“Babe, can you follow us back in my truck?”
The moment I saw the tears build, I knew she thought I was upset with her. Shit. Shit. Shit. “I just don’t want to leave it out here for a few days until I can get it.”
I jumped into the truck and started it up. I pulled up next to my truck. Courtney was pulling herself up and into my truck. I tried to quickly tell her that I was not upset, but she shut the door. I honked the horn, but she wouldn’t look at me.
Ah hell, I know better than to kid around with a pregnant woman. “Shit,” I whispered as I took off toward the house.
The whole way there, I tried to get Layton to talk to me, but he was in a comatose state.
“Jesus, dude, you better snap the hell out of it before we get to the house. You’re gonna freak Whitley out.”
Layton turned and looked at me. “Her water broke. Do you know what that means?”
I tried hard not to laugh as I said, “Um…she’s fixin’ to have a baby?”
I came around the corner and pulled up, and Layton jumped out of the truck before I even stopped. Mimi came out with a huge smile on her face. I let out a laugh and shook my head. I knew Courtney would never leave Whitley alone being so close to the due date, but she was going to be pissed this had happened right when she left.
Speaking of, Courtney came barreling up in my truck and skidded to a stop before she got out of the truck. As she walked by, she shot me the finger.
“What the fuck?” I whispered as she walked by.
I jumped out of the truck, ran up to her, and grabbed her by the arm. “Courtney, why did you just do that?”
She looked away from me, but I turned her body around, so she was facing me.
“Fuck you, Reed. I hate you.” She had tears streaming down her cheeks.
My heart dropped to my stomach. “What?” I whispered. I dropped my arms and took a few steps back.
She looked so angry.
“Courtney, I was kidding, baby. I swear to you, I wasn’t upset about what you said about the flowers. Why are you acting this way?”
The next thing I knew, she threw my cell phone at me. “Just don’t talk to me until we get Whitley to the hospital. Until then, I don’t want to look at you. Prick.”
She turned and walked away. I picked up my cell phone and saw she had opened my text messages.
Reese: Hey. Do you want to meet sometime this week? I know we’ve been keeping this a secret from the wife, but I’m really excited to see you. This is going to be amazing.
I looked up at Courtney as she was walking toward the porch.
Fuck me. She thinks I’m cheating on her.
I ran up to her, but Layton came out, helping Whitley. Court walked up to her and took her other arm as she helped her.
“Court, I have to talk to you—now.”
She shot me a dirty look and turned back to Whitley. “Remember to breathe, baby girl. That’s it. You got this.”
“Courtney?” I said.
She let go of Whitley and turned to look at me. “What you have to say is not nearly as important as Whitley having a baby with her husband—her husband who is loving and caring and faithful to her.”
Layton and Whitley both stopped, and Layton turned and looked at me.
“What’s going on?” Whitley asked as she held her stomach.
Courtney glared at me. “Nothing important.”
As she turned to walk away, I yelled out, “I didn’t cheat on you, Courtney. Reese is not a girl, for fuck’s sake. It’s a guy.”
Layton really looked confused now. “Are you talking about Reese Michaels? The guy I got Lulu from?”
I let out a sigh and dropped my head. There goes my surprise.
I looked up, and Courtney had stopped walking.
She slowly turned around and looked at me. “Reese is a dog breeder?”
Layton said, “Yeah. I was wondering why you’d asked me who I got Lulu from. Y’all are getting a dog?”
“Oh, yay!” Whitley said before she bent over and let out a little yell.
Everyone ran up to her and helped her into Layton’s truck. Whitley sat in the backseat with Courtney, and I jumped up front with Layton.
“Wait!” I yelled. “I better bring my truck just in case. I don’t want to be stuck at the hospital or leave you stuck there.”
Almost forty minutes later, we were at the hospital in Fredericksburg. Things were so crazy, and I was waiting for Layton to pass out any minute.
