Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Paranoia was never her thing, but right now, Hailey was totally feeling paranoid.
For the last several days, Max had been looking at her like…like he was just waiting for her to say something. And yet, no matter what she said, he still seemed to be waiting. It was totally weird, and it made her wonder just what it was he was expecting.
I could just ask him…
They had finished lunch a few minutes ago and he ran back up to his apartment-slash-office to grab something he needed for a meeting he was heading to. As she cleaned up the kitchen and dumped her nearly full glass of water down the drain, it hit her how they had settled into this little form of domesticated bliss. Other than the way he’d been watching her lately, things were seriously great. She still missed her family, but she was loving small-town life.
“I’d love it even more if I could find a job,” she murmured, putting the last of their plates in the dishwasher.
“Hey!” Max called out when he came back into the house. “Would you like to come with me to town? I’m meeting with my dad and your uncle to look at a potential location for the bar.”
“Oh, um…” It wasn’t something she felt like she should be involved in. It was totally his thing, and she figured she’d just be in the way.
“Your dad’s going to be on a video call with us so he can see what we’re looking at. I just thought it could be fun for you to join us.” He was smiling and looked hopeful and adorable all at the same time. “Or I can drop you off at the coffee shop and pick you up when I’m done. Jade called and said she got that pregnancy book in for me. And a few others.” Now his smile looked a little bashful and she really loved how all-in he was with their life and the baby and…
Them.
Everything he did every minute of every day was for them.
No man had ever done anything like that for her before—ever. So why was she even allowing herself to compare him to her exes? There was no comparison. Max Calloway was like no one else. She’d been essentially torturing herself and denying her feelings for almost two months, and for what?
Nothing!
I’m serious, Hailey. Marry me. Marry me and we’ll raise this baby.
If I thought you’d say yes, I’d get down on one knee right now.
I’m still here because I believe there’s more to us than just a pregnancy. I think there’s so much more to our story than this. If you’ll give us a chance, I promise you won’t regret it.
It was like a lightbulb finally turned on in her head.
He was right.
There was so much more to them than this pregnancy! All this time, she’d been falling and didn’t even know it. Did she really want to keep denying the truth knowing she’d end up regretting it?
Having no regrets is all she’s ever wanted.
And right now, she was regretting how long she’d been fighting her true feelings for Max. She was in love with him, and…
“Um…Hales? You okay?” His smile faded and was replaced with a look of concern. “You kind of zoned out there.”
Shaking her head to clear it, she sighed. “I’m fine. Sorry. My mind wandered for a minute.”
He didn’t look too convinced.
“I’d actually love to go into town and see the space you’re looking at. I still can’t believe it’s all coming together. I was afraid buying the house was going to pull you out of the project.” Glancing around, she realized her purse and phone were up in her room. “Let me just run up and get my things. I’ll be right down!”
Up in her room, she checked her hair and makeup and was about to grab her purse when a sharp pain made her freeze. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, and she was afraid to move. After a minute, she let herself relax and went to pick up her purse when it happened again. It was like an intense period cramp and tears instantly stung her eyes.
Oh God, no…
Slowly, she walked into the bathroom and told herself to stay calm and try to remember if the book Chloe gave her mentioned anything like this. Another cramp hit and she couldn’t help but freak out. Running back to the bedroom, she grabbed the book off the bedside table and frantically scanned the glossary for any mention of cramping.
“Cramping is common in the first trimester as your uterus is stretching to accommodate the growing baby, which can put pressure on the ligaments supporting it,” she read. “Okay. Whew.” But then the next sentence made her nervous. “Any bleeding accompanied by cramping is cause to be seen by your physician.”
Immediately, she was back in the bathroom and forcing herself to pee.
And saw blood. Not much—barely a trace—but it was enough to cause alarm.
“Hailey?” Max called out from the bedroom. “We really need to get going. I told Ronan I’d be there at one-thirty and it’s already one-twenty!”
