“I thought you guys weren’t going to find out the gender?”
“We didn’t. I justknow.”
I’m surprised it’s taken her this long to come over here, but I guess she was respecting Allie’s wishes to leave me alone. Allie sure has. She hasn’t said one word to me since I showed up on her porch a little under a week ago. Sometimes she stops and listens when she’s coming or going. I take those opportunities to tell her I’m still waiting and I won’t be going anywhere, but she never responds.
“Look, Em?—”
Just then, Luke comes running up Allie’s front steps. “We’re gonna be late, baby,” he says, catching his breath.
Emory narrows her eyes at me. “You’re just lucky I have an ultrasound appointment right now. But don’t think you’ve gotten out of this. You’re going to explain everything to me when I get back.”
I don’t respond. I can’t tell Emory the truth before I’ve even gotten the chance to tell Allie. I meant what I said. I’ll sleep here every night until she talks to me. That’s my main reason for being on her porch, but it doesn’t hurt that I know she’s here and not in Nashville finding the truth out for herself. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop wanting to protect what’s left of her heart.
Emory huffs and stomps off toward Luke’s truck, but I still feel his eyes on me.
Looking up, I’m met with a fierce blue gaze. Luke’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, but mess with Emory and he turns into a scary motherfucker.
“Look, man?—”
“No, you look.” He points to his truck, idling in the driveway next door. “That’s the love of my life and she’s only weeks away from delivering our child. The last thing she needs is added stress from your bitch-ass drama.” He squats down in front of me, his heavily tattooed arms stretched across his knees.
“I didn’t?—”
“I’m taking the fact that Allie is like a sister to me out of the equation,” he interrupts. “I’ll be kicking your ass for that later regardless. But my wife has been a mess these past few days because she’s worried about her best friend, and I can’t have that. I’m only going to say this one time. Get your fucking shit together. I don’t care what it takes. Figure it out.”
“I’m trying,” I sigh. I don’t point out that Emory is not technically his wife yet.
“Try harder,” Luke snaps. Then he stands to his full height, turns on his heel, and disappears into his truck.
Try harder.If only it were that simple. I’d quit my job, consequences be damned, and sit on her porch twenty-four seven if I thought it would make a difference, but I know it wouldn’t.
The problem is I don’t know how to fix this without making it worse for her.
Ten hours later,I’m walking up the steps to Allie’s cottage, ready for another night of soreness and frustration when I hear a scream coming from Emory’s house. I run as fast as I can, noticing Luke’s truck isn’t in the driveway but am met with a locked door. I pound on it, yelling for her. My first thought is that something is wrong, but maybe she just saw a spider. I continue to throw my fist at the door, but no one answers. Luke is obviously not here, and she’s nine months pregnant. What if she fell?
“Emory, if you don’t answer, I’m going to have to knock down the door.” It’s a fairly empty threat. I’m not sure I could kick down a door if I tried, but I would have to figure something out. Thankfully, I don’t have to because the door creaks open and I’m met with a wide-eyed Emory.
“Are you okay?”
“Ashton, I—Luke is at a bike show two hours away. What if he doesn’t make it?”
“Make it?” That’s when I notice the clear liquid dripping down her legs.
“He didn’t want to leave me. I begged him to go. He gets so much business from those shows, and I thought I had two more weeks. The doctor said I was on track for my due date this morning.”
“It’s okay, Emory. How long ago did your water break?”
“A few minutes. I’d been cramping for a few hours, but I thought it was Braxton-Hicks, and then I?—”
She’s spiraling. I can see the panic in her eyes. “Emory, look at me. I’m going to get you to the hospital, but I need you to calm down. Have you called Luke?”
“I texted him. I was having a contraction, and it was too painful to talk.”
Shit.I know from my niece’s birth that once it’s hard to talk through a contraction, it’s not going to be long. Plus, her water already broke. Emory’s a nurse. I’m sure she realizes the same thing I do, and she’s freaking out that Luke isn’t going to make it in time.
Suddenly, her face twists in discomfort. “It’s starting,” she grits out.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you. Breathe, Emory.”
