Chapter 27
Madi
Iignored my disappointment that Matt left—like I told him to—as Dad filled me in while we walked to the labor and delivery wing. “Jamie said Emily’s water broke during dinner.”
I glanced at my watch; the hands pointed to five after nine.
“Did he give an exact time?”
“He was a little flustered, so no.” Dad laughed. I made a mental note to ask Mom if Dad had been calm when Jamie and I were born. Probably not, given what she’d told me about his actions after we’d come into the world.
“How’s he holding up?” I asked.
“As well as can be expected.”
“So he’s a nervous wreck.”
“He’s a nervous wreck.” Dad put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a fatherly side hug. “How are you holding up?”
I played dumb. “I’m not the one having a baby.”
“Madeleine.”
Shit, Dad wasn’t in the mood for games.
“Okay, I guess, given the circumstances. It’s been quiet the last few days, so hopefully my life can return to normal soon.”
“And with Matt?”
Well, Dad, that’s a loaded question. I want to strip him down and fuck his brains out, but I don’t want to date him.
Or maybe I do. But my feelings are all caught up in this stupid spiderweb of confusion because he’s a perfect gentleman and attentive and supportive, but I can’t tell if it’s because you’re paying him to date me or if he genuinely has feelings.
What I said was, “It’s weird but fine. And he won’t be around much longer, since Doug is installing the cameras this weekend.”
I pretended Dad would reassign Matt once the cameras were up and running, despite knowing he wouldn’t.
Dad always said, we hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Keeping Matt at the clinic after we had cameras was Dad preparing for the worst.
I didn’t think we’d need him, but it wasn’t the time to rehash the argument.
“About that.” Dad herded me around the corner. “The shipment was delayed, so we have to postpone the installation.”
The upward curve of my lips was unexpected.
“Why am I just hearing this now?”
“You don’t look as upset as you sound.” Dad laughed. “And you’re hearing about it now because I got the delay notice a few seconds before leaving the office. I emailed Carol, and CC’d you and Alice.”
Ignoring the first part of his answer, I said, “Right. Sorry.”
“I’m not letting you off the hook that easily. I haven’t seen that smile,” he pointed at my mouth, “in a long time.”
“I smile all the time.” Not a lie, though I didn’t usually blush when I smile.
“Not like that.”
I was saved from having to answer as we rounded the corner to the labor and delivery wing.
“Madi, you made it,” my mom said as she rushed to hug me.
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
I hugged Jack and Meg, and smiled down at a sleeping Natalie before greeting Emily’s parents, Chris and Anne.
“Where’s Matt?” Mom asked when I finished my round of hugs.
“I sent him home.”
She tilted her head and lifted an eyebrow.
“What? It’s not like I need my bodyguard here.” Jack and Dad were the only SSI guys here, but that’d change as news spread. “Or do you not trust Dad and Jack?”
“Don’t forget me,” Jay said from behind me. “I can be your bodyguard.”
“What took you so long?” I asked.
“We checked in with AJ and Nathan before leaving,” Cate answered for him. “How are Em and Jamie?”
“Jamie’s nervous and Emily’s handling the contractions like a champ,” Mom answered.
I texted Jamie to let him know I was here. A few minutes later, he replied with an invitation and room number.
“I’ll be right back.”
Jamie answered the door when I knocked. “I’m glad you’re here.” He hugged me, then dragged me into the room.
“Hi Em, how are you holding up?”
“I feel like aliens are trying to claw their way out of my belly.”
“Sounds about right.”
Emily grabbed the sheets and groaned through gritted teeth as a contraction hit her.
Jamie rushed to her side. When the contraction ended, he brushed her blonde hair off her sweaty face.
“I feel so useless,” he said.
“Other than offering comfort and support, you kind of are.”
“Gee, thanks, sis.”
“Sorry, but there isn’t much you can do.”
“I still love you,” Emily reassured him.
I sat with Emily until her next contraction hit, nine minutes later.
“You’ve got a while left to go,” I said, making Emily cringe.
“The doctor said it’s hard to tell how fast it’ll happen,” Jamie quickly added.
“That’s true, but brace yourself for at least a few more hours.”
“Can’t you just pull them out now?” Emily begged. Sweat glistened on her pale face, and her eyes had a deer-in-the-headlights quality.
“You’ve got this.” I patted her hand. “Your babies will arrive when they’re ready and not a moment before. Jamie’ll be here every step of the way.”
I hoped they’d come sooner rather than later; I couldn’t wait to meet my new niece and nephew.
“I’ll give you guys some privacy. Can I bring you anything?”
“Not right now, but I’ll text if we change our mind.”
“Em, you should try to eat something.”
“The nurse said she shouldn’t.”
“The nurse is wrong. She needs to keep her strength up.”
My Type-A personality twin was out of his element. No amount of reading could prepare him for the reality of childbirth.
Jamie pondered my statement, clearly weighing who he trusted more before asking, “Suggestions?”