Quickly, she cleaned up and pulled everything back on, flushed the toilet, and washed her hands. Tears were streaming down her face when she opened the door. Max took one look at her and was instantly at her side.
“Okay, where do we need to go?”
“I…I don’t know,” she said shakily. “I haven’t had my first appointment with the OB-GYN here yet, and…and…”
“Okay, okay. Let’s take you to the emergency room. It’s about a thirty-minute drive, but I promise to get us there sooner.” His arm went around her waist as they slowly made their way down the stairs and out to the car. “I’m here for you.”
“My…my purse and phone are still upstairs…”
“I’ll be right back!” He raced back into the house as Hailey simply sat and cried.
Why? Why did this happen? She’d been doing everything right and…and maybe the stress had been too much. Maybe all that worrying was putting too much strain on her and the baby. Maybe…
“Here you go,” Max said breathlessly as he climbed into the car. “Should I call Jade or Ash or Chloe and ask if the ER is the best option?”
“I don’t know if I can talk right now,” she said miserably. “I’m sure the ER is fine.”
Taking the phone from her hands, he started calling someone, but she was too distraught to even pay attention. They were pulling out of the driveway and going through town and she just closed her eyes and prayed that this was all just her not knowing enough about pregnancy—that it was something completely normal and common and everyone would laugh at how dumb she was.
Please let this just be me being dumb…
At some point, Max took one of her hands in his and she held on so tight that it was almost painful, but she needed the connection. They stayed like that for the entire drive and before she knew it, they were pulling up to a hospital and she burst into tears.
“Hey,” he said softly as he parked. “Everything’s going to be alright, Hales. We’re in the right place and we’re doing exactly what we need to do.” He kissed her hand before jumping out of the car and racing around to help her. “Do you want me to carry you? Should I get a wheelchair?”
“I think I can walk,” she murmured and let him slowly lead her into the building as she silently sobbed.
The good thing about living in a rural area was that the emergency room was fairly empty. Hailey was immediately taken back to be examined, and Max stayed by her side the entire time. The attending physician asked her a ton of questions about the pregnancy, her level of activity, what her diet was like, her family history, and it was so hard to stay focused when all she wanted to do was scream.
A nurse was fluttering around taking her vitals and putting an IV in and it was all becoming too much. She looked up at Max helplessly, silently begging him to make them hurry up and tell her what was wrong.
“We’re going to do an ultrasound,” the doctor announced. “Just give me a few minutes to get everything ready and then we’ll get started. In the meantime, I want you to drink as much water as you can, okay?”
She nodded, but as soon as the doctor left, Max stood up. “I’ll be right back.” And after kissing her forehead, he quickly left the room, just as the nurse came in with a large Styrofoam cup of water.
So she drank and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
All the while, her mind was thinking of all the worst-case scenarios.
If she lost the baby, she’d probably move back to Florida. There was no reason for her to stay, and seeing Max every day would be a painful reminder of what they had and lost. Would he be angry with her? Blame her? Would she be able to handle being around her cousins who were all pregnant right now without totally breaking down?
By the time Max walked back in, she was nearly beside herself. “Did you talk to the doctor?”
“I did,” he said gruffly. “But he didn’t really give me anything to put our minds at ease. All he said was that the ultrasound would tell us everything.”
“Oh.”
He sat back down in the chair beside the bed and held her free hand.
“Did you call your dad and let him know where we are?”
“Yup. I asked him not to say anything to anyone. I didn’t think we should upset anyone until we know for sure what’s going on.”
“That makes sense.” She took another sip of water. “What is he going to tell my dad and Uncle Ronan?”
“I told him to blame me. I said he should tell them I’ve got some sort of stomach bug and we’ll reschedule.”
She took another sip and kept drinking until there was nothing left but ice.
“I’ll get you some more.”
“Thanks.”
