Page 107 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell (Rock Canyon, Idaho 7)

Her mother gave her a stern look. “Stop being a drama queen. You were offered an epidural, and you declined. Women do this every day without cursing. Besides, you’re scaring poor Eric.”

Gracie looked up into her husband’s pale face and glared. “You better not pass out.”

His dark eyes snapped to hers, and she saw the worry and fear and took a deep shaky breath. After the scare with Gemma and the twins, she could just imagine what he was thinking, and she squeezed his hand.

“Sorry, it just hurts.”

He shook his head and leaned over to kiss her sweaty forehead. “You curse me all you want, Gracie Lou. I can take it.”

And that was why he’d been the one. Because he gave her exactly what she needed.

“All right, Gracie, on the next contraction, you’re going to bear down, okay?” the doctor said, sitting between her sprawled legs.

She nodded, and as the next pain exploded, she released a string of curses that left the nurses blushing.

“You’re doing so good, babe,” Eric said encouragingly.

“Almost there, Gracie,” the doctor said. “Another push.”

Gracie squeezed her mother’s and husband’s hands and screamed. The pressure eased, and when she heard the wet cry of a baby, she realized it was over. Her son was here.

“I did it,” she said tiredly.

Eric rained kissed all over her face. “You did, God, Gracie you were amazing. I love you…”

That was the last thing she heard before passing out.

* * *

Six hours later, Eric was still shaking. Although the doctor and nurses had assured him that Gracie had just passed out due to exhaustion, watching his wife lose consciousness had been the scariest damn moment of his life.

She’d taken twenty years off his life and had the audacity to tell him to chill out.

He sat in the chair next to her bed, watching her nurse their son. They’d been tossing out baby names for months but couldn’t seem to agree on one.

“We have to have a name before we leave the hospital,” Eric said.

Gracie looked up at him, her eyes heavy and her hair lying limply against her head. His chest tightened as he reached out and smoothed his hand over her cheek. She was his. They’d fought and struggled to overcome their baggage and fall in love, but now Eric realized all the hardship and fighting and misunderstandings had been worth it, because they were meant to be.

“I was actually thinking Ian,” Gracie said tiredly.

“Ian?”

“What, it’s Irish and cute.”

“Hmmm…” Eric ran his hand over his son’s bald head as he considered. “Okay.”

Gracie’s face lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. My mom will love it,” Eric said.

“Mine too.” Gracie grabbed his hand and squeezed. “So, we have a name.”

“We have a name.”

Gracie kissed his knuckles. “Thank you.”

“For what?”