Chapter 6
Six
G unner shoved Lily’s two small bags into the back of his truck before helping her get settled in the passenger seat.
“I’m really sorry,” she said as he drove away from the house. “I don’t know how everything got to be such a mess.”
“Stop apologizing. It’s not your fault James peaked in high school. He has no right to treat you like that, Lily. I told you to call me. When I saw him with that gun I?—”
“He had a gun?” Her voice shook as she asked.
“Fuck, I’m sorry, Lil. I didn’t think…I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No. I’m glad you did. Maybe I will give that officer a call tomorrow. I hadn’t realized…I thought he was just drunk. God, I really am the worst cliche, aren’t I?”
“You’re trying to figure out what is best for you and your daughter, Lil. There is nothing wrong with that.”
They fell into a peaceful silence, driving along all the streets Gunner grew up riding his bike through. The neighborhood hadn’t really changed all that much over the last two decades. Maybe things were a little more run down, or maybe he’d just seen enough in the last few years that his rose-colored glasses were now tinted gray.
“What happened tonight, Lil? I mean, I heard what you told the officer, but was that really all of it?”
She sighed, leaning her head against the window.
“No.” Her voice was small, and he hated how broken she looked. “He went out drinking this afternoon. I didn’t realize anything was wrong until I was home making dinner. I didn’t tell the officer this, but I got an alert on my phone from my bank. He cleared out our account, Gunner. Not just the one we shared, but my personal one too.”
“How was he able to do that?”
“I feel like such an idiot. I had them joined so that I could transfer money from my personal one to pay bills, and then I would sometimes transfer money into my personal account if I had extra from my paycheck. He hasn’t logged in to our account in months. Why would he? I take care of everything. God, I was so mad,” her voice cracked. “When he came home, he was more out of it than I think I’ve ever seen him. It seemed like more than just drinking.”
Gunner tightened his grip on the steering wheel. What piece of shit didn’t work, forcing his pregnant fiance to, and then took out all the money she’d saved in their bank account?
“You confronted him and things escalated?”
“I know better. Honestly, I do. It’s my fault for trying to find out what he spent the money on.” She wiped at her eyes. “H-he didn’t like me questioning him. That’s when the insults started. I tried to go to bed, but he wouldn’t let me out of the kitchen. I told him I needed to use the bathroom, but he just wouldn’t leave me alone until I was crying. As soon as he got sick of calling me names, he let me go and I just ran. I locked the bedroom door, thinking he would just pass out in the living room like he always does. But around one, I woke up to him pounding on the door, demanding I let him in. I wasn’t about to let him hurt me or the baby, so I ran into the bathroom and hid in there. He let me be for a while, but then…I don’t know. As soon as he started trying to get in, that’s when I tried to call for help.”
Lily tipped her head so that it was resting against the passenger side window again and closed her eyes. He guessed she was done talking about that, and for the moment, he was okay with it. Because he needed to come up with a plan to make sure James stayed away from her.
He’d call his team back in Texas in the morning. His buddy, Gage Walker, was a bit of a tech genius, and could dig up something on James that Gunner could use against him. Maybe even something he could hand over to the authorities…something to get James out of Lily and the baby’s lives for a long time, without Lily having to be involved.
He rolled to a stop, the only vehicle at the red light. The night was so quiet, who would ever guess that they’d just gone through so much chaos? Gunner felt his anger turning into something different. Something that pulled at his heart. Lily had no support outside of his family. And him. He needed to fix this for her, but had no idea where to start.
A small groan from Lily pulled him from his raging thoughts. His eyes flew to her, taking in the pained look on her face. She still had her eyes closed, but now her hand rested low on her belly.
“Lily? What is it?”
“It’s nothing,” she said as she breathed deeply.
“It’s not nothing. You just groaned, and I can see you’re in pain. Is something wrong with the baby?” Jesus, just hearing the words come out of his mouth made him feel like throwing up.
She waved her hand at him. “Just a Braxton Hicks contraction.”
