Homerun Daddy, page 20
part #1 of Timberwood Cove Series
He was so earnest, so sincere. My heart swelled and I fell even more in love with him. I went up on my tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “I know.”
Just then I heard the downstairs door creak open. Even my hearing seemed to be improved as my wolf grew stronger.
“That’s our cue,” Jaxon said with a wink. Then he scooped me up in his arms and carried me downstairs.
Linc was standing there, keys dangling in his hand. “All ready to go? I’ll take it from here.”
I laughed. It was like they were on a mission. Their strategy planned out move by move. I should have expected it from Jaxon.
“Linc will stay until my father can get here to stay with Liam,” Jaxon told me as he walked me out to the car. Except where the car usually sat, something was in its place. A brand-new shiny black SUV. From where the doors were open, the vehicle already running and waiting for us, I could see a pink car seat in the back.
“Jaxon? What’s this?”
He grinned down at me, looking more than a little smug. “We’re doing this in style, baby.”
He seemed to have had thought of everything. I was eternally grateful for it too because I was starting to feel nervous. I mean, I was about to give birth to a shifter. How did someone prepare themselves for that?
But Jaxon was self-assured at my side, keeping me as relaxed as possible as he drove me to the hospital. He helped me into a wheelchair—he insisted this time—and held my hand the entire time we waited for Dr. Reed and a shifter birthing team to arrive. His attention was solely on me, making sure I was comfortable, helping me breathe through the increasingly intense contractions—this baby wanted out now.
He was a steady rock.
The doctors arrived and took us into a room, checked my vitals, and had me prepped for an epidural in no time, but when it was time for the cesarean, which was something both Jaxon and I had agreed on, I saw his strength waver for a second, his eyes darting from my stomach to my eyes and back again.
“Maybe you shouldn’t watch,” I said, smirking.
He jerked his gaze back to mine, giving me a wry grin. “We’ll see.”
He did end up staying by my head, holding my hand as the operation began. It was the strangest sensation, hearing everything around me but not able to see or feel anything below my waist. Jaxon’s grip on my fingers tightened only a few minutes later. Dr. Reed was delivering the baby.
Jaxon stepped forward, and the look of awe and love on his face as he laid eyes on our baby had tears prickling my lids. He looked back at me, grinning, then turned back to watch. I heard a cry, and then Dr. Reed asking Jaxon if he wanted to cut the cord. Of course he said yes. And then the nurses were bundling Lori in a blanket and handing her to Jaxon.
He shook his head in amazement, his smile wide as he brought her to me. He leaned down, placing her in my arms but not letting go, and we held her together in what had to be the happiest moment of our lives.
The next few hours passed by in a cloud of baby bliss, coupled with exhaustion. Of course Lori had chosen the middle of the night to make her appearance. We got moved into a room after a little while, and Jaxon arranged for an extra hospital bed to be moved in so he could push it up against mine and sleep next to me.
He snuggled up close, determined to take care of me any way I needed. He got up through the night to change Lori, to walk around soothing her, feeding her and holding her while she slept. He’d finally fallen asleep somewhere around dawn. Now I was holding Lori in my arms, my gaze going back and forth between my daughter and my mate.
He looked strong and fierce, even in sleep, his protective streak evident from the way his arm was slung around me. I looked down at Lori, my throat tightening. It amazed me how much she looked like my twin. The downy blonde hair, her defined features. She looked just like Liam had when he was a baby. My heart swelled, feeling like I had another part of my sister here with me now. She would always be a part of me.
Jaxon stirred next to me, his eyes blinking open. A soft smile curved his lips. His jaw was extra scruffy today.
“How’s my little girl this morning?” he quietly asked, pushing up on his elbow. He glanced up at me and smiled. Just as he was leaning in for a kiss, we heard a knock at the door.
“Good morning. Sorry to bother you.” A nurse stood in the doorway, a friendly smile on his lips. “My name is Shawn. I’ll be your daytime nurse today. I just need to check your vitals.”
“Sure thing,” I said, shifting Lori to Jaxon’s arms. He moved off the bed and stood to the side so Shawn could do his job.
