Chapter Thirty

Kelly

Kelly unlocked the door of her apartment, looking down at the package that waited for her on the doorstep. As always these days, she was exhausted—utterly exhausted—and tonight even more than most. She should have sat down more at the library fair, but they’d been short-staffed and she’d wanted badly to pitch. So, even though she’d left the art gallery to avoid so much physical activity, she’d been on her feet a good five hours today, and lifting boxes of books hadn’t been smart either, even if they weren’t very big.

All she wanted to do now was go inside, take a shower, climb into bed, and binge watch some mindless show. But she knew the package was from Blake, just like the others had been.

He had been writing to her every few days. Handwritten letters on beautiful stationery, but the words in the letters—apologies, acceptance for his responsibility in her broken heart, promises to stand and fight for her and their unborn child—were what truly touched Kelly and gave her the faintest hint of hope. She was still

uncertain, but with every day that went by, she had to admit that he was starting to get to her, as much as she wanted to protect her heart by keeping him far away from it.

Along with the letters, he also sent her flowers, pregnancy books, and even a deluxe foot massager, with a short note saying he wished he could do the honors, but that this would have to stand in his stead. Kelly had steadfastly ignored him at first, but had finally begun to hesitantly text him the occasional thank you, especially when he continued to be consistent in his efforts to atone.

It certainly gave her a lot to think about, but the way she was feeling tonight, she didn’t know if she wanted to think about anything else. Not even the faintest hope that maybe she and Blake could actually make things work this time was enough to make her smile.

“So tired, Bean,” she murmured, letting herself in the apartment. She dragged the package in with her, but let it sit by the door, untouched. She would look at it later, after she had gotten something to eat and some fresh clothes on.

Kelly showered quickly, then microwaved some leftovers and crawled into bed to eat them. Her feet were killing her and the muscles around her abdomen felt stretched and tight.

As she lay there, staring idly at her show and nibbling at her dinner, she used one hand to rub at the muscles in her stomach, trying to ease the tension that existed there.

“Little buddy,” she murmured, speaking to her baby as she had developed the habit of doing, “You are all worked up today. Can you settle down, Bean? Mama could really use a good night’s sleep, baby.”

The food wasn’t sitting well with her, so she set the plate aside and tried to shift into a more comfortable position. But the pain only got worse, and she began to feel really uncomfortable—to the point that she was starting to get worried.

Closing her eyes, she tried to get through it, but then a pain hit her out of nowhere, much sharper and more intense than anything she had felt before. Kelly gasped, placing a hand on her stomach as her eyes flew open.

“OW!”

The stabbing pain repeated itself once, then twice, then a third time, so strong that it left Kelly breathless.

“Oh no.” All she could think about was all the standing and how that could have done something. “No, no. Bean. Please be okay, baby. Mama’s so sorry. We’re going to get you to a doctor right away.”

She started to stand up, swinging her legs off the bed, but the pain hit again, even harder this time, and she had to sit down again, fear overtaking her.

Without thinking, she grabbed her phone and dialed. An ambulance would have been logical, but her fingers dialed what her heart dictated.

He answered almost immediately. “Kelly?”

The joy in his voice barely registered through the pain. “I need you to come get me,” Kelly rasped, clutching a pillow. “Now. I need to go to the hospital, Blake. Something’s happening to the baby.”

“Oh my God.” Joy turned instantly to deep worry. “Kelly, what is it? I’m walking out the door right now. Tell me what’s happening.”

“Pain. Hurts so much. Just get in your car right now and come get me,” she said, her voice shaking. “Please.”

“I’m on my way. Hold on, baby. Just keep talking to me while I drive.”

***

He talked to her the entire time, walking Kelly through each subsequent wave of pain, promising that he would be there before she knew it. Even so, it seemed like years before there was a knock at her door, roughly thirty minutes after she first called. She made it to the door to let him in, and he carried her into the waiting car, sweeping her up into his arms like she weighed nothing, even if his leg wobbled very slightly.

“I’ve got you. I’m here, sweetheart. I’m going to get you to the hospital right away,” he murmured as he eased her down into the passenger seat and then leaned down to kiss her belly.

Tears slipped down Kelly’s cheeks as he disappeared to climb the other side and she slowly, painfully buckled up.

When they got on the road, she bent over, holding her stomach as she tried to power through the growing discomfort.

“I just started getting these pains,” Kelly whispered as Blake drove, tears threatening again. “I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s not good. It’s not normal.” She looked up at him, starting to panic. “Blake—I can’t. I can’t do this.” All of her resolve and strength was fading away in the face of the crippling fear that she would lose the child she already loved so much.

“You can do this,” he countered, squeezing her hand. “You can do damn well anything you want. You’ve proved it over and over. It’s going to be all right.”

“How can you know that?” Kelly sobbed, crying in earnest now. “And why—ow, ow, ow, OW!—couldn’t you be like this from the beginning? Why was it not like this when I needed you the first time—” she broke off as another cramp hit her, struggling not to scream.

“Shhh,” he urged, rubbing her back. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Kelly. I should have been there all along. I’m terrible at this. I’m scared and I screwed up. But I’ve been trying to show you how much you mean to me, and I’m going to keep trying. We’re going to make it through this together.”

She desperately wanted to believe him—she wanted to believe that all three of them would make it through this—but she didn’t have the energy to keep discussing it. All she could think about was the way her body was feeling.

