Happily Ever All-Star: A Secret Baby Romance - Sosie Frost Page 0,102

have let you do this alone.”

“I wasn’t alone. I had Jude.”

“No.” Eric shook his head. “We’re your family. Mom and me…we weren’t there.”

“I got a call from Grandma Mildred every week.”

“That doesn’t count. Grandma Mildred drunk dials everyone on her contact list.”

“Eric, I know what you’re doing, but…” I gestured to the hospital room, the stirrups, my lack of clothing. “You don’t have to apologize. I know this was hard on you.”

“Harder on you. When I thought about Jude and you…”

Now wasn’t the time to tell him the truth.

Especially now that it was the truth.

“I love Jude,” I said. “And he loves me.”

“And I love you both.” Eric shook his head. “I’m so fucking sorry I pushed him into the mashed potatoes and hit him with a turkey. And he’s hurt, and you’re here doing…” He waved at my tummy. “Things with your body.”

“I’m so glad you’re here. You have no idea what it means that you came to find me.” I pulled him close and kissed his cheek. “But you can’t stay.”

“I want to help. How can I help?”

“There’s going to be a lot of…hair-flying and bodily fluids and screaming. Some very Wes Craven gore is gonna happen in a bit. I know you’re upset, and I know you mean every word you say. I love you for it, but…” I forced a smile. “I’m going to tell you something I used to say all the time when I was little.”

“What’s that?”

“Get the hell out of my room.”

Eric backed away, respectfully nodding. “Okay. Duly noted. What can I do for you though? Anything. Whatever you need.”

I pointed to my purse. “There’s an overnight bag waiting at Jude’s, in the entry way. Take my keys, collect the lampshades Phillip is eating, and bring my clothes back.”

“Okay.” He nervously stood. “What will you be doing?”

“Uh…creating life. I’m kinda stuck where I am right now.”

“And Jude?”

My throat closed. “He’s not doing well.”

“What’s going to happen?”

“They’ll put him under.”

“Like surgery?”

I shook my head. “For brain injuries, they’ll do a medically induced coma. To help rest the brain. Let it start to heal to avoid swelling.”

Eric rocked to my side, leaned down, and kissed my head. “He’ll be okay. He’s got a baby coming. That’ll fix any man right up.”

“Here’s hoping.” I wished I felt as confident as I sounded.

“Don’t have that baby until I get back.”

“No promises. She’s pretty insistent.”

“Then I’ll hurry. I’ve missed too much already. I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”

I thanked him, but Eric couldn’t give me the only thing I needed.

Jude.

I wanted an update. News from the doctor. A peek at his CT scan.

A minute to talk to Jude.

I wished I could tell him I loved him. But it wasn’t possible, so I was going to do the next best thing.

Have my baby. Start our family. And we’d be there when he woke up.

It wasn’t the best way to start our lives together, but it was the only one that made sense.

Me. The baby. Jude.

This was going to be our fairy-tale.

And I’d make sure it had a happily-ever-after.

25

Jude

“Jude?”

Her voice called to me like music.

“Jude.”

The fog hadn’t cleared. I battled through the confusion and disorder that was my brain. It wouldn’t let me open my eyes.

At least it meant I could listen to her.

“Jude. Wake up.”

I loved that voice. That quiet, tinkling sound of patience and sweetness and…

A sudden, sharp cry stiffened me, but Rory’s whisper hushed the squeal into nothing almost immediately.

I didn’t know that voice, but I knew she needed me. I tried to wake up.

The brush of softness against my lips dragged me from the darkness. Rory’s kiss woke me from the deepest sleep.

I opened my eyes.

“Hi.” Her voice remained soft, but her smile shone brightly. “Jude?”

My throat ached in dryness. Her hand brushed over my forehead. Cool. Refreshing.

“Where am I?” My words rasped. Rory offered me a sip of water from a straw. “What happened?”

“You’re in the hospital.”

“Again?”

Rory smirked. “Again. You were hit during the game.”

“What game?”

“The championship.”

The lights were too bright. They haloed the angel at my bedside. Dark against light, softness layered over the pain.

“Did I play well?”

Rory’s smile grew. “You scored the winning touchdown…before getting knocked out.”

“We won?”

“You won.”

That was a cause worth celebrating. I tried to sit up. Rory pressed a hand to my chest. She jostled the bundle in her lap.

The squirming, wiggling bundle.

I stared at the pink blankets.

That didn’t make sense. What the hell had happened?

“Jude, I want to introduce you to someone…” Rory turned the blanket down