A rustle at the door caught my attention as Shawn checked my blood pressure. I turned my head to see Linc, Greer, Liam and Cole in the doorway with balloons, flowers, and bags full of gifts.
“We come baring gifts!” Linc called out, barging in and grinning. “Now let me see that baby girl!”
Shawn turned, catching sight of the four people that had just made this room a lot more crowded. His gaze roved over them, paused on Linc then snapped back to the monitor.
“Hey guys,” I said, lifting my other hand in greeting. Liam rushed toward the bed, going for a hug.
“I’ll be out of your way in just a moment,” Shawn murmured, his gazed locked on his keyboard as he recorded his visit on my chart.
He took the blood pressure cuff off, and Liam flew into my arms. I laughed. “Careful there.” I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. He squeezed me back, hard. Over his shoulder, I caught Linc staring behind us toward the door. I cut my eyes over to see what he was looking at and saw nothing but Shawn’s retreating back.
I grinned, ready to tease him about crushing on my nurse when he suddenly stood and walked out of the room. Liam pulled back from my hug, demanding to see his sister, and I forgot all about whatever that was with Linc.
“Here she is,” I said. Jaxon came up and leaned down, holding Lori so Liam could see.
“Meet your new sister, Lori Lee.”
Liam leaned and kissed her softly on the forehead then turned to me with a grin. “She looks like Mom.”
A fresh wave of tears threatened. I was so emotional right now, but what did I expect? Everyone I loved most was right here in this room with me.
“She does, Liam,” Jaxon agreed.
Greer gave his congratulations, hugging Jaxon, taking his turn holding the baby. Then Liam got a turn. Cole and Linc too, when Linc finally returned.
“Okay,” Liam huffed after a while, jumping up and facing Jaxon and me. “I’ve waited long enough. I have something to tell you.”
My eyebrows flew up. What could it be? I saw Jaxon wink at him and wondered if he already knew.
“Actually, maybe I’ll just show you.”
He stepped back into the middle of the room, closed his eyes, then his body shimmered faintly before a pulse of heat filled the room. Then he was standing there before me, on four legs this time. I gasped and looked at Jaxon. Liam had just shifted! He stood there before us, a blond ball of fur, hazel eyes gleaming at me. He was about half the size of Jaxon’s wolf.
“Liam, that was amazing!” I exclaimed as he shifted back. “When did this happen?”
He grinned. “Last night. I heard you guys leave and went back to Cole’s with Linc. After Linc was asleep we snuck outside and Cole shifted. I wanted it soooo bad. And then it happened! All those things you taught me, they snapped into place.”
Jaxon chuckled. “I’m glad it helped, but how about next time you don’t sneak out in the middle of the night?” He gave Linc a look, and Linc looked back like he was saying, ‘Really?’
I had a feeling the two of them had snuck out plenty of times when they were younger.
“I’m so proud of you, Liam,” I said. He was beaming.
“I can’t wait for you to shift too!”
“Soon enough,” I said. “For now I’m just happy to be here with all of you.”
Jaxon stroked my hair. “I couldn’t have said it better. I feel like I’ve waited my whole life for this moment, and now it’s finally here it’s even more perfect than I imagined.”
He kissed me softly then bent down to kiss Lori before settling down with Liam to hear all about his first shifting experience. I sat back, holding my baby, watching my family, feeling more at peace than I ever had.
Spring came again, and I marveled over how much my life had changed in the past year. I was sitting in the same place I was for Liam’s first baseball game, but nothing else in my life was the same.
I looked out over the field, catching sight of Jaxon watching us. A chair hadn’t been enough for our setup at the edge of the field. Not for Jaxon. He’d put together a little sun tent with cushions and blankets—all in the team colors, of course. There was a cooler and a fan and plenty of toys. We definitely had the best seat in the house. I bounced Lori on my knee, helping her wave her hand at Jaxon. He grinned, blowing us a kiss, then turned to huddle with the team.