In the emergency room, Blake took over, making sure she was seen immediately, continuing to talk to Kelly as she was whisked through the registration process, then wheeled to the back room in a wheelchair. They tried to dismiss Blake, since he wasn’t family, and his reaction was arrogantly billionaire-like, threatening lawsuits and such if he couldn’t stay with her.

Kelly would have smiled at how determined he was to stay by her side, if she hadn’t been so afraid. Before she knew it, she was hooked up to the ultrasound machine, and her heart was beating so fast that she thought it might burst out of her chest.

“Is he okay?” she asked, afraid to look at the scan. She didn’t know why she’d suddenly decided her child was a boy, but despite all lack of evidence she was entirely confident that she had a son growing inside of her. “Please tell me he’s okay. Oh, God, let him be okay.”

The technician didn’t say anything at first, focusing on moving the scanner around on Kelly’s stomach, still flat as it was. Blake held her hand tightly, his own gaze fixed on the images on the screen as though he might be able to decipher them. All Kelly could do was look at his face, hoping to get some kind of clue.

Then, out of the silence, there came a rapid but steady thudding sound. The baby’s heartbeat filled the room, wrapping around Kelly like a warm, comforting blanket.

“The baby is okay,” the technician said, speaking for the first time. “The heartbeat is strong and there’s no sign of distress.”

Kelly burst into tears, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed with relief and pent-up emotion. Blake leaned over her, holding her in his arms and whispering comforting words in her ear. She didn’t know what he was saying, but it soothed her all the same, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, clutching him to her.

“You’re all right,” he murmured, stroking her hair, her arms, and her face. “We’re okay.”

“Thank you,” she whispered back to him before letting him ease away from her so they could talk to the technician. Kelly asked the obvious question. “What’s wrong with me, then, if the baby is all right?”

The technician waved a hand, as though this was something that she dealt with every day—and she probably did. “It’s overstress. Over-exhaustion. It can cause some uncomfortable cramps that add onto the stretching the muscles are going through. For new mothers, it can be a really scary thing.”

“What can she do?” Blake asked, still holding Kelly’s hand, his thumb stroking over her knuckles. “Does she need to rest more? Bedrest?”

“Nothing so extreme,” the technician said, shaking her head. “Just be aware that being on your feet for a long time or not getting enough rest does take its toll on the baby. It’s important to be moderate—that’s all.”

Guilt swept over Kelly, making her almost tear up again. “I knew I shouldn’t have stayed on my feet so long all day.”

The technician patted her arm. “The baby is just fine. All you have to do is go home, use a heating pad to help with the cramps, and get some rest. I know it’s crazy uncomfortable, but part of the reason for the intensity of the pain is your fear. Now that you know your baby is safe, your muscles should relax somewhat, and so should the hurt.”

It was true. Already, Kelly could feel her abdomen relaxing slightly.

If you’re not feeling better in the morning, then you can come back and we’ll do some more tests,” the tech went on with a smile. “But you’re going to be okay, Mommy.”

Kelly managed a smile, nodding slightly. “Okay. Thank you.”

The technician left, giving them a few minutes to take in the news and for Kelly to get settled again. As soon as they were alone, Blake took her in his arms, holding her close to his chest.

“See? Everything’s all right. Shhh. I’ve got you, sweetheart. Everything’s just fine. You did great.”

Kelly let herself rest there, breathing in his scent and letting his warmth soothe her.

“I’m sorry about all of this,” Blake murmured. “It’s my fault. You wouldn’t be working so hard if I had stepped up from the very beginning.”

“Don’t say that,” she said, easing back to look up at him. “You didn’t kick me out of the apartment I was in. I just wanted to prove that I could do it on my own. And I was hurt that you weren’t there—I needed some space.” She looked away. “But maybe I really messed up, trying to prove a point.”

“You can do it on your own,” Blake said, turning her face back to him. “But I’d really rather you do it with me. Or let me do it with you. Or let us do it together.”

“What changed your mind?” Kelly asked, needing him to give her some concrete reason to trust him. He had gone a long way toward helping her to get to a place where she could, especially after he had come to be with her tonight, but she needed the words.

“I realized that, however much committing and investing scared me, being without you scared me more,” he said, touching her cheek. “You’ve got a hold on me, and I just don’t want to be without you anymore. I never thought I could do any of this, but you make me want to try. You make me believe that I can.”

It was the perfect thing for him to say. He wasn’t pretending like he had it all figured out—which she wouldn’t have trusted anyway—but instead letting her see his vulnerability. And in that vulnerability, she found the ability to believe in him again.

“You really want this?” she whispered. “All of it? Because I’m a package deal now.”

“All of it,” he promised her, leaning down to kiss her softly. It was the first time he had kissed her in ages, and all of the old feelings came rushing back, stirring her somewhere deep inside.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered, when the long, tender kiss finally ended.

“I’ve missed you too,” she whispered, covering his hand with hers.

He tipped her chin up, running his thumb over her bottom lip. “I love you, Kelly. I love you so much, and our baby. Can you give me another chance? Please?”

Hearing the words from his lips was like the most powerful pain medication ever invented. Kelly melted into him once more, resting her forehead against his.

“This was your other chance and you passed with flying colors, finally. I love you, too Blake. Take me home?”

“I love you, too, baby. And yes,” he murmured into another soft kiss, “I’m taking you home, to where you belong. With me.”