Jack
FOUR HOURS LATER, there was still no sign of Hadley and I was losing my fucking mind. I couldn’t sit in my room any longer, so I headed for Bam’s. Pounding on the door, he opened it quickly and I pushed inside. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know, man. I’ve been trying to reach her for an hour.”
“Goddammit! Where was this clinic? I’m going there now.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No,” I countered. “You’ll stay here and call me if she shows up.”
I couldn’t have anyone around me right now. I was not in a good place.
Bam gave me the information, Lucy gave me keys to the SUV, and I rushed downstairs to the parking lot and took off toward the clinic.
As I pulled in, I scanned for the car Hadley had taken, but there was no sign of her, so I headed inside and pushed my way to front. “Sir, you’ll need to wait your turn.”
“I’m looking for Hadley Simon.”
“Are you family?”
“Her husband,” I lied. “She was supposed to meet me and she hasn’t shown up.”
“She left here almost three hours ago. I think she was going to stop in at the cantina and after that, I don’t know. I actually have her test results if you’d like to take them to her.”
“Yeah, I can do that.” I took the paperwork from the receptionist and headed for the cantina. Hadley wasn’t there, so I climbed back in the car, just as my phone buzzed. “Jack.”
“Hey, man it’s Bam.”
“Is she there?”
“No. She’s had an accident.”
“What the fuck?” I slammed my hand against the steering wheel. “Where is she?”
“I’ll text you the address.”
I hung up and beat the shit out of the steering wheel again. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
Once Bam sent me the info, I plugged it into the GPS and pealed out of the parking lot, daring any cop who might make the mistake of pulling me over for speeding.
* * *
Hadley
“Ma’am?”
I forced my heavy lids open, frustrated because it hurt to open my eyes… my head was pounding so hard.
“There you are,” a kind voice said. “Can you squeeze my fingers?”
I did as she asked, losing my fight with wakefulness again.
“Ma’am, stay with me.”
“I can’t…”
“We’re gonna give you something for the pain, but I need you to open your eyes.”
“Where…?” I forced my eyes open again.
“You’re at the hospital. You’ve had an accident.”
“What?” I rasped.
Something was shoved in my nose and I grimaced.
“It’s just oxygen, honey. Breathe deeply.”
A bright light hit my pupils and I cried out.
“Pupils responsive,” a male voice said.
“What’s your name, honey?”
“Hadley Simon,” I said, swallowing.
“Do you know what day it is?”
“Thursday.” I frowned. “Why am I in the hospital?”
“You ran your car into a lamppost.”
“What?” I squeaked. “Was anyone hurt?”
“Just you, honey. It’s okay, we’re just checking you out now.”
I tried to find the voice, but I couldn’t get my eyes to cooperate.
“Have you had anything to drink?” a male voice asked.
“No. I was feeling sick, so I went to the urgent care. They said I had altitude sickness,” I said.
I groaned when something pricked my arm, then a soft hand rubbed my hand. “Just an IV, sweetie. We’re gonna get some fluids into you.”
“Is there someone we can call?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “Beau Nelson.” I rattled off the phone number and then my pain suddenly subsided and I sank further into the plastic mattress.
About an hour later, my eyelids finally felt less like sandpaper, but my head still pounded.
“Knock, knock.” An older doctor walked in and made his way to my bed.
“Hi, doctor,” I said.
“How’s our patient, then?”
“My head is killing me.”
“The IV should take care of your dehydration, which will help, and those pain meds should do the rest once they’ve kicked in. I’ve run a series of complete diagnostics so we can best determine why you passed out. Just sit tight and we’ll take good care of you while we wait for the results. You just try to get some rest and I’ll be back in just a bit.”
* * *
Jack
I parked (probably illegally) and rushed into the emergency room and to the nurses’ desk. “Hadley Simon. Is she here?”
“I’ll have a look, sir. Just give me a second.”
This all took a hell of a lot longer than I wanted to wait. “Damn it, lady, where the hell is she?”
“Sir, I need you to calm down.”
I took a few deep breaths, knowing that if I threatened the woman, I’d never be able to see Hadley.
“Are you family?”
“Husband,” I lied again.
“Okay, sir. I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Is she here or isn’t she?” I snapped.
“She is, but I need to get the doctor to come and speak to you.”
“Is she okay?”
“I don’t know her status. I’m sorry,” she said.
“Goddammit,” I rasped, dragging my hands down my face. My heart raced and my stomach roiled. I couldn’t deal with her being hurt or… worse.
“Sir?”
I spun to face an older man in a white coat and tried not to take him by the collar and demand answers.
“Are you Hadley Sim—”
“Yes. How is she?”