When the nurse asked Whitley if she wanted anyone in the room, she said, “Just Layton.”
I looked around for Courtney but couldn’t find her.
Layton started to follow the nurse, but I grabbed his arm and said, “Layton?”
He turned and looked at me. “Yeah?”
“Take in every moment.”
He smiled and nodded his head before heading to where they had taken Whitley. I pushed my hands through my hair as I pulled out my phone. I sent Reese a quick message back about meeting him this week, but the cat was out of the bag. Right when I shoved my phone into my pocket, it began ringing. I pulled it out and saw it was—
Courtney?
“Court? Where in the hell are you?” I heard her sniffle. “Angel, are you okay? Please tell me where you are.”
“I’m in the courtyard. I needed fresh air.”
I looked all around and saw a sign that said, Outdoor Courtyard. “Baby, I’m on my way.”
I practically ran through the hospital and out the doors. She was sitting on the grass next to a tree. I walked up to her and sat down. When she looked in my eyes, I was gutted.
I always end up hurting her somehow. “I’m so sorry I always hurt you,” I said as I reached out to touch the side of her face.
“What?”
I shook my head. “I’m always hurting you, and I don’t know why.”
She grabbed my hands and said, “Why in the world would you say that? You don’t ever hurt me—ever.”
“Courtney, I swear to you, I was just playing around with you. I didn’t mean for you to think I was upset, and then you read that text, and for you to think that I would ever cheat on you…I guess I just thought maybe I’m not loving you enough and—”
“Stop.” She choked back a sob. “Please stop. Reed…I’m so sorry I even thought that. I was just already upset, thinking I made you upset, and when I saw that text, I just…” She looked down and then back up at me. “Those old memories came flooding back, and I’m so sorry I just assumed, and it kills me that I did. You have no idea how upset I am with myself that I jumped to conclusions too soon, and I just didn’t ask you. It’s all these hormones, and we haven’t had sex in so long.”
I let out a chuckle. “Baby, it’s only been four days.”
When her eyes captured mine, I sucked in a breath of air.
“You don’t understand. I need you, Reed. I need to feel you close to me. Sometimes, it scares me so much that I need you like I do. Nothing makes me feel better than you making love to me. You’re like my drug.”
I smiled as I gently ran my hand down the side of her face. “Come on, let’s go wait in the waiting room. The nurse made it sound like it wouldn’t be too long.”
I stood up and reached down to help her up. As she stood up, she gave me that look.
I tilted my head and looked at her. “Court?”
She bit down on her lower lip and said, “We can really win it.”
I rolled my eyes because I instantly knew what she was talking about. She and Whitley were bound and determined to be the winner in this whole public-sex thing.
“Reed, come on. Public sex…while pregnant. We’ve got this!”
My mouth dropped open. “We already did that. In the nightclub, remember?”
“Not while I was this pregnant. This pushes that one out the door.”
I started to walk off. “No, Courtney. I’m not fucking you while you are eight months pregnant in the hospital where our best friends are having th
eir first baby.”
She started following me and said, “Well, when you put it like that…”
I smiled as we headed back to the waiting room. All I could think about was how I wanted nothing more than to find an empty room and give her exactly what she needed.
Reed had his hand on my stomach as we both watched in amazement while an elbow moved across one side to the other side of my stomach. We both looked at each other and started giggling.
“Oh God, I can’t wait to see her.”
“Or him,” Reed said with a smirk.
I let out another chuckle and said, “Or him.”
Reed kissed me on the cheek as he picked my legs up and scooted out from under them. “Want something to drink?” he asked as Gracie jumped up with excitement.
Reed about busted his ass as he tried to maneuver around the twelve-week-old black lab he’d bought me the weekend Taylor was born. I smiled when I thought about Whit holding her daughter and how happy she was. I swore that Layton and Whitley had hardly left the house ever since they brought Taylor home.
“Damn it, Gracie. We are not playing again,” Reed said as he jumped over her.
