“That’s what Mr. Manning, the younger one, said. According to her chart, it looks like there’s been some action. We took out the feeding tube because he said she tried to talk with it. Even said your name. Now we wait. If she’s coming out of it, she’s exhausted, and her body will only be able to stay awake for small amounts of time. But with the proper care, I believe Harlow is going to watch her little girl grow up. If we’re lucky.”
My knees buckled, and I had to grab the edge of the bed. The sob that broke free from me wasn’t something I could control. “She’s not leaving me,” was all I could say.
The door opened, and Mase came in and looked at me, then at Harlow. “Is she OK?” he asked in a panic.
“Yes. Mr. Carter is just overcome with the news that his fiancée will be waking up for good soon.”
“Thank God,” Mase muttered, and sank into the nearest chair, dropping his head into his hands.
“Right now, she needs Grant to talk to her. I suspect she was trying to wake up for him, and I’m sure she wants to know about their baby girl. Let’s give them some time alone,” the doctor said as he opened the door and waited for Mase to stand up and follow.
Mase looked reluctant to leave. “Will you send word as soon as she’s awake?” he asked me.
“Of course,” I assured him.
He nodded, then followed the doctor out of the room.
I pulled a chair beside her bed and sat down. Her hand was still cool, so I pulled it between both of mine and warmed it.
“I wasn’t here when you called for me. I was rocking Lila Kate. They let me hold her. She’s as light as a feather, and she smells really good. I sang to her. I sang every lullaby I could think of, and then I just started singing her Toby Keith songs. I think she really likes ‘I Love This Bar.’”
I took a deep breath. I wanted to see her eyes open so badly. It could be hours before she did it again. I had to be patient with her. Give her time.
“I read your letter. At least the first one. Blaire found the letters when she went to the house to get our things.” I stopped and brought her hand to my mouth and kissed it. “I don’t accept that. I mean, I accept the fact that I’m your world and your one and only, but I don’t accept that I won’t get forever with you. You opened your eyes before, and now you’re going to open them again. And you’re going to talk to me.”
“’K.” The word fell from her lips in a soft whisper, and my heart leaped from my chest. Her hand moved in mine and gave me a gentle, weak squeeze.
“You’re awake. You can hear me,” I said, staring in awe at her.
“Mm-hmm,” she said, still almost too softly. But I could hear her.
“Show me those eyes, sweet girl. I need to see those eyes.”
Her eyelashes fluttered a little, and then, as if in slow motion, they opened, and it took a moment for her to focus, but when she did, she was looking directly at me.
I stood up and bent down over her, then pressed my forehead to hers. “You did it,” I said before kissing her lips. They weren’t dry this time. The nurse had done as I requested. “And she’s the most perfect little girl in the world. I’ve told her all about you, and she’s getting impatient to meet you.”
A soft laugh escaped her mouth, and I took the first deep breath since she’d screamed out in pain in our bed.
“You laugh, but she’s demanding for a four-pound baby, and I’m pretty sure she’s already wrapped me around that tiny finger.” I pulled back so I could look at her. “You scared me,” I admitted.
She gave me a sad smile. “Sorry,” she whispered.
I cupped her face. “You came back. That’s all that matters. You didn’t give up. You opened your eyes for me. For us. Because, let me tell you, Lila Kate and I need her mommy very much.”
“See . . . her?” she asked, her whisper getting stronger.
“Wait right there. Keep those eyes open,” I told her, and backed up to the door without taking my eyes off her.
She smiled at me, and I winked back.
Opening the door, I still didn’t take my eyes off her. “She’s awake and talking to me. She needs water, and we need our daughter. Someone make that happen,” I called out to whoever was out there and could hear me.
A nurse ran up to the door immediately. I held Harlow’s hand as the nurse checked her vitals.
“You decided to join us. You have three very anxious men and one little girl who were waiting not so patiently to see you.”
Harlow looked at me. “Three?” she asked.
“Kiro and Mase and the rest of this town and every member of Slacker Demon. But yeah, your brother and dad are going to want to see you. They’ve been here the entire time. We had to force Mase to take a shower and change, because he showed up filthy and smelling bad after a middle-of-the-night emergency with a horse.”