Chapter 21
Before Quinn knew what was happening, she was stuffed into a full SUV and on her way to the hospital with Greer sitting up front. Evie, her sister-in-law, was driving and the gossip continued all the way to the hospital.
The nurse at check-in took one look at the group and got on the phone telling them to get the big room ready. Then they were off to the labor and delivery floor. Quinn was swept up in the flow as twenty-odd women walked right on through the doors and into the room after Greer.
“We brought y’all some mocktails,” Evie told the nurse who didn’t look surprised by this at all.
“Oh, nice. I’m assuming the Rose sisters and Mrs. Marcy will be here soon?”
“They’re probably already here,” Evie said with a smile as she handed over a pitcher of mocktails while a nurse got Greer out of her clothes and hooked her up to monitors and into a gown.
Greer picked up her phone and dialed a number as everyone quieted down.
“Hey, Bash. How’s guys’ night?” Greer smiled as she adjusted her gown.
“Girls’ night is going well. It was exactly what I needed.
I’m sorry, but I do have to cut your night short.
I’m in labor. Bash? Bash, honey, stop talking.
No. I’m already at the hospital. Bash, don’t get a helicopter.
I’m already at the hospital. For the love of all things holy, don’t drive.
Have any of the sober guys drive you. Do not call for a police escort.
Well, I know Matt’s there and he has sirens, but the contractions are still four minutes apart.
I’m just getting settled in. Room 207. Yes, see you soon.
No, babe, you really don’t need the helicopter. I love you too.”
“Should we leave?” Quinn asked.
“No way,” Greer said, finally lying back in the bed. “Not until you tell us about you and Knox.”
“Were you really his tutor?” Riley asked and Quinn got caught up in telling their story. That is until Sebastian burst into the room.
The man was a billionaire. He was one of the most powerful men in the world.
And right now he looked so lost that Quinn wanted to hug him.
That is until his eyes landed on Greer. Then his whole body relaxed as Evie got up from the chair next to the bed and Sebastian took it.
He placed a hand on Greer’s belly and took her hand in his.
“How are you, my love?”
“Great. They gave me the good happy drugs five minutes ago.”
“Ahmed gave me tips on how to handle this,” Sebastian said as every woman, including the nurse, groaned. “What? The man performed surgery on himself. I think he probably has some good tips.”
“Mr. Abel, Ahmed is currently at a seventy-five percent pass out rate. Which is an improvement over his previous one hundred percent,” the nurse explained.
Sebastian’s eyes went big and he turned frantic.
“I’m on it!” Layne said, hurrying from the room only to return a couple of minutes later with her Grandpa Jake and her Uncle Pierce. “They’ve been through it ten times between the two of them,” Layne said defensively when no one told her good job.
“Good point,” Piper said finally.
“What do you need, sweetheart?” Greer’s grandfather asked.
“Oh,” Greer said, smiling, “I’m good. Sebastian needs you. He asked Ahmed for advice on how to handle the birth.”
“I thought you were smart,” Pierce muttered as Grandpa Jake smacked the back of Sebastian’s head with his hand.
“You have a roomful of people focusing on the baby,” Jake told him. “You focus on your wife. Get her ice chips when her lips look dry. Rub her back when the contractions start to get strong. Watch her and you’ll know what she needs. And you might want to stuff some cotton in your ears.”
“Why?” Sebastian asked.
“Well, my granddaughter might say some things that aren’t very nice in the heat of the moment. It’s best you just don’t hear it.”
Pierce nodded. “Tammy told the doctor to castrate me, or to hand her the scalpel so she could do it herself.”
“So, not too different from a hostile negotiation.” Sebastian was looking more confident.
“Eh,” Pierce said, making a face, “except it comes from your wife in a voice that resembles demonic possession.”
Greer smiled up at him sweetly.
Sebastian swallowed hard. “Noted. Anything else?”
“Some doctors like to get fancy and have you catch the baby or look down to see the head,” Jake told him. “Don’t be fooled. Keep your eyes on your wife’s face and all will be well.”
“Also, just know there’s a bet going on right now and so far, the odds of you passing out are two to one.
If you pass out, your father-in-law is going to hold it over your head for the rest of your life.
That should be motivation enough to hold it together,” Pierce told him.
Quinn really needed to see more of this app.