A contraction? Fuck. “I should have thought to bring you to the hospital. We need to make sure you and the baby are okay.”
“Sprout is fine. I’m just exhausted.” Her hand moved in rhythmic circles over her shirt. “It’s just been a long day. Some sleep and I’ll be fine. Just took me by surprise.”
“No. We are going to get both of you checked out. I know you said he didn’t hit you tonight, but he has in the past. What if the stress from tonight is causing the pains?”
“It probably is.” Gunner’s stomach clenched hard as she said that. “But it’s not an abnormal reaction to stress. I don’t want to go to the hospital. I just want to sleep. I have to be up in a few hours to help with Juliette, and I’m exhausted.”
“Lil, we’ll find someone else to help mom out. You shouldn’t be working this close to your due date, anyway.” Hell, he remembered her saying she was only a few weeks away, but babies sometimes came early, didn’t they? “And no arguing. We need to go get you checked out.”
“No, Gunner. I need to work, and I want to be there to help your mom. Promise me you won’t find someone else. I can’t afford for you to give the job to someone else.” The tears in her voice had him squeezing the steering wheel so tight his fingers ached. “I don’t have insurance, and everything I saved to pay for the birth, all the money I saved to buy things for the baby James drank away tonight with his buddies. I’ll go to the free clinic tomorrow if the pains haven’t stopped.”
“We should have taken that ring,” he mumbled under his breath.
“No, we shouldn’t have. I told you, I don’t want anything from him. I just want to be free of him and his family.”
Gunner hit his turn signal and started driving back into town.
“This isn’t the way to your mom’s.”
“I know. You’re seeing a doctor. Now. You aren’t waiting to see if things get worse. I’m taking you now and I’ll pay for the visit.”
“No. Absolutely not. I can’t let you do that.”
“Lil, just for once, don’t be stubborn. It’s nothing for me to pay and I really want to make sure you and the baby are okay. You’re doing me a favor by getting checked out.”
“Stubborn man.” She breathed in, wrapping her arms around herself, before her eyes closed once again.
“Lily?”
He watched as she held out her hand, flexing her fingers as if begging him to hold on to her. For just one second he froze, before reaching out and lacing his fingers through hers.
“That one hurt worse, Gunner.”
“Okay, just hold on. I’ll get us to the hospital.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What did I say about apologizing?”
“Are you okay? The baby?” Gunner had stepped out of the room while Lily changed from her clothes into the hospital gown and the nurses had performed the intake exam, connecting her to a million different machines, monitoring her blood pressure, contractions and the baby’s heartbeat. He’d looked so concerned upon his return to the room that she tried to respond as quickly as possible.
“We’re fine. Looks like Braxton Hicks contractions just like I thought.”
“So you aren’t in labor?”
“Not right now.”
Gunner sighed and pulled a chair close to her bed. Taking the hand that was free of an IV needle, he looked into her eyes. The intensity pouring off of him was making her so nervous she grabbed the cup of water from in front of her and swirled it in her hand.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Why did they place an IV?”
“My blood pressure was a little high, and the baby had a fast heartbeat when we got here. The fluids are supposed to help.”
“Lily, that’s not what I would have classified as being fine.”
“But we are. This happens sometimes, Gunner. Pregnancy can be a wild ride. I’m just sorry I dragged you into it.” She took a sip from the cup, wondering why he was still squeezing her other hand.
“I think we should get married.”
Lily choked on the water in her mouth. He couldn’t have waited to say something ridiculous until after she swallowed?
“Shit, Lil, are you okay?” Gunner asked as he ran his hand in circles on her back. God, his touch felt amazing. Why did he have to be so sweet? She wished he would go back to being an ass to her. Distant Gunner she could live with. Sweet, caring, close Gunner? No. She wouldn’t survive.
“How did you get to my house so quickly?” she sputtered as the last bit of water left her throat.
“That’s what you want to say after I asked you to marry me?”
