Chapter 31
Holly
I’m spent. This man is a beast in the bedroom, and my guts have totally been rearranged. Mission accomplished. Well-fucking-done. Now, I have to pull my big-girl britches up and tell him what I suspect.
I roll toward Jaxon, biting my lip nervously while watching all his muscles bunch and flex from exertion as he catches his breath. I can do this.
“So, um…”
“Yeah?” he pants in question, turning his gorgeous green eyes my way.
“Shit…” I fumble for words and look down at my fingers as I fidget and fight the urge to bite a nail.
“Hey. What’s going on?”
“I haven’t started yet…”
“Haven’t started what yet?” He tilts his head in confusion, his brain still struggling to come back online after so much sex.
Good sex. Great sex. What am I saying? Phenomenal, life-altering sex.
His finger brushes along my nipple, and I hiss at the sudden sensitivity.
His brows slam together like he’s surprised at my reaction.
“Did I hurt you?”
“No, they’re just temperamental today.”
“Holly…”
“I–” I stammer, unable to just say the words. His eyes bounce around my face in curious apprehension as he waits for words that I’m terrified are going to change everything. He said he loves me, but he didn’t sign up for a baby right this second.
“I’m late. I should have gotten my period by now.
I didn’t miss any pills. I wasn’t terribly late taking any.
I don’t know. I’m kind of freaking out, and I didn’t know how to tell you, and with the puking and now my boobs–I think I know what it’s going to say.
I know you didn’t sign up for this. I’ll understand if–” I know I’m rambling as an array of surprise and who knows what flitters across his features.
He pulls back his covers, jumping out of bed to pull on his pants…
Fuck, he’s running. Fear and disappointment well in me, tearing at my heart. “I’m sorry.”
This grabs his attention. He stops zipping his pants and looks up at me. His features soften.
“Holly…no. Oh no. Don’t cry.”
“You’re leaving,” I stutter out on a half-broken sob. He crawls back onto the bed, reaching for my face with a reassuring kiss to my forehead.
“I’m just going to get a test.”
A rush of air bursts from my lungs, and I sniff back a torrent of snot threatening to run down my face. Super hot.
“No need. I have two under the sink. I’ve been staring at the box for days now.” He stops on his way to the door, then walks over to my side of the bed. I turn to face him, and he crouches down to my level.
“Do you want to do it when you’re alone?” His eyes look up at the ceiling, then back down at me nervously, like he’s worried that I’m going to say yes.
I shake my head, and he blows out a breath of relief.
“I don’t want to do this alone.”
“Okay. Let’s go pee.”
“Well, I kind of want to pee alone.”
“Okay.” He chuckles, running his fingers through his hair. “Just saying that it wouldn’t phase me considering what we just did, and need I remind you of how we met?”
I push at his chest, and he grabs my hand, pulling my knuckles up to his lips for a kiss.
My heart flip-flops, telling me that if the test says yes, then he probably won’t disappear on me.
His heart is too good for that. I still fight that niggling worry at the back of my brain though.
That worry that I’ll end up doing everything alone.
That I’m good enough for now, but not good enough for forever.
Jaxon helps me to my feet, his eyes roving over my naked body, likely wondering how much this body might change before he even got a chance to really enjoy it. I mentally smack myself for even thinking it. He’s not that shallow.
“Which drawer is it in?” He takes off to the bathroom on a mission, opening things as I direct him.
I hear the box ripping open as he fumbles with it.
The distinct plink of it dropping on the counter and his nervous curse has me biting my lip as I come into the bathroom, buttoning up his dress shirt over my chest. He does a double-take of me in the shirt and smiles softly as he hands me the test.
“Need me to walk you through it?”
“No, I just have to hold it down in the stream for five seconds.”
“Yup. You’ve got this.” He stands there, staring at me for a minute like he forgot I wanted to pee in peace.
“Jaxon?”
“Right, sorry. My brain is just short-circuiting. Tad nervous is all. I’ll be right, um…
outside.” He steps out, closing the door behind him.
I puff my cheeks out, looking down at the stick before sitting on the toilet.
A few minutes later, I’m still there staring at it, unable to bring myself to uncap it and do the deed.
“You okay in there?”
“Oh my gosh, are you actually listening?”
“Nope.” Jaxon clears his throat. “Um, nope… I’m going to the kitchen for a drink and to pace. You want more water?”
“Sure. Please.”
“Do you have enough in you to take the test, or do you need the water first?”
“Go, Dr. Reyes.”
“Okay, holler if you need me.”
I chuff out a laugh.
