Page 29 of Pieces into Place (Moonflower Cove Romance #16)

Isla

P urchasing the beach house in Cape Cod had been the best impulsive decision Isla had ever made.

Her family had spent so many fun weekends, holidays, and summers at the beach house over the last two decades making priceless memories.

Isla looked forward to every chance she could get away to the Cape, even if it was just for a weekend.

And when those weekends involved quality time with one of her kids, it made Isla even more excited.

Alexis and Blake had quickly agreed to Isla and Vera’s suggestion they have a couples retreat to the Cape for a few days.

Blake has just entered her eighth month of pregnancy, so the two of them were eager to get away and rest for a few days.

With two toddlers and a pre-teen, Isla could understand why they needed the break.

She felt the same way when she was pregnant with Everleigh.

At that point, Mason was twenty-one and Ellie and Brayden were six.

“Are you sure the kids are going to be okay?” Isla had asked for the hundredth time as Vera drove them to the beach house.

“They’re going to be fine. Eden is there if anything goes wrong.”

“A lot of help she’d be.”

“Babe, be nice to your sister.”

“I will, I will.” Isla put her hand on her large belly. “Wouldn’t it be funny if my water broke here, and she was born in the Cape?”

“Absolutely not,” Vera laughed as she pulled into the driveway of their beach house. “I’m fully supportive of a home birth, but not when we’re away from my hospital if anything goes wrong.”

“Nothing is going to go wrong.”

“I know. I’ve got you and this baby. Always.”

“I know you do. And I’m not an idiot like you and coming to the Cape thirty-eight weeks pregnant with twins.”

Vera chuckled at the memory. “We made it back in time for them to be born at the hospital, didn’t we?”

“Barely. I was having flashbacks of Cam having Jonah in my Jeep.”

Isla smiled as the memory embraced her like a warm hug. She loved all the memories with Vera and their family at the Cape as much as anything. And she was eager to make new ones with Blake and Alexis.

They’d arrived at the Cape a few hours ago, having waited until Vera got off work to head out.

Since the pool was heated, the four of them had gone for a relaxing swim, and Isla was reluctant to get out.

Despite the overcast sky, the pool felt amazing.

And the new float she’d picked up at the store a few days ago had been more than worth its sticker price.

It was obvious Blake felt the same way about the avocado float she was currently lounging on.

Arden had gifted Emily the float last summer when she was pregnant with Finley.

The cutout in the float allowed Blake’s belly to go in so she could lie on her stomach without issues.

Both Blake and Emily seemed to love it and Isla was jealous she didn’t have that when she was pregnant.

Vera swam up to the side of Isla’s float as she leaned in to kiss her. “We should probably go make dinner. ”

“But Mama ,” Isla dramatically whined, “I don’t wanna get out of the pool.”

“Well, then I guess you’re going to have to miss dinner tonight.”

“That’s fine. I’ll just eat you later.”

“Isla!” Vera giggled as her cheeks reddened. Even after thirty years together, Isla loved that she still had that effect on Vera. “Not in front of the kids.”

“We’re used to it,” Alexis and Blake said in unison as they all laughed.

“I can help you with dinner, Vera.”

“Aww, thanks, Lex.”

As Alexis and Vera got out of the pool, Isla kept her eyes on her wife.

Her body looked amazing in the two-piece bathing suit.

Every curve was beyond sexy to Isla, and she couldn’t wait to touch them all when they were alone.

Isla had been worried menopause would lower their sex drive, but so far, it hadn’t slowed them down.

“Our wives are pretty great, aren’t they?” Isla asked as she hopped off her float and tossed it onto the deck.

“They’re the best,” Blake grinned at her. She looked so peaceful, so relaxed. Isla gently brushed her damp hair out of her face as she smiled at Blake. “I love this float.”

“I can tell.”

“It’s the first time in weeks I haven’t felt her pressed against my bladder.”

“Just think, in a few more weeks, you’ll be holding her in your arms.”

Blake laughed, but Isla caught the nervousness it hid. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

“You’re gonna do great, Blake. Alexis and Avery totally have you.”

Isla’s heart ached at the fact she wasn’t going to be in the room when Blake had her baby.