“You didn’t ask, to be fair. Just sort of put it out there.”
He sat there staring at her for a minute as she twisted her fingers together.
“I’ve still been sleeping in my truck outside your house,” he finally whispered.
“What? Why? Why would you be doing that, Gunner?”
“Because I was worried about what James would do to you after I saw those damn bruises on your arm.”
“Oh.”
“So, marry me. ”
She shook her head. “I can’t marry you. I just ended things with James. Hell, he doesn’t even know yet.”
Gunner growled. “Marry me.”
Lily shook her head. “I can’t just jump into something so serious straight away, especially with someone who doesn’t even like me.”
“You think I don’t like you?”
“I think you’ve been grumpy with me since you came back. And I get it. Things are really stressful with your mom’s illness. Plus, Gia hired me to help, and all I’ve done is pull you into my drama. But tomorrow, I’ll look for a place to stay and I’m sure I’ll be able to keep helping with Jules. There’s no reason for us to get married.”
“Yes, there is. I, for one, have health insurance through my job. My boss is very serious about the benefits he offers, and he takes good care of us. If we get married, then you and Sprout get access to that.” The way he so easily used her baby’s nickname took her breath away. “Besides that, I can protect the two of you from James and his family. I don’t think he’s going to let you go easily, Lil, and I’m worried about what will happen if you and the baby are on your own.”
“I can take care of my baby, Gunner.”
“I know you can, Lil, but who is going to take care of you?”
That question floored her. If not for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor attached to her, she would have thought her heart stopped beating. It was such a sweet idea, but she couldn’t imagine taking advantage of him like that.
“So, what? This would be a marriage for my benefit only? I can’t do that to you. Don’t you want to marry someone you love? Someone who will make your house into a home? I have nothing to offer you.”
“I gave up on that dream a long time ago. I want to help a friend, and this is how I can do it. ”
“A friend.”
Gunner grabbed her hand. “Yeah, Lil. You and me, we’re friends.”
“Friends who are going to get married and raise a baby together. A baby who is not biologically yours. How can you just be all in on that idea? It’s a huge responsibility, Gunner. Most men run away from things like that.”
“Listen, Lily. The minute you agree to be my wife, that’s it. You’re mine, and so is Sprout. I promise I will love and protect her like she is my own. I wouldn’t dream of letting something hurt her, including me.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
“Not much in life does.”
“But how can you just be all in? You came back to town to say goodbye to your mom. Not to take on the responsibilities of a wife and child.”
“That’s the way my brain works, Lil. Lots of things are just black and white for me. I’ve thought over everything while you were in here alone, and this is the best solution for you and the baby. It’s what I truly believe we should do.”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. Part of her wanted to scream YES as loudly and as fast as she possibly could. But her heart knew this wouldn’t mean anything to Gunner other than a way to fix up the mess she’d gotten herself into. Heat flooded her cheeks.
“I get that it’s been a traumatic night, and that you’re exhausted, so you don’t have to answer right now. We’ll go home, you’ll rest, and then you can tell me what you’re thinking. It would mean a lot to me if we are going to get married, for us to do it soon so that my mom can know before she passes.”
Tears filled Lily’s vision.
“Don’t cry, Lily Kate. Everything is going to be just fine,” he promised.
“Everything will not be fine if you don’t start listening to your body. You need to slow down and rest, Lily.” Dr. Alvarez hovered next to her bed, and she watched as Gunner’s jaw clenched.
“But Lily and the baby are okay?” he asked.
“For the time being, yes. I know from what you told me about earlier tonight that things are stressful right now, but I need you to promise me you’ll go home and actually rest once I discharge you. When you came in, your blood pressure was elevated and it took longer than I would have liked to see it return to normal.”
“Is that something we need to worry about?” Gunner asked. We. What was happening? How had they gotten so quickly to a place where he was holding her hand in the hospital and talking about her and the baby like they were his responsibility?
