Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
GRANT
“Do the bags always take this long?” Luke asks.
I glance down at my watch. It’s been thirty minutes and nothing. There’s still plenty of time in the day. I know Georgia is going to be at the ranch, so Luke and I agreed I’d drop him off at home and then I’d go talk to her.
Assuming she wants to talk to me.
“They’re just behind. They did say a few flights were delayed from a snowstorm out east.”
I’m getting antsy. Now that we’re back in Montana, I want to see Georgia. We’re only one town over—Pinecrest not being big enough to have its own airport. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen her and spoken to her.
I’m hoping she’ll at least talk to me. I mean, showing up is half the battle, right?
My phone buzzes as the bags start to come out. Georgia’s name flashes across the screen. Huh. That’s odd. For not talking to me for weeks, now, when we’re back in town, is an odd time to call.
“Georgia?” I ask tentatively.
“Hi, Grant. This is Sam.” He clears his voice.
My nerves are on high alert. “Sam? Is everything okay?”
“Georgia went into labor.”
“She what?” It comes out louder than I intended, but holy fuck. “She’s not due for another four weeks.”
Luke looks worried as I press my finger to my ear. The bags are dropping and hordes of people are swarming the only carousel.
“Joey and Presley took her to the hospital. She’s in room two-twelve.”
“If you talk to Joey, tell her I’m on my way.”
“I can give you my number if you want. I know you’re in LA and need to catch a flight,” he says.
“I’m back in Montana but still at the airport. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I end the call and pick up my backpack. “Georgia’s in labor. We need to go.”
“What about our bags?” Luke asks.
“We’ll come back for them later.”
The two of us dart out of the airport and run to the taxi line. Thank God this town is big enough to have one. My truck is still at the house, but I don’t care. I need to get to the hospital.
Finding the first cab, Luke and I pile inside. “Pinecrest Memorial Hospital.”
“Is she okay?” Luke asks.
“I don’t know. We’ll find out soon.” I pat his knee. “She’s in good hands right now.”
“The baby isn’t supposed to be here until January,” he states.
“I know. Babies can come early. You were early.”
“I was?” he asks.
“Yup. Nothing to worry about.”
Maybe if I can convince him of that, then I’ll be able to convince myself. I’m sure Georgia is panicking right now. If I hadn’t left, I would be the one taking her to the hospital and she might be calm.
Doubtful. There is nothing calm about having a baby.
I just hope she doesn’t kick me out when she sees me.
The roads aren’t busy as we breeze through the main drag of town, heading to the hospital on the far side. When the building finally comes into view, I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Thanks, man.”
I throw a couple of bills at him, giving him far too much for the drive, but I don’t care. I’m running after Luke as we enter the main lobby of the hospital.
“Which floor?” he asks.
“Two.”
I stab the up button for the elevator, hoping it comes quickly. When the car doors open, we bolt inside and press the two.
“I’ll go see Georgia, and then I’ll let you know how she’s doing, okay?” I tell Luke.
“Okay. Can I get some money to get a snack from the vending machine?”
I fish out a few smaller bills and hand them over. “Sure. It might be awhile, so you can always get something delivered too if you want. I don’t want you eating only junk food.”
He shakes his head as the doors open and he goes toward the waiting area and I go the other way, counting the rooms until I find Georgia.
Now that I’m here, I’m nervous. What if she doesn’t want to see me? What if she takes one look at me and kicks me out?
There really isn’t much time to talk, considering her focus is on having the baby—as it should be—but I don’t want her to hate me on sight.
I take a deep breath and push the door open. Five sets of eyes stare back at me.
Georgia, all of her friends, and a nurse.
“Grant? What are you doing here?” Georgia asks.
Wisps of hair cling to her sweaty forehead, but she’s never looked more beautiful. “Sam called and told me you were in labor.”
“And you happened to teleport here?”
“We’re going to go wait outside. Call us if you need us,” Joey says.
They all pass by me, leaving the two of us with the nurse.