The game had been intense so far. They were up against a really tough team for their first game, but Liam had improved tremendously over the past year. No doubt thanks to the wolf strength in him. Jaxon worked religiously with him on his skill and technique. I was pretty sure we had a little All-Star on our hands.
Lori cooed, and I lifted her up and kissed her chubby cheeks. She squealed and giggled, then I brought her in close to nuzzle her.
“Liam’s up to bat, Lori. Daddy’s telling him what to do.” I watched as Jaxon pulled Liam to the side, crouching down next to him and talking to him earnestly. I wished I could hear what they were saying because the fierce determination that crossed Liam’s face let me know everyone better watch out. He was on a mission.
“Come on, you can do it,” I whispered, Lori wiggling in my arms. I clutched her tightly, holding my breath as Liam strode up to the plate before tapping his bat and positioning himself to swing.
It was the bottom of the ninth, and the bases were fully loaded. Our team had put up a good fight, but we were sitting at three points behind. The fate of the game came down to this moment.
As Liam looked back at Jaxon one last time you could have heard a pin drop in the crowd. Linc stood with Jaxon at the dugout, his eyes darting between Liam, the pitcher, and Cole, who was on first base. Jaxon gave Liam a nod and crossed his arms over his chest, his stance wide as he looked on.
Then Liam turned up to the sky and yelled, “This one’s for you, Mom!”
My breath rushed out in a gasp, my chest contracting. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. The pitcher took the mound, squared off against Liam. Then he let it fly.
Liam stood, steady and sure, never wavering. At the last possible second, when I was afraid he might not swing, his arms ripped around with a force that sent the ball blurring through the sky.
I jumped to my feet, screaming. The entire crowd was in an uproar. I jumped up and down as the cheers filled the air. Jaxon was at the very edge of the field pointing and shouting. The kids flew around the bases, but there was no rush because Liam had knocked the ball clean out of the park.
I hugged Lori to me, turning to Greer who was sitting on the first bleacher beside me. He was cheering right along. Jaxon was pumping his fist in the air now as the team ran the bases. When Liam’s foot crashed down on home plate, the cries grew even louder.
I’d never been caught up in so much excitement. The team ran out, circling Liam, screaming about his grand slam. Then they lifted him high. I waved furiously at him, shouting out my own congratulations. He caught my eye and grinned.
Jaxon ran out on the field next, high fiving the boys and helping Liam to the ground. He wrapped him up in the biggest bear hug. I watched them together, smiling. Greer squeezed my shoulder, and I grinned up at him before looking back at my baby girl.
This was what life was about. Family.
I didn’t know how I’d scored such a perfect life, but I wasn’t going to question it. I was going to enjoy every second of it. With Jaxon and our family, I’d been the one to knock it out of the park.
Get ready for Timberwood Cove book 2, Surprised Daddy!
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Chapter 1 Preview – Surprised Daddy
Linc
Timberwood Cove was my idea of heaven on earth... Except in December. The cold was so brittle so that it turned me into a stiff, cranky old man. The mornings were the worst, and this one was no exception. I stayed in bed for as long as I could, bundled up in wool blankets pulled up to my nose. I watched flecks of dust float off the timber beams above my bed every time there was a thud coming from upstairs in my son Cole's room. He and his best friend Liam had learned to wrestle quietly, lest they wake me, but an occasional, “Hey, no fair!” echoed through the floorboards.
I turned my head to look at the clock beside my bed and groaned when I saw it was well and truly breakfast time. I'd have to feed the boys before they got viscous and moody, and attacked each other for real. I hauled the heavy blankets back, inhaled sharply as the cold hit my limbs, and pulled myself out of bed. I felt like I was getting a premature preview of old age. I bent over to touch my toes, just to prove to myself that I was still flexible, and groaned as I felt my lower back aching. Maybe it wasn't such a premature preview after all.
My joints became a little more limber as I took a searing hot shower, dressed in jeans, a heavy flannel shirt and a warm wool sweater, then trotted downstairs to the kitchen.
