Unexpectedly Yours(35)

His gaze froze on her. "Oh, Jesus. But why are you all alone? Haven't you called anyone?"

"My dad's coming." She sucked in a breath to steady herself. "But  listen, Derek, if I'm going to miscarry, then there isn't much to  prevent it. I hope you understand that."

"Miscarry-" He tugged wildly at his hair and cursed under his breath.

Hannah's heart ached for him. He wasn't ready for this. If only he  hadn't dropped in, then this would be over without him needing to  witness the grisly details.

"It's okay," she tried to soothe him, even though everything was far from okay.

"Hannah, we're here." Her dad's voice sounded from just outside.

Seconds later, both Frank and Rosalind entered the kitchen. They glanced from Hannah to Derek.

"Hi, Derek. Didn't expect to see you here." Frank threw him a puzzled look.

Derek's shoulders were still heaving, and his face was haggard. "Hannah's bleeding. We might lose our baby."

His outburst threw Frank and Rosalind into complete confusion. They  gaped at Derek and Hannah, before exclamations flew around the small  kitchen.

"Hannah's bleeding?"

"Oh my Lord!"

Frank marched up to Derek and grabbed him by the shirt. "You're the one who got my daughter pregnant?"

Hannah gasped at the sight of her loveable father so enraged. And then  she saw Derek's face blanched to the bone, and couldn't breathe.

"I-I'm sorry … " Derek stuttered, his lips pale with shock.

"Frank!" Rosalind squawked. "What are you doing?"

He paid his wife no attention as he shook Derek. "I never would've guessed it was you!"

"Dad, please, don't," Hannah groaned out, sickened by the antagonism swirling around her.

Derek tore himself free from Frank's grip and hunkered beside her, offering her a hand. "I'd better get you to the hospital-"

"No!" Frank barked. "I'll take her."

The nausea threatened to overwhelm her, and she squeezed Derek's hand.  "It's okay, babe," he murmured, stroking her hair. "I'm here for you."

Closing her eyes, she clung to his hand, finding comfort in his strong  grip and soothing touch. Derek seemed to know what she needed. She could  lean on him, depend on him. Maybe she'd underestimated him. Maybe he  was up to this.   





 

When the bilious wave receded, she opened her eyes and exhaled gingerly.  Her father was still glowering at Derek, but Derek, standing tall, was  gazing steadfastly back, looking like he wasn't going to back down an  inch.

"Mr. Willmett, I know you want to punch my lights out, but now's not the  time. I'm the father of Hannah's baby, and I'm taking her to the ER,  and that's final. You can bawl me out later, okay?" The sight of Derek,  shoulders squared, ready to fight for her, brought a sudden lump to  Hannah's throat.

Frank pushed out his jaw as if prepared to argue, but Rosalind grabbed  his arm. "Lordy, Frank, calm down." She nodded at Derek. "You go ahead."

Derek moved to stand in front of Hannah. There was a determined set to his lips as he helped her to her feet.

"You'll be more comfortable if you change before we go."

He followed her to the bedroom, where he helped her change into  sweatpants and a T-shirt. At his suggestion, she threw some spare  clothing and toiletries into a gym bag. He would have carried her out to  his truck if she hadn't insisted she was fine to walk. He tossed her  gym bag onto the backseat, then jumped behind the wheel. Frank and  Rosalind were right on their heels, Frank still thunderous.

"Don't worry," Derek said to Hannah as he revved the engine. "I'll take care of you."

But as they set off, her cramps weren't her only source of misery.  Without the baby there was no reason for Derek to remain in Pine Falls.  No reason for him to stick around with her. No reason at all.



In all his life, Derek had never been so petrified. Fear clawed at him  as he steered his SUV toward the hospital. He was so caught up, it took  him a while to notice the flashing police car on his tail. In disbelief,  he pulled over on the side of the road, and his old pal Officer Grady  appeared at his window.

"Why am I not surprised?" the officer sighed. "You failed to use your  turn signal at that intersection back there, and you're speeding."

"Just give me the damn ticket and let us go," Derek burst out. "I have to get Hannah to the hospital."

The policeman's attitude altered as he took in Hannah's hunched form in  the passenger seat. To his credit, he didn't waste time on unnecessary  questions. "Follow me. I'll give you an escort."

