Chapter Thirty

They didn’t make it back to the rental.

They didn’t even make it to the truck before Dare swore.

Jesse had a hand around her waist, and he didn’t think she’d slipped. “Did you twist your ankle?”

“No.” She glanced up, eyes wide. “I think you need to take me to the hospital.”

“Now?”

Dare nodded, then made a terrible face. “Oh, hell. Okay, this is not going to be fun.”

He didn’t bother to try and change her mind. Just got her into the truck and drove at slightly slower speeds than their trip that summer.

Dare made a few calls then tucked her phone away. “Wait. Stop at Tim Hortons,” she ordered.

“Seriously?”

“You can use the drive-through. I haven’t had supper yet, and if this ends up being a marathon, I’m not eating that damn hospital food. We’ll bring a box of Timbits for Dr. Kincaid.”

Jesse laughed, glancing over in concern as she puffed through a contraction. “So this is really happening.”

She linked her finger through his and offered a slightly scared smile. “It really is.”

In spite of her worries about a marathon, everything from that moment forward turned into a blur. He got them safely into town, grabbed Dare’s requested sandwich and doughnuts, and they were pacing the halls outside the maternity room in a blink of an eye.

Fine, it took a lot longer than that in reality, but he couldn’t pull the individual moments out. Just snapshots of time that registered hard enough Jesse knew he’d never forget them.

Like Dare focusing on his face as she relaxed through the last of the contractions. Her eyes fixed on his, anchoring herself in him.

The endless moment that passed between Buckaroo being a bump-maker and suddenly being there. A living, squirming, crying baby.

The light in Dare’s eyes as the doctor laid their son in her arms—a son—and she blinked back tears. Hell, Jesse wasn’t too dry-eyed himself at that moment.

In the moment of calm before the rest of the Colemans began to arrive, Jesse wrapped his arm around the woman he loved. He pressed a kiss to the baby’s forehead. “Hey, Buckaroo. It’s good to finally meet you.”

“He’s beautiful,” Dare whispered.

“He is, but you’re even more beautiful.” He brushed a stray hair behind her ear. “Thank you for making our son.”

Dare tilted her head, smile going watery. “Don’t make me cry.”

“I’m not,” he protested. “I mean it. You did amazing.”

She leaned into his side, and they stared at the baby’s little scrunched-up face for a bit. Jesse traced a finger over the teeny brow and wondered how the sound of his own heart wasn’t echoing off the walls, it was pumping so hard.

“He looks like a Coleman,” Dare said.

Jesse chuckled. “I’ll take your word on it.”

Then he kissed her, one arm curled protectively around both her and the baby, because there was no way he could separate himself from them right then. He stared down at his family in amazed wonder and knew he was never going to feel alone again.

Joel and Vicki were the first to arrive, while Jesse was still reeling at the little bit of humanity in his arms.

Vicki hugged Dare then stood impatiently beside Jesse, waiting for her turn to hold the baby. “Sweet thing. What’s his name?”

“Joseph Michael. After both our dads,” Dare shared. “We plan on calling him Joey.”

Jesse looked up into his brother’s pleased expression. “That’s as close as we could get without making you do double-takes every time we call his name.”

Joel gave Jesse a hug then gazed down in approval. “I like it.” He reached for Joey’s hand, letting little fingers curl around his. “Hey, big guy. I’m your Uncle Joel. I’m the cool uncle, got it?”

“Take a picture of them, please?” Dare asked Vicki.

Vicki nodded, snapping a couple before bringing the phone over to show her. “Like them?”

Dare’s eyes filled with tears. “They’re perfect. Thank you.” Then she motioned toward Jesse. “Go show him.”

“I can email it to you,” Vicki offered.

“No,” Dare ordered. “Jesse, you’ve got to look, now.”

There wasn’t much that Jesse wouldn’t do for her any time, let alone after the past few hours. But when Vicki held the phone in front of him, Jesse’s heart picked up a pace. Dare wasn’t just being sentimental.

“You see it, don’t you?” Dare’s voice was filled with love.

He cradled his son carefully as he made his way back to her side. “You’re amazing.”

“You’ve got the look,” she insisted.

It was humbling for Jesse to realize how much this woman meant to him. Being with Dare was the best gift ever, and every day it kept getting better. Even tired as she was from bringing their son into the world, even now she was making sure he was happy and cared for.

To point out a fear he’d had could be wiped clear. He was proud to be a daddy. He didn’t deserve either of them, but hell if he was ever going to give them up.

He looked down at the woman he loved, and the little bit of perfection they’d accidentally made and realized all the lonely, broken pieces inside were fixed and better than new. “I love you so damn much, Darilyn Hayes. You are my fucking world. You and Joey.”

Then he kissed her. Right there, as the door opened and his parents and other family poured in, he kissed her with everything in him.

Jesse Coleman was home.