Santa Baby: a Crescent Cove Romantic Comedy Collection

by Quinn, Taryn

Her mom shook her head. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll just take us and our fancy duds out to dinner with Rylee.”

  “We will?” Rylee frowned. “I figured I’d get to take me and my cute dress out tonight instead.”

  “You will. With us.”

  I pressed my lips together at Rylee’s deep sigh.

  “I mean, I knew I wouldn’t have a hot guy to hook up with here, but I figured The Cove would have something. Thanks a lot, sis.”

  Kelsey’s eyes filled.

  “Good grief, I’m joking.” Rylee came forward and hugged her sister. “Pregnancy hormones are doing you wrong, girl.”

  “I feel bad enough as it is.”

  I rubbed Kelsey’s back. “Don’t feel bad, darlin’. We’re going to follow the caravan to the hospital and grab a few snacks for everyone. How’s that sound?”

  “Oh, that’s a great idea. The hospital food is awful.”

  “We’ll pick up some sandwiches.” I pulled out my phone and opened up the food app. Even as small as our town was, it was set up for takeout like a damn boss.

  “Okay.” Kelsey nodded. A plan was always better than no plan when it came to my wife. I hadn’t known her long, but I knew that much. Her checklist in her planner centered her.

  She hugged her parents and looked around the room. “The flowers. I don’t want to just throw them away.”

  “Don’t you worry. Me and Dare’s mom are going to collect everything and bring it to your house.”

  “My house,” Kelsey repeated. “Right. Our house. Yes, thank you so much. I’m so sorry—”

  “Stop with the sorries, kiddo. Just go take care of your friend.” Kelsey’s father was no nonsense, which I appreciated. Right now, that kind of personality was very much needed.

  I helped Kelsey gather her wrap and her bag. We both said goodbye to everyone who was left. Asher was waiting for us at the door.

  “I hope your friend is all right.”

  “Baby is a little early, but not that much.” Kelsey smiled as she clutched my hand. “Thank you so much for such a lovely ceremony.”

  “Of course.” Asher shook my hand and patted Kelsey’s arm gently. “I’ll take care of the rest of the paperwork and give it to your parents.”

  “Thanks again.” I hustled Kelsey out before someone else could stop us. I had my car, but wished I’d taken the truck. It had seemed wrong to drive my new bride in my truck after our damn wedding ceremony.

  “Which hospital?”

  “Laurel.”

  I nodded and helped her in. She swung the skirt of her dress in and looked up at me with a tremulous smile. I leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. “You’re beautiful, Kel. And so much more than I deserve.” Before she could reply, I closed the door on her and rounded the car to my side.

  It was a warm day, but she was still shivering in reaction to today, my words, or the situation—I didn’t know. I just flicked on the heat and peeled out onto Main.

  I took a detour into Jersey Angel’s deli for a bunch of sandwiches that would hold us through the long night. My buddy worked in the shop and brought out a case of water for me to put in the car. I wasn’t much use to anyone in these situations, but I could at least feed them.

  I pulled a water free and handed it to Kelsey when I got back in the car. “How are you feeling?”

  She frowned. “I’m fine.”

  “You sure? It’s been a long day already.”

  She gave me a soft smile, then leaned in and gave me a sweet kiss. “I’m fine. I’m just worried about Sage. So take my mind off of it. We’ve got a little drive.”

  “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

  “Your ex-wife.”

  My stomach plummeted. “Not exactly what we should be discussing on our wedding day.”

  “You seem to be awfully calm about this baby stuff. Is it because of Katherine?”

  Evidently, she would not be deterred. “Definitely not. Katherine was the worst patient in the history of man.” I tightened my fingers on the steering wheel. “You don’t want to hear this.”

  “I do.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she gave you Wes. She couldn’t be all bad.”

  Yes, she could. But it was true, she had given me an amazing kid. “We met on the circuit.”

  “Racing circuit?”

  I nodded as I navigated the town limits and got on the highway. “She got off on race car drivers. I wasn’t fresh on the scene. I’d been around long enough to know what I was getting into with her.” I shrugged. “A few good races and I was hitting the top of the leaderboards for a good part of the season. She was fun and I was invincible.”