“Breakfast!” I called behind me, and immediately heard Cole's bedroom door fly open followed by a stampede of eight year old feet on two flights of stairs. They were fast. They pushed past me, got to the breakfast table, and sat up straight before I’d even made it through the kitchen door.
“Wow, who are these well-behaved boys?” I smiled as I turned on the stove to warm up a pot of overnight oats.
“Just two cool kids who deserve really cool Christmas gifts,” my son, Cole, shrugged nonchalantly.
His best friend, Liam, nodded enthusiastically as I placed mix-ins on the table in front of them.
“Excited for the holidays, huh?” I asked. I gave Cole a kiss on the top of his head and he gave me a big cheesy grin as he reached for the milk and poured himself a glass.
“Yeah!” Liam said, eating a spoonful of butter. He'd been eating weird stuff ever since his alpha dad, my best friend Jaxon, had bitten him to turn him into a shifter. Butter was a new one, though.
“You're going to have a new baby sister or brother, Liam. What more could you even want for Christmas?” Cole grumbled into his milk as he took a big gulp.
“Um, a new bike? Duh?” Liam said like Cole was an idiot.
Cole rolled his eyes. “That is not as cool as a sibling,” he insisted, looking up at me accusingly. He'd been expressing this jealous about Liam’s new sibling since Liam's omega dad had become pregnant nine months ago. I'd thought it would be a phase that passed, but it had just become more intense as the due date drew closer. Cole's nagging had hit a fever pitch because Liam was staying over at our house while his dad, Bryce, was in the hospital giving birth.
It wouldn't be so bad, except that his nagging was just echoing what I felt too - I wasn’t exactly done with having kids, but I had been deeply, pathetically single for a long time.
“Well,” I cleared my throat as I spooned out the oats into our bowls. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“I'm eight,” he sighed, putting his chin in his hand. “I've been waiting.”
“Do you complain to your mom about this too?” I asked as I put the bowls in front of them.
“Mhm,” he nodded, immediately taking a big spoonful of the oats before hissing from the heat and spitting them back out.
“And what does she say?” I asked, genuinely wondering how my ex, Nicole, dealt with him.
“She says that Paco is my little brother,” he groaned as he poured cold milk into his bowl, and I let out a laugh.
“Paco is a cool dog,” Liam interjected, blowing on a spoonful of his oats and taking a tentative bite.
“Yeah but he's also crazy,” Cole grumbled.
“You're both right,” I agreed. “That husky is full of personality... and he's also got some... uh... mild behaviour issues.”
“Mild!” Cole exclaimed. “He ate my astronomy magazine last week! Like, the whole magazine!”
“Well, who says a brother or sister wouldn't also be crazy?” I countered and spooned peanut butter and jelly on top of my oats.
“Imagine if a baby ate a magazine,” Liam said.
“Imagine if a magazine ate a baby,” Cole cackled and Liam broke out into a fit of laughter.
The conversation degraded into imagining objects eating other objects, and I enjoyed the oats warming up my insides until Cole came back around to complaining about not having a sibling.
“Alright, playtime. Go run out back to warm up while I chop some wood,” I said as I stood, grabbed my coat from beside the back door, and pointed to the backyard.
Spoons immediately hit the edges of their bowls, chairs were practically thrown backwards, and the two boys were outside before I'd even blinked. The branches of the Douglas fir trees and the ponderosa pines in the backyard were whirring around in the wind and I watched as the kid's long hair blew wildly around their heads. They laughed and sprinted across the yard towards the woods. As they hit the tree line, I watched as both boys shifted into their wolf forms, clumsily falling over their long legs and wildly blundering towards the forest that separated our homestead – the Timberwood Cove Country Club – from the human side of town. I pulled on my boots and trudged out after them, bracing myself against the freezing cold wind, and made my way to the wood shed just off the side of our porch.
Chopping wood warmed me up, but it also made my arms ache like a bitch. I was relieved when I felt my phone buzz in the back pocket of my jeans – it was my best friend Jaxon.
“I was just thinking of you,” I said as I answered the phone and wiped my hands on my pants. “Chopping some wood and wishing I had your slugging arm.”
