with the truth of that accident, I did what all the books tell you to do. Protect your king at all costs. I failed to take into account what many chess masters say is infinitely more important than knowing the mechanics of chess, what makes the greats who they are.”
“And what’s that?”
She places her hand on my cheek. “Intuition, my dear boy. Some of the greatest chess matches of all time would have turned out differently if the players only went by the book. If they made their moves because that’s how it’s always been.” She gives me a knowing look as she pulls back.
“By protecting the king…,” she begins, looping her arm through mine again as we stroll through the palace, “what I really did was protect an antiquated way of life that is becoming more and more irrelevant. Looking back at how you and Nora bloomed as a couple made me finally realize that. You two had the courage to question the establishment when they told you to do something simply because that’s how it’s always been done. You went against the rules and principles. And people loved you for it. When you sit down with Carly Hart, I have no doubt you’ll have the same unwavering support.” She turns, grabbing both my hands in hers. “You will always have mine. Both of you. I apologize it took me so long.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“You’re more than welcome, my dear boy. Now go.” She fixes her expression into one of feigned severity. “And don’t come home without the mother of my great-grandson.”
I tilt my head. “How do you know it’s a boy?”
She kisses my cheek, then turns from me, heading back in the direction of the ballroom. “It’s just a feeling I get.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Nora
“Oh, Chloe,” I breathe as Lincoln hands me the little pink-wrapped bundle. “She’s absolutely beautiful.”
I pull back the blanket, admiring little Eloise’s chubby cheeks and fuzzy, blonde hair. Bringing her closer, I nuzzle her as she sleeps, inhaling that addictive smell of a newborn.
“She just couldn’t wait to make her appearance, could she?”
“She certainly couldn’t.” Chloe adjusts herself in the hospital bed. “It’s probably a good thing she came three weeks early, considering she’s already eight pounds. I don’t think my body could have handled anything bigger.” She looks up at Lincoln. “I blame you for that.”
Leaning down, he feathers a kiss against her temple. She closes her eyes, basking in the touch. Even from a few feet away, I can physically feel their love. It makes me long for the way Anderson would kiss me like that right before I’d drift off to sleep. Now the only thing remotely close to that is when Izzy and Asher’s dog, Treble, curls up next to me and licks my face, treating me to his stinky breath.
Since I returned to New York nearly two weeks ago, Treble’s been my shadow. Normally, he’s indifferent to my presence. But instead of sleeping in his bed in Izzy and Asher’s room, he sleeps with me every night, as if he can sense I need his comfort when the tears find me.
And they do, especially at night.
Especially when I notice my stomach growing a little bigger each day and think about going through all of this alone. But as my friends have reminded me, I won’t be alone. It takes a village to raise a child, and they’ve sworn to be my village. To be with me every step of the way.
“You did awesome, baby,” Lincoln says. “You deserve a gold star.”
“Thanks, Professor,” she jokes. “But the true hero was the anesthesiologist. That epidural was heaven. I couldn’t feel a damn thing. Until it wore off. Now my vagina is officially on fire.”
I roll my eyes. “Thanks for the visual, Chloe.”
“What are friends for?”
“Knock, knock,” a sing-song voice says.
I peek up from smothering Eloise with kisses to see Evie and Izzy standing in the doorway, a few bags in their hands.
“Do you have room for two more?” Izzy asks.
“For you girls? Always,” Chloe answers.
They barge into the hospital room that now feels on the small side. Visiting rules typically limit it to the spouse and two additional people, but since Izzy’s a nurse here, still wearing her scrubs from her shift last night, I doubt anyone considers her a visitor.
“I’ll let you all have some time together,” Lincoln states. “I could use a shower anyway. It’s been a long night.”
“Get ready,” Izzy taunts. “They’re all going to be long nights from now on.”
“If