by Steph Nuss
“I’m sure you did.” I laughed, causing a sliver of pain to cut through my chest.
“Paige has been in and out while handling the media circus for us.”
“Thank god for Paige.”
“I know,” he sighed. “She’s good at dealing with that crap.”
I pointed to my water and he handed it to me. While I sipped down another drink, he continued. “Justin and Mrs. J. visited and brought you a get well card. He also said they stopped by our place and stocked our fridge.”
“Yum!”
“Tessa brought me some food yesterday and stayed the night. I hope you heard her babbling on about that TV show you both like so much, since she wouldn’t shut up about it.”
I smiled, completely amused, and pulled the blanket up over my toes. They were painted peach, just like I remembered. “I heard her.”
“Good.”
“Oh, and this color,” I said, wiggling my toes in the air, “is definitely not orange, babe.”
“I’m a guy. Peach does not exist in our color wheel,” he said, rolling his eyes.
Laughing, I winced and put my hand over my side, waiting for the pain to subside.
“I love hearing your laugh, baby, but if it hurts, please don’t,” he said, rubbing my arm.
“I’m okay,” I breathed. “Did Carter deal with my parents?” I gazed over at him seriously. “Please tell me they’re not here.”
He laughed and shook his head. “They’re not here. Carter called them and told them what happened, but he said you were okay and that they didn’t need to fly up.”
“Good,” I sighed, relieved. The last thing I needed was my mom seeing me like this. She’d probably have a heart attack.
“So, what else did you hear?” he asked, curiously. “Did you hear my mom when she visited? I think people in China could hear her crying.”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t hear her.”
“She was so shaken up over the whole ordeal, but seeing that you were all right and hearing the baby’s heartbeat made her feel better.”
“I’m glad,” I said, smiling. “Does she know we’re having a girl?”
“Nope,” he smiled proudly, “I wanted to tell you first.”
“So, nobody knows yet?” I asked, surprised. “I figured I’d wake up and Fletcher would be standing there asking me for my money.”
“You don’t have to pay up,” he laughed, running our linked hands over my belly. “You’re the baby-maker.”
“Good to know.” I thought back to the other conversation I heard, and remembered Imani. “How’s Imani doing? I heard you guys talking about her.”
“She’s good,” he answered. “She was discharged Friday night. The man tased her pretty good, but she’s okay—no permanent damage. She wanted to stay here with you, but I told her to go home and rest.”
“She deserves a break,” I said, “And Max? How’s he doing?”
“I think he was in shock when we found you and Imani because when he saw you later in the hospital, he just lost it. I had Elly talk to him about everything, so he knows you’re okay and that none of this is his fault. He’s been working with my dad to build a case against Diana. She and her helper are both in custody now.”
“And you?” I asked, blinking back tears. His disheveled appearance couldn’t be missed. He looked like he needed a change of clothes and a long, hot shower. But, more than anything, he looked incredibly tired. “How are you doing? Do you still feel like if you hadn’t told me to meet you at home this wouldn’t have happened?”
“You heard that, too, huh?” he mused, smiling weakly.
“Yes,” I answered, caressing his face. “You know that’s not true, right? She attacked me because she thought I was pregnant with Max’s baby. Diana’s responsible for this.”
He leaned into my palm, and swallowed hard. “I know. Elly talked to me, too.” He kissed my palm and held my hand. “You and our child mean the world to me, and I will always put you two before myself. So, when I wasn’t able to do anything except sit and wait, I felt completely helpless and started thinking about all the what-ifs. I know I’m not to blame for this, but I couldn’t help thinking so after hours went by and you still hadn’t woken up. I was scared you might never wake up.”
“Mav …”
“But then I held your hand and listened to our girl’s heartbeat, and I knew everything would be okay—that both of you were going to be okay.”
