He moves from his chair to the cushion next to me. Putting his arm around my shoulders he says. “You can. And—if Danny doesn’t step up, I’d like you to stay with me. I’ll help you.”
My hands fly to my cheeks. “I—well—I—”
He pats my knee. “Just think about it. I don’t mean it as a romantic thing. You know where I am on that. It’s just—I like kids. And I like you. You deserve some help.”
I catch my breath. “Wow. That’s—that’s huge, Slade. Thank you.”
He winks again. “Besides, Danny loves you. I have no doubt he’ll do the right thing.”
The right thing. What is the right thing?
I don’t want Danny to stay with me because I’m having his baby. He might feel stuck. I also don’t want to count on him only to have him leave because he can’t deal.
* * *
I roll over and pull the blanket around my neck. I grab my phone and check the time. Four-fifty-six. I almost slept the entire night.
I flip on the lamp on the side table and sit up. I rub my face and stretch a bit. When I stand, a bright stain on the sheet pulled over the couch cushion draws my eye.
My stomach turns to lead.
Blood.
I check my sleep shorts. Oh no.
Oh, God. Please no.
I knock on Slade’s door.
“Mo?”
“Hey. I think I need to go to the emergency room.”
In only a second or two Slade stands in front of me, hair wild, eyes wide. “What is it?”
I look down. “I’m—bleeding.”
He grabs my shoulders. “Oh, hell. I’m sorry. Okay. Let’s get you to the emergency room.”
I get a change of clothes and stuff them into my bag.
Slade bundles me into his truck. “Are you hurting?”
I shake my head, but my heart races. “This is all my fault. I wasn’t sure I wanted this baby and now God’s going to take her away.”
He pats my arm. “Don’t say that. You don’t know that. I read in that book some women do something they call spotting. Maybe you’re just spotting.”
The warm flow between my legs doesn’t feel like spotting. But I don’t say that. I just bite my lip and grip the arm rest until we get to the hospital.
The glaring lights of the emergency room waiting area bounce off shiny floors and illuminate the seemingly deserted building. The too-clean smell turns my stomach.
* * *
Once they have me settled and we’re waiting to see a doctor, Slade holds out his hand. “Let me see your phone.”
“Why?” I pull it from my purse and hand it to him.
He swipes the screen and hands it back to me. “Code?”
I type in the four numbers. “What are you doing? Didn’t you bring yours?”
He takes the phone and taps the screen a couple of times and holds up his finger in a signal to wait. “Hey, man. It’s Slade. Yeah, I know it’s early, sorry. Listen, I’m with Mo. We’re at the emergency room. No. No. She’s okay right now. But you may want to come be with her.”
My already heavy stomach sinks further. I glare at Slade. “What are you doing?”
He hands me the phone. “He’s on his way.”
* * *
The nurse comes in and takes my vitals. Danny jogs into the room as she removes the blood pressure cuff.
Slade slips out around the curtain.
Danny slides to his knees next to the bed, taking my hand as the nurse releases it. “Babe, are you okay?”
His hand is warm on my cold one, though it trembles as much as my own.
He smoothes his other hand over my belly. “It’s going to be okay, Mo. Whatever happens, it’ll be all right. I’m here. Whatever you need. Whatever you want.”
Heat gathers with moisture in my eyes. I drag in a deep breath. “But, Danny, our—baby…”
He wipes his cheek on his shoulder and sniffs. “Don’t worry. As long as you’re—we just have to keep you healthy.”
Danny sits on the edge of the bed and gathers me close, rocking. “Mo, I love you. No matter what happens, that won’t change.”
I twist his shirt in my fists as tears slip over my lashes.
Rachel pokes her head around the curtain. Her eyes are bright with unshed tears as she looks from me to Danny and back. “Can I come in?”
I open our embrace to include my best friend in the world. “God I’ve missed you, Rach.”
She dives into our hug. “I missed you too, Mo. And I’m so sorry about—about everything. Can you ever forgive us?”
I sniff and my chest aches. My tears seep into Danny’s shirt. “Nothing to forgive you for.”
“Aw, Mo.” Rach’s hug tightens around my shoulder. “I’m praying for this baby. It’s going to be all right, Mo. Just wait and see.”