“What about with a stop?”
He looks, but his face isn’t hopeful. “There are, but with the time difference and layovers, you wouldn’t be there until morning.”
I take a breath, because I know this guy doesn’t make the plane schedules, but you’ve got to be fucking kidding me right now.
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just that my girlfriend is in labor with my son and I really need to get home.”
It’s at that moment that Captain Mustache realizes the emblem on my warm-up jacket. “You’re Maddox Gallagher!”
“I am. What’s your name?”
“Pete.”
“Nice to meet you Pete. Now how close can you get me to Nashville before midnight. I don’t know how long I have.”
8:20 p.m. CT /6:20 p.m. PT
“You’re flying where?”
“Memphis,” I say to Gabi as I sit down at the gate. “It was the best Pete could do.”
“Who’s Pete?” she says through a wince.
“The gate agent. Helpful guy after I yelled at him. Don’t worry. I apologized.”
My humor isn’t doing much for Gabi now, who still looks miserable as I FaceTime her to keep her up to date on the change of plans.
“Would it be quicker if you waited on the team now?” she asks. “They have to be leaving soon, right?”
“I thought about that but no. I’m boarding in ten minutes, and the team plane doesn’t leave for another hour and a half. It always has a late call in case we go into overtime.”
Gabi takes in a deep breath, and slowly lets it out, and a stab of pain hits me in the chest. I should be there with her. Holding her hand. Getting her ice chips. Rubbing her back. Dancing and singing like an idiot to take her mind off the labor. Whatever she wants. I should be there.
But no, I’m sitting in an airport hundreds of miles away, before I drive another three hours to get to her. My estimated time of arrival right now is after three in the morning in Nashville. It’s not as quick as I wanted, and I’m praying to every God I’ve ever heard of that I get back to her in time.
“Shelby still with you?”
She nods. “She went to grab some snacks and drinks for the overnight shift.”
“And Beau?”
“I sent him home. He was on call to come get you from the airport, but I guess that’s not needed now. Wait! How are you getting here from Memphis?”
“I’ll rent a car,” I say. “Shit. I hope someone is even working at the rental car counter since it’ll be after midnight by the time we de-board.”
“Did you say Memphis?” I recognize Ainsley’s voice before she comes into the frame of the FaceTime. “My brother is there on business. He can give you a ride back.”
“Ainsley, that’s nice, but?—”
She’s texting before I have the words out of my mouth. “But nothing. You’ve never met my brother, but he’s the world’s biggest Fury fan. He also likes fixing things and being the hero. When I tell him that he needs to drive you to the birth of your child? He’ll change every plan he has to help.”
“He doesn’t have to do that.”
“Too late,” she says, putting down her phone. “I texted you his phone number. Keep him in the loop. Doesn’t matter what time your plane lands, he’ll be there, bells on, and willing to drive ninety miles an hour to get you back to Nashville.”
I’m so glad Linc ran into Ainsley at this very hospital. Because damn she’s one of the good ones. “Thank you Ainsley.”
“This is what friends do,” she says. “Now, I’ll take care of everyone here. You get back. Deal?”