  Kelsey tugged at the little bit of lace on her dress. “Sounds like a different life.”

  “It was. And I loved it. Me and my brother had been working pit crews at the derbies as soon as we hit sixteen. He’s a few years younger than me and snuck in before he got his license. I swear, the only reason I pulled ahead and landed a team was luck.”

  “I doubt it.”

  I untwisted her fingers from her dress and wound them with mine. “It’s the truth. I was a good driver, but there are a lot of them out there. If Jeff—the driver of the team I took over—hadn’t fucked up and failed a drug test, my life might be a lot different.”

  I might still be living my life one race at a time. I might never have had my kid. I might never have met Kelsey. It was unsettling to think about. There were some nights when I wondered what life would be like if I’d made a different decision. Now, it seemed even more terrifying.

  “That’s how you ended up racing?” Her voice was filled with wonder.

  “Yep. Crazy, right? Right place, right time. Hell, if I hadn’t raced the track three tenths of a second faster than my brother, he might have been right where I was.”

  “And with Katherine?”

  My laugh was harsh enough that she flinched. “No, probably not with Katherine. Racing was his sole focus. Still is. He knew how to party, but he always had his eye on the winner’s circle.”

  “And you didn’t?”

  I shrugged. “I loved it. But the moment Katherine told me we’d gotten pregnant, my life changed. I wasn’t just thinking about the leaderboard anymore. Maybe that’s why I fucked up in the end. Your head has to be completely in the car and the race.”

  I hadn’t thought about that before. I wasn’t big on self-analysis. Never had been.

  Walking away from racing should have been harder. But Wes had meant more to me than leaving him alone all the time. Or using a nanny while I raced and trained.

  “And Katherine isn’t in Wes’s life at all.”

  I shook my head. “I’m actually shocked she lasted a few years. I get a text on his birthday every year, but otherwise, she left both of us behind.” The exit for the hospital came up and I let Kelsey’s hand go as I downshifted to turn off.

  “God, I couldn’t imagine. I was only his teacher and he was definitely one of my more memorable students. And now he’s mine...well, if you are okay with it.”

  We came to a light and I cupped the back of her head to drag her mouth to mine. Just the idea that this woman could want to take both of us on—that she wanted my kid even in the midst of all these huge changes—made my kiss a little wild.

  She turned in her seat to me and cupped my face, her fingers scraping through my short hair as she held on and kissed me back with the same intensity.

  When a horn blared behind us, I pulled away. “Sorry.”

  She collapsed back in her seat. “Don’t be sorry.”

  “Yes. I love that you want both of us.”

  “Of course I do.”

  We rode in silence, then parked and gathered up the food for the waiting room. I loaded half a dozen bottles of water in with the sandwiches to keep them cold and handed her a bag with six more. Laurel wasn’t a terribly huge hospital, but it had a good-sized maternity ward. Evidently, with a few towns surrounding the hospital, there was a lot of babymaking
going on.

  I knew it definitely included me.

  “You have a doctor’s appointment coming up?”

  She nodded. “Friday.”

  “Is it all right if I come?”

  Her smile was sweet, and her cheeks pinked up. “I’d like that.”

  I tried not to ground my molars because she didn’t immediately demand for me to go with her. She wasn’t alone, and I was determined to make her aware of that every moment of the damn day.

  She rushed forward with her bag to hug Ally when we made it into the room. There were a few people in there, but it was mostly the Sage contingency.

  I lifted a bag. “Brought rations.”

  “Oh, thank God. I was just looking at the vending machines with tears in my eyes.” Seth dug into the bag. “You must like us or something. Jersey Angel’s roast beef on rye? I’d kiss you if I was into beards.”

  “Pass.”

  “I do have a talented tongue. You’re missing out.” Seth grinned and ripped open the deli paper. “So good. Thanks.”

  I dug out two waters for Ally and Kelsey and handed them out. “Drink.”

  Kelsey wrinkled her nose at me. “Yes, sir.”