“I, umm, we were in town.”
Georgia cocks an eyebrow at me. “You happened to be in town?”
The nurse’s eyes are flitting back and forth between the two of us. “Everything is tracking nicely, Georgia. You’re getting close, so it shouldn’t be too much longer. I’ll be back to check on you in a little bit.”
“Thank you.” She smiles at her.
I wait until she shuts the door behind me to walk closer to the bed.
“What are you doing here?” Georgia asks.
“Luke and I were coming home.”
“I thought LA was home?” she asks.
I shake my head, dropping into the empty seat next to her bed.
“It’s a long story, but we made a mistake. Luke realized LA wasn’t as great as he remembered, so we came home. This is where he wants to be. Where I want to be. With you.”
Her lip wobbles. “Really?”
“Yes. I never want to be away from you, Georgia.”
She reaches her hand out to me and I take it like a thirsty man in the desert.
“Are you here for good?”
I nod. “I’m sorry, Georgia. You have to know I didn’t want to leave you. I never wanted to leave you, but this is why I had to go. I didn’t want to leave him on his own because Kari was too busy for her own kid.”
“I’m—”
“I love you, Georgia.” I cut her off. “I’m here. I never want to leave you again. You, me, Luke, and Potato.”
“Are you still calling him Potato?” She laughs.
“Do you have a better name?”
“I’m still leaning to Eli or Jack.”
The pressure on my hand increases as a contraction hits. I help her through it, brushing the hair off her head before she falls back on the bed.
“I really hate my friends. None of them told me how bad this was supposed to be.”
“What about me?” I ask. “Am I in that group?”
She shakes her head. “Even if I was mad, I could never hate you, Grant.”
I kiss the back of her hand. “Do you forgive me for leaving?”
“If you can forgive me for not picking up when you called. I’m sorry. I was so upset and hormonal because of this little guy and didn’t think I could have a rational conversation.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I say. “I love you so damn much, Cowgirl, and I never want to be apart from you.”
“Gah!” she yells.
Another contraction hits and I know it’s close. “Do you need me to call the doctor?”
“Yes. Shit, it really hurts.”
Grabbing the remote on her bed, I press the call button. It’s not long before they’re in the room checking her out again.
“It looks like it’s time to push, Georgia.”
“I don’t think I’m ready,” she says, tears welling in her eyes.
The doctors and nurses move around us, getting her ready, but I only focus on the woman I love.
“Yes, you are, Georgia.” I drop my forehead to hers. “I’m here. We’ll do this together.”
“I think only one of us is pushing a baby out today,” she says, breathing through the contraction.
“Whatever you need, I’m here. But you’re the strongest person I know. You can do this, okay?”
She nods, biting down on her lip.
The next hour goes by in the blink of an eye as she pushes. I keep encouraging her, trying not to wince as she squeezes my hand to the point of breaking it.
But when that cry echoes in the room, it’s the only thing that matters.
“He’s here!”
The doctor holds him up before placing him on Georgia’s chest.
Both of us are crying.
“He’s perfect,” Georgia whispers through her tears. “Absolutely perfect.”
I press a kiss to her head, trying to contain my emotions.
He has a full head of dark hair and is screaming his head off.
“I can’t believe he’s here.”
The doctor hands me a pair of scissors to cut the cord before they take him to clean him up and weigh him.
“You did it,” I say. “You were incredible.”
“I love you, Daddy,” she says.
“Not as much as I love you, Mama.”
Her smile grows at the word.
“I’m a mom.”
“You’re going to be the best mom ever to this kid.”
“Should we decide on a name?” she asks.
“You don’t like Potato?” I laugh.
“I am not going to call him Potato.”
“How about Eli then?”
“Eli.” Georgia smiles at me. “I like it.”
When he’s brought back over, wrapped up and calm, it’s hard to keep the tears at bay.
Because we’re here together. As a family.
It’s all we ever wanted. And I can’t believe we finally get it.