Baby for my Dad's Best Friend (Seaport Billionaires #2)

39. Kaylee

39

KAYLEE

“ S o, if you don’t go into labor this weekend, they’re going to induce you Monday?” Kinsley asks, walking across the nursery to take the stack of onesies I just folded.

“Yep.” I grab the stack and hand them over.

She takes them, walking her skinny butt over to the baby’s dresser to put them away. “Are you scared or nervous?”

“Yes,” I reply, reaching into the laundry basket to pull out another handful to fold.

She turns and looks over at me, her arms crossed over her chest.

“It’s crazy to think that I’m going to become a mother in the next couple of days.” I pause. “I mean, I know I’ve always been responsible, and I have plenty of experience with children since I teach, I just never thought I’d be responsible for another life. It’s a little intimidating, you know?”

Her eyes widen as she nods. “Oh yeah. I couldn’t imagine.”

“You don’t want kids?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe if I find the right guy. That seems impossible, though. Every guy I meet just wants to mess around.”

“You’re still young,” I point out.

“So are you,” she reminds me.

I tend to forget that from time to time.

Being pregnant is a wonderful experience that I wish everyone could have, but negatives come with all the positives.

Things like always being tired or sick, the weight gain that causes your self-esteem to take a hit.

Even when I sleep, I never wake feeling rested because I can’t get comfortable due to how big I am.

I’m tired, my body hurts, and I look like a cow. I don’t feel sexy or pretty.

That doesn’t stop Austin, though. If possible, he’s been even more sexually charged lately.

I look up at my sister. “Did you know that guys are turned on by pregnant women?”

She laughs. “What?”

I nod. “That’s what Austin says.”

She snorts. “I think he’s just telling you that to make you feel better.”

“That’s what I thought, too, but then we went out, and I noticed all these guys looking at me. I had more guys checking me out than I did before I got pregnant. Austin says it has something to do with pheromones like we’re all just wild animals.”

“Huh,” she mutters, walking back toward me. “Maybe I need to rub up on you like a cat to collect some scent for myself.”

I laugh and hand over the next stack. A pain slices through my midsection, and I gasp as my hand moves to cup my stomach.

Kinsley freezes. “Are you okay?”

I clench my teeth and count as the pain eases. Once it’s gone, I nod.

“Yeah, the doctor said as I get further along, that my body will be practicing for the big day. I haven’t felt it that sharp before, though.”

“How long have you been having them?”

I think back. “The last week, but they’re stronger today. Come on; let’s go downstairs and relax. I need to kick up my feet.”

She takes my arm and helps me to my feet. She’s holding my hand while her other arm wraps around my side.

Normally, I’d yell at her for being overly cautious, but right now, I’m happy to have her support.

With the cramping in my stomach, all I can think about is making it down to the couch where I can relax until Austin gets home from work.

We start down the stairs, but we only get about halfway before another pain slices through me.

This one is so strong that it makes my legs go weak. My knees buckle, and I go down.

Luckily, Kinsley is there for backup, and she holds onto me, supporting my weight enough to slowly lower me to sit on the step rather than letting me drop.

In the same instant, Austin walks in the front door.

“Kay? Sweetheart?” he calls, rushing up the steps. He squats in front of me. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

I nod, attempting to breathe through the pain.

“She says it’s false labor pains—that she’s had them all week. But I think this is the real deal,” Kin says from beside me.

Austin looks at me. “Are you in labor, sweetheart?” He cups my jaw.

“Maybe,” I reply, not sure. It’s not like I’ve done this before. “But even if I am, there’s no use rushing to the hospital. My water hasn’t broken yet.”

“Okay, let’s get you off the steps while we can, huh?” He takes Kin’s place, helping me to my feet.

My sister comes around to my other side. Between them, they should be able to keep me up.

We slowly make it down the rest of the stairs.

The moment my foot hits the floor in the entryway, I hear the dryer buzzer go off and twist without thinking, ready to finish the laundry.

I don’t know if it’s the twist that does it or if the pains have led up to it all day, but my water breaks.

We all freeze.

“It’s time to go to the hospital now,” Kin says, and Austin nods.

