a time like this?” I splutter.
“Because tonight we are celebrating vaginas. Let’s go.” He smiles sleepily and pulls me down on top of him.
“But Juliet . . .”
“Is fine.” His teeth go to my neck, and he smiles against my skin. “Now, where were we?”
Blake and I sit at the table and sip our coffee in silence. It’s 8:00 a.m., and the night has felt never ending.
We haven’t slept a wink and haven’t heard from Henley and Juliet either.
“What if something’s wrong?” I frown.
“Nothing’s wrong.” He takes my hand over the table. “These things take time.”
My heart is racing, and I have that sick nervous feeling in my stomach. “Poor Juliet . . . this is too long.”
Blake’s phone rings. “Hello.” He smiles. “Okay, hang on.” He hits the speaker button.
“Hi, guys,” Henley’s voice says.
“Hi.” I screw up my face. “The anticipation is killing me.”
“We have a little girl.”
“Ahhhh,” Blake and I gasp.
“Everything go okay?” Blake asks.
“Textbook. Juliet was incredible,” Henley replies proudly.
“Do we have a name yet?” Blake asks.
“Hannah Juliet James,” he says. “She’s so . . . perfect.”
My eyes well with tears, and even Blake is overcome.
“Tiny. Five pounds, nine ounces.”
“Oh, congratulations.” I smile.
“I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you both later?”
“Yeah, we’ll be in tonight,” Blake replies. “Well done, guys.”
We hang up the phone and hug in joy.
Hannah Juliet James . . . I’m in love already.
I stare at my reflection as I brush my teeth. My hair is up in a messy topknot. I have a towel wrapped around me, and I’ve just gotten out of the shower. My body throbs from the pounding it’s just received, and I glance over at the perpetrator.
Blake has his eyes closed as he washes his hair, and my eyes drop down his body that only moments ago was deep inside mine.
He’s so perfect that I can’t stand it.
I wouldn’t change a thing from my past because it’s brought me to where I am now, to who I’m with now.
There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Blake is the love of my life, and if I’m being honest, I can let you in on something that I never thought I would feel: I’m glad my marriage crumbled.
Because it brought me to him.
And even when I was happy with John, it was never like this.
The love we have is like a fairy tale.