Chapter Twenty-Six
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
GARRETT
The air inside the old bookstore is heavy with dust and smells musty, but I can already see the potential. Mason stands next to me, tapping a pencil against a clipboard as we go over the list of repairs we’ve come up with.
“We’ll need to start with the structural stuff,” he says, pointing to a sagging beam near the back. “Can’t do anything else until we make sure the place won’t collapse.”
“Agreed,” I reply, running my hand over a patch of peeling wallpaper. “Once that’s done, we’ll need to replace the flooring, repaint, and update the lighting. Marie’s got a good eye for design—she’ll know how to make this place shine.”
Mason smirks. “You’re really pulling out all the stops for her, huh?”
“Yeah,” I admit, feeling a little sheepish but also determined. “I need her to know how much she means to me.”
Renovating her mom’s old store is the biggest, most meaningful gesture I can do for her. Helping her to achieve her greatest dream is how she’ll know my feelings are real.
That’s the hope, at least.
We’re in the middle of measuring the back wall when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance at the screen and see that Christian is calling. Odd… he’s supposed to be in Dallas. I helped him prepare for his meetings, putting together charts to show the company’s financial situation for him to show the board. Crap, did I forget something?
“Hang on,” I tell Mason, answering the call. “Christian, what’s up? Everything go okay with the board?”
His voice is frantic, words coming in bursts through a poor connection. “Garrett—Haven—hospital—labor?—”
The line crackles, and I press the phone tighter to my ear. Did he say Haven?
“Christian, slow down. What’s going on?”
“Marie—there—labor—early?—”
The static cuts off the rest, but I hear enough. My stomach drops, and panic surges through me, making it hard to think straight. Marie. Labor. Fuck, is the baby coming? That can’t be right! It’s too soon. It’s way too soon!
“I’m on my way,” I say, ending the call before he can reply.
“Mason,” I say, turning to him, my voice tight with urgency. “There’s an emergency. I have to go.”
“Wait—what’s going on?” he asks, looking bewildered.
“No time to explain.” I’m already heading for the door, my mind racing.
I get in my truck and take off for the hospital. I can barely see the road through the blur of terrified thoughts clouding my mind. Marie. Labor. Too early. My grip on the wheel tightens as I weave through traffic, pushing the speed limit but not caring. My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst from my chest.
When I screech into the hospital, I barely register where I park. I’m out of the truck in seconds, sprinting toward the entrance.
The receptionist looks up, startled, as I barrel through the doors.
“Marie Green,” I pant. “Where is she?”
“Marie Green?” she repeats, her fingers hovering over her keyboard.
“Yes!” I’m nearly shouting, my voice rough with panic. “She’s in labor—where is she?”
The woman frowns, slightly confused. “Sir, I don’t have a Marie Green listed in active labor.”
My pulse spikes again. “I was told she was here—there has to be some mistake!”
“Calm down,” she says, a little firmer this time. “If she’s here, she might be in the maternity ward. Take the elevator to the third floor and check the waiting area.”
I don’t even thank her. I’m off toward the elevators, jamming the button repeatedly until the doors slide open. Every second feels like an eternity.
When I finally reach the third floor, I burst out into the corridor, scanning every face, every corner. My pulse roars in my ears as I turn down a hallway—and then I see her.
Marie.
She’s sitting in a chair by herself, her face calm, her hands resting on her lap. She looks up, startled, when I come skidding to a halt in front of her.
“Garrett?” she asks, blinking in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
I stare at her, my chest heaving. Relief floods through me so fast I’m dizzy. She’s fine. She’s okay.
“You’re not—” I start, but my voice cracks. “You’re not in labor?”
Her brow furrows, and then her eyes widen in realization. “Oh, no! Garrett, no. I’m not in labor.” She stands up quickly, placing a hand on my arm. “It’s Haven. She’s the one in labor. I’ve been here with her.”
I stagger back a step, running a hand over my face as embarrassment washes over me. “I thought—Christian called—and it was static—and I heard your name—and labor—and?—”
Marie’s expression softens, a flicker of concern in her eyes.