“I need to change.” I turn back for the stairs, but they both yell at me to stop.

“Kin, run to our bedroom and grab the two bags at the foot of the bed while I help Kay to the car,” Austin says.

She nods, releases my arm, and rushes up the steps. She’s already back down with the bags by the time he gets me from the stairs to the door. I look over at her with a frown. “Showoff.”

“Come on, girls. Focus,” he says, keeping us on track.

She opens the door, following us across the porch and down the front steps to Austin’s truck.

Tossing the bags in the back, she opens the passenger side door and Austin helps me inside.

“I’ll stay here, clean up, and finish the laundry. Want me to do anything else?” Kin asks, watching Austin use all his strength to get me into the truck.

“Yes! Call everyone and let them know. There’s a list on the island in the kitchen with names and numbers. Start at the top and work your way down. One of them is my boss. Let her know that my leave starts now.”

She nods as Austin steps back. She rushes forward, pulling me in for a hug. “Good luck.”

“Love you.”

“Love you, too,” she replies.

Austin shuts the door and rushes around the truck, climbing behind the wheel. He backs out of the drive and Kin stands there, waving and smiling as we drive away.

Another pain rips through me, and I grab my stomach, breathing through it.

“Boy, it’s a good thing I decided to come home for lunch today,” Austin says, holding my hand. “How long have these pains been like this?”

I lean my head back against the seat. “Off and on since about two this morning.”

“Kaylee…” he chastises.

“What? They weren’t this bad. This just sort of came out of nowhere.”

He gently squeezes my hand. “Hang in there. We’ll be at the hospital soon.”

We arrive at the hospital within minutes. He rushes me inside, and the nurses move me to a room as soon as they notice my wet pants.

I change into a gown and am hooked to all sorts of machines, and before the doctor makes it in, I feel like I’m being ripped in half.

The pain and pressure have magnified since we arrived.

Time passes in a blur.

One minute, I’m sitting in the nursery folding onesies that I’d just taken from the dryer; the next, I’m in labor and delivery with my legs spread and a dozen people between them.

There’s a big light shining right where no light should ever be. And then I’m asked if it’s okay for a medical student to be present.

Now, normally I’d think a decision like this through.

On one hand, I don’t want some young guy seeing everything I have to offer in my worst moments.

On the other, if he’s going to be a doctor, he needs to learn.

Plus, the kid looks young enough that if he can’t hack delivering a baby, maybe it’s not too late to change his career path.

With the pain I’m in, none of this even passes through my brain.

All I can think about and say is, “Get this baby out of me! I don’t care who’s in the room!”

Everyone gets to work, rushing around and getting things ready.

Austin holds my hand as two nurses hold my feet, pushing my legs upward as I’m directed to almost do a sit-up and push downward.

The pain and pressure grow.

A burning I’ve never experienced spreads, and suddenly I’m comparing the pain of having a baby to the pleasure of having sex… I’m not sure it’s worth it.

Sweat peppers my skin and tears leak from my eyes.

Normally, I love Austin and everything about him, but right now, I can’t stand his voice as he coaches me on.

“I swear if you ever come near me with that thing again, I’m going to rip it off,” I tell him, making the doctor and the nurses laugh.

Austin doesn’t think it’s funny. He looks worried.

I’m not sure if he’s worried about never getting laid again or if I’ll rip it off.

Finally, after what feels like forever, our baby boy cries.

“It’s a boy,” the doctor tells us as he flops the gooey creature onto my chest.

It’s wiggling and screaming, warm, and wet, and I’m not entirely sure it’s human until the nurses wipe it down.

Suddenly, the gross creature transforms into the cutest little baby boy I’ve ever seen.

He has jet-black hair, bright blue eyes, olive skin, and tiny, dark fuzz that trails up his back.

“He looks…” Austin says, smirking as he looks at our son.

I’m already taking in every inch of his face, and I laugh as I look up at Austin.

It’s funny because he doesn’t look anything like me.

He looks identical to Austin, just with my dark hair. “Like me,” he finally finishes his sentence.

I laugh. “Yes, he does.”