“You holding my hand made all of my pain fade away,” I confessed, reassuring him. “You weren’t helpless. You did what any lover and father would do: you were there for us. And I’m glad our friends and your family were there for you.” His smile widened and I ran my thumb over his lips before kissing him. “You look like you could sleep.”
“Now that I know you’ll wake up when I do, I think I can finally get a good night’s sleep.”
Kissing him once more, I breathed him in and yawned. “I promise I’ll wake up with you.”
“For the rest of our lives,” he mumbled, closing his eyes, and within seconds, his breathing evened out and he fell fast asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Harper
The next morning, I was already awake when Riley came into my room to check on me. She smiled politely when she saw Maverick, who was still asleep beside me.
“Would you like some breakfast?” she whispered.
I nodded, and she handed me a pen and a paper menu listing all of the hospital’s breakfast items. She grabbed my water bottle and exited the room again. I circled eggs and toast, but then remembered baby Jones didn’t like eggs. Scratching the eggs out, I ordered toast with peanut butter, a bowl of fruit, and yogurt and granola. Doubling everything for Maverick, I added sausage links and a coffee for him, knowing he’d be just as hungry as I was. My stomach was practically clawing at me for a meal now.
The door to my room opened up again, and Riley came back in with more water for me. She set it down on the movable table near my bed.
“Thank you,” I said softly, handing the menu back to her. “I hope it’s okay I ordered for him, too.”
“That’s fine,” she whispered. “Did you sleep well last night?”
She started checking my vitals again, and I nodded. “Yes.”
“Any pain or dizziness?”
I shook my head. “Not this morning. I feel really good. Hungry, but good.”
She smiled and waved the menu. “Then I better get this in. It shouldn’t take very long.”
“Good,” I murmured.
She left and I went back to watching Maverick sleep. He looked so peaceful, breathing in and out in a symphonious hum that reminded me of being at home with him. With his leg draped over one of mine and his arm wrapped around my waist, he held me close, and I didn’t want anyone or anything to wake him from his rest. He needed to recharge after spending that last couple of days persistently worrying about me.
I heard the door to my room open up again, and my stomach growled again at the thought of food. I was so hungry I could probably eat everything on the hospital’s menu—besides eggs, of course. But it wasn’t Riley carrying in breakfast.
It was Carter.
“Hey!” he said loudly.
“Shh!” I pointed to a sleeping Maverick, and Carter smiled.
“My bad,” he whispered, shutting the door behind him with ease. Walking over to my bed, the smile on his face grew, and he reached for my hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” I answered, smiling back at him.
“You look good,” he lied, running his eyes over my face. Raising my brows at him sharply, he chuckled. “I mean, despite the bruises and everything, you look well-rested.”
Laughing softly, I nodded. “I did sleep well last night, thanks to this guy.” I ran my hands through Maverick’s dark hair and glanced back up at Carter. “Thank you for looking after him and Axel. How’s he doing by the way? Is he behaving?”
Carter sat on the edge of my bed.
“We’ve had to watch him in the kitchen, since he’s tall enough to swipe food off the counter, but besides that he’s been really good.”
Another rumble howled from my stomach, and Carter and I laughed. “I’m so hungry.”
My door opened again, and Riley came to the rescue, carrying in a tray with two plates on it. She placed them on the table and maneuvered it so my food was right in front of me. Using the remote, I set the bed up so I could eat more comfortably.
“Do you need anything else?” she asked, carrying on with her perfect bedside manner.
“No, thank you,” I said, uncovering my food. It was a simple meal, but it looked especially scrumptious given the fact that I hadn’t eaten since before Diana attacked me. Opening a packet of peanut butter, I grabbed a knife and buttered my toast. Maverick stirred next to me, but I moved out of his grasp, too hungry to care about waking him up now. Momma needed to eat.
“How much food did you order?” Carter laughed, looking under the other lid.