  The sir thing didn’t do it for me, but her looking up at me like that sure fucking did.

  I just grunted at her and went back to the bag for my own water and a sandwich. There was a lot of sitting involved and the girls all took turns going back to see Sage. Kelsey seemed edgy and distracted and she disappeared once or twice. I hoped she wasn’t dealing with nausea again.

  Finally, Sage was settled into a room. By then, my ass was asleep and my noose of a tie had landed in a pile with the rest of the guys’ ties and jackets. The food had been demolished in the waiting room, since Sage couldn’t eat anything now that she was in active labor. Even though she had threatened bodily harm to all of us for daring to eat when she could not.

  She was a scary chick.

  Oliver came down the hallway. “Hey, guys. She’s finally settled in a room.” He ran a shaky hand over his hair. His tie was long gone and his dress shirt sleeves were rolled up, tails out of his pants. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Oliver quite so disheveled.

  Kelsey popped up from her place next to Ally. They’d been FaceTiming with Sage’s parents. They were heading back to Crescent Cove, but they were still a few hours away. They’d taken an impromptu trip, thinking they had a bit of time until the baby was born.

  I crossed to my wife and took her shaking hand. “Sage is doing great. It just takes time.”

  “Why is it taking so long though?”

  “Babies come on their own timetable.”

  “God, knowing me and my luck, ours will come out sideways.”

  My gut clenched and unfurled when she said ours so easily, but I could see the bloom of panic on her face. That and how very tired she was.

  “How’s Wes?”

  “Having the time of his life. He and Pop got a new puzzle.” I was forever shocked that he would never sit down for anything—my boy was always running and active—unless there was a puzzle in front of him. But it gave him some much needed quiet time.

  “Oh, that’s good. He loves them. We picked out some when we took a Target trip earlier this week.” She hugged herself and rubbed her arms. “Why do they keep it so cold in here?”

  Personally, I was dying and was running out of things to take off, but I knew she was beyond overtired. I pulled her into me. “How about we go see Sage and then you lay down for a little bit?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I know, but you’ve been up since dawn, I bet.”

  She shrugged, then settled her cheek against my chest. “She threw a jug of water at Oliver last time I went in.”

  “Planning to do the same?”

  She pulled back. “I don’t know. I don’t deal with pain well. Might be more like the bed itself.”

  “Well, then.” Her giggle made me smile down at her. “Good to know.” I uncurled her hand from between us and tugged her down the hallway after Oliver. She gripped my hand with both of hers when shouts reached the hallway.

  “Drugs! Give me the goddamn epidural!”

  I pushed open the door slowly. Kelsey’s mouth dropped open as Sage dragged the nurse down by her stethoscope.

  “Mrs. Hamilton, you’re past the point of having one.” The nurse’s voice was calm as she peeled Sage’s fingers off her stethoscope. “The doctor will be in soon.” She gave us a tight smile and rushed out.

  “Because you left me in the damn emergency room for hours,” Sage yelled after her. “Ice chips. Where are my damn ice chips? Sweet bloody fuck, this baby is ripping me apart.”

  Kelsey rushed over to the table for her cup of ice. “Here you go. Can I do anything?”

  Sage crunched on two cubes, her eyes like hellfire. “Yes. Can you reach in there and rip this thing out? That would be great.” She threw her head back on the pillow and growled. “I’m having a demon. That’s the only explanation for this.” She slapped the railing.

  “Honey, just breathe.” Oliver brushed Sage’s hair back. “You have to calm down.”

  “Are you having this baby?” She sat up until they were nose to nose. “I think not. If you had something trying to rip its way out of your parts, you would not be so calm.”

  Oliver paled, but he didn’t move. In fact, it was impressive how he eased her back against the bed as he glanced at one of the monitors. He took her hand and kissed their clenched fingers. “Here we go.”

  “Fuck!” Sage’s voice was like nails down a chalkboard with a lightning strike chaser.

  “Breathe,” Oliver said in a stern voice.

  “Breathing.” Sage’s voice was little more than a snarl as she slowly calmed and collapsed against the pillow. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I love you.”