It felt like forever for the doctor to come back with the ultrasound machine. “We’re going to start with a transabdominal ultrasound—which means it’s external, over the belly. With your dates, that puts you at almost ten weeks, so this is typically what we use. If I can’t get a good view of the baby, then we’ll switch to a transvaginal ultrasound. That’s when we use a wand-like transducer that’s inserted into the vagina to scan the fetus and uterus.”
She really hoped the external one worked.
“Are you ready?” he asked as he lifted her hospital gown and applied some warm gel to her lower belly.
Hailey held Max’s hand and nodded.
Here we go…
The machine made a swooshing sound and she had no idea what they were looking at, but that didn’t keep her from frantically trying to find something that even remotely resembled a baby. Her heart was hammering almost painfully, but no matter how much she stared and squinted, it all just looked like static to her.
But just when she was ready to give up, the doctor’s hand stopped. “You hear that?” he quietly asked. “That is your baby’s heartbeat.”
“Wh…what? Really?” she asked, afraid to believe what she was hearing.
“It’s so fast,” Max said, his voice full of wonder. “Is that normal?”
“Completely normal,” he assured them before pointing out where the baby was on the screen. “Right now, he’s about the size of a strawberry, but from everything I’m seeing, he’s totally fine.”
“He? It’s a boy?” Max asked, and Hailey could hear how hopeful he was.
“Sorry,” the doctor said with a small laugh. “It’s definitely too soon to tell. I just typically pick a pronoun when we do these tests. I didn’t mean to get your hopes up.”
“Oh.”
“So if everything’s okay, why did I have those cramps and why was I bleeding?” Hailey asked.
“You mentioned earlier that you read that those symptoms are normal,” he explained. “And they are. Spotting is also normal in the first trimester. Your body is going through a lot of changes, but you were smart to come in to be seen.”
She let out a long sigh of relief.
“However,” he went on, “You were mildly dehydrated. I’m calling in a prescription for some prenatal vitamins for you, and you definitely need to drink more water, okay?”
She nodded.
“You can call your OB-GYN for a follow-up appointment. In the meantime, get some rest, and you should resume normal activity in a few days. Any questions?”
They both shook their heads and thanked him.
“The nurse will be in with your discharge papers in a few minutes. You can get dressed, and we’ll have you out of here as soon as we can.” He shook Max’s hand and then Hailey’s before leaving the room.
Max helped her up from the bed and neither said a word while she put her clothes back on. Once she was done, she forced herself to look at him.
“I feel so stupid.” Shaking her head, she still couldn’t believe the whole situation. “I should have just called Jade first instead of panicking.”
“Hey,” he said softly, wrapping his arms around her. “You were scared, and you had every reason to be. And for the record, we both panicked.” Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he held her a little closer. “There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. We’re not the first pregnant couple to rush to the emergency room for something normal, and we won’t be the last.”
“I guess.” But she still felt foolish. Sighing, she pulled back and looked at him. “Thanks for being so calm through all of this. I was freaking out and you just…you totally held it together and took care of everything.” A smile tugged at her lips. “You’re kind of my hero right now.”
That seemed to please him because his smile was a little dazzling. “I’ve never been anyone’s hero before.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
He arched one dark brow at her.
“Do you remember the night we met?”
“Vividly.”
“You were trying not to be too braggy about being the reason Billie and Marcus got back together,” she reminded him. “And I commended you on it and said…”
“It’s only fair. You’re kind of a hero,” he finished for her. “And while you did mention it that night, you just said a hero. Very general. Right now, you said I was your hero, and that means more than anything.”
“It’s true, you know.” Her breath was a little shaky because she was happy and emotional and a little overwhelmed, but as she placed her hand over his heart, she said, “Never in my life did I ever imagine a man could be as sweet and caring and amazing as you. Every day you show me how you feel without saying a word. At first, I didn’t trust it; at least, that’s what I told myself. The truth was that I didn’t trust myself, my own judgment.”
His smile softened as he simply listened.