“She had a pretty nasty accident, but all-in-all, she’s doing well. Concussion and a few bruises, but nothing’s broken. We’re going to keep her in here overnight for observation.”
“Can I see her?”
“Yes. I’ll show you to her room.”
I followed the doctor down the hall and he pushed open the door and ushered me inside. Hadley was sleeping, but she looked so small in the large bed, and her face was marred with several bruises.
“The airbags did their job, but she did get a few bruises from the blast and the seatbelt.”
I tried not to lose my shit staring at her motionless body on the mattress. She had and oxygen mask on and she just looked wrecked.
“She’ll be sleeping for a little bit, but you can stay with her. We’ve run a few tests, so once those results are in, I’ll come back and fill everyone in.”
Shit! I left her paperwork in the truck.
“Thanks, Doc,” I said, and he left me alone with her. I dragged a chair to her bedside and took her hand in mine, lifting it my lips and kissing her palm. “I’m here, baby.”
* * *
Hadley
My head felt like someone was slamming an icepick into it. I heard myself groan and then a rough hand squeezed mine.
“I got you, baby,” Jack said. “Open your pretty eyes for me, will you?”
“It hurts.”
“I know, honey. Try.”
He squeezed my hand again and I forced my gritty eyelids open. Jack hovered over me, looking like he’d aged a decade since this morning.
He smiled. “Hey, baby.”
“What are you doing here?” I shifted with a grimace and he sat on the edge of the bed.
“Well, you weren’t at the clinic, so I had to find you.”
“I apparently passed out and crashed the car.” I blinked back tears. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I’ll pay for the damage.”
“You’re not gonna worry about the fuckin’ car, Hadley, you’re gonna worry about you.”
“Why are you here?”
“Because I love you.”
“What?” I squeaked.
“I’ve been an ass,” he said. “I should have told you sooner, but I’ve been tryin’ to fight it. I love you, Hadley, with every fiber of my being. I can’t live without you and I want to figure out how to make this work.”
I burst into tears which totally fucked with my head, but I couldn’t help it. I was so happy… and sad… and confused.
“Baby, do you love me? Or am I sittin’ here makin’ a fool of myself.”
“No. I love you. I love you so much it hurts.”
He leaned down and kissed me gently and I gingerly wrapped my arms around him and held him as tightly as my IV would allow.
Jack stroked my cheek and kissed me again. “Did you find out what was wrong at the clinic?”
“Sort of.”
“What did they say?”
“Altitude sickness is definitely part of it.”
“We should probably get you out of Colorado, then.”
I nodded.
He kissed my palm. “You gonna marry me?”
“You haven’t asked.”
“You want me to do something romantic?”
I burst into tears and Jack’s face dropped. “Baby, what?”
I shook my head. I had no words. I just couldn’t process anything in my drug-induced state.
“You’re scarin’ me, Hadley. You need to fill me in here, babe.”
“I’m…”
“You’re…?”
I took a deep breath and squeezed his hand.
“Baby, tell me. Are you okay? You can tell me anything,” he urged.
“I’m fine Jack… and so is the baby.”
“The baby? You mean… you’re…”
“I’m pregnant.”
“Holy shit,” Jack breathed out.
“We were so careful,” I whispered.
“Apparently, not careful enough.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Why the fuck are you sorry?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Because you didn’t sign up for that.”
“Baby, look at me.”
I forced myself to meet his eyes and the love I saw in them humbled me to my core.
“I love you. I’m all in. I want you to have my babies, I want to raise kids with you. I want it all,” he said. “This is something I could never allow myself to dream for, don’t you understand that? You’re giving me more than I deserve. I couldn’t love you more.”
“Jack.”
He kissed my palm. “Promise me you’ll marry me, and I’ll surprise you with a ring to die for.”
I smiled through watery eyes. “Okay, Jack. I’ll marry you, if you give me a ring to die for.”
“Good, because I kind of told them you were my wife so I could get in here.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did.” He leaned over me again. “I love you, baby.”
I pulled him down to kiss me. “I love you so much, Jack Henry. God, you’re just too much, even if my last name is now going to be Gornitzka.”
He laughed, kissing me again and again. “We could legally change both our names to something completely different.”
“No, I love all of you, so I’m happy to be a Gornitzka.”
“Hadley Gornitzka…”
“It’s better than Hadley Henry.”
He grinned. “I kinda like that, Hadley.”
I kind of did, too, but his name was his name and I wanted to honor that. I smiled and stroked his cheek. “I kinda like you.”
“Kinda like you too, baby.” He stroked my cheek, then took my hand in his again. “Where do you want to live?”
“Wow, straight to it, huh?”
“Not wastin’ anymore time. Been there, done that.”
