Page 105 of Hold 'Em Tight

“That’s it. Keep going!” Colton shouts, filled with excitement. “Her head is coming. She's so close.”

That gives me the determination I need. With one more big push, I give it all I have. She slides out and I take in a gasping breath, feeling my body sag with relief.

“She’s so beautiful," Colton says in awe. A moment later, her little cries fill the room.

The sound has me joining in alongside her. It’s a noise I never thought I’d hear, but one I’ve desperately wanted for so long.

“Is she okay?” I ask, trying to blink through the tears. My body feels like it’s been hit by a truck, and my mind is groggy.

“She’s perfect,” Lennox breathes. “So fucking perfect.”

“Where are they taking her?” I ask in panic as the nurses take her away.

“They’re just taking her to get cleaned up,” Mateo soothes, brushing my sweaty hair off my forehead. “You did so fucking good, Rylee. I’m so damn proud.”

“She’s here.” I smile up at him sleepily.

“Yeah, she is. And she’s amazing. Red hair. Just like her mama.”

“Really?” I ask, looking over to where they’re cleaning the baby up. “I want to see her.”

A few moments later, they hand Trevor the baby and he brings her over to me.

“I think there's someone who wants to meet you,” he says, handing me our daughter.

“Hi there,” I breathe out, in total awe of the sweet, chubby little baby in my arms. “I’m your mommy.”

She blinks her eyes up at me, and just like that, I know I’m utterly and completely hers. There won’t be a day that goes by that I don’t live for her. She will be so loved. She'll never want for anything, and will have an army at her side to protect her from this cruel life we seem to keep finding ourselves in.

“You're really here.” I run my finger along her fuzzy little cheek. “Thank you for never leaving me.”

We all sit in silence, reveling in the joy of our daughter, and I cry softly, so overwhelmed with emotions, and everything we’ve been through to get to this point.

One by one, the guys hold her, and there’s not a dry eye in the room. Seeing them with her, looking at her like she hung the moon, and how deeply they love her, I’m reminded how wrong I was to keep her from them. I never should have second guessed anything I did.

I can't change the past, but I will make sure the future has a better outcome.

After the guys spend some time with her, my mom and Mateo’s family come in to meet her. Mom cries, so happy to have her first granddaughter.

After the dust had settled, when we found out about the baby, I called my mom and told her the news. She sobbed happy tears, so glad that everything worked out in the end.

With my dad offering to put her up in a hotel, she’s coming to stay and help with the baby, while I finish this school year.

The past year has shown me how important life is with the ones you love, and to never take that time with them for granted.

I ended up reaching out to my dad, knowing I’d regret it if something happened to him and I lost the chance to get to know him.

We started off slow, texting first, then I began going over for suppers. We’re still far from a normal father-daughter relationship, but I've started to like the guy.

He’s over the moon, excited to be a grandpa, and has spoiled our little girl beyond belief.

Normally, money doesn’t mean anything to me, but for our little girl, she deserves to be spoiled.

Seeing my mom and dad get along, while Trevor’s mom stands at my dad’s side, it gives me hope that I could have a normal family life.

Well, as normal as it gets for us.

Dad leaves with happy tears, along with everyone else, as they give us our privacy, letting us know they will check in with us soon.