They both lowered their eyes to the sweet wonder of life. “You ready to share her name?”
Of all the joyful blessings, it was one Becky had never imagined she would get to experience. “I think so.” She gestured toward the door. “You want to go let Rachel in?”
Trevor laughed heartily. “I’ll also see if the rest of my family might be out there.”
His amusement was entertaining, yet the truth was another part of the perfect joy Becky let surround her in that moment. “Nope. Not even going to apologize. Rachel’s especially mine.”
Trevor stood, pausing to give Becky a kiss. Then he leaned a little lower, pressing his lips to the baby’s temple. “You better get ready for some loving, little lioness.”
The joy inside Becky’s heart was pouring over the edges so hard, not even the room could contain it.
And as all of the people she had come to know as immediate family filed into the room, her gaze touched on each of them. Marking them as blessings beyond anything she could’ve imagined.
Rachel hurried to her side, baby Ava cradled in her arms. But she still had room to reach in and brush her fingers against the newborn’s cheek before leaning down and kissing Becky on the forehead. “I am so glad you have your beautiful little girl.”
Becky blinked back tears. “I didn’t want to cry anymore,” she complained.
Lee was there, infant son braced on his arm. He also offered a kiss to both the baby and Becky. “I don’t see any tears,” he assured her. “Look, Liam. Another pretty baby.”
Liam twisted his head, looking at the newborn and at his baby sister in his mom’s arms. “B’bies?”
“Yes. This one is Auntie Becky and Uncle Trevor’s.”
Pudgy little fingers reached forward before jerking back partway. “Gen’tle.”
Laughter swelled as more people joined them.
“Yes. We have to be gentle with babies.” Becky looked up to see her mother-in-law, Kate, paused beside the edge of the bed with one hand pressed over her chest. “Look at you. Look at this precious little bit of perfection.”
Trevor’s dad, Randy, stepped into view behind her, arm sliding around her shoulders. “You grow good crops when you start with good seed. Ouch.”
Kate shook out her fingers after having slapped his arm, but she twisted with a smile. “Hold off with your ranch parables. This is all Trevor and Becky’s doing.”
“All Becky.” Trevor was there, easing beside her. He rested on the edge of the bed as he tucked his arm around her and laid a hand over their little girl’s body. His hand was so big, fingers callused from years of hard labour, yet Becky knew that he would never be anything but gentle with their child.
He was never anything but gentle with her, and Becky’s heart filled.
The room grew busier as the oldest children of the Moonshine clan arrived. Steve with two-year-old Jason in his arms. Melody’s baby belly was bigger than the last time Becky had seen her.
Trevor’s only sister, Anna, her belly a near match for Melody’s, leaned back against her husband, Mitch, their two-year-old girl, Kasey, resting easily on her hip. “So. We’re all here and suitably delighted with your little girl’s arrival.”
Lee spoke softly. “Trev? You going to let us know what you’re calling her?”
Becky met Trevor’s gaze. This man had been her savior in spite of herself. A man who had never thought himself worthy or able to be anyone’s hero, but who had turned out to be the only one who was absolutely everything she needed. “Her name is Arabella.”
“Beautiful lioness,” Trevor added, his gaze falling to their daughter. “Because we’ll teach her to be beautiful inside and out—it’ll probably come naturally because she’ll take after her mama. But she’s also going to be strong like a lion. Able to take on the world and care for herself and everyone around her.” Then he lowered his voice, just for Becky’s ears. “Also like her mama.”
That was it. The fight against tears was a battle she could no longer win. “I love you,” she choked out before burying her face against his neck.
The family reacted like usual, going on about their business as if there wasn’t a blubbering woman in their midst. It gave Becky time to pull herself together.
Somewhere in there, Arabella got passed around to be greeted by everyone in the family. Kisses from cousins, aunts and uncles, and her adoring Grandma and Grampa, Kate snapping pictures.