“You thought it was me,” she finishes, her voice gentle.
I feel like a complete idiot, but also overwhelmingly relieved. “I was terrified. I thought something had happened to you. To the baby.”
Her hand squeezes my arm, grounding me. “I’m okay. I promise.”
We just stand and stare at each other. I’m overwhelmed with everything I feel for this woman. When I thought she and the baby were in trouble, it was like my whole world was falling apart. Imagining my life without her… it shook me to my core.
I can’t be without her. Marie is everything to me.
Clearing my throat, I murmur, “Marie, I…”
The doors to the maternity ward suddenly burst open, interrupting me, and Christian rushes in, wild-eyed. His tie is askew, his hair sticking up, and his face is flushed with worry. The instant he spots Marie and me, his shoulders sag in visible relief.
“Did I miss it?” he asks, his voice tight with panic as he jogs toward us.
Marie offers him a reassuring smile. “No, you made it. Haven’s still in labor.”
“Thank God.” He presses his hands to his knees, catching his breath. Then he straightens and looks at me, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Garrett. Thanks for being here.”
I feel a pang of guilt for my earlier panic and misunderstanding. “Of course. I wouldn’t let her do this alone.”
Christian gives me a small, grateful smile before turning to Marie. “How’s she doing? Is she okay?”
“She’s doing great. The nurses say everything’s progressing normally. She’s a little early, but they’re not worried.”
Christian exhales deeply, muttering, “Thank God,” again under his breath. Then he glances at the door leading to the delivery rooms. “Can I see her?”
Marie points down the hallway. “She’s down in room 304. You should be able to get in when you tell them you’re the father.”
“All right, I’ll check back in with you guys later.” Christian dashes off down the hall and Marie and I are alone again. I look back at her, but her brow is furrowed, and she’s clearly distracted by everything else going on. I swallow back the words I was going to say to her and tell myself to wait. Now’s not the time.
So we wait.
The minutes stretch into an hour, then two. I pace the small waiting room while Marie sits quietly nearby, her hands rubbing her belly absently as she stares down the hallway toward Haven’s room.
Finally, a nurse appears, and I stop moving, my heart in my throat.
“Miss Green and Mr. Young?” she asks, looking between us.
I nod. “Yes, that’s us. Any news?”
The nurse smiles. “Mrs. Tallow has given birth to a healthy baby girl, and would like you two to come back and meet her.”
Warm floods me and I stare at her, stunned.
Marie stands and comes up to my side, taking my arm. “Let’s go see your new niece.”
I let her lead me down the hall behind the nurse and we get to Haven’s room. When we get inside, the scene before us stops me in my tracks. Haven is sitting up in the hospital bed, her face flushed but glowing with happiness. Christian is beside her, cradling a tiny bundle in his arms. He looks up as we enter, his face alight with pride.
“She’s perfect,” he says, looking up at us, his voice thick with emotion.
He steps forward, carefully placing the baby in Haven’s arms. Haven looks down at her daughter with an expression of pure love and wonder.
Marie approaches the bed, leaning down to kiss Haven’s forehead.
“She’s beautiful, Haven,” she says softly, her voice trembling.
Haven’s gaze shifts to me.
“Garrett,” she says, her voice tired but warm. “Come meet your niece.”
I step forward hesitantly, my throat tightening as I look at the tiny, perfect face peeking out from the blanket. She’s so small, so fragile, and yet, she’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. I’m overwhelmed with love for this little girl, so much so that my thoughts shift right to Marie and our baby.
If I feel this way at my niece’s birth, what will I feel when my child is born?
Haven smiles up at me.
“Her name is Leila,” she says. “Leila Tallow.”
I swallow hard as I reach out to gently brush a finger against Leila’s tiny hand. Tears well up in my eyes and my heart twists in my chest as I think of Mom and how much she would love this. I hear Marie let out a small sob, but I can’t look away from Leila. She curls her fingers around mine, and I’m officially a goner.
