As Kenzie’s thumbs swiped at Jessica’s cheeks, Jessica gave her a watery smile and nodded.
“Okay, you’re right.”
“I know,” Kenzie said with a smirk, then she let Jessica go.
Immediately, Jessica extended her arm, and Jack took her hand.
“Together, sunshine.”
She nodded again. “Together.”
So the four of them walked inside, a solemn procession to the obstetrics wing, bracing themselves for what they might find when they got there.
“What took you so long?” Michelle asked as she rushed toward them, tugging her daughter into her arms.
“It’s a fifteen minute drive, Mom,” Jessica said, shooting Jack an eye roll over the top of Michelle’s head, and he bit back a snort.
“Why do you look so tired?” Michelle asked when she pulled away, sweeping her thumbs across the shadows below Jessica’s eyes.
“I was too worried about Berk to sleep,” Jessica said quickly, shooting Jack a wink the moment her mom averted her gaze.
“How is Berk?” Kenzie asked.
“No news yet,” Michelle said, then turned and gestured to the waiting area. “Come sit with us.”
Jack’s ass had barely greeted the seat of his chair before he was on his feet again as Brent pushed into the room.
All at once, the members of the Daniels and Jean families spoke, asking questions, all of which were lost in the cacophony.
“She made it through surgery beautifully,” Brent said over them all, and though Jack barely knew him, he understood the lines bracketing Brent’s mouth meant he’d been through hell and back tonight. “And the baby is okay, too. The nurses are running tests on him to make sure his restricted oxygen didn’t cause any brain damage, and Berk is getting stitched up. Hopefully, we’ll be able to introduce you all to our son very soon.”
Jack pulled Jessica into his side and whispered, “Congrats, auntie.”
She looked up at him, every line of her face slack with relief, her smile tired but still the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on. “I like the sound of that.”
They were so far off from any sort of conversation involving children, but still, Jack couldn’t help but wonder if that was in the cards for them—or if Jessica even wanted a family. More than anything, Jack did, and he wanted it with her.
It was in that moment that he realized he’d do whatever it took to keep this girl and make her his forever, and he needed her to know that.
Right now.
With a tug of her hand, he jerked his head toward the door and said, “Walk with me.”
She shot him a quizzical look but followed anyway.
Jack didn’t take them far. He wanted to remain close enough that they’d know if and when Brent came back with news, but go far enough that they couldn’t be overheard.
“What’s going on?” she asked when he stopped them halfway down a hallway. At this hour, the hospital was quiet, only the barebones, nighttime staff manning this particular floor. “You’re kind of freaking me out.”
“You’re moving to Russia,” he blurted. It wasn’t a question, and Jessica didn’t treat it as such.
“Yes…” she said slowly. “I mean, pending a phone interview with the school that wants to hire me, yeah.”
“I want that for you, Jess.”
“I…okay? Thank you?”
He wasn’t making any sense, he knew, and he needed to get to the point before he lost his nerve.
