FOUR

Decker slammed through the emergency room doors and ran to the front desk. Good thing there wasn’t anyone waiting in line already, and there weren’t any small children around to see him act like a crazy person. When Miranda’s co-worker had called him, he’d almost had a heart attack and had run straight to his car. Thankfully, Luc had been there to explain things to the others. Soon, the other Montgomerys would be filling the waiting room because that’s what they did. Unfortunately, they’d had far too much practice waiting for their loved ones recently.

“I need to see my wife,” Decker growled and stopped himself. He took a deep breath, trying to relax before someone called the cops on him. “Miranda Montgomery.” They’d taken her name since he’d been a Montgomery in every way that counted. If anyone wanted to call him out on it, they could take it up with his fists.

Or his wife.

But first, he needed to see her.

The nurse on shift smiled softly at him. “Okay, sir, let me check and see.” A few clicks of the keyboard. “Here she is. Just follow me. We’ve got her set up in the back.”

He followed the nurse closely, doing his best to calm himself. He couldn’t walk in there like this and scare the hell out of Miranda. Though she knew him better than most and would know it was stark fear riding him and not rage, he didn’t want to put that on her.

The nurse said something as they pulled back the curtain, but he didn’t listen. He could only see his wife. Miranda sat on a bed, wearing a thin gown, but there was a tired smile on her face.

“Miranda,” he said quietly, his voice oh so low.

“Hey, you,” she said with that smile of hers, but this time a little brighter.

He cupped her face and kissed her brow. “What’s going on, baby?”

“I don’t know yet. I’ve been sick—”

“Yeah,” he cut her off. “I know. And the fact that I couldn’t hold your hair because you were worried about me more than yourself is something we’re going to talk about. I know you passed out, and I’m glad you didn’t fight anyone when they told you to come here.”

“Like I could fight the horde.” She smiled at him.

He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when a doctor walked in.

“Mrs. Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery. I’m Dr. Bartlett. I hear you had a rough afternoon.”

Miranda laughed softly as she leaned into Decker’s hold. “You could say that.”

“Well, I have your test results here if you’re ready.”

Decker’s grip tightened. “What’s wrong?”

The doctor just smiled. “You’re pregnant, Miranda. Not too far along, but far enough that you got a little dehydrated. It sometimes happens in the first trimester. We’ll get you some fluids as well as prenatal vitamins to counteract that. But I’m reasonably sure you’ll be on the mend in no time. Congratulations.”

Decker blinked as Miranda let out a little squeak. He loosened his grip on her but didn’t let her go.

“Pregnant?”

“Really?” Miranda asked, tears in her voice.

“Yes, really,” Dr. Bartlett answered. “I’ll leave you two alone to talk, but the nurse will be in soon with what you need. Good luck, parents.”

With that, the doctor left, and Decker tried to slow his heartbeat. He and Miranda had been trying to have a baby, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.

He cupped her face and kissed her softly. “A baby.”

Miranda kissed him back a little harder. “A baby. Oh God, Decker. We’re having a baby!”

He held her close as she kissed his face over and over again. He couldn’t help but smile with her at the thought, even though his mind was going in a million different directions.

“I’m not going to be like my father,” he blurted. He hadn’t meant to say that, but apparently, it had needed to be said.

Miranda pulled back and cupped his face over his beard. “I know. You’ll be like mine. Dad pretty much rocks, and you have tons of other Montgomerys to ask for help. So, yeah, you’re going to be an amazing father, and oh my God, I’m going to be a mom!”

Decker laughed, relief sliding through him at the idea of Miranda as a mom. He couldn’t fucking wait to see their child, to see how they’d be as parents. Things were changing, but he knew, no matter what, he wouldn’t be the man who had given him half his genes.

He’d be a Montgomery, like the woman he loved.

And they were going to have a Montgomery of their own.

Hell. Fucking. Yeah.