steam. “But I thought you were going on a trip to Fiji soon?”
“I am, but I told Neil I didn’t want to go right after you had the baby. I want to be around to help you guys out and just spend time with my niece.” I step forward to press a kiss to Billie’s forehead. “So, have no fear, you’re going to have lots and lots of time to tell me what you really think. But right now, I just want you to rest and enjoy the bliss bubble that is your beautiful family.”
“Okay. I’m holding you to that.”
I laugh. “I know you will.”
After one last kiss to Daisy’s forehead, I tell Luca goodbye and head out of Billie’s hospital room and toward the hospital exit, where I figure I’ll have to call an Uber to get me back to their house so I can pick up my car.
But I only make it two steps outside before I’m stopped in my tracks.
Cameras flash, and what feels like twenty paparazzi stand just outside the lobby entrance.
“Birdie! Over here, Birdie! Did your sister have the baby?” One shouts toward me, and the rest follow.
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
“What’s the baby’s name?”
“How much did the baby weigh?”
“What did Luca say when the baby was born?”
Just a barrage of questions being shot in my direction from every angle.
Hospital security tries to push the small crowd back, but it’s no use.
I have a feeling they won’t be able to get them off the premises without LAPD assistance.
But before I can attempt to find an exit strategy, I spot the one person I really fucking want to see right now just to the side of the paparazzi crowd.
Andrew.
Andrew
I want my future to start right now.
When I left Billie’s hospital room, I had the intention of just heading home.
But when I got to my car, I realized I can’t go home when my fucking home is in that hospital.
So, I waited for Birdie.
And while I waited, I replayed everything I wanted to say to her over and over again in my mind. I had it all planned out in my head, but apparently, it didn’t take long for Billie’s birth news to spread to the media vipers. Before I knew it, several paparazzi found their way to the hospital and camped out just outside the entrance.
Which made me second-guess trying to talk to Birdie right now.
I’m pretty sure the last thing she wants is for the photo-hungry media to witness us together.
The instant she steps outside the hospital doors, the paparazzi hound her with questions, snapping photos in quick succession.
Birdie ignores them as best as she can, and before I can decide whether I should discreetly leave to protect her from even more media attention, her eyes meet mine.
My mind goes blank, and my only recurring thought is, This beautiful woman owns my fucking heart.
I’m not sure what I expect her to do, but when she walks straight toward me, closing the distance between us, I’m utterly shocked.
More cameras flash, and it’s more than obvious they’re aware of my presence when they start tossing out questions about our relationship.
“What are you still doing here?” she asks, and I choose to be completely honest with her.
“Waiting for you,” I answer.
She tilts her head to the side in confusion.
“Birdie, there are so many things I need to tell you. So many things I need you to hear. And I just couldn’t wait any longer,” I admit. “But I’ll understand if you want to have this conversation somewhere else.”
“It’s okay.” She shakes her head. “You can tell me now.”
I’m tempted to remind her about the paparazzi just standing over there, watching us like hawks, but I know she didn’t miss them.
She’s really okay with this?
“Andrew,” she says, and my name sounds too damn good on her tongue. “You can tell me now. It’s okay.”
I look at her, then over at the bastards with cameras, then back at her, but when her expression stays utterly neutral, completely patient, I decide to just lay it all out there.
“I fucked up in Memphis,” I admit. “I shouldn’t have walked away. I should have stayed, and I should’ve made you understand how I really feel about you. But here’s the thing. I’m not the kind of guy who lets himself fall in love. I’m quite the opposite, actually. And you, well, you changed that for me. You turned my world upside down. And falling in love with you was the easiest