I smiled and watched them walk into the kitchen. “What’s it going to be like when we have two babies in the house?” I called out.
Reed let out a moan. “Oh, I totally forgot. My mom told me to tell you that she has that baby blanket she ordered you.”
I would have jumped up and screamed if I wasn’t so pregnant. I hugged myself and let out an inner scream.
“Why did you have her order it?”
Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit! “Um…I don’t remember why I had her order it. I think I had left my purse in the car or something, and she just took care of it. I already paid her back for it though.”
I attempted to get up off the sofa, so I could grab my cell phone. “Reed? Will you cut me up an apple, please?”
I heard a loud crash, and Reed yelled out Gracie’s name.
“Sure, babe!”
I waddled my way over to my cell phone and quickly sent Reed’s mom, Melanie, a text message.
Courtney: Melanie, OMG! Did you get it?
I wasn’t surprised when she texted me back almost immediately.
Melanie: Yes. What does OMG mean? Anyway, I have it, and it looks amazing. The colors are beautiful, Courtney. Reed is going to love it. Should I have Paul bring it over?
Courtney: Yes! If he doesn’t mind. I’d love to hang it in the baby’s room and see how long it takes Reed to notice it. Oh…OMG means, oh my God or oh my gosh…however you want to say it.
Melanie: Why not just say, oh my God?
Courtney: OMG is faster!
Melanie: Dear Lord.
I laughed and put my cell phone down. I turned around to see one very excited puppy looking up at me. “Gracie! Do you want to play, baby girl? Will Daddy not play with you?” I said as I raised my voice higher than normal.
She began barking, and I started laughing when she ran to the front door.
“I’m telling you, this dog is brilliant. She learns so fast. I think we picked the best one from the litter,” I said. I made my way to the front door, opened it, and watched Gracie take off running.
Reed walked up and handed me a glass of sweet tea. I practically downed the whole glass as Reed watched me and smiled.
I pulled the glass away, took a breath, and said, “What?”
He chuckled and shook his head as he handed me my apple. “Nothing. I just love you more than life itself, that’s all.”
As he stepped off the porch, I tilted my head and smiled. The butterflies that went off in my stomach still amazed me. I was just about to tell him to make love to me when I felt a sharp pain in my stomach again. I placed my hand on my stomach, and it was rock hard the whole time the pain lasted. Once it let up, I let out a breath. This had been going on almost all morning.
Motherfucker. That was not comfortable.
I sat down on the rocking chair and watched Reed wear out poor little Gracie. She was so tired that she ended up just flopping down on the ground. Reed walked up to her and picked her up. He flipped her over and held her like a baby.
“What are you going to be, baby? A boy or a girl?” I whispered as the cool April breeze relaxed every inch of my body while I rubbed my hand on my stomach.
When another contraction hit, I grabbed the sides of the rocking chair and tried to breathe it out. Reed was now running around with Gracie, who had quickly gotten her second wind. I heard a car driving down the driveway and looked up. I didn’t think it could be Paul already. When I saw Layton’s truck, I tried to smile.
Reed grabbed Gracie and waved as he walked back over toward the porch. Layton parked and jumped out of the truck. Reed set Gracie down and walked over.
He shook Layton’s hand and slapped him on the back. “Where is my goddaughter?”
Layton let out a laugh. “Home. Napping with her mama. Whit asked me to bring some lasagna over to y’all.” When Layton turned and looked at me, he tilted his head a bit and gave me a funny look. “You okay, Court?”
I smiled and stood up. “Yep! Just tired. Haven’t been sleeping much. Want some tea?”
Layton nodded and said, “Yes, ma’am, that would be awesome.”
I turned and made my way into the house and to the kitchen. I grabbed the home phone and quickly dialed Melanie’s number.
“Hello, darling,” Melanie said.
“Melanie, it’s me, Courtney.”
She must have heard it in my voice because she instantly knew without me even telling her. “Okay, sweetheart. Have you told Reed you’ve started having contractions?”
