Page 47 of My Three Hometown Firefighters (Aspen Springs #2)

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Sienna

JUNE

“I just need a girls’ day,” Hadley groans as she drives up the long path to her house. “More estrogen is good for the soul.”

She grins at me as she brings the car to a stop. I look down at both of our outfits, which she insisted on before we left Warren’s house.

She’s in a cream-colored lace dress. I’m in a long, flowy dress that’s the prettiest shade of yellow with little white flowers on it.

The guys bought it for me, along with a bunch of other clothes, shortly after the fire. I gasped when I saw it because they’d picked something out that was so undeniably me, but I never thought I’d actually have an opportunity to wear it.

Apparently, a girls’ day with my bestie is the perfect time.

“And why did we need to dress up to do this?” I ask, climbing out of the car, which gets me way more out of breath than should be legal for such a simple task.

Thanks a lot… We need to pick a name for Little Miss.

Hadley waves her hands in front of her as we walk toward her front door. “Oh, you know. Estrogen. Women’s empowerment. All that stuff.”

What? Maybe it’s just my pregnancy brain, but that didn’t make a lick of sense.

I generally feel like a massive whale, but in this dress, I feel pretty. Maybe I don’t mind this whole dressing-up idea after all.

Hadley opens the door, stepping inside. I follow behind, freezing when I see the yellow decorations filling the space and all of the people shouting, “Surprise!”

My hands fly to my face. “Oh my god,” I mumble as the tears start to fall. “You threw me a baby shower?”

Hadley pulls me in for a hug. “I wasn’t trying to make you cry.”

“I’m pregnant, Hads. An eyelash falling out makes me cry.”

She laughs, stepping back.

“Mom,” I croak out, tears still streaming down my cheeks. Good thing I kept my makeup minimal.

She wraps her arms around me. “Look at you, my sweet girl,” she says, resting her hand on my bump.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” I say, trying to rein in my emotions.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” she says, grabbing my hand and leading me into the living room.

I walk around giving hugs to Gram, Martha, Maggie, and Evelyn. It’s a small group, but it’s perfect.

All my favorite ladies are right here. I look down at my bump. That means you, too, little one.

We’ve played a bunch of silly games that will have my muscles aching tomorrow from how much I’ve laughed. And I ate way too much of the delicious food Maggie and my mom made.

I already have a pile of things beside me that the ladies have given me. Evelyn keeps handing me presents to open from a seemingly never-ending supply of them.

I pull the tissue paper out of a bag. Inside is a bunch of breastfeeding and pumping supplies. I pull out a tub of nipple butter that makes me giggle.

“Oh, that’s from me, hun,” Gram says. “Gotta take care of those ta-tas.”

“Gram,” I say, shaking my head.

Hadley laughs at my side. Evelyn hands me the next box. I peel off the pale-yellow paper, prying it open. Inside is a gorgeous hand-knitted blanket in a rainbow of colors. Slowly, I pull it out of the box.

I turn to look at my mom. I don’t need to see a tag to know this gift is from her.

“It looks just like my blanket when I was little,” I say as the first tear falls, or the first tear right now, I guess.

There are tears flying all over the place where I’m concerned. Hormones.

She nods, tears pooling in her own eyes. “Gram made you yours when you were little.” They both share a heartfelt look before Mom looks back at me. “I thought it was my turn to make one for your little girl.”

Mom and Gram might be feisty and outspoken, but they also have huge hearts. They’re only related because my mom married my dad, but those two are so similar. Most people think my mom is her daughter.

I loved my rainbow blanket more than anything growing up. Knowing that my daughter will have the same thing fills my heart with so much happiness.

With the blanket draped over my lap, I pull Mom in for a hug. “Thank you,” I whisper as I continue to cry. “This means so much to me.”

“Of course,” she says, running her hand up and down my back. “You’re going to be an amazing mom.”

“I hope so.”

She pulls back to look me in the eyes. “I know so.”

Hadley pats my knee from the other side. “She’s right. That little girl is one lucky lady to have you as a mom.”

I swipe at the tears that won’t seem to stop. “Stop saying things like that. I can’t stop crying,” I half cry, half laugh.

The rest of the party passes in a blur of a few more tears and more laughter than I can fathom. I am loved, and I know without a shadow of a doubt my little girl is never going to question how much she is loved.

No matter what happens with the guys, she’s always going to be surrounded by people who will show her what it’s like to be adored every day of her life.

The vision of my future isn’t murky in my mind anymore. I know what I want. I want them, all of them. I want a future with all of us as a family.

Now let’s just hope they feel the same way.