“DAD, ARE YOU sure it isn’t time for you to go back to London or maybe Savannah?”

“You’re stuck with us until our grandson arrives,” Oren said with a grin.

I eyed him up and down. “I do admit, this family-man thing is looking good on you.”

“I know… I should have tried it sooner.”

I shrugged. “Better late than never.”

“Now back to what I was saying. Higgins lost the reelection, but Carroll is still in. That finance bill we fought five years ago was pocket change compared to some of the shit they have ready to be heard.”

“It’s good that Higgins is out. He was dirty anyway. I’m surprised he made the last term.”

Oren shook his head as he leaned back in the chair across the desk from me. “I’m learning more and more about Georgia politics. There’s some good people, but the old guard is hard to oust.”

“One at a time, I suppose.”

“Have you spoken to Carroll?”

“I have,” I admitted. “The distribution centers we opened a few years ago are working three shifts a day. But you’re right, the new national bill could seriously hurt us by taking away the tax breaks we were given.”

“Those were guaranteed for ten years.”

“What is that in political years?”

Oren nodded. “I think it’s time to court the new elected officials. We need to concentrate on the states that have supported business in the past. We have more than Demetri now. We have Montague now too.”

“I don’t feel right…”

“Why? It’s your wife’s company. We’re not at odds. We want the same things.”

“Lennox,” Silvia said as she opened the door. Her brown eyes were wide with concern.

I jumped to my feet. “What is it?”

“Alex didn’t want me to say anything, but I can’t keep quiet any longer. She needs to get to the hospital.”

My gaze met Dad’s as we both rushed toward the doorway. “Have you called Clayton?”

“Yes, he’s getting the car.”

I stopped and looked at Silvia. “Will that be all right or do you think we should call an ambulance?”

“He’s here now. Go. Jane and I have Angi. You all go up to Mount Sinai and keep us posted.”

Charli held tightly to my hand as Clayton navigated the wet roads, getting us all closer to Mount Sinai Hospital. I’d called her OB/GYN and he was meeting us there.

“You’re going to be just fine,” I said for the hundredth time.

Charli exhaled in puffs as she nodded. “This happened faster than last time. I was barely feeling it and now…” Her words trailed away as her eyes closed and she blew again.

I peered out the windows. “We’re almost there.”

“Oh, Nox.” She reached for her stomach.

As she did, I did too. It was hard, rock-hard. “Princess, it’s a contraction. Squeeze my hand and blow.”

“I know what it is!”

Oren and Adelaide’s eyes grew wide as they pretended to watch the passing traffic.

“Clayton!” I called, not knowing what to say to my wife, the woman who was about ready to break every bone in my hand. I’d used that hand to break bones. I’d used it to give pleasure. I’d even rocked our daughter holding her in that hand.

All I could think about was that I’d never be able to do any of that again. Not with the pressure she was applying. I’d be rocking little Nic with a cast around my fingers.

Finally, the car came to a stop outside the emergency room doors. Lying in wait was a team of orderlies and nurses. “Mrs. Demetri?” one man in scrubs asked.

“Yes,” I answered as I helped Charli from the car to the waiting wheelchair.

“Sir, come with us,” he said as he reached for Charli’s wheelchair. “Mrs. Demetri is already registered. Let’s get you all up to Labor and Delivery.”

A few minutes later, I paced back and forth while Charli’s doctor performed all the necessary steps. I expected him to say we had a long haul in front of us. I expected the speech we’d gotten with Angelina about how babies have their own sense of urgency.

That wasn’t what he said.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Alex’s water just broke and your son is crowning. It’s show time.”

Charli’s head went back and forth. “No shows. This is real.”

I smoothed her beautiful hair away from her face. “I think that means there isn’t time for any pain medicine.”

“I-I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Trust me, princess. You can do anything.”

Her eyes closed. “Doctor, it’s so fast. Is it all right? Will he be all right?”

“Don’t worry, Alex, your son has his mind set. He’s ready to meet his mom and dad. There isn’t anything we can do to dissuade him.”

“He’s a Demetri, all right,” Charli murmured.

“When did the contractions start?”

“Not that long ago. They weren’t even strong until suddenly they were.”

“How fast are they coming?”

“We were timing every four minutes in the car,” I volunteered.

Suddenly the room was filled with people in scrubs as someone covered me with a paper gown.

Charli peered at me with wide eyes. “You need to tell Momma and Oren.”

A new wave of uneasiness washed through me. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Are they close?” the doctor asked.

“Right outside, I think.”

“Go. Hurry back. You have time.”

As Charli nodded, I let go of her hand and weaved through the crowd of people. The hallway seemed quiet compared to the mayhem within the delivery room. I didn’t have to look far to find our parents’ concerned expressions.

“The doctor said everything is fine,” I reassured. “But things are moving fast.”

“How fast?” Adelaide asked.

“He’s crowning.”

She gasped as Oren nodded. “Demetri men are determined.” He patted my shoulder. “Go. We’ll be right here.”

“Lennox,” Adelaide said, “tell her I love her… we love her.”

I smiled. “I will.”

I rushed to Charli’s side as her neck strained and back arched. Her feet were up and the doctor was in place. “I’m here. You’re doing great.”

Charli nodded with tears in her golden eyes.

“Squeeze my hand. Let me take some of the pain.” She reached for me, her petite hand falling into my palm. As she squeezed my skin blanched. “Do you trust me?”

“Y-yes.”

“Then believe. You’ve got this.”

“Talk to me,” she said.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“The story you tell Angi. Tell me.”

My chest tightened as I concentrated on my wife, doing my best to block out the other voices. “You want to hear a bedtime story?”

Charli nodded as her expression contorted.

“Okay… listen to my voice. Don’t think about anyone else.”

She nodded again as her shoulders relaxed and grip loosened. “There once was a princess…” she began.

“There once was a beautiful princess,” I went on, “with flowing hair of red and eyes of gold. She lived in a castle with shadows all around. They darkened the corridors and rooms. They’d fly all around while soldiers stood guard, but the princess wasn’t scared. She was the bravest princess of them all.

“She was so much smarter than her evil captors that she even escaped. While free from the castle’s shadows and resting in the sun, she met a man. Little did she know that the man she’d met also lived in darkness, in the blackest of night. Unready to show the world his face, he kept it hidden by a mask and cape. His disguise was work. He wrapped his days and nights with it and kept the rest of the world away.

“One day, the mean dragon with beady eyes and fiery skin lured the princess back to the castle. Knowing her kind heart, he tricked her.”

“Push, Alex,” the doctor said. “We’re almost there.”

“Keep going,” Charli said as her face grew red. “This is my favorite part.”

“Did Prince Charming save the princess?” one of the nurses asked.

“No,” I said, kissing Charli’s forehead. “Batman did. And she saved him, too.”

With my cheek near hers, we both turned toward the ringing cry of our son and watched as the doctor lifted Dominic’s little body. A fine layer of dark hair covered his head as his arms and legs flailed in time to his healthy wail.

“And the best part,” Charli said with a smile as tears rolled down her cheeks. “They all lived happily ever after.”