14
ROWAN
Panic. That’s what I feel when I see Everly barrel into the clubhouse. Something must have happened. We just got back from finalizing the details for the bar opening this weekend, but I wanted to be with her. Now, I know I should have been.
Then she speaks and I know what happened. Sophie happened. Sophie who is wearing a very guilty expression right now. Sophie, who my brother can deal with later.
“I’m just trying to keep you safe,” I tell her gently.
“How can you really keep me safe if I don’t know what I’m being kept safe from?” She asks exasperatedly.
I blow out a breath. “You’re right,” I admit.
“I’m sorry, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.
I won’t keep anything from you any longer.
” The surprise is evident on her face, but then she winces and rubs her hand down her back.
“Are you in pain?” I ask, reaching out to gently rub her shoulder.
She waves me off. “I’ve just been having these sharp pains in my back on and off today.”
Sophie gasps. “Ev, that’s labor! Why didn’t you say anything?”
Everly’s face goes white as a ghost. “Labor?”
Sophie nods her head with a soft smile. “Yes, labor. Your little one is ready to meet their mama.”
Everly’s eyes fill with tears, and the moment would be sweet if I wasn’t freaking the fuck out right now. Everly is in labor.
My brother must see me freaking out, because he comes over and pats me on the back. “It’s going to be okay, Ro. Just go up and get her hospital bag. Sophie and I will go to the hospital with you guys.”
I nod my head mutely before rushing up the stairs and grabbing Everly’s bag and a few things for myself, remembering to grab my present for the baby. Everly packed her bag, with Sophie’s help, a few weeks ago thankfully.
By the time I get back downstairs, Everly seems to be in more distress.
I rush over to her and drop our bags. I hear Grayson order the prospects to take our things to the SUV and I wrap my arm gently around Everly’s waist, guiding her to the vehicle.
Once I get her inside, I rush around to my side and start the vehicle, seeing Grayson and Sophie getting into his truck in my rearview mirror.
I pull out of the clubhouse lot and onto the street, peeling out and heading toward the hospital.
“You don’t have to go so fast,” Everly laughs. “The baby isn’t coming right this second.”
I give her a pointed look. “Are you sure about that?”
“Nope,” she chuckles.
We’re silent for the rest of the drive and when we pull up to the hospital, I take Everly inside and get her settled before going back out to her SUV to get all our bags.
When I head back inside, Sophie and Grayson are with her.
Sophie gives her words of encouragement before they make their way to the waiting room.
I sit with Everly as she tries to get some rest. She’s already five centimeters dilated so they offer her an epidural. She accepts and I’m thankful, because seeing her in pain is killing me.
When the epidural kicks in, Everly is finally able to get some sleep. I can’t, though. I just watch her. She’s so damn strong and she’s taking all of this like a pro.
The nurse walks in and wakes up Everly so they can check her cervix again. I turn around while the nurse does her exam.
“Well, Everly, you’re ten centimeters dilated,” the nurse says making me whirl around. “I’ll go get the doctor so we can start to push.”
The next few minutes are a whirlwind. Multiple nurses flood the room and set the bed up for delivery. I can see the anxiety rising in Everly, so I walk over to the bed and take her hand.
She looks up at me with wide hazel eyes. “I can go get Sophie if you would be more comfortable,” I tell her.
She clasps my hand hard. “No! Please, don’t leave me.”
“I won’t leave you,” I murmur softly.
“Okay, Everly,” the doctor calls out as she enters the room. “It’s time to push. Are you ready?”
Everly doesn’t answer, she just turns to me with pleading eyes.
“She’s ready,” I tell the doctor as I squeeze Everly’s hand and give her a weak smile. “You’ve got this.”
I never would have thought that I would be standing here, offering my strength to a woman I didn’t know a year ago as she delivers her baby, but here I am. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Sophie is in active labor for forty-five minutes before her baby arrives.
A beautiful little girl with her mama’s black hair.
When they clean the baby up and hand her to her mother, I can’t help but smile.
Everly has never looked more stunning than at this moment.
Her hair is in a messy bun with tendrils hanging around her face, her eyes are tired from exerting herself and she’s covered in a thin layer of sweat, but she’s the most beautiful woman in the world as she smiles down at her little girl.
In that moment, I realize that I’m fucked.