She knew it was selfish; she’d been telling herself that for months.

But it didn’t change the fact that it was how she felt.

Being there for her babies as they had babies was something Isla had always dreamed of doing.

When Mason had Silas, she’d been right behind Mason as she supported her and held her during and after the delivery.

The memory flooded her mind again of how blissful everything felt after Silas was born.

Mason had still been leaning back on Isla as she held Silas on her chest. Vera and Melanie had gotten Mason all cleaned up after the delivery and were letting her enjoy her golden hour with Silas.

Isla had helped Mason get Silas latched for his first feeding.

But all Isla could focus on was how she was holding her baby, who had just become a mom.

She didn’t dare move; didn’t dare say her hips were sore from the way she’d been sitting.

It was a memory Isla knew both she and Mason would treasure forever.

“Mom?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you help me out of the float?”

“Of course, baby.”

Guiding the float over to the stairs, Isla helped Blake out and onto the middle step.

Their legs were still in the water, but neither of them moved to get out further.

Isla thought Blake needed to catch her breath after the hurdle of getting off of the float.

What she didn’t notice until Blake grabbed her arm was that she was having a contraction.

Blake nearly doubled over as Isla supported her sides the best she could.

“It’s okay, Blake. I’m right here. I got you.” Isla turned her head toward the house, her heartbeat pounding in her ears as she yelled for Vera. “Vera!”

“It hurts.”

“Where does it hurt, baby?”

“My back.”

“I can massage your back. Will that help?”

Blake only nodded. Isla pressed her palms into Blake’s lower back as she leaned over the handrail.

Vera and Alexis came running back to the pool, concerned looks on both their faces.

Instantly jumping into doctor mode, Vera assessed Blake.

They got her moved over to a nearby chair where she sat as the contraction eased up.

Blake looked up at Alexis, obviously scared.

“Do you think that was just a Braxton-Hicks contraction?”

“I don’t know,” Alexis honestly answered as she looked at Vera. “What do you think?”

“It could have been. It’s hard to know for sure. Have you been having contractions?”

“No,” Blake shook her head. “Not like that. At least none that I noticed.”

“Well, maybe it was just a Braxton-Hicks.”

“Yeah, I’m sure it was,” Alexis quickly agreed with Vera.

“We’ll keep an eye on them tonight and see if you have any more, okay?”

Both Alexis and Blake nodded.

Vera’s encouraging voice was accompanied by a firm hand on Blake’s shoulder.

Isla knew that was her way of trying to ground not only Blake, but herself as well.

As Alexis helped Blake up and to the house, Isla took Vera’s hand as they walked inside.

Alexis helped Blake into their room to shower and change as Isla and Vera stood in the kitchen.

Putting her hand on Vera’s lower back, she looked into her wife’s blue eyes.

“Do you think that was a real contraction? Is there a way you can check and see?”

“I don’t know,” Vera shrugged, obviously feeling frustrated. “If she were Alexis or Mason or you, I’d be okay with asking to examine her to make sure she’s not dilated. But it’s Blake.”

“I know.”

“She’s my daughter, not my patient.”

“I know. ”

“And I’m not checking her cervix unless she asks.”

Isla sadly laughed, wrapping her arms around Vera. “I know, baby. I don’t know what I was thinking. Of course, you wouldn’t be able to know with just looking at her if it was a real contraction or not.”

“I feel like Blake would tell us if she’d had them before or if she has any more. So I say we just wait and see.”

“You know I hate that.”

“Oh, I know,” Vera laughed. “But I’ve got the lasagna in the oven, and I know that’ll make you feel better.”

“You always know that pasta is the way to my heart.”

“To any Mackenzie heart. How do you think I won you and Mason over so quickly?” She playfully flipped her damp ponytail over her shoulder. “With my fabulous spaghetti, of course.”

“Really now?” Putting her arms around Vera’s waist, Isla pulled her into her embrace. Vera had put on an old T-shirt and shorts over her bathing suit, but to Isla, she never looked sexier. “Do you think we have time to shower before dinner?”

“If we make it quick.”

“I think I can arrange that for you.”