“When you stepped out of the room when the doctor left to get the ultrasound machine, I told myself that…if the worst happened, I’d move back to Florida because I wouldn’t be able to handle seeing you every day knowing what we lost.”
“Hailey…”
“Then when he told us that sound we were hearing was our baby’s heartbeat, it was…it…” She paused. “We’ve talked about me being pregnant and that means there’s a baby, but that rapid little heartbeat just made everything real. Like…really real, and I’m already in love with that tiny little strawberry.” Tears stung her eyes, and she noticed Max’s eyes looked a little bright too. “I know we said we could co-parent, but…I don’t want that.”
His expression fell and he went to move away, but she clutched the front of his shirt and tugged him close.
“I don’t want to just co-parent with you, Max. I want…”
“Here you go!” A nurse cheerfully called out as she walked into the room, effectively ruining the moment. “I have all your paperwork here. We sent your prescription to the pharmacy you requested. Be sure to pick it up and start taking it right away.” She handed Hailey a pen. “You just need to sign them and then you are free to go!”
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Max inching toward the door. “Max?”
“I’m going to pull the car up to the front door. I’ll meet you out there.”
Well, crap.
I guess I can profess my love to him when we get home…
It was as if the universe had sent out a signal to all the Donovans because as soon as Hailey got in the car, her phone started blowing up with texts. Then his father called to find out what was going on and to find out how Hailey was doing. Max filled him in on everything.
“You didn’t mention anything to Kevin, did you? Did Ronan?”
“I didn’t say anything to either of them. I did what you asked and said you think you got food poisoning. Naturally, Ronan wanted to know what you ate since there are only a handful of restaurants in town, so that was a whole thing.”
Chuckling, he asked, “So, what did you tell him?”
“I said you ate some leftovers you found in the back of the fridge and, obviously, they had gone bad. He seemed to believe me.”
“Very resourceful, Dad. Thanks.”
“So Hailey’s really okay? The baby’s fine?”
“Everyone’s healthy,” he said, and it felt so good to say it out loud. “We’re on our way back to the house now.”
“Your house or Marcus’?”
“Dad, you know our house isn’t ready yet, so we’re obviously going back to Marcus’.” And honestly, right now, he seriously wished they were going to their own home.
“Okay, okay, no need to get testy. I was just asking.”
“Sorry. It’s been a stressful afternoon.”
“Don’t worry about it. Is there anything you need? Anything I can do?”
“Thanks, but I think we’re just going to go home, order some takeout, and relax.”
“That’s probably the best thing. Call me tomorrow and let me know how she’s feeling, and we’ll work on rescheduling that walk-through.”
“You didn’t do it? I just figured you and Ronan would still go.”
“We did, but we want you to see it too. This is a group effort.”
“Then Marcus should be there too.”
“Pfft…your brother doesn’t want to be involved in this part. He’ll want a full report with all the legwork done before he’ll even want to talk about it.”
Laughing softly, he had to agree. “That makes sense. Okay, I’ll call you tomorrow. And thanks again.”
“I didn’t do anything. Just try to relax tonight.”
“We will. Talk to you tomorrow.”
When he hung up, he noticed Hailey was just slipping her phone back into her purse. She sighed softly.
“Everyone updated?” he asked.
Turning her head, she gave him a small smile. “Luckily it was a group text, so it was easy to just have to answer everything once, but it was incredibly sweet how concerned they all were. They’re dropping food off at the house for us for dinner, so that’s one less thing we have to do tonight.”
“I wonder if…”
“Jade’s bringing stuff from the coffee shop, so yes, there will be cake.”
They both laughed at that and it made him happy how she already knew what he was thinking. All the time they’d been spending together really had made a tremendous difference for them. Clearly Hailey was feeling it too because it seemed like she was building up to something big back there at the hospital before the discharge nurse came in and interrupted them.
“Hey, um…”
“I swear I can’t wait to get back to the house, put on jammies, and just sit on the couch and eat while we watch some TV,” she said, completely unaware that he was about to ask her a question. “The girls didn’t mention what they were specifically bringing, but is it wrong that I’m hoping Chloe made her enchiladas?”