  Just like that, she turned into a blubbering mess as the contractions eased off.

  I curled my arm around Kelsey and pulled her to the side as the door opened again. A woman in a white coat bustled in. “Hello, Sage. Evidently, your little one decided to come early.”

  “Doctor, could you please tell your staff that I’m so not too late for the drugs thing. I really need them.”

  The doctor lifted Sage’s gown and I turned my head away. I had no need to see all the things when it came to Sage. There was friendship and then there was hell no. The doctor reached around in there and I winced as I turned Kelsey to face me.

  From the color of my wife’s cheeks, she was well on her way to freaking out.

  “Nope. You are about ready to go, young lady. In fact,” the doctor turned to us, “out you go, guys. Unless you’re a birthing coach or the father.”

  “Birthing coach!” Ally yelled as she came in. “I’m here.”

  “Where have you been?” Sage’s voice was accusing.

  Ally held up a stuffed unicorn. Or was that a pony? I was eternally grateful that my son didn’t go for anything in the girl realm of toys. Not that I wouldn’t let him play with anything he wanted to, but I sure as fuck didn’t need to buy him anything else since I currently owned every damn dinosaur I could find on Amazon.

  “I have Sparkles.” Ally waved the stuffed toy.

  “Oh.” Sage made grabby hands. “I need Sparkles. Thank you. I love you. You’re the best.”

  Kelsey buried her face in my chest. “Sparkles is what she focuses on to breathe through the pain.”

  “Oh.” Considering I hadn’t been able to get Katherine to show up to a birthing class, we definitely hadn’t known about anything like that.

  Yeah, it was time to hustle my girl out of the room.

  We got down the hall, but instead of turning into the waiting room, she went out through the front doors of the hospital. “Kelsey!”

  She shook her head. “Nope. I’m good. We don’t need to do any of that.” She waved her hand up in the air. “I changed my mind. Having a baby isn’t what I want after all.”

  My belly
twisted for a second before I chased after her. She didn’t mean it, but God, hearing that was fucking sobering. “Kel, come on.”

  “No way. There is no way I can do that. Nope. I take care of kids after they come out and grow like five years or whatever. That part? Nope.” She shook her head. The curls from the ceremony were long gone and it was back to her long, perfect red hair. “I can’t do that.”

  “Yes, you can. You’re the strongest woman I know.”

  “You are sorely mistaken, sir. I am a wimp. I cry when I have cramps. You think I can do that?”

  “Yes.” I curled my fingers around her upper arms and forced her to face me. “You are going to be awesome at that. And you’ve told me that Sage is a bit of a…what do you call it?”

  “Drama llama,” she muttered.

  “Right. And you can do anything you set your mind to. You wrangle twenty-four six-year-olds and seven-year-olds. Having a baby is nothing compared to what you do every day.”

  “Yes, but there’s no blood—well, usually no blood.”

  “See?” I tipped her head up and kissed her. “You’re already ahead of the game.”

  “You’re just trying to placate me.”

  Fuck yes, I was. I truly didn’t know how any woman gave birth, but I wasn’t telling her that. “Yes, how am I doing?”

  She stuck out her lower lip and crowded into me. “Okay.”

  “Yeah?”

  Her lips twitched.

  “I see that smile trying to come out. Come on, let me see it.”

  “Stop. You are being ridiculous.”

  “Oh, and flying out of the hospital saying you changed your mind isn’t?”

  She punched me in the belly. “Get used to it, buddy. I haven’t even begun to be an irrational pregnant woman yet. I reserve the right to get way worse.”

  “Looking forward to it.” I curled my arm around her shoulders. “Now let’s get back in there before you freeze.”

  “Too late.” She shivered and huddled in close.

  An ocean-liner-sized vacation home on wheels pulled up and a woman scrambled down the stairs.

  “Mrs. Evans?” Kelsey took a step toward the woman.

  “Oh, goodness. Did I make it in time, dear?”

  Kelsey laughed. “I think you did. Hurry up, let’s get you inside.” She turned to me and I waved her ahead.