Chapter 2
Jasper
Istood outside the closed door, awash with panic, my heart racing. As I adjusted the gift bag in my trembling hand, I forced myself to take a deep breath. It didn’t help. I couldn’t wrap my head around the events that had brought me to this hospital room.
Frozen to the spot, I willed my legs to move. I was used to running into burning buildings, for God’s sake.
But my body stubbornly remained where it was. I was trained for emergencies, not cozy visits with newborns. Danger didn’t scare me, risk didn’t scare me, but this? This terrified me.
Was this my child?
Could I even be a dad?
I hadn’t put any thought into the idea of having kids. I’d only just turned thirty. That meant I had plenty of time to worry about that later. Way later. After I’d figured the rest of my life out.
Except if what Evie said was true, that time was up.
My stomach clenched. I was unsure of the protocol, but I knew I had to knock and go in there.
So I took another cleansing breath.
Three, two, one.
Feeling weaker than I had in years, I raised my hand and gently knocked. When a soft voice called “come in,” I eased the door open.
The room was a hell of a lot more cheerful than the ER, which was where I usually ended up. The room was filled with balloons and flowers, and the sun shone in through the open shades, making the space feel cozy.
Evie was propped up on the bed, a tiny bundle in her arms. A blue hat. A boy? A son?
Knees wobbling, I padded closer. She was feeding him, and he was gulping hungrily at her breast. Tiny, fragile, with balled-up little fists.
Evie’s dark hair was pulled back and there were shadows under her eyes, but she radiated pure joy.
I zeroed in once again on the tiny miraculous creature snuggled against her. A tidal wave of emotion hit me, dousing me in joy, fear, and awe. Around the edge of his tiny hat, tufts of dark hair spilled out.
“He’s—” A sob rose in my throat, but I swallowed it back. “So tiny,” I blurted out. “Smaller than a football.”
Evie peered up at me, and when her eyes darted to the far side of the room, I followed her gaze. Only then did I realize we weren’t alone.
“I guess I should say congrats?” Frankie Dunne sat near the window, her legs draped over the side of the chair. She was wearing a tank top, her colorful tattoos on display. She was a hell of a mechanic and did a lot for the town, but I knew better than to get on her bad side. “Where the hell have you been?”
“On shift.” I said curtly. “Dealing with several small and one very large emergencies.”
Frankie clicked her tongue in annoyance.
I gave her a tense smile. The last thing I needed right now was an audience.
I turned back to Evie. “Can we, um, speak?” I trained my focus on her face, avoiding looking at the baby now that I realized just how exposed his mother was. Evie had her whole boob out, and the baby was sucking away. She looked like she was made for this. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
A fierce protective fire I’d never experienced before rose up inside me in their presence.
“I’m not leaving,” Frankie practically growled.
“It’s okay,” Evie said, gently stroking the baby’s cheek.
With a sigh, Frankie stood and stared at me. She was five foot nothing, but I knew better than to mess with her.
“I’ll be outside. Let me know if you need me to drag his ass out of here.” With that, she was gone, closing the door quietly behind her.
