you.
Thirty-Four
Jenny had grilled Amanda about her afternoon and evening with Reece and readily agreed to watch Cadey-Lynn and made Amanda go shopping for her date. Amanda had chosen a pretty green sundress and bought herself a nice jacket to go over it. Her heart had been about to pound from her chest as she waited for Reece and continued to behave erratically over dinner at a nice restaurant in Haddon. After eating, they strolled through town as they talked and shared details about themselves they hadn’t yet covered. When Reece walked her to her door at the end of the night, Amanda knew she would be seeing him again. He had kissed her lightly on the lips, hesitated a moment, and then kissed her more thoroughly before he bid her good night and left. His kiss hadn’t set off the same intense response in her as Cade’s had, but it had definitely set off some fireworks.
As Jenny’s due date approached, Amanda waited for the call to come that they were off to the hospital. The call came in the dead of the night; Amanda hurried to dress. Her father had suggested ahead of time that Amanda bring Cadey-Lynn and leave her with him. He said he would see the baby first thing the next morning and Amanda and Naomi wore definitely more equipped to help Jenny deal with child birth, he reasoned. Jenny’s parents reached the hospital right behind them and hurried into the waiting area. Once Jenny was settled, they took turns visiting her where she and Trent waited impatiently for their child to arrive.
It was well into the next afternoon before Angela Naomi Jennings arrived already screaming her displeasure with the world. Amanda had taken one look at her niece and fallen head over heels in love. Sterling arrived and playfully demanded to know when someone was going to give him a grandson.
“We’ll be waiting a while. Talk to Mandy; she has a new suitor,” Trent teased his sister.
“I am a long way from knowing whether I would want that with Reece,” Amanda protested.
“He’s a nice man, Mandy,” her father encouraged her.
“I need time to know that,” she insisted.
“You know you want another one,” Jenny teased.
“I would, if and when it’s the right time, right man,” Amanda acknowledged. Cadey-Lynn sat perched in her mother’s arms and frowned at the baby as though she was an unwelcome invasion.
“Baby,” she finally pointed at the little one.
“That’s Angie,” Amanda carried her daughter closer to Trent, who held his daughter.
“Angie?” Cadey-Lynn leaned in. “Angie play wif Cay-Lynn.”
“She’s not big enough yet, give her a little time and she’ll love playing with you,” Amanda promised. Cadey-Lynn seemed to lose interest at that point and started squirming to get down.
“You do not need down in here,” Amanda informed her daughter. “I’m going to take her home, congrats you two; she’s beautiful, but then you know already know that.” Amanda kissed her new niece, her brother, and Jenny before leaving. Jenny had been right, Amanda wanted another child, but she wasn’t about to rush into a relationship just to get one.
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Amanda found herself visiting Jenny and little Angie frequently and drinking in the sight and smell of the sweet little one. The only child she had ever loved more was her own daughter. Her relationship with Reece was going well, though she was insisting on taking things slow. They had been on several more dates, just the two of them as well as with Cadey-Lynn in tow. Cadey-Lynn had decided that Reece was her favorite new play thing. He would push her on the swing for seemingly forever, give her rides on his shoulders, and even let her ride on his back and play horsey. Amanda liked him; she liked him a lot but when he asked her to meet his family while they were visiting she had almost run the other way. He had finally convinced her to come, insisting that Cadey-Lynn be included. It was on shaking legs she entered his house the night of the gathering.
“Reece is back,” a petite brunette announced as she hurried toward them. Amanda could see the resemblance immediately; this had to be his sister.
“Rachel, this Amanda and Cadey-Lynn. Amanda my favorite little sister in the world, Rachel,” Reece made the introductions.
“It is so nice to meet you,” Rachel hugged Amanda. “I have been hearing about you since Reece moved here. First how he couldn’t figure out how in the world he was ever going to get you