“Enough for Mav and me,” I said, taking a bite of my toast. The peanut butter tasted so creamy and delicious. I lifted the lid off Mav’s breakfast and stole his toast. I looked up at Carter and shrugged. “What? I’m eating for two. I can have four pieces of peanut buttery toast.”
He laughed and held up his hands. “I didn’t say you couldn’t.”
“It’s protein.” I smiled and took another bite and it tasted even better than the first bite. I almost moaned right there in front of my brother over peanut butter and toast. A pregnant woman shouldn’t be allowed to go days without food.
“Do you need me to give you and the toast some privacy?” Carter teased.
“I haven’t eaten in a really long time!” I whined, taking a sip of water. “I deserve to enjoy my first meal right now.”
“I know,” he said, “I’m just giving you shit. It’s good to see you awake and eating. Maverick texted everyone last night, letting them know you were awake.”
“Yeah, well, he better wake up if he wants some breakfast or else I’m going to eat it.” I rejoiced, taking a bite of a fresh strawberry. I kissed Maverick’s forehead and smiled against his warm, smooth skin. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day, and I couldn’t wait to leave the hospital. I dreamed of being in our own bed, at home, where nobody could come in and check on us.
“Hmm,” he moaned, nuzzling my neck. His stubble grazed my skin and raised goosebumps on my arms. His morning cuddles had been missed in the last couple of days. “Do I smell food?” he asked, gruffly.
“Mhmm,” I said, taking another bite of my toast. “And I’m going to eat it all if you don’t wake up and join me. Oh, and Carter’s here, so no sexy stuff.”
Maverick’s laugh vibrated against my skin, and he gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “Morning, baby.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“I did,” he smiled, lifting the lid off his food. “Breakfast smells good.”
“She took your toast,” Carter said, ratting me out. So, I threw a strawberry top at him.
“That’s okay,” Maverick said, winking at me. “She needs it more than I do.”
Popping a grape in my mouth, I smiled at Carter. “Yes, your niece needs this, Carter.”
He laughed and then stopped, with a confused expression on his face. “Wait, what?”
Maverick took a sip of his coffee and smiled over the rim of his mug. “Yeah, I was right. We’re having a girl.”
“Dammit!” Carter said, shaking his head, upset over the bet. He looked at the two of us, and then corrected himself. “I mean, congratulations! A girl will be great. When did you guys find out?”
“The other day, when she was still unconscious,” Maverick answered, tangling his fingers with mine. “She actually heard the doctor talking to me about her, though.”
“That’s awesome.”
“Yeah, it is,” I said, gazing into Maverick’s eyes. Leaning over, I covered his mouth with mine and tasted the warm coffee on his breath, and moaned into him. “I miss coffee.”
“You can have one cup.” He’d been so good about reading the baby books with me, and he knew all of the nutrients the baby and I needed, given his training background.
“If I have one, I’ll want another.” I knew myself too well.
“I don’t know how you guys drink that crap,” Carter interjected, wrinkling his nose.
“You’re weird because you don’t,” I laughed.
“Whatever,” he said, shaking his head. “So, Elly’s bringing clothes by for both of you today.”
“She doesn’t need to do that,” Mav said, forking a sausage link.
“Yes, she does, sweetie,” I insisted, nodding. “You’ve been wearing those clothes way too long, and I’ll need something to go home in today.” I turned back to Carter. “They’re going to let me go home today.”
“Good. You seem ready to go home.”
“I am,” I sighed.
The door to the room opened up again, and Elly came bursting into the room carrying a large bag and her purse. She smiled when her eyes connected with mine and she ran over to my side of the bed.
“You’re awake!” she cheered, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight hug.
“Easy, Elly,” Maverick urged.
“Oh, I’m not going to hurt her,” she fussed, patting the back of my bed head. “I brought a ponytail holder for you, too.”
“You’re the best!” I laughed, pulling away from her.
She gathered my hair in her hands and tucked all of it back before wrapping the black elastic band around and tying it up in a messy bun. “There. Much better.”
