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CHAPTER FORTY

GIA

Watching Reed have skin-to-skin contact with bubba is my new favorite thing in the world, and better yet, when Bryce is a part of that, my heart swells with an overwhelming force of love for the men in my life.

Bryce is sitting between Reed’s open legs on my hospital bed. Both of them shirtless while Reed’s strong arms are wrapped around Bryce, and he holds our baby while Bryce has him resting on his small chest.

Tyson has been incredible at holding down the fort at home, taking Bryce to and from school. Remaining at home as his primary caregiver has allowed Reed and me to be at the hospital with our newborn son.

Reed turns his head to look at me. “I’ve been thinking about names.”

“Hmm,” I muse. Every name I suggest, Reed screws his face up over.

Reed straightens a little and swallows hard.

Oh, sweet Jesus, I’m not going to like this suggestion. I can feel it, but I need to hear him out because he hasn’t so much as made a single one, and bubba is a week old now, and I can’t keep referring to him as bubba.

He clears his throat, and Bryce cocks his head back to scan Reed’s face. “I was thinking we could honor your dad and name him Jaxon.”

My chest expands with the affection behind his words. Whatever was about to come out of his mouth, I never in a million years expected that.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but wasn’t sure if you’d both be okay with me suggesting it.” He shrugs, then swallows again.

“You want to name him after my dad?”

Reed locks eyes with Bryce. “Only if you want to, buddy. If you and your mom are comfortable with it.” He glances toward me, and I push away the tears sliding down my cheeks and try my best to stifle the sob threatening to bubble out of me.

“Can we call him Jax for short?” Bryce asks.

Reed’s lips curve into a smile. “If your mom is okay with that.” As he glances at me again, I nod. Our gazes fix on one another. His is an outpouring of love and gratitude, and mine is one of strength and resilience, a look of appreciation and love. My heart becomes heavy as I consider the gift that Jaxon left me with. A beautiful son, and now with Reed by my side, I’ve been given the gift of a new start, one I wouldn’t change for the world. One I once dreamed of, but now I realize what was missing all along.

It wasn’t Jaxon.

It was Reed.

This beautiful, broken soul, who, despite his flaws, has done everything in his power to put me and Bryce first. He’s become the backbone of our family. Someone I can rely on, a perfect father figure for our boys. A man I love more than the one I longed for.

My everything.

I love you , I mouth to him, and his breath hitches.

“It’s like my dad gave us him. Isn’t it?” Bryce muses and smiles down at his baby brother in awe.

“He did. He gave us all the best gift ever,” Reed agrees, and strokes Jax’s hair while he places a kiss on top of Bryce’s head.

Bryce tilts his head back to fix his gaze on Reed. “He gave us you too. I know it.”

Reed’s eyes fill with tears, an outpouring of gratitude to the man I once loved most in the world. Then he turns and stares deep into my soul. “I think he did too, buddy. He gave me everything.”