Chapter Twenty-Six
Colin
At first I thought it was just gas. I rolled over onto my side and cupped my fat belly. I inhaled and exhaled to help myself relax, but when another sharp jab came, I opened my eyes.
Shit. That’s not gas.
The next jab hit and I whimpered. Glancing at the clock, I tried to time the interval between the pains. Dr. Peters had said that some jabbing pains were normal. But he’d also warned that if they lasted longer than a half hour and were only around three minutes apart, it was time to get to the clinic.
When the next sharp pain came, I took note of the time. I wiggled and clamped my lips shut, counting each contraction. After a half hour of pain, I was sure I had to be in labor. The pains were coming every three minutes on the dot.
I shook Riley’s arm, and he groaned. “Riley, I think it’s time.”
I expected I’d have to shake him again, but instead he sat up like a jack-in-the-box and faced me with his eyes wide. “It’s time?”
I nodded, trying not to laugh. His hair was sticking up, and he looked terrified. “Can you call Dr. Peters and tell him we’re heading to the clinic?” I winced as another jab came at me.
“Yes. Yes. I can totally do that.” He jumped out of bed and rubbed his hand over his hair. “Um… pants. I need pants.”
“You should call the doctor first.”
“Yeah.” He grabbed his cell, and his fingers shook as he dialed. “Hey, Dr. Peters?” He nodded. “I think it’s time.” He listened, and then he hung up. “He’s on his way.”
I rolled off the bed, bending over when another jolt hit me. “Fuck,” I hissed, holding my breath.
Riley came over and he rubbed my back. “Breathe. Don’t hold your breath, honey. Breathe.”
I nodded, feeling better just hearing his voice.
He was dressed and he helped me change too. He was definitely now awake and in control of his nerves. He led me to the car, opening the door for me and helping me sit. I groaned as another stabbing pain shook through my gut.
He ran around the car and slid in. Then he turned the key, but there was nothing but a click. “Fuck.” He scowled and tried again, but the same thing happened. He faced me, his expression reassuring, and when he spoke his voice was calm. “It’s okay. I will get us to the clinic. I swear on my life.” He unlatched the hood and jumped out of the car.
I sat in my seat, groaning. My heart was pounding as I tried to think about how little time we might have to get to the clinic. Once labor was in full speed, we only had thirty minutes. It had already been ten. I writhed around, biting my lip and trying not to yell because it hurt so much.
I trust Riley. I trust my alpha.
I repeated that phrase over and over in my head as I moaned. Riley opened his door and slid back in, and when he turned the key this time, the engine roared to life. He turned to me and gave me a tense smile. “Dirty battery terminals. Piece of cake.” His voice was confident, but there was a tiny wobble.
He backed out of the driveway, and we headed down the hill toward the medical facility. When he parked, the tires squealed a little. Dr. Peters and Trina were already there waiting, and Dr. Peters opened my door.
“Cutting it a little close, fellas,” he snapped.
“Car trouble,” Riley said, helping me from the car.
The three of them practically lifted me up the front stairs and into the surgery room. They got me on the operating table, and Trina smiled at me as she covered my nose and mouth with a mask. She spoke to me in a calm voice, and I tried to relax in spite of how much pain I was in.
The light above my face was so bright it hurt my eyes, but mostly I was just in a lot of pain from the baby. Riley had a mask on just like the doctor and nurse. His eyes were dark with worry, and I wanted to reassure him, but I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open.
“Riley,” I whispered, my voice muffled by the chloroform mask.
He squeezed my hand. “You’re okay. We got here in plenty of time.”
“If everything goes south, I want you to know I love you.”
His forehead wrinkled. “Shhh. Nothing is going south. We got here in plenty of time.”
“Okay.” I licked my lips. “I can’t wait for my beer.”
His eyes crinkled when he smiled. “Me either.”
Trina leaned in. “Go to sleep, Colin.” She smiled.
My lids were so heavy, it was almost impossible to keep my eyes open. I concentrated on the feel of Riley’s hand and the sound of his voice as he told me how much he loved me, until slowly everything went black.
