Page 33 of Pieces into Place (Moonflower Cove Romance #16)

As Vera headed into the kitchen, Isla took the bag from Everleigh.

She smiled at her daughter to let her know she would take care of it for her.

Isla carefully got another device ready as Everleigh took off her sweatshirt.

Rubbing the alcohol swab on the back of Everleigh’s upper arm, Isla waited for a moment before putting the device on.

Everleigh didn’t even flinch as the device clicked into place.

Instead, she simply put her head on Isla’s chest like she used to do when she was a baby .

“Here you go, Evie.” Vera extended the insulin to Everleigh, but Isla took it from her. In the opposite arm where she’d placed the device, Isla carefully injected the insulin for Everleigh.

“All done, baby.” Isla kissed her head as she put her arms around her. Vera sat on the other side of Everleigh, putting her hand on her leg. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” Everleigh yawned. “Can I sleep with you two tonight?”

“Of course, baby.”

“Anytime, Evie.”

Ever since she was little, Everleigh seemed to spend more nights in their bed than her own.

Even if she wasn’t in their room, she’d sometimes want them in her room.

Mason was notorious for being conned into sleeping in Everleigh’s room up until the day she moved out.

Granted, Mason still found her way over to the farmhouse to spend the night with her baby sister every now and then or Everleigh would spend the night at Mason’s.

Everleigh crawling into their bed had gotten less frequent over the years, Isla savored them whenever they did happen.

After they’d all gotten ready for bed, Vera and Everleigh got into bed as Isla checked her blood sugar one more time. It was going down, which was a relief to Isla. She pulled back the sheets and got into bed beside Everleigh. She kissed her goodnight before doing the same with Vera.

Isla had thought she would get an amazing night’s sleep after the relaxing evening she’d had.

But instead, she kept watching the ceiling fan spin as Vera and Everleigh slept beside her.

Her body fought sleep all night as she tossed and turned while also trying not to wake Vera or Everleigh.

By the time two a.m. rolled around, Isla knew sleep wasn’t happening.

She carefully got out of bed and headed downstairs to the recliner.

When she’d been pregnant all three times, she had to spend a lot of nights sleeping in the recliner due to acid reflux.

She had so many memories of rubbing her belly and feeling her babies kick that it made Isla smile at the memory.

Isla placed her hand on her not-at-all-flat stomach and took a moment to thank her body for all it had done.

It had grown, delivered, and fed three babies.

It had been loved fiercely by a woman Isla never knew how she deserved.

Her body had run half-marathons and performed in musicals and she was beyond proud of it.

Of course, it wasn’t long before her mind shifted back to Blake.

She wondered if she was sleeping well. Isla remembered how hard it was to get comfortable at thirty-eight weeks.

Hopefully Blake was having better luck. For the millionth time, Isla sent out positive vibes into the universe for Blake and her baby during delivery.

Even if the same worried feeling still weighed heavily on her heart.

By the time the sun began to shine through the blinds, Isla had barely gotten two hours of sleep.

She stirred awake and was pleasantly surprised to find the smells of fresh coffee and bacon greeting her.

Isla padded into the kitchen to find Vera standing at the oven making omelets.

Slipping her arms around Vera’s waist, Isla teased her by putting her hands under the band of her sleep pants.

“Good morning, baby.”

“Good morning, my love.” Vera arched her neck slightly, giving Isla perfect access to kiss it. Which she did. And when Vera moaned slightly as she pushed her body back into Isla’s, Isla responded by moving her hands lower down Vera’s pants. “I’m gonna burn the omelets.”

“We’ll make more.”

“Eggs are expensive.”

“Then we’ll raise chickens,” Isla joked between kisses on Vera’s neck and ear.

As Vera turned the stovetop off, she moved the skillet to a trivet before pulling Isla’s hands from her pants as she turned around. Face to face, Isla could see the worry in Vera’s eyes. Vera tenderly touched Isla’s cheek as she put her arms around her waist.

“You didn’t sleep.”

“Not well, no.”

“Not at all by the look in your eyes.” Vera moved her thumb gently up and down on Isla’s cheek. “And you didn’t come back to bed.”

“I kept tossing and turning. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I wish you would have. I know your mind runs crazy when you can’t sleep. Is it Blake?”

Isla nodded.

“After breakfast, let’s call her and check on her, okay? I don’t have to work today, so we can make today an Isla day and do whatever you want to get your mind distracted. But you’re starting with a nap because I am not dealing with grouchy Isla today.”

“She’s a beast, I hear.”

“Oh, I know,” Vera sarcastically laughed.

Everleigh came down the stairs a few minutes later, followed by Willow. The three of them ate at the small kitchen table as Isla tried not to yawn. She helped Everleigh load the dishes before Vera called Blake and put her on speakerphone. Isla waited with bated breath for her to answer.

Which she didn’t. Instead, it was Alexis.

“Morning, Lex.” Vera’s voice was sweet and lovely as she talked. “We were just thinking about you and Blake and wanted to see how she was doing.”

“She’s okay.” Alexis’s voice sounded tired, and Isla was right back on the edge. And Vera standing up straighter didn’t help to ease Isla’s worried mind one bit. “She woke up with a headache, so I sent her back to bed. She didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Like mother, like daughter,” Vera whispered to Isla before responding to Alexis. “Well, we’ve all been there at thirty-eight weeks. It’s hard to sleep well at that point. ”

“Don’t I know it,” Alexis laughed. “I’ll have Blake call you when she wakes up, okay?”

“Sounds great, honey. Have a good day.” As Vera hung up the phone, she pointed it at Isla. “Okay, mama hen. Your little chick is in bed, so why don’t you do the same? I’ll wake you up if she calls back before you’re up, okay? Doctor’s orders,” she added before Isla could protest.

“So bossy.” Isla kissed her lips. “I love it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Vera blushed. “Now get your ass to bed and get some rest.”

Isla did as she was told, not having it in her to deny she was tired.

She just got comfortable in bed when Everleigh came crawling into bed beside her.

Everleigh kissed her on the cheek as she sat with her back against the headboard.

She’d brought her Nintendo Switch, which Isla knew was because Everleigh knew Isla didn’t like to sleep alone.

Even if it was just naps. Sinking into her pillow, Isla put her hand on Everleigh’s leg as she finally drifted off to sleep.