Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“The only reason I’m shaking is because you assholes left me on the ice when she was in fucking labor,” he hisses. “Did you not think it would be important to be at the hospital?”
Max gets into the back and closes the door. “What hospital?” I ask, and I plug it into the GPS.
“Her water broke at the beginning of the third period,” Max tells him. “She didn’t want us to tell you.”
“Here’s an idea,” he says, turning in the front seat. “Don’t listen to her.”
“I was given orders, and I’m not about to fuck with a woman in labor.” He puts his hands up, and the phone rings. “Matthew, we are on the way.”
“Where is she? How is she?” Evan starts to freak out and grabs the phone from Matthew. “Let me talk to her.”
“They kicked me out of the room,” Matthew says, and I’m not surprised at this not one little bit. I’m surprised he lived to tell us about it, if I’m honest. “Um.’ He starts to talk, and I hear the quiver in his voice. “You guys need to get here as fast as you can, okay?”
“Where the fuck is my wife, Matthew?” Evan yells now. “Put my wife on the fucking phone now!” he screams the last part. “I want to talk to my wife.”
“Evan,” Max says silently. “Why don’t we get there, and you can see her for yourself.”
“I swear on everything I have—”
“Don’t,” I tell him. “If there is one person who will take care of her, it’s Matthew.”
“I want to talk to her,” Evan says softly. “I want to hear her voice.”
“Evan,” Matthew says, and you know he’s crying right now. “You need to get your ass here now,” he says, and he disconnects, leaving Evan just staring at the phone.
“She’s fine,” I tell him as I speed the whole way there. We get there in under seven minutes, and I run out with him. Security is there, and once he sees us in our jersey, he starts to fan all over us. “I parked my truck at the curve, can you take care of it?” I ask him and then turn to look at him. “Maternity?”
“Third floor!” he yells, and the elevator ride is the longest of my life, but it must be longer for Evan. He bounces on his feet, and the tears are in his eyes. He runs out of the elevator at the same time as I spot everyone, and then the gurney comes out of the room with Zoe standing beside the bed.
I don’t know what is going on as Max stops beside Allison and takes her in his arms. I spot Cooper and Parker in the same position. By the time I look down the hallway, Matthew is giving me a nod to Zoe, and I start walking to her when her sob rips through her, and nothing will stop me from getting to her. I make it to her just in time to catch her.
“It’s okay, Zoe. It’s going to be okay,” I say when I wrap my arms around her and bring her close to me. She must sense that it’s me. She looks up, and I see the pain in her eyes, the fear, everything that she has gone through has led to this moment with her in my arms. “I’ve got you, baby,” I finally whisper. She just buries herself in my neck, and my arms go around her waist. Her tears run down my neck, and all I can do is hold her.
“What is going on?” I finally turn and ask everyone. Cooper doesn’t do anything except look at me with his eyes almost glaring at me. I know we will have a conversation at another time, and I’m ready for it.
“She started bleeding,” Parker says, and then the nurse comes right out.
“If you want to wait in the waiting room, we will come out as soon as we have some news,” she tells us, and Zoe now looks at her.
“Is she okay?” she asks her. “You need to tell me she’s okay.” I put my arm around her and pull her to my side.
“She’s fine, but she is losing a lot of blood,” the nurse says, then looks at Zoe. “I’ll come out as soon as I know anything.” She turns and walks back into the restricted area.
“We should sit down,” Parker says, coming over to Zoe. “You should sit down.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Zoe says, her eyes still on that door. “I’m staying right here.”
“Do you want me to get you a chair?” I ask her, and she just shakes her head. “Someone get her some water or something,” I start to say to Matthew, and she turns to look at me.
“I can’t lose her,” she says, and the tears pour out of her eyes. “I can’t lose her.”