****
I woke from the deepest sleep I’d had in years. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was Riley smiling at me, holding a baby swaddled in a blue blanket. He moved closer and set our son on my chest. The little infant’s skin was pink and his eyes light blue.
“Garrett, this is your other dad, Colin.” Riley spoke softly, leaning over my bed.
“He’s bald.” I laughed, running my hand over the tiny amount of blond peach fuzz on the infant’s head.
“He also has excellent lungs.” Riley grinned. “He’s definitely going to be a singer.”
I laughed and then winced as my stitches tugged. I grimaced, forcing myself to lift just enough to kiss Garrett’s plump cheek. Then I groaned and settled back against the pillows. “He’s perfect.”
Riley nodded. “I can’t get over his tiny fingers and toes.” He bit his lower lip. “He even has little fingernails.”
“That is amazing.” I laughed.
“You did it.” He smiled.
I exhaled. “I was a little worried when the car wouldn’t start.”
“I scraped the posts with my knife, and then it was fine.” Riley looked very pleased with himself.
“I didn’t see you as the type of guy who knows much about cars.”
“Honestly?” He looked around. “I saw it in a TV show once.”
I grinned. “That makes way more sense.”
Trina came in with a bottle. “Which one of you wants to feed the baby?”
Riley pointed to me. “Obviously, Colin should.”
He helped me sit up higher, and though it was painful, it was worth it. Especially once I had Garrett cradled in my arms and he was sucking away at the bottle. I stroked the baby’s soft cheek and spoke to him as he ate.
Lying in bed with Riley leaning over me and baby Garrett in my arms, I was so contented I almost couldn’t believe this all wasn’t just a dream. I’d felt so scared and alone for so long after my brother died and even before that. I’d never truly believed I’d have an alpha who loved me or a family of my own. And yet here I was almost drowning in love.
With a lump in my throat, I thought about my brother. I vowed to give my child all the love and acceptance in life we’d never had. Because of Riley, I had a second chance at happiness. I wasn’t going to waste it.
I met Riley’s affectionate gaze. He kissed me tenderly, and then he kissed Garrett’s forehead. “I love my little family,” he whispered with tears in his eyes.
“Me too.”
“I already have our tour bus picked out for the next tour. I’m having it custom built with our bed in the back and his little crib built into the wall. It’s going to be completely baby-proofed.”
“A tour bus, huh? No more limos and jets?”
“I wouldn’t say never. But I thought a bus might make it seem more like home. You know, we’re a family now. Flying with a baby is hard and this way Garrett can have his toys and things around him.”
“I love it.” I smiled. “I’m always amazed by how easily you’ve taken to the idea of us being a family.”
“I didn’t even know I wanted that until I met you.” He sighed. “Now I can’t imagine anything else I’d want more.”
I grabbed his hand. “Me either.”
Garrett whimpered and wiggled. And I sniffed the air suspiciously. “Uh, oh.”
“What?” Riley arched one brow.
“Since I got to feed Garrett his first bottle, I guess it’s only fair you get to change his first diaper.”
He bugged his eyes. “What?”
I grinned. “I’m just trying to keep things equal.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Is that what you’re trying to do?”
“I guess we could call Trina in here and see if she’ll do it for us.”
“Is Trina going to come home with us?”
“Probably not. How soon can we get a nanny?”
He sniffed the air and cringed. “God. Not soon enough. How can one tiny baby make such a huge stink?”
I laughed loudly and pressed my throbbing stomach. “Don’t make me laugh.”
He snorted. “I’m about to cry. My eyes are burning.”
“Stop.” I laughed again. “Ouch.”
He waved his hands in front of his nose. “We’re going to need a heavy-duty HEPA filter system in our house.”
“Here, kiss me, we can share our air.” I pulled him closer, and he smiled down at me.
“Thank you for taking a chance with me.” He kissed me.
“Best decision I ever made.”
Garrett made a tooting sound, and we both burst out laughing.