Okay, so maybe he needed to be patient—again—and pray that whatever it was Hailey was going to say back at the hospital, she’d feel led to tell him again sometime soon.
Never pray for patience because it clearly turns into a test…
The rest of the drive, they talked about food, and it felt like they were both trying to keep the conversation light and neutral instead of addressing how emotional everything was. It seemed odd, but he supposed it would be better to wait until they were home and relaxed to have a deep conversation.
When they pulled into the driveway, there were multiple cars there and he did his best not to sound disappointed when he said, “It looks like we’ve got company.”
Her first response was a soft hum as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “They mentioned that they didn’t want to bring anything over until after they heard from me, and considering it was only a thirty-minute drive, it makes sense that they’re here.”
“I guess,” he murmured. Max got out and walked around to the passenger side to help Hailey out.
“I’m fine, Max. I promise. You heard the nurse. I need to rest a bit, but other than that, I’m fine.” Then she gasped.
“What? What’s the matter? Are you in pain?” He was suddenly freaking out and had no idea where to look or whether it was okay to touch her.
The patient smile told him he was overreacting. “I’m fine,” she said again. “I just realized we probably should have stopped at the pharmacy on the way home.”
“Oh. Right.” He nearly fell to the ground in relief. “Let’s go inside and I’ll say hello to the girls and then I’ll head back out.”
“Thanks.” And before he knew it, she kissed him on the cheek. “Now let’s go see what’s for dinner.”
Following her inside, he smiled, and was extremely grateful for the love and support her cousins and Jade were giving Hailey. As soon as they walked through the door, there were all kinds of happy squeals and hugs as they led her through the house and into the living room.
“Hey, Max!” Jade called out with a big smile. As soon as they had Hailey situated on the couch, she came back into the kitchen. “How are you holding up? You okay?”
“I’m good, thanks,” he told her. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my entire life.”
“You handled it like a champ. When you called me earlier, I was seriously impressed with how calm you sounded.”
“I didn’t want to freak Hailey out. She was almost hysterical by the time I got her to the car, so I knew I needed to hold it together.”
She surprised him by coming over and hugging him. “You did good.”
His voice sounded gruff as he thanked her. When he took a step back, Chloe and Ashlynn were coming into the room and they both came over to hug him and see how he was doing.
One of the things he was learning about the Donovans since Marcus and Billie got back together was that they were an incredibly affectionate family. They hugged, they kissed, and they just loved on one another. It was very different from his own family. It had been like that when his mother was alive, but once she had passed, it was like all of those emotions died with her. He was getting used to all the touching and hugging again, and he had to admit that he’d been missing it all these years.
“I had a tray of enchiladas in the freezer,” Chloe was telling him. “I remembered how much Hailey enjoyed them, so I brought that over and I’m just waiting for the oven to finish preheating and I’ll put them in. They’ll only take around thirty minutes to heat up.”
Nodding, he thanked her.
“I brought over all the stuff to go with them,” Ashlynn explained. “Chips, salsa, guac, and a salad.”
Another nod as he thanked her too.
“I stopped over at Books & Beans and grabbed you guys a couple of brownies, a few chocolate chip cookies, two slices of the lemon pound cake, and two blueberry muffins. That should hold you over for a few days.”
Emotion suddenly overwhelmed him. “I don’t…” Pausing, Max let out a long breath. “I don’t know how to thank you guys. This whole day has been an emotional roller coaster ride, and I’m beyond thankful for all of this.”
“We’re family,” Jade assured him. “And this is what family does.”
“We know we’re a lot sometimes,” Ash added. “And I know that you and Hailey haven’t really defined where your relationship is, but just know that we consider you family.”
He wasn’t the kind of guy who ever cried, but for the second time today, he felt like he was going to.
