Baby Mine (11 page)

Jada gaped. “No, the
contractions…” Then she realized she’d been
wincing more often than she’d done when she first woke up.
She’d hidden it when she greeted Renzo’s mother. How
could the old woman know?

Mrs. Mariani cast her a knowing
look once again and took her hand. Dazed, Jada followed and sat down
in the living room with her soon-to-be mother-in-law at her side. The
older woman never let go of her hand. When Zita appeared in the
doorway, excitement in the eyes so like Renzo’s, Jada concluded
the maid had spread the news.

“
We’re having a
baby!” Zita swept into the room, almost squealing in delight.
She took the spot on the opposite side of her mother and grabbed
Jada’s other hand.

Tires screeched in the driveway,
and Jada picked up the sound of the front door opening and banging
shut. A man’s purposeful step echoed in the hall. Jada’s
heartbeat picked up, and she took in a deep breath expecting to see
the love of her life. Instead of Renzo, Ettore appeared.

“
It’s time?”
Worry creased the skin between Ettore’s eyebrows. Jada couldn’t
believe what she was seeing. She’d thought he didn’t give
a rat’s ass about her. “Did anyone call my brother?”

“
He’s on his way,”
Marie announced, walking into the room with the bag Jada had prepared
for the hospital.

“
Everyone, calm down.”
She shook her head. “It’s not that serious, yet. I just
have a few contractions. I’m sure they will just send me home
if I go now.”

“
They wouldn’t dare,”
Zita declared hotly. “You are a Mariani now, and you’ll
be treated with the respect you deserve. Otherwise, Renzo will have
someone’s head. Besides, if Mamma says it’s time, then
it’s time. You can trust her. She’s witnessed many
births.”

Jada didn’t argue. Just
seeing their reactions when she’d thought none of them accepted
her brought tears to her eyes. By the time Renzo arrived, she
resigned herself to be fussed over by this amazing family. Renzo, his
gaze filled with worry and love, lifted her into his arms and carried
her out to his car.

“
I can walk, Renzo,”
she’d told him.

“
No,” was his simple
answer, and she just let it go.

Within a short time, she found
that all of them were right. The hospital arranged for a private
birthing room, and the staff treated her as if she were royalty. Mrs.
Mariani had called it as well. Her contractions went into overdrive,
and within a few hours, they were less than five minutes apart along
with her beginning to dilate. The pain threatened to take her sanity,
but with Renzo constantly by her side, late that evening, she gave
birth to a beautiful baby boy.

Jada lay back on the bed
exhausted with her little one resting on her chest. She fell in and
out of sleep, and the family gathered around her bed. Renzo’s
gaze only left hers to take in the sight of his son, and she smiled
when he whispered, “Thank you,” more than once.

She yawned and stroked his face.
“You don’t have to say that. This was a joint effort—an
enjoyable joint effort.”

His eyes darkened. “Agreed.”

Jada looked down at her sleeping
baby, and when she yawned again, Renzo ran his family from the room.
She sighed in contentment, listening to each of them toss out
suggestions for naming the baby after them as they left. She’d
never imagined such love would come from giving birth to a tiny
person, but then again, maybe they hadn’t been as indifferent
as they liked her to think.

“
They seemed really
excited,” she commented when she and Renzo were alone.

He sat next to the bed and took
her hand in his. He raised it to his lips to kiss, and a chill raced
down her spine. “They love you.”

“
I never would have thought
it a few months ago. I thought they wished I’d never come into
your life, or at least that I was no more than whatever I could be
used for. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to offend you.”

He leaned forward and kissed her
lips then the top of their son’s head. A tiny fist found its
way to the baby’s mouth, and he made small contented sounds of
his own while he slept. Jada’s heart constricted. Her son
looked so much like his daddy, from his head full of dark hair to his
eyes and lips. From what she could see, the only contributions she’d
made were his nose and his tinge of brown coloring.

“
You haven’t offended
me,” Renzo said. “I know my family can be a handful and
that they tend to be single-minded with a drive to whatever it is
they want. Beneath it all, they are like me. Family is everything.
You haven’t had a lot of experience with it, but I promise you,
we will be a happy one, and we will always be together.”

She nodded. “I think you’re
right. Now, what are we going to name this little one?”

Renzo’s eyebrows went up,
and she saw the look of alarm in his gaze. “I thought we agreed
on Renzo, Jr.”

She had trouble suppressing her
laugh. “I don’t remember that.”

“
Jada.”

The laugh escaped. “You’re
easy to tease. Yes, we agreed on Renzo, Jr.”

Panic left his expression, and
his smile heated her insides despite exhaustion. “Good. Now we
can discuss the date of our wedding.”

Jada affected a huge yawn. “Oh
boy, birth takes it out of you. Just a little nap…” She
shut her eyes and had to press her lips together to keep from smiling
at the frustrated sound he made. When his lips touched her ear, she
couldn’t help shivering.

“
Rest well,
cara
mia
, for you two are
already mine, and soon I will make it official.
Ti
amo
. I love you.”

Jada sank into a deep sleep,
basking in the comfort of her man’s love and knowing she had a
brand new—if demanding—family, a new baby, and a new
life. Even with the challenges, nothing could be more perfect.

About
The Author:

Tressie
Lockwood has always loved books, and she enjoys writing about
heroines who are overcoming the trials of life. She writes straight
from her heart, reaching out to those who find it hard to be
completely themselves no matter what anyone else thinks. She hopes
her readers enjoy her stories. Visit Tressie on the web at
www.tressielockwood.com
or email
[email protected]
.

Also
By This Author:

Something
Unexpected, Sugar and Spice Press

Hopelessly
Devoted to You, Sugar and Spice Press

Juneau
Heat, Amira Press

Unsuited,
Amira Press