If she agreed to marry him, they would be. Could she do that? Lily shut her eyes tight and tried to take a few calming breaths. Her heart felt like it was about to gallop out of her chest.
“Lily? What’s going on?” Gunner’s voice was tight with worry, and she didn’t want to open her eyes and see his concern. No matter what sweet words he said to her in a moment of worry, she couldn’t lean on him.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Tell me.”
“I can still work, can’t I?” Lily asked the doctor, ignoring Gunner’s touch on her arm.
“You don’t need to worry about?—”
“Gunner, stop. Stop being so nice to me! It’s stressing me out more, I swear.” She pulled her hand out of his, smoothing the hospital gown over her bump .
“So fucking stubborn,” he grumbled, but she closed her eyes again and let the building anxiety melt away.
“Are you still doing in-home care?” Dr. Alvarez asked.
“Yes. Just a few hours a day for a friend who I love dearly and am not leaving right now.”
“How long do you normally work?”
“Anywhere from six to eight hours, but it’s nothing too strenuous. Just laundry, and meals, sitting by her bedside and keeping her company, light cleaning when she naps. Her daughter is my best friend and is always hovering, making sure I’m not overdoing anything.” Not to mention her son, who is currently running his fingers over my arm, trying to soothe my nerves because he thinks marrying me will solve all my problems, she thought.
“I’m glad to hear that, but I’d like to see you reduce your hours. Nothing over four right now, and off your feet for half that time, okay? Don’t lift anything heavier than five pounds and keep your stress levels low. You’re technically in the safe zone to deliver, but I think this little one could use some extra time. Let’s just take it day by day, and if all goes well, we can re-evaluate at your next appointment.”
“Okay.” The weakness in her voice made her cringe. If she couldn’t work as many hours as possible in the next three weeks, she’d never be able to afford anything for her baby. No home, no supplies for her little one, no way to pay for the delivery. As her doctor left the room, Lily bit into her cheek to keep the tears away.
Gunner had stood the minute her doctor walked into the room, but now he pulled his chair away from the wall, positioning it so that when he sat, he was right next to her bed, looking into her eyes.
“Lil? Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“What I’m thinking is that I’m a complete and utter failure as a mom and my baby isn’t even here yet.” And that raw confession from the depths of her soul did her in. Warm tears tracked down her face and she didn’t attempt to wipe them away.
“Christ. Please don’t cry, Lily. You heard your doctor. Being upset isn’t good for you or the baby.”
“I don’t think holding in emotions is all that healthy either, Gunner.”
“I guess that’s true, too.” He nodded and grasped her free hand in his. “We have a solution. You become my wife and I’ll be able to get you and the baby on my insurance. You won’t have to worry about working up until you have her. You’ll have a safe place to live.”
“I can’t be a burden to you like that. I can do this on my own.”
“You are not a burden, and you are not a failure.”
“She is clearly all those things and more,” a sharp voice barked from the doorway. Gunner stood, tightening his grip on her hand as he positioned himself between her bed and the last person she thought she’d be seeing that night.
“Corrine, what are you doing here? Is the Captain with you?”
“What a stupid question, Lily. No, the Captain is not here. This is women’s work, is it not? He wouldn’t be caught dead on this floor.”
“Corrine? The Captain?” Gunner aimed his question at Lily.
“James’s parents,” she whispered, twisting the end of the blanket between her fingers.
That earned a growl from Gunner.
“Why the fuck is he called ‘The Captain’?”
“He has a fleet of boats that he charter’s fishing trips on. Don’t you remember his company sponsoring stuff in High School?”
Gunner’s face was completely blank, so apparently, no, he didn’t remember that.
“Hello? I’m still just standing here!” Corrine sighed, trying to take a step closer to Lily. Gunner didn’t budge. “Lily, who is this? Where is James? Is the baby coming tonight or not?”
“How did you even know I was here?” Lily fired back without answering Corrine’s questions.
“You seem to forget that I was the person who got you into your doctor’s office. I’m good friends with Dr. Alvarez and he was kind enough to call me when you were admitted,” Corrine turned towards Gunner. “Now, who are you and why are you here instead of my son?”