* * *
When visiting hours are over, Marie and I leave the hospital together. We both hate to leave Haven, Christian, and Leila, but we know they all need their rest. Peter brought Oliver over earlier to meet his new sister, but took him back home already to get him fed and ready for bed. The hospital parking lot is quiet as Marie and I walk to my car. The glow of the streetlights reflects off her face, making her look soft and contemplative… but she also looks exhausted.
“Why don’t I give you a ride home?” I say. “We can get your car tomorrow when we come back to visit.”
She appears hesitant, but then sighs and nods. “Okay, that actually sounds good.”
I lead her to my truck, unlock the door and hold it open for her. Once she’s settled, I slide into the driver’s seat, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye. I try to steady the nervous energy bubbling up inside me. Tonight has been overwhelming, in more ways than one, but I’m not ready to let this night end—not until I tell her everything.
“There’s something I want to show you before I take you home,” I say.
She tilts her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “What is it?”
“You’ll see,” I reply, starting the truck and pulling out of the parking lot.
The drive to the bookstore doesn’t take long, but the tension in the car feels thick enough to cut with a knife. When we arrive, I park out front and get out, walking around to open her door.
She steps out slowly, her gaze darting to the dimly lit building. “Garrett…. Why are we here?”
“Don’t be mad, but I asked Ally for a favor,” I tell her, pulling a key out of my pocket. “She got me this so I could see what exactly we’d be working with.”
My hands are steady as I unlock the door, and I gesture for her to step inside. The faint smell of mustiness and dust greets us and our footsteps on the worn floor.
Marie looks around, her expression a mixture of confusion and nostalgia. “I don’t understand…”
Taking a deep breath, I steady myself. This is it.
“I’ve been working on a plan,” I begin, my voice low but steady as I turn to face her. “To fix this place up for you.”
Her head snaps toward me, her eyes wide. “What?”
I step closer. “I know how much this place means to you. I know how much your mom means to you, and I know how much you’ve wanted to reopen this place as your own.”
She covers her mouth with her hand, and I can see tears forming in her eyes.
“Why would you do this?” she whispers.
I take another step forward, reaching out to gently take her hands in mine. “Because I’ve been an idiot, Marie. For so long, I let fear hold me back. I made a promise to my mom, and I thought honoring it meant shutting out my own happiness and resisting what I feel for you, but I was wrong.”
Her hands tremble in mine, but she doesn’t pull away.
“I love you,” I confess, my voice thick with emotion. “I’ve loved you for a long time, and the thought of losing you, of pushing you away because of my own stupidity—it’s unbearable. My mom wouldn’t have wanted this. She wouldn’t have wanted me to push away someone who makes me feel alive, who understands me, and who challenges me, and she wouldn’t have wanted me to hurt you. She loved you and just wanted you to be happy, and I’ve been getting in the way of that by denying my feelings.”
Tears spill down Marie’s cheeks. “Garrett…”
I squeeze her hands gently. “I don’t want to hide how I feel anymore. I want to build a life with you—not because I feel obligated, but because I choose you. More than anything in the world, I want to be with you. I want us to be a family, Marie. Please tell me it’s not too late. That my foolishness hasn’t pushed you away for good.”
She doesn’t say anything for several moments as she gazes at me, and I don’t know what’s going through her head. I’ve disappointed her before, so if she struggles to believe me now, it’s understandable. If she doesn’t, I won’t give up.
I’m all in with her.
Moments pass, feeling like hours, before she finally replies, her lips trembling. “I love you too, Garrett. I always have.”
Her words cause a weight to lift off my chest, and I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly. My heart feels like it’s going to burst, it’s beating so hard.
When she looks up at me, her dark brown eyes shining with tears and love, I kiss her. With the kiss, I make a silent vow to spend the rest of my life making up for all the hurt I’ve caused her. I’ll never let her doubt my love and dedication to her ever again.
This is right. This is exactly where I’m supposed to be… in her arms, wrapped up in her love and the warmth of her touch.
When we finally pull apart, her forehead rests against mine, and she whispers, “I can hardly believe this is real.”
I smile, brushing a tear from her cheek. “This is just the beginning, Marie. I promise.”