“Yes, that feels so much better,” I said, running my hands over my head. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” She lifted the bag she brought and smiled. “I also brought some clothes for you, since there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get to go home today. I didn’t bring anything fancy, though, just some lounge stuff. I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s fine.” I waved off her concerns and pulled her back in for a hug. “Thank you so much,” I whispered, nearly choking on my words. I’d loved her the moment Carter introduced me to her, but she’d become so much more than just his fiancée. She was my friend and sister now, and I was grateful for her.
“Anytime,” she sighed, rubbing my back. She broke away and sat down next to Carter on the edge of the bed. “So, the detectives are going to want to talk to you today.”
“Are they here already?” Maverick asked, sounding irritated.
“No, not yet,” Elly said, reaching for a grape. I smacked her hand away before she could grab one, and we all burst into laughter.
“I’m so sorry,” I giggled, covering my mouth in embarrassment.
“Apparently, pregnant Harper doesn’t share food,” Carter inferred.
Surprise washed over Elly’s face, and she laughed ever harder. “Ohmigawd, that’s funny! That’s exactly like something Maverick would do.”
“She hasn’t eaten in two days,” Maverick said, shooing her away. “Let my baby momma eat.”
“Anyway,” Elly said, simmering her laughter. “Like I was saying, the detectives are going to want to talk to you today about what happened. If you’re not ready, we can ask them to wait, but I think it’d be better for you if you got it over with now rather than later.”
I scooped up the last bite of my yogurt and granola and glanced at Maverick. “What do you think?”
He set his utensils down and wrapped his arms around my waist. Pressing a soft kiss to my temple, he sighed. “I think we should try to put this all behind us as quickly as possible. The sooner you talk to them, the sooner we can do that.”
“Okay.” I nodded and covered his hands with mine. “She’s in custody though, right?”
“Yes,” Elly said firmly, nodding. “They have a lot of evidence on her. They just need your statement about what happened in the parking garage.” She eyed me suspiciously for a moment. “Do yo
u remember what happened?”
“Elly, do we have to do this right now?” Maverick said, giving her a pointed look.
“Mav, it’s okay,” I reassured, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. I nodded. “I remember.”
“Okay, good,” she said. “Is there anything you’re not sure about, though?”
I took a deep breath and looked around the room as I thought back to the attack. Watching it play out in my mind made shivers run down my spine, but when the last memory from that night ended, I looked back at Elly confused. “There was a gun. Someone had a gun and I heard it click, but I don’t remember hearing any gunshots.”
The room blanketed with silence. I glanced back and forth between the three of them, and then Maverick swallowed hard. “Diana had a gun, but we arrived before she had the chance to shoot.”
“Oh,” I said, “What did she do after you got there?”
“She took off with her help,” he said, caressing my face. “The police arrested them both later that night at her place.”
I nodded and looked back over at Elly. The question that haunted me now was why. “Why would she do this? I mean, I know she was obsessed with Max and wanted me out of his life, but if she had a gun, why beat the crap out of me first? Why not just shoot me?”
Elly pursed her lips and took a deep breath. Covering my hand with hers, she smiled weakly. “We’ll probably never know why, but my guess is she wanted to confront you. She wanted you to know that she was upset, and she wanted to make you suffer. In her mind, she probably thought shooting you meant you wouldn’t hurt, and she cared more about hurting you than killing you.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because she thought you hurt her. She thought you were pregnant with Max’s baby, and that upset her because she wanted to be the woman who carried Max’s children; she wanted to be the love of his life. So, finding out that you’re pregnant set her off. She became angry, and wanted you to pay for ruining her sick delusion of one day being with Max.”
“Ohmigawd.” I relaxed back into the mattress, shaking my head in disbelief.
“She had it all planned out,” Elly continued. “I’ve talked to the detectives, and they’re positive she’ll spend the rest of her life in prison.”