Gunner, still positioned between Lily and Corrine, didn’t reply. Instead, he stood with his hands folded across his chest. He honestly looked super intimidating, but Lily knew Corrine wouldn’t back down. She never saw anyone as a threat. Only as a pawn to bend to her will.
“Hello? Do you understand what I’m asking you?” She paused, looking between Lily and Gunner. “Oh god, Lily. Don’t tell me whoever this is doesn’t speak English. You know how the Captain and I feel about that.”
“Corrine, that’s quite enough. You heard him well enough to use what he said as an insult against me when you walked in here.” Corrine had the decency to look somewhat taken aback by Lily’s observation. “You shouldn’t be here. I’ve left James. We aren’t getting married, and until he gets himself some help, I won’t let him be around the baby.”
“You did what ?”
“You heard me.” Lily squeezed her eyes shut as a pain built in her back. “I’m sorry, but your son needs help and I can’t seem to get through to him.”
“Don’t be a brat, Lily. James has some issues, that’s true, but where else are you going to go? Your own parents want nothing to do with you since you refuse to get married before the baby comes. Honestly, you’d think you wouldn’t want your baby to be born a bastard, but I’ve given up on trying to convince you to put this baby first. All that matters is that the baby is a Callahan, and it will be raised in our family.”
“You’re wrong,” Gunner growled, causing Lily to jump.
“Gunner, you don’t need to?—”
“I’m the father of Lily’s baby.”
Time stood still as her breath stuck in her lungs. Corrine, much to Lily’s surprise, smiled. Her eyes betrayed her true feelings though, and as they landed on Lily, she wanted nothing more than to shrink back into the hospital bed and disappear.
The sick, squeezing feeling in her belly returned with a vengeance. Lily knew she needed to get Corrine to leave so that she could work on relaxing. Stress was causing the pains, and James’s mother was one of the ultimate stressors for her.
“You little lying whore. You think you can try to fool me into believing this man, who I’ve never seen before, is the father of your child and for the last nine months you’ve just been working to trap my son? I don’t buy it. I don’t buy it for a single second, Lily.”
“Corrine, I?—”
“No. This is the last straw. I’ve tried to make sure that baby would be raised right while staying in my lane. I pushed James to propose to you, even though he’d rather continue fucking every bar bunny in this town. But I guess he got the best of both worlds for a while, didn’t he?”
Tears stung Lily’s eyes. She’d known about his drinking, but not once had she thought he was sleeping with other women behind her back. Lily shifted her hips in the bed, trying to find relief from the squeezing.
“Gunner,” Lily cried as the pain wrapped around her belly again. She tried to hide it as best she could, but the sharpness at the bottom of her bump took her breath away as she curled around her baby .
“Lil? What’s going on?” She watched as his eyes snapped to the monitor, a scowl growing across his already cold face.
“C-can you call the doctor back, please?”
“Get out,” he growled at Corrine, and Lily had never been so happy to have someone in her corner.
“This isn’t the end, Lily. I don’t believe for one second the baby is this overgrown Neanderthal’s child. I’ll take you to court if I have to! You know the Captain is friends with every judge in this county!”
Her eyes squeezed closed as she registered both another contraction and the threat that Corrine left hanging in the room over her. She could faintly hear the door open and close again through her panicked thoughts, but the surrounding air was thick and hard to pull into her lungs.
Until a warm hand found its way to her arm. “Breathe, Lil. I pressed the call button for a nurse, but you just need to breathe until they can come in and figure out what’s going on.”
“You didn’t need to say you’re the baby’s father, Gunner. S-she knows the truth. S-she won’t just let me live in peace. Ow.” The monitor wrapped around her belly showed the contraction continuing to build.
“It doesn’t matter what that woman will or won’t do, Lil, because I’m not letting anyone take Sprout from you. Just breathe. I’m going to take care of everything.”