“How are you going to help me pee?”
“I don’t know. I panicked. Said the first thing off the top of my head.”
“Please don’t leave me,” I whisper.
“Okay, I’m coming in!”
“No! That’s not what I meant!”
“Okay, okay. Fuck. I’m sweating bullets. Going to the kitchen now.”
I shake my head as I hear him blow out a breath and walk away from the bathroom door.
Taking a deep one of my own, I concentrate on the task.
With a shaky hand, I cap the test and set it on the counter, face down once finished, because I just can’t sit there and stare at it.
After washing my hands, I open the door for an anxiously waiting Jax and walk back to sit on the toilet.
My thumb nail makes its way to my mouth as he sets his phone on the counter next to the test and crouches in front of me.
Jaxon sighs and pulls my fingers from my face to hold them between his own trembling fingers.
He’s nervous too. Scared? Is he going to bolt?
He lifts my knuckles to his lips for a tender kiss that soothes my worries, if only slightly.
“What did you mean when you whispered, ‘please don’t leave me?’”
His eyes are intent on mine and so full of emotion.
“If it’s positive. Please don’t leave.”
“Holly…”
The timer goes off on his phone. He clicks it off and grabs the test.
“You want to do it, or do you want me to?”
“Together.”
“Okay. Ready?”
“No.”
He chuffs out a nervous laugh, then turns it over. We both suck in a deep breath as his eyes roll up to mine. I can’t breathe.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
We barely notice his phone dancing from the vibration on the counter. Our eyes flitter back and forth between each other’s expressions. Gauging. Waiting.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
“Jaxon, your phone.”
“I don’t care about that right now.”
“It’s really late. Someone might need you.”
“You. You need me.”
I sigh, looking over at the phone, and my blood runs cold.
“Jaxon, it’s Colin.”
???
Jaxon
I can’t breathe.
“Jaxon, it’s Colin.”
It’s easily midnight. No good calls come this late. My stomach sinks as my training kicks in.
“What’s wrong?”
“Sydney.” Colin sounds breathless, scared. “She just started bleeding.”
Fuck…
Holly springs up from her seat, dropping the test on the floor and hurrying to the bedroom for clothes.
“Colin, get her in the car. Don’t even take time to grab bags. Somebody else will. I’ll meet you at the ER. I’ll call it in.”
Colin curses, then his tone goes soft as he tells Sydney they need to head to the hospital. Sydney lets out a breathy sob that has my gut clenching.
“Colin?”
“Yeah?”
“I need you to drive fast, but I need you to get there in one piece, okay? You’ve got this. Get her there, so we can get them all help.”
“All?”
“Colin. You need to be strong and move now.”
“Okay.” His breath punches out harshly, and he hangs up. My heart is hammering in my chest.
“Holly, we gotta go!” I holler from the bathroom as I stand, scrubbing a hand down my face with worry.
“I heard. How bad are we talking?”
I hold out a finger to her as I call the ER’s number.
“Yes, this is Dr. Jaxon Reyes. I have an approximately thirty-six week pregnant patient of twins on the way with a current hemorrhage. Suspected abruption.”
Holly gasps as she hears me relay the information as she’s buttoning her jeans and slipping her bare feet into a pair of sneakers.
She’s already handing me my white tee as I put the nurse on speaker.
I dress quickly as I relay Sydney’s OB’s information so that they can get ahold of them and rattle off all the people we need in on the case and what to make sure they have ready, including blood.
“A positive!”
I look over at Holly with a questioning look.
“Her blood type is A positive. I remember from a doctor’s appointment I went to with her. I’m certain of it.”
“Patient blood type is A positive. Have both ready, and get the anesthesiologist there now. I’m right behind the patient. Less than ten minutes out.”
Thankfully, Wideman knows me and likes me, so she won’t have an issue with me getting a head start on this. We hop in my truck and haul ass, almost there when Wideman’s number comes across my Bluetooth.
“What the hell is going on with Sydney? I just got the call about a possible abruption? I’m getting in my car. I’m less than fifteen minutes out.”
“Okay. I’m right behind them. Colin just called. I figured you would be okay with me jumping in.”
I relay all the info I have, sweating the closer we get.
“I completely agree with what you’ve got rolling. I’m glad you are there. Get things going and stay on everyone’s ass. I’m coming. Jaxon?”
“Yeah?”
“Great catch.”
“Don’t say anything yet.”
“You can’t do the surgery though.”
“Then hurry your ass up so I don’t have to, but Wideman, I won’t let any of them die.”
“I hear you. I’m booking it.”