“Why don’t you go inside with Hailey and just relax,” Chloe suggested. “We’ll handle getting dinner ready, and then we’ll get out of your way.”
That sounded amazing, but…
“As great as that sounds, I need to run back into town to pick up the vitamins that the hospital prescribed. Neither of us seemed to think about it on our way home, so I told Hailey I’d go back out to get them.”
“I can…”
Holding up his hand, he said, “I think Hailey would love it if you all stayed and hung out with her for a little bit. I won’t be gone long, and with everything that happened today, she might appreciate talking to people who can completely relate.”
“Max,” Jade said, reaching for his hand. “Yes, Hailey went through something traumatic today, but so did you. I don’t mind running into town for you.”
It was tempting to take her up on it, but there was also a part of him that needed to be alone to process it all. Hopefully they’d understand.
“Thanks, but…I think maybe I need a few minutes alone to just decompress. Today had a happy ending, but it was a lot in a short amount of time. It was only a few hours, but I swear I feel like I’ve been awake for days.”
“Then you should go,” Ashlynn agreed. “Take the time to just enjoy the quiet. We get it. We’ve all been there—maybe not in this exact situation, but trust me, there are just times when the only way to recharge is some time alone.”
“Go,” Chloe encouraged. “We’ve got this.”
“I won’t be long,” he assured them. “Tell Hailey…”
“We’ve got it,” Ashlynn said, giving him a playful shove toward the door.
So, he left and made his way into town, taking his time—and maybe even taking the long way—while he listened to the music on the radio. There were so many things that he should be thinking about, like the bar, the move, his and Hailey’s relationship, but he forced himself to just clear his mind and focus on the music and the scenery for a few minutes.
It was wildly therapeutic.
Inside the pharmacy, he stopped to talk to a few people and wandered the aisles for a few minutes before stepping up to the counter and paying for the prescription.
Back out in the car, he once again took a more scenic route back home, and when he looked at the dashboard clock, he saw he’d been gone for almost forty-five minutes. Feeling refreshed, he parked off to the far side of the driveway so he wasn’t blocking any of the girls’ cars.
He opened the door to the sound of laughter, and it was music to his ears.
So was the sound of the oven timer.
Dinner smelled delicious and he had a feeling he was going to agree with just how amazing Chloe’s enchiladas are.
“Just in time!” Jade called out when she saw him. The kitchen table wasn’t set, but Chloe was making up their plates.
“What can I do to help?” he asked.
“Hailey wanted to eat in the living room,” Ashlynn told him. “We set up snack tables for the two of you. She’s already changed into her pajamas, so if you want to change too…”
Laughing softly, he shook his head. “I’m fine, but thanks.”
Within minutes, the girls all said goodbye, the dogs were fed and he let them out to run around the yard, and he and Hailey were sitting on the sofa with a Mexican feast in front of them.
“Is this…”
“They’re virgin margaritas,” she said, picking up her glass. “And they’re delicious.”
Taking a sip, he had to agree.
“Okay, what are we watching?”
Hailey grinned at him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m a sucker for Hallmark movies. There’s one on now and it’s one of their wedding ones. I read the book, and the movie’s definitely different from it, but I still love it. Is that okay?”
Normally, this would be torture for him, but she looked so happy that he didn’t want to say no. “Um…sure. Why not?”
She didn’t look like she believed him, but she still turned it on and then settled in to eat.
The enchiladas were amazing. The brownies were decadent and delicious as always.
And the movie was surprisingly entertaining.
But once it was over and he cleaned up the dishes, he saw that Hailey was yawning and looking like she was ready to crash.
“Hey,” he said quietly. “Why don’t you go up to bed? I’m just gonna finish straightening up, get the dogs settled for the night, and maybe go and check some emails.”
Standing, she stretched. “I know it’s early, but I just can’t seem to keep my eyes open.”
Walking over, he gently pulled her into his arms. “It was an emotionally exhausting day. You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep.”