I felt the tears building in my eyes. “No,” I whispered.
I wanted my mother here. She was supposed to fly down two days ago, but she had gotten held up with some stupid benefit dinner for Daddy’s office.
“Melanie, I’m so scared,” I barely said.
I wasn’t sure what in the hell was wrong with me, but for the last two weeks, I’d been scared to death about giving birth to the baby. I had talked to both my mother and Melanie about it. I needed to stay strong for Reed, but I couldn’t when I was so terrified.
“How far apart are they?”
“Um…maybe twenty minutes or so…give or take. I’ve been having small contractions all day, but I thought they were just the Braxton Hicks ones. They’re getting stronger and coming quicker.”
I heard her cover the phone and yell something to someone. “Court? Baby girl, I want you to hang up the phone and call your doctor. Then, you need to let Reed know, okay?”
I nodded my head even though she couldn’t see me.
“Then, I want you to have Reed call me when y’all are leaving for the hospital. Courtney?”
I sucked in a breath of air as I attempted not to get upset. “Yeah?”
“You are one of the bravest women I know. You’ve got this, okay? I promise you.”
“What if I do something wrong?” I said as I wiped a tear away.
“Oh, baby girl, you won’t. God knew what he was doing, and just like that, you will automatically know how to take care of that baby. You will know what to do to bring her into this world.”
I smiled. “Or him,” I whispered, thinking of Reed.
Melanie let out a laugh. “Yes, or him. Hang up and call the doctor, sweetheart.”
“Okay. But you’ll be at the hospital, right?”
“Yes, I’m going to leave now. Paul already left, so I will text him and tell him to hang up the frame in the baby’s room and then meet us there.”
“Okay. I’m gonna call Dr. Miller now.”
I hung up with Melanie, called Dr. Miller’s office, and told the nurse everything. She told me to head into the hospital. After I hung up with her, I quickly went to my cell phone and texted my mother. If I talked to her, I would break down crying.
Courtney: Mom, I’m in labor. Heading to the hospital.
I took a deep breath and headed o
utside. When I walked out, I caught a glimpse of Reed. Sometimes, I would just watch him without him knowing, and I would become so overwhelmed with the feelings I had for him that I would just cry. There was nothing stronger in this world than our love. With Reed by my side, there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do.
Another contraction hit, and I held on to the post and tried to breathe. Reed must have sensed I was there because he turned and looked at me. I tried to smile, but his face turned white, and he immediately ran over to me.
“What’s wrong?” he said as he grabbed my face with both hands.
“Um…contractions. We…we…need…to…leave now.”
His eyes moved all over my face before they landed on my lips and then slowly looked up to my eyes. “What?” he said.
I saw something change in his eyes. I nodded my head and smiled.
“Court? When did they start?” Reed asked.
Layton came walking up and smiled. “Courtney, where is your suitcase?” he asked.
I couldn’t even talk. The look in Reed’s eyes took my breath away. He looked so happy, the happiest I’d ever seen, and I knew it was because our baby was about to be born.
“It’s in the truck already,” Reed said.
He leaned down and kissed me. I’d never experienced such an amazing kiss. Something was so different about it. It felt like every fear I had been feeling for the last few months just disappeared. He gently pulled back just enough to where his lips were barely touching mine.
“I love you so much, and I’m so honored to be your husband and the father of this baby. Thank you, Courtney.”
I sucked in a breath of air and felt a tear slide down my cheek. Reed used his thumb to brush it away, and the next thing I knew, he was picking me up and carrying me to the truck. I buried my face into him and took a deep breath. I loved Reed’s smell. I often found myself going to his dresser and pulling out a shirt to smell it on the days when he would work long hours at the ranch. Something about his scent calmed me, just like it did right now.
When he set me down in the truck, he pushed my hair back away from my face and whispered, “Don’t be scared, baby. I’m going to be by your side every single second.”