Thanks to Officer Grady's flashing police car, they arrived at the hospital in double quick time.

"Hope everything works out," the cop said.

"Thanks, Officer," Derek replied before helping Hannah into the ER.

It can't have been very long before she was admitted, but it seemed to  take forever. Sometime later, they were all in a treatment room, and  Derek watched the ER nurse hook Hannah up to a drip. The nurse was very  calm, and Hannah was deathly silent and limp as if paralyzed by fear,  but Derek wanted to yell and beat his fists and rage against the  unfairness of what was happening. But when he looked at Hannah, he  wanted to cry. Her dark blonde hair tumbled around the ashen oval of her  face, and her eyes were like dark pools. His heart tumbled over. Did  she know how much she meant to him?

He felt a tap on his arm and realized Frank was standing in front of him. "We should talk," Frank said.

Damn. Frank's face was set into an ominous scowl. He'd always thought  Hannah's dad liked him, but not after the way he'd reacted back at  Hannah's house.

"Can it wait?" Derek couldn't tear his gaze away from Hannah. "I can't leave … "

"It won't take a minute. And Rosalind's here. Hannah won't be alone."

Crap. He really didn't want to leave Hannah, but he didn't want Frank  giving off bad vibes at her bedside, either. With a sigh he followed  Frank out of the treatment room. They faced each other in the corridor.

"Look, I know what you're going to say. I'm a jerk for taking advantage  of Hannah, and you want to punch me, and I don't blame you." Derek waved  impatiently. "Is that about it?"

Frank gave him a hard stare. "Yes, I guess that sums it up."

"You can punch me later. Can I get back to Hannah now?"

"Derek, wait." Frank rubbed his jowls. "I can see how worried you are."

"Of course I'm worried!" Derek gulped, his anxiety spiking even further.

"You really love her, don't you?"

"I-" Derek heaved out a breath. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Frank nodded, and to Derek it seemed he was giving his approval. "If she  doesn't know that already, you make sure to tell her, son."   





 

Unable to wait a second longer, Derek hurried back to the cubicle. The nurse had gone, and Rosalind was holding Hannah's hand.

"The nurse said the doctor will be here soon," Rosalind said to them with a weak smile.

"Uh, Rosalind." Frank beckoned to his wife. "Why don't we let Derek and Hannah have a few moments alone?"

"But … " Rosalind frowned before she appeared to register something in her  husband's expression. She squeezed Hannah's hand and left the cubicle  with Frank.

Derek shuffled over to stand next to the bed. He hesitated a second  before clasping Hannah's small, cold hand. She didn't say anything, just  lay there, uncomplaining, while he couldn't stop the spinning inside  his head. Her quietness began to alarm him. Maybe, deep down, a part of  her would be relieved if the baby was lost. She'd be able to go to  nursing school full-time, her life wouldn't be turned upside down. Pain  overwhelmed him. But when he looked at her more closely, he knew he was  wrong to suspect that. Hannah was as frightened and hurting as much as  he was. He could sense it in the faint quiver of her bottom lip, the  lines of worry pulling at the corners of her eyes, the death grip she  had on his hand.

He searched for something reassuring to tell her.

"I'm buying a house," he blurted out. "It's just a few blocks away from you."

"What?" She shook her head in bewilderment.

"It's got a big barn that's just right for my equipment."

"Derek, what are you talking about?"

"I'm moving back here. I don't care about my TV career. I'll have to finish this season, but after that I'm done."

Hannah struggled to sit upright. "This is crazy. You've obviously lost your mind."

"No, I'm very sane. I'm making a crib for the baby. I'll show you the  plans later." Now that he was talking, he couldn't seem to turn off the  tap. "When the baby's older, like a year maybe, you can go to nursing  school part time, and I'll look after him or her."

Hannah just gaped at him. Clearly she thought he was nuts.

Desperation and desire crashed over him.

The emergency department was noisy and busy, with people constantly  hurrying past the treatment room. The drapes around the bed didn't give  them much privacy, while the fluorescent lights and antiseptic smells  were hardly what you'd call romantic. But he couldn't wait. This was the  crucial moment to open up and bare his soul, no matter how excruciating  that was.