“Keep it simple. Crackers, scrambled eggs, dark chocolate.”
Jamie scanned the room. “Can you bring some?”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I hugged him. “You’ll be great, just remember she’s scared. Em needs your support more than anything else.”
I felt his nod on my shoulder.
“I’ll be right back.”
I wiped away happy tears as I walked back to the waiting room. In a few hours, my twin brother would finally have the family he’d always wanted.
When I returned to the small waiting room, I was greeted by newcomers.
Emily’s brother Chris, his pregnant wife, and their adorable daughter must have just arrived because they were still greeting everyone.
Ashley was sitting beside Meg.
It surprised me that she’d come without Nathan. That he let her. Nathan was as overprotective as everyone else at SSI.
Like the others, he had a good reason. It wasn’t all that long ago that a terrorist kidnapped Ashley and almost killed her. That mission resulted in Dad getting stabbed, and Jay, AJ, and Nathan getting shot. Fortunately, everyone survived and made full recoveries.
“Nathan let you come alone?”
“Nathan would never try to keep me away from my bestie while she’s in labor.” Ashley’s sass was pure, well, Ashley, as she stood and walked over to hug me. Her belly was growing bigger by the day.
She, Emily, and Meg—the three musketeers—were thrilled beyond measure that their kids would grow up as siblings.
When she pulled back, she asked, “So where is your gorgeous SEAL?”
“I sent him home.”
“Are you sure about that?” Meg asked, her eyes focused on the entryway.
My breath hitched in my throat. He came back.
I didn’t like the feelings flooding my system—relief, gratitude, love—so I ignored them.
Ashley put her hands on my shoulders and gently turned me around.
And there he was.
My gorgeous Navy SEAL.
Mine? No, he wasn’t mine. I’m only thinking that because Ashley put it in my head.
The gorgeous Navy SEAL who most definitely wasn’t mine strode towards me. A wicked gleam twinkled in his eye. Plastic grocery bags hung off his forearms while he carried a case of water with a box of coffee balanced on top.
“A little help?” he asked the room.
But his grin. That was all for me.
Not only had he ignored my dismissal, but he’d brought sustenance for the long wait.
“Go.” Ashley pushed on my back. “Say thank you.”
Dad and Jay helped unload Matt’s supplies.
“Thanks, Robinson.” Dad clapped him on the shoulder, adding, “You didn’t need to do this.”
“New guy brings the coffee, right?” Matt laughed. I’d heard about the hazing ritual that Jack started when SSI hired AJ, their first non-Sheppard employee. “It’s not Grannie’s, but it’s better than the swill in the machines,” he said, earning an appreciative giggle from my mom.
I stopped at a respectable, but not out of reach, distance between us. “I thought… I said… But you left.”
Great job, Sheppard, that was the exact opposite of calm, cool, and collected.
Matt smiled and reached for my hand, acting like it was the most natural thing in the world for a bodyguard to hold his protectee’s hand.
“Madeleine Sheppard, if you believe I’ll ever just drop you off and leave, you’re in for a rude awakening.”
I didn’t know how I knew, but I did. Matt’s words weren’t a statement. They were a fucking vow.
My knees did not just wobble.
My vision didn’t blur with the threat of tears. At least, that’s what I told myself as I blinked them away.
Images of Matt and me creating a future together flashed through my mind.
Fucking ridiculous. I shook my head to clear the fantasy. My skin flushed hot at the vividness of the unbidden daydream. A dream I couldn’t have. At least not with Matt.
“Wow,” someone said, breaking the spell. It may have been Ashley; it’d be on brand for her, but I didn’t care enough to verify.
“Thank you.” It was all I could say.
“You’re welcome.”
Needing to focus on something other than my emotions and those damn fantasies of having it all, I asked Matt if he’d brought any crackers.
“I did.”
“Mind if I steal them for Emily?”
“Take whatever she needs. We can always have AJ or Nathan pick up anything I missed.”
“That’s actually a good idea,” I said, rifling through the bags and grabbing the box of round butter crackers and a bag of chocolate candy.
I grabbed one of the discarded bags and filled it, adding a few bottles of water. “Ashley, can you pour a coffee for Jamie and help me deliver it?”
Ashley was dying to see Emily. The only reason she didn’t barge into the room the instant she arrived was because I was there.
“Hell”—her head snapped to Natalie’s carrier—“I mean, heck yeah.”
Everyone laughed. Ashley’s foul language rivalled the guys’, like I have room to talk, and it’d be just as hard for her to stop swearing as it would be for them.
“Thanks.” I turned to Matt and tugged him away from the group. “Thank you, Matt, this was...” I glanced back to buy time as I searched for the right word. “Unexpected.”
He brushed the back of his fingers across my cheeks, in a decidedly I’m more than your bodyguard way, and tucked my hair behind my ear.
Without my permission, my head leaned into his touch.
God, I want to kiss him.
“Get used to it.” He dropped his hand. “Now go take care of your baby brother.”