Before I could respond, a nurse walked in wheeling a medical device. She smiled and made her way to the bed. “We’re going to give you an ultrasound to check the baby. Is that okay?”
“Holy shit,” Jack rasped.
I nodded. “That’s great.”
“Is this the father?” the nurse asked.
“Yes.” I squeezed his hand. “The very surprised daddy.”
“Well, I hope it’s a good surprise.”
“Very good,” Jack said.
“Great. Doc’ll be in shortly and we can check out that baby.”
“Thank you,” I said, and the nurse walked out, but returned quickly with another doctor.
They prepped everything, and once Jack calmed down after seeing the wand they planned to stick inside of me, the doctor took some images, declared baby was doing well, the heartbeat was strong, and we’d be holding our little boy or girl in about eight months.
This meant, I’d pretty much gotten pregnant right away. I was a little overwhelmed with this thought, but tried to remember Jack was here with me… not running for the hills.
“You okay?” Jack asked, pulling my focus back to him.
“I’m good, honey. Just tired.”
He leaned over me and kissed me gently. “Sleep. I’m not going anywhere.” He moved to my belly and kissed it. “Hey, baby. It’s daddy. Can’t wait to meet you.”
My tears started again, but this time I wasn’t scared as Jack kissed me again and I succumbed to sleep.
* * *
The next morning, I awoke to a room full of people. I instinctively reached for Jack who grabbed my hand gently and squeezed.
“Hey, baby,” he said.
Lucy rushed to me and gave me a hug. “Ohmigod, Had, I’m so sorry!”
“About what?”
“Everything,” she whispered.
“It’s okay, honey.”
Roxie hugged me next, but Rex just gave me a nod and a smile from across the room. “I’m really sorry about the car, Rex.”
“Don’t even worry about it,” he said. “Always hated that thing.”
Bam leaned down and kissed my cheek. “You look like shit.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
“Anytime.” He smiled. “Really glad you’re okay.”
I smiled up at him. “Me too, honey.”
Jack squeezed my hand again, then linked his fingers with mine.
“What are y’all doing here?” I asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be over at the Amphitheatre?”
“You’re a little more important than load-in,” Rex said.
Well, that made me feel all gooey and sweet. “Thank you. But I’m good.” I looked up at Jack. “They’re releasing me soon, so you guys should go.”
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, Hadley.”
“Jack—”
He squeezed my hand. “Not up for discussion.”
“Someone gonna fill me in on this?” Rex asked.
“I’m going to stay with Hadley until she’s released, then I’m checking her into a hotel, where I can take care of her.”
“Does that mean the world’s worst kept secret is finally out?” Rex asked.
“Don’t tease her, Rex.” Roxie smacked his stomach lightly. “Ignore him, Hadley.”
“If you all knew, why didn’t you say something?” I asked Roxie.
“Rex told me he and Jack talked…”
My head snapped towards Jack.
“I told him there was nothing between us!” Jack rushed to say.
“Which was a lie and I knew it.” Rex smiled.
“Alright, ‘Junior Detective Squad,’ here’s something you don’t know,” Jack said. “Hadley and I are getting married.”
“Jack,” I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. I just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.
I don’t know why I’d been so worried. The room erupted in hoots and hollers, and I was suddenly being hugged by everyone including Rex.
Jack looked down at me and raised an eyebrow. I nodded and he smiled wide.
“And here’s another newsflash… we’re havin’ a baby.” Jack beamed and the room once again was filled with cheers and hugs, albeit a little gentler this time.
Once they were done with me, they turned to Jack, and I watched in awe as his family surrounded him with genuine excitement. Jack shushed everyone, declaring I needed quiet, then sat beside me again and took my hand.
“We really need to get to the venue,” Lucy said.
“I’m not leaving Hadley.”
“Honey, you have a show,” I argued. “You have to play.”
“I don’t have to do shit,” he ground out. “Bam can fill it.”
“What’s this now?” Bam breathed out.
“You know all our songs, and you watch our show from the side of the stage every night?” Jack said.
“Yeah, but—”
“Well, who better for the job?” Jack asked.
“Do you mind doing it?” Roxie asked.
Bam crossed his arms. “No, of course not but, it’s Cramfest, and I’m not Jack Henry.
“He’s not so special,” I retorted, and Jack laughed.
“You do know all the songs, honey,” Lucy said.
“We’ll meet you in Idaho,” Jack said. “Hadley needs to get out of this altitude and I need a break from all this hugging.”
I was surprised how little convincing it took to get everyone to accept the fact Jack wouldn’t be at the biggest show of their tour. In the end, I think we all just knew Jack and when he made up his mind, there was no changing it.
The next morning, I was released and Jack loaded me into a rental car and we took off to lower ground.