“Yeah, but I’m older than you, and the doctor wanted me at the hospital if my water broke before labor set in.” And from the cramping in her back, she wasn’t entirely sure she hadn’t been in labor most of the day.

Several sets of feet trampled down the stairs, Victor’s leading the pack.

Her husband jumped the last two steps and grasped her arm. “It’s time? Really?”

She winced through a cramp, blew out a breath. “Yup . . . pretty sure I didn’t just pee my pants.”

Wade stood beside them and made a whoo hoo sound.

Trina and Avery shushed him and pointed to the sleeping children.

Liam kissed Avery’s cheek. “I’m driving.”

“I can manage,” Victor said as he started the slow ascent up the stairs.

“Oh, no. Liam almost crashed on the way to the hospital with me. Trust me, Victor . . . you just sit in the back seat with Shannon.”

“We’ll meet you there in a couple of hours,” Wade said with a wink. “I’ll chill the champagne.”

Ten hours later, Shannon held Simon to her chest with Victor at her side.

She couldn’t stop crying. “Look what we made,” she quietly said to her husband.

Victor’s big hand brushed back his son’s puff of hair, all clean after the nurses returned him from his first bath. “He is one big link in the chain shackling you to me.”

They’d made jokes about balls and chains every single step of the way since Barcelona.

“Isn’t he beautiful?”

Victor looked up at her. “You’re beautiful.”

He kissed her tired cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Simon wiggled in his sleep.

“I think we need to let the masses in so you can get some rest.”

Shannon nodded, and Victor left the room, only to return with a parade of their friends. The babies had been left at home with a nanny, since the hospital didn’t allow infants other than those just born in the ward.

Simon was passed around and pictures were taken.

Avery was holding Simon and talking in a high-pitched voice. “You and Max are gonna cause lots of trouble, aren’t you?”

Wade leaned in and whispered, “And look out for my daughter.”

“Max is going to want to date your daughter,” Liam said.

“Bite your tongue.” Wade was serious.

They laughed.

“No, really . . . that’s not funny.”

“It’s kinda funny,” Trina said.

Lori rubbed her stomach. “You never did tell us why you decided on the name Simon.”

Victor took Shannon’s hand, and they both looked at each other and smiled.

“Because Garfunkel is a lousy first name.”