I stiffened. “What?”
“It won’t hurt,” he promised, reaching for his gloves.
Panic crept into my tone. “Define won’t hurt.”
His lips twitched like he was suppressing a smile. “You’re about to have a lot more of these if you do get pregnant.”
And just like that, reality hit me square in the chest.
As I stepped out of the clinic, the cool afternoon air hit me, but my phone buzzed in my purse before I could even take a breath. Probably Nick. I fished it out, answering without thinking.
“I just left, and good news?—”
“Melanie, I need you. I’m freaking out.”
Abigail’s voice was sharp, panicked. My stomach clenched.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“The baby. The baby—” Her breath hitched, and the sheer terror in her voice sent a spike of adrenaline through me.
I stopped dead on the sidewalk. “Is everything okay?”
“My water broke over an hour ago. I thought it was just pee at first, but Chloe’s not due for two more weeks. I don’t know what to do. What if something’s wrong?”
I squeezed my eyes shut for half a second, forcing myself to stay calm. “Nothing is wrong. Just breathe. Remember your cousin’s baby? She was two weeks early, and everything was fine.”
Abigail let out a shaky exhale. “Oh. Yeah.”
“Where’s Colt?” I was already moving, digging in my jacket pocket for my keys.
“He left for Arizona. Some stupid photoshoot and training a new guy. He wanted to get it done before the baby came, so he figured a few days away was fine.” Her voice cracked. “I called him, but he’s not answering. Josh is back in California. My sister is over an hour away. I—I don’t know what to do.”
I reached my motorcycle, yanking my helmet off the handlebars and swinging my leg over the seat. “Okay, listen. I’m coming to you right now. Do you have your hospital bag ready?”
“Yes. It’s right here,” she said, her voice slightly steadier now.
“Good. I’m calling Nick. We’ll get to you as fast as we can. Have you had any contractions?”
“No, not yet. I Googled it—if I don’t deliver in 24 hours, they might have to induce.”
“Don’t even think about that right now,” I said firmly, tightening the strap on my helmet. “Just sit down, drink some water, and breathe. We’re on our way.”
I ended the call, jammed my phone into my pocket, and fired up the engine. The roar of the bike filled my ears, drowning out the rush of anxiety in my chest. I twisted the throttle and sped off. Abigail needed me, and I wasn’t wasting a second.
“I told you,” Abigail practically snarled, her voice sharp withpain. “Didn’t I say this wasn’t a good idea?” She clutched my hand like a lifeline, her nails digging in. “And now here I am, barely holding on, waiting for you to—oh, fuck?—”
Her entire body tensed, and I swore she was about to snap my fingers clean off.
“Breathe, breathe,” I urged, trying to keep my voice steady. She sucked in air and exhaled in quick bursts, her version of Lamaze breathing.
“Fuck. Shit. Fuck balls.” Abigail’s voice wavered through the contraction, her face twisted in agony.
“I’m literally on the plane right now,” Colt’s voice crackled through the phone.
“Tell the damn pilot to gun it! The second I get the go-ahead for the epidural, I’m taking it. And if he tells me to start pushing, then I’m pushing, so you better get here fast Colt, or I swear to God?—”
I winced, unsure if she was squeezing my hand out of rage or because another contraction was hitting.
