I walk through the waiting room and out her front door as I look back and say, “Thank you. Oh, and I only have one boyfriend now. Turns out, three is a party and four is a crowd.”
As I get to my car I hear Samantha shout, her curiosity getting the best of her, “Which one did you end up with, Marion?”
With Jack on my mind, I give her a sexy smile. “Which one do you hope I kept?”
“That’s not fair!”
Pointing to my head I smirk, “See? Black hat,” and slide into Jack’s black Porsche. Because I don’t have a horse.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
JACK
From the passenger seat Marion rolls her eyes with a smile. “Are you going to be like this all day?”
“Like what?” Gripping the steering wheel I turn left, entire body tense.
“Like you might tear apart anything you touch, and not even notice.”
Turning into the hospital parking lot, I grumble, “It’s not every day I become a father.”
Marion grabs onto the dashboard of the new SUV she teased me about buying last weekend, her chest heaving against contractions. Finally she gasps, “This sucks!”
I rub her back, steering with my left hand. “I know, Gorgeous. If I could do it for you I would.”
She cries out in pain, then cuts me a look. “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
I pull up to the entrance, leap out of the vehicle with it still running, and yank her door open. Whoops. Almost pulled it off the hinges.
“See what I’m saying? No no no! You can’t carry me there, Jack! I’m too heavy now!”
“Bullshit.” She throws her arms around my neck and I cradle her all the way inside. With the key fob in my pocket, the engine shuts down and some dickhead yells at me that I can’t leave my car there. Of course I ignore him. I can do whatever I want to do.
This is our day.
We called ahead to her obstetrician, Dr. Munro. Marion wanted a woman so we canned Morris and hired someone with a sense of humor.
Mar doesn’t know it but I phoned a second time and made it clear that waiting wasn’t an option. Her new doctor always finds me entertaining, so she doesn’t realize how serious I really was. Marion says she’s attracted to me, which is just ridiculous. And I don’t care if it’s true, as long as we get treated as best as the woman knows how.
I hear a familiar voice and look over my shoulder to see Lorraine hurrying up.
I lock eyes with Marion. “When did you call her?”
“When you ran to get my suitcase.”
Lorraine calls out, “You’re carrying her? Do you want me to get a wheelchair?”
“No!”
“Fine, do you know where you’re going?”
I jog my chin forward. “Third-floor.”
Lorraine hurries and pushes the elevator button. She’s wearing a conservative dress, and looks a lot less flashy than when I saw her last. Except for the wedding ring. It’s definitely bigger than the one David gave her. She locks eyes with me, all of the years that we’ve known each other between us. “You look like you haven’t aged a day, Jack.”
“Wait until my daughter is born. Then you’ll see some grey hairs.”
Marion touches my head. “You mean more grey hairs.”
I give her a wink and the three of us join a few white coats on the elevator. Lorraine pushes button number three and asks, “Did you call your father?” I can tell by the tightness in her lips that she’s worried the answer is yes.
Marion flatly says, “Nope.”
Relief is replaced by concern. I can respect that. Even if she doesn’t want to be face-to-face with the man she abandoned, at least she has the decency to feel compassion for his inevitable desire to be here yet not having the chance.
We don’t speak until the doors open and I grunt, “Just up ahead.” Spotting Marion’s doctor waiting for us, I call out, “We’re here.” At the look on her face I ask, “Why is everyone so surprised I’m carrying the love of my life? Least I can do when she’s carrying our future.”
Lorraine stops walking, her eyes rounding. I take no notice, leave her behind as I tell Dr. Munro, “Her contractions are about three minutes apart.”
Marion kisses my cheek. “I love you.”
I give her a quick kiss on the lips and ask the doctor, “Where do you want me to bring her?”
“Set her down on this gurney. We’ll take it from here.”
“I’m coming with.”
Lorraine arrives at my side. “Me too.”
“The only