Page 114 of Samuel

“I love you too, Evie.”

She sighed and let her head rest on his shoulder. After a few quiet minutes, her breathing evened out, and Sam felt herbody relax into deep sleep. He let her warmth remind him that she was safe. Something inside him still wanted to stay awake, to watch over her, even after the release of emotions they’d shared, but it was too much. His eyelids grew heavy as the blissful darkness of sleep pulled him under.

Thirty-One

“Are we late?” Evie asked as they walked up John and Abby’s driveway. It had been a week since everything happened with Garrett, and Sam was still hovering over her. He barely let her walk to the bathroom on her own. Which was why she’d insisted that it was too close of a distance to drive, wanting to move her body a bit while it still wasn’t super uncomfortable to.

And although she would never, ever admit it to him, she was regretting that decision. It was sweltering out. She was well and properly soaked in sweat by the time they made it to the house across the road.

“We aren’t late.” Sam had the goofiest grin plastered on his face. “Jackson and Grace look like they just got here, too.”

Evie’s eyes landed on a truck parked off to the side of the driveway, where Jackson was helping Grace down.

“Evie! Sam!” Her friend’s face lit up as she waddled towards them.

“Hey, Grace. How are you feeling?” Sam asked, his hand sliding to the small of Evie’s back.

“Like I’m about to pop. I know I’ve still got three weeks to go, but good grief, this little guy is giving me a run for my money just like his brother did.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go back home?” Jackson asked.

“No. I want to see my friends and I want you to have time with the guys.” She turned to Evie. “I don’t know if it’s started happening with Sam, but I swear when you get really close to your due date, men lose all sense of themselves and become anxious old grannies.”

“Thanks for that, Gracie.” Jackson dipped his head to press a kiss to Grace’s neck.

Evie laughed. “Sam’s been that way since the very beginning.”

“And with good reason.” Next thing she knew, Evie was smooshed against his chest, as she was peppered with kisses.

That familiar warmth of love spread through her chest as they separated. She thought she saw a conspiratorial look pass between the men, but chalked it up to her overactive imagination and hyper hormones.

She should have known to trust her instincts. The men had let Evie and Grace walk in front of them, and when she opened the door to go inside, all their friends were there waiting, surrounded by balloons, party hats, flowers, and a big banner that read:EVIE AND GRACE’S BABY SHOWER.

“SURPRISE!” A chorus of voices washed over them.

“It’s a girls’ night baby shower!” Emma’s laugh carried through Abby and John’s house. Evie couldn’t hold back her giggle as she accepted a warm hug from her enthusiastic friend.

“Did you know?” Evie turned to find Sam over her shoulder.

“Yeah, I knew. And I knew how much you would protest, because you are strong and independent and don’t need anyone’s help. But I want you to be celebrated, Bluebell. Youand Jellybean deserve to be loved on. Now go in and have fun with our friends.”

Time flew by as Evie and Sam made their way to say hello to everyone. Eventually, after the most delicious meal of grilled steak, Hasselback potatoes, watermelon, a pasta salad so incredible she needed to ask Daisy for the recipe, and more sweet treats that she should have indulged in, the group split, with the guys going outside with the kids and the girls taking up residence in the living room.

“Oh, my goodness. Evie. That baby is going to be popping out of you any day now. Look at this belly!” Emma placed her hands right over Jellybean.

“Don’t remind me. I’ve still got five weeks to go. It feels like she can’t possibly take up any more room than she already is, but I know she’s going to. Sam’ll need to put me in a wheelbarrow to get me back over here for the wedding.”

“I’m sure he can think of more fun ways to get you where you need to go!” Emma winked as she made her way towards Grace. “And you! How is my newest little nephew doing in there?”

Grace winced and shifted her body, stuffing another pillow behind her back. “He’s a little stinker just like Jack was. I’ve been having prodromal labor pains for three nights now.”

“That’s terrifying. How do you know when it’s the real thing?” Evie asked.

“Well, we’re still three weeks away from the due date, so that’s floating around in the back of my mind. And when these contractions start, they’re consistently two to three minutes apart. There’s no build up to them.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s honestly more annoying than anything. Thankfully, Nellie and Tom have Jack tonight so Jackson promised to run me a bath when we get home. It’s the only thing that seems to get them to calm down.”

“Mom!” Evie watched as Addie, Emma and Seb’s daughter,bounced into the living room, Seb trailing behind her looking dazed. “I asked Dad if I could have a brownie, but he said I needed to ask you since it’s getting close to bedtime.”

Evie smiled. Something radiated between Seb and Emma as she turned to talk to her daughter.

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