“You’re betting I won’t pass out, right?” Sebastian asked them. Jake kissed his granddaughter, wished her luck, and left without answering.
“I’m betting on you not to pass out. Don’t let me down. Good luck, kiddo,” Pierce called out as the nurse came in.
“Okay, we’re getting close. Time for everyone except Dad to leave.”
“Don’t let me down, Sebastian!” Pierce called from down the hall.
Everyone wished the soon-to-be parents luck and Quinn followed the flow once again to find herself in a packed lobby. Knox hurried up to her. “I have to place my bet in the next two minutes. How did Sebastian look? Did he look like he would pass out?”
“I think he’s going to do great,” Quinn told him confidently.
“Were we looking at the same thing?” Evie asked. “No way will he stay standing.”
“She’s at ten centimeters!” A nurse called out as Marcy Davies held out a cupcake for the nurse. She snagged it and then hurried back behind the double doors.
“Bets are closed!” Poppy called out.
“So, how was your night? Did you have fun?” Knox asked, pulling her onto his lap since there were very few open seats.
“It was a lot of fun. I thought it would be too much with that many people. But it was just like one of my nights with Helena, if there were like twenty of her. How was your night?”
“I won thirty dollars in poker. Nolan broke up with his girlfriend.”
“I heard,” Quinn said, feeling a part of this strange town. “And there are new Belles. Do I need to be worried?”
Knox groaned. “I hope I don’t have to change my phone number again.”
They chatted and it was as if the room was speed dating. Every couple of minutes a new person came over, chatted, and then moved on to the next group. It was a loud boisterous crowd until the doors opened and Sebastian walked out, pushing a covered bassinette.
His hair was disheveled. His tie was off and his buttoned-up shirt was half unbuttoned. But he wore the biggest smile anyone had ever seen on his face.
“Wait!” Miss Lily called, standing up. “Let’s keep things orderly. How is Greer?”
Sebastian’s smile widened. “She was such a warrior. I’m not surprised, but at the same time, I am, because that was a lot. She’s doing great.”
There was clapping and then Miss Lily silenced them again. “Next question . . . did you faint?”
The crowd went silent.
Sebastian glared at them. “Who bet I would faint?”
Hands went up. A lot of them.
“Sucks for all of you then. I did not faint.” Quinn watched as the billionaire looked as if he’d closed the biggest deal of his life while a good seventy-five percent of the town groaned. Knox held up his hand and Quinn high-fived it.
Miss Lily whistled and then smiled at Sebastian. “Now we have that out of the way, tell us about your baby.”
Sebastian reached under the blanket covering the bassinette and pulled out a little bundle wrapped in blue.
Everyone made happy noises, but in whispered tones so as not to wake the baby.
“Meet our son, Ford Parker Abel.” Cole and Paige, the happy grandparents hurried forward when Sebastian asked if they wanted to hold him.
“He’s so small,” Paige whispered, holding her grandson for the first time.
“Five pounds and two ounces,” Sebastian said, moving Paige to sit down as she held his son. “But his sister was five pounds, eight ounces.”
“I don’t understand,” Cole said, looking to his wife to explain.
Sebastian pulled off the blanket and everyone gasped as a second bundle, wrapped in pink, was waiting to be picked up. “Surprise! We had twins. Meet our daughter, Fallon Davies Abel.”
Paige burst out in tears. Cole wiped some away as Sebastian held out his granddaughter.
Marcy Davies and her husband Jake joined them up front with Marcy swearing she’d cut him off from dessert and then promising to make him two pies for giving her more great-grandbabies so that she can finally die happy.
Sebastian told them it was Greer who didn’t want to tell anyone.
At first, there had been a worry that one of the twins wasn’t going to make it.
Then she was already annoyed at being told what she could and couldn’t do so she made Sebastian promise not to tell anyone so she could pretend to have a regular pregnancy since she knew if she told anyone about the twins it wouldn’t just be him telling her to rest, but the whole town.
“She was right. They would drive her crazy,” Knox whispered. He saw Quinn yawn and slipped his arm around her. “Ready for bed?”
Quinn nodded. “It’s been the craziest of days in both the worst and the best ways possible. I mean, it started with the break-in. Then the Rose sisters got my ex drunk and interrogated him. Girls’ night was great. And now twins. This town is something else.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, it’s your town too now.”
Quinn smiled at that as they snuck out the back stairs.