“I have no doubt.”

Taking Vera’s hand, they headed upstairs together.

Isla got the shower water to the perfect temperature as Vera discarded her bathing suit and clothes onto the floor.

She untied the strings of Isla’s top, letting her boobs go free as Vera dropped the wet top onto the floor.

Adding her bottoms to the pile, they stepped into the shower together.

Isla could tell by the way her wife was kissing her neck that she wasn’t in the mood for waiting.

Thankfully for Isla, she wasn’t either. When Vera’s wet fingers slipped inside her, Isla put her leg up onto the shower seat for better access.

Vera moved her lips from Isla’s neck to her chest and back again.

Their bodies moved in perfect unison as if doing a dance they’d known for a hundred years.

She rode Vera’s fingers to an orgasm, holding tightly onto the towel holder as she did so.

“Damn, babe,” Isla laughed as she leaned her head back onto the wall, “you didn’t waste any time with that.”

“I’ve been wanting to do that since last night when my stupid pager went off.”

Although Vera was only on-call once a month, it never failed for her pager to go off at the most inopportune times.

Knowing their time was short before dinner would be ready, Isla helped Vera reach an orgasm quicker than she would have liked. Normally Isla would have taken her time. But knowing they were on a time crunch seemed to make both of their bodies more receptive to every little touch.

After drying off and changing into sweatpants and T-shirts, they made their way back downstairs to find Alexis and Blake in the kitchen. They were scooping the lasagna out onto four plates, but their grins told them they knew exactly what Isla and Vera had been up to.

“Maybe this will help you get your strength back,” Blake teased as she handed Isla a plate of lasagna.

Dinner was full of great food and fun conversation. Alexis caught them up on Harper’s last days in elementary school while Blake told them about the twins discovering bugs. Both were to Alexis’s apparent horror.

By the time dinner was finished, the four of them were ready to call it a night. They headed to their rooms after saying a quick goodnight. Isla noticed how Vera checked in with Blake before heading upstairs, reminding her to wake them up if anything happened.

Back upstairs in their room, Isla and Vera changed into their pajamas before cuddling in bed to watch a movie.

It was some rom-com they’d seen a hundred times before, but it didn’t matter.

With Vera’s head on her chest as Isla played with her hair, she would have watched paint dry.

Her eyes were getting heavier as the movie hit its third act, and she could tell by Vera’s soft snores she was already asleep.

Isla reached to turn the light off just as she heard a knock at their bedroom door.

She turned her head toward the door as Vera sat up with slight panic in her eyes.

“It’s open,” Isla called out, not sure if it was Alexis or Blake on the other side of the door. She worried that something was wrong until Blake shyly peeked around the corner.

Blake, her eldest baby girl, looked nervous as she stood by the door. She had on her pajamas, which barely covered her belly now, but Isla still saw her as the little five-year-old girl who used to crawl into her bed every night.

“Everything okay, Blake?” Vera asked softly.

“Yeah, sorry.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“You’re not bothering us,” Isla and Vera said at the same time.

And it was at that moment that Isla realized why Blake was standing in the doorframe, looking nervous.

She wanted to do what every other Mackenzie kid did without hesitating.

And yet it was something Blake had never done before.

At least not with Isla and Vera. Under the sheets, Vera squeezed Isla’s hand tightly.

It was her unspoken way of telling Isla she was just as excited about what was happening as Isla was. They’d waited so long for this moment.

“Come here, baby.”

Isla patted the bed beside her as Vera stood.

Blake walked quickly over to them, crawling into their bed as Vera tucked her in.

As Blake rested her head on Isla’s chest, Vera got back into bed on the other side of her.

It took Isla a moment to realize she wasn’t the only one crying.

Both Vera and Blake were as well. Not sad tears or heavy tears.

But simply tears of finally having what the three of them had desperately been dreaming about for decades .

Blake put her arm around Isla’s waist as she kissed her arm.

Isla reciprocated by kissing Blake’s head.

She could feel Vera playing with her hair as she looked over Blake to her.

They smiled at each other with happy tears brimming their eyes.

Somehow, the reality of their daughter cuddled between them was so much sweeter than the dream.