She yawned again. “You’re right.” Stepping back, she looked up at him. “Don’t stay up too late. It was an exhausting day for you too.”
Unable to help himself, he caressed her cheek. “I promise I won’t work too late.”
With a brief nod, she moved in close again and kissed him on the cheek. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Hales.” He watched her walk away, but didn’t move until he heard her bedroom door close. They had been sharing a room now for more than a week, but tonight he was going to sleep in the other guest room. Hailey needed her sleep, and he was afraid of waking her up when he finally went to bed later.
For the next fifteen minutes, he put the snack tables away, wiped down the kitchen counters, and then just roamed around the downstairs to make sure everything was back in the pristine condition he knew Billie appreciated. He called the dogs and it took a few minutes to get them inside and calmed down. He got everyone some fresh water and talked to them as he led them down the hall to the room his brother set up with all their beds. Once they were settled, he put the gate up to keep them from roaming all over the house.
Then he went up to his apartment and checked emails, ran some reports for his clients, and tried to get ahead on some agendas for the next week. By the time he was done, it was after eleven and he knew Hailey was sound asleep. It would be easy to just sleep right here in his apartment, but he hated the thought of her being alone in the house. If she woke up with any pain or any other issues, he wanted to be close by.
The events of the day were catching up to him and walking back down the stairs and over to the house took way more effort than normal. Inside, he locked up and trudged up the stairs to the guest room.
Stripping down to his boxer briefs, Max slid under the blankets and immediately turned out the light. He yawned before rolling onto his side to get comfortable.
“Maybe I should have checked on Hailey,” he murmured, rolling back onto his back. Turning his head, he glanced at the bedside clock. Eleven-twenty. For the next five minutes, he tried to convince himself that she was fine and didn’t need him checking on her and that he was being a little too overprotective. She was probably thankful to have the bed to herself.
Closing his eyes, he let out a long breath, telling himself it was okay to go to sleep.
That’s when the door slowly creaked open.
What the…?
“Max?” she whispered.
He sat straight up. “Hailey? Are you alright?”
“Shh…I’m fine.” He felt the mattress dip and the blankets shift as she crawled into bed beside him. They shifted and slid under the blankets a bit before they faced each other. With the sliver of moonlight barely illuminating the room, he could still make out her face. “How come you’re sleeping in here?”
Shrugging, he told her the truth. “I wanted you to get a good night’s sleep and I didn’t want to disturb you by coming in late.”
“Oh.” She snuggled closer and settled with her head on his shoulder and his arms around her. “I dozed off for a little bit, and woke up and you weren’t there. Then I heard you come in and waited for you. After a few minutes, I figured out that you were in here.”
“I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing.”
“I appreciate that you were trying to be selfless, but…I missed you. I like our nights when we come to bed and talk and fall asleep all tangled up together.”
It was a big declaration and he hoped it was going to lead back to whatever it was she was going to say to him earlier.
“I enjoy that too,” he said, holding her a little closer.
“I was really scared today. Like…I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared. Having you there with me was…it meant everything to me, Max. Thank you.”
“I told you, we’re in this together, and if there’s something wrong, I’m going to do everything in my power to make it right. And…” Pausing, he swallowed hard. “That’s our baby. The two of you are my entire world, Hales. I want to take care of both of you.”
Nodding, she yawned. “Mmm…you do it very well.”
That made him smile. “I’m glad you think so.” It was his turn to yawn. “Now, let’s get some sleep. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.”
She hummed softly again. “Night, Max.” He felt her place a kiss on his chest.
“Goodnight, beautiful girl.” Closing his eyes, he felt himself drifting off when…
“I love you.”
Eyes wide open, he fought the urge to wake her back up. This was the second time she’d said it in her sleep and now more than ever, he desperately needed to know if this was really how she felt and why she couldn’t say it when she was awake.
Unfortunately, sleep was desperately calling his name and no matter how hard he tried to fight it, he couldn’t stay awake. So, he did the only thing he could do and said, “I love you too.”