Chapter 91: Bryn

Bryn


I’m sitting in a silent room, waiting anxiously for some news on my boys. Jaxon had called my family and told them everything after we arrived at the hospital. They told him they would be on the first flight here, but I know there isn’t a chance they will find anything today. It's the holidays now and even a short flight like that would be hard to get last minute. They offered to drive, but the weather has gotten worse and I didn’t want them to risk it.

So here I am, hooked up to all these machines waiting. I watch the clock hoping time will move faster and me closer to some news. They moved me from the ER to a room so they could check on the baby properly. The ER doctor had done an ultrasound and said that the baby looked fine and that bleeding can happen when there is a trauma like an accident. Our baby is lucky. Still, they want to monitor her properly, so they hooked me up to a fetal heart monitor, and I’m able to hear her tiny heart beat as I wait.

You read that correctly. We’re having a little girl. The doctor felt awful when she let the news slip, but I was so happy to know the baby was okay that I didn’t care. Not that I cared to begin with, but I hoped to give Sawyer the boy he wanted. It’s so dumb given what he’s probably going through, but I hope he’ll be happy by the news. I rest my hands on my belly and smile when my little girl pushes against my palm.

“Hey sweet girl. Keep fighting in there, okay?” I tell her again.

I’ve been saying the same thing every few minutes, hoping she won’t stop fighting. She’s okay but so small still and I’m worried she could take a turn for the worse.

The door to my room cracks open and Jaxon pops his head in. “Can I come in?” He asks softly.

I laugh. “Of course.”

He never has to ask again. He saved us all, and that gives him every right to be with me right now. I can never repay him for what he did for us.

“How are you feeling?” He asks.

He slips his hands in his front pockets and stays a modest distance from me, like he isn’t sure what to do. A friend of his had brought him a change of clothes and I’m glad. It would have been horrible for him to stay in clothes covered in blood. I had expected him to leave once we got here and his obligation as a cop was over, but he didn’t. He kept his promise to stay with me, but I can’t be selfish forever.

“You don’t have to be scared of me. I won’t bite, I promise.” I tell him, trying to lighten the mood.

A smile breaks across his handsome face, and I watch his body relax. It broke the tension enough that he walks over to stand next to my bed and carefully lifts my hand to kiss the back of my hand. It’s such an old-fashioned and insanely sweet gesture that I feel my face warm.

“Are you okay?” I whisper when his smile falls, and he takes in a deep breath.

He nods, but takes an extra minute before he finally looks at me. I see worry and uncertainty in his eyes, and I want to wash it all away.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him, lifting my hand and brushing a finger along his face.

He’s breaking my heart with this sad face he’s sporting.

“If I tell you a secret, will you keep it?” He asks and I nod. “I was scared.”

That’s a big thing to admit as a cop, I’m sure. “What has a brave cop like you scared?” I tease.

He lets out a weka laugh and covers my hand with his other one and holds mine even tighter.

“Watching you collapse…it was as if the world slowed and I was scared that…I was afraid the worst had happened and I couldn’t do anything to help you. The paramedics were asking me questions. I didn’t know how to answer, but I was the only one there. I hated it. Not being able to help you the right way…”

He feels guilty for not knowing me as well as my other guys? Why?

“That sin’t your fault, Jaxon. We just met. How are you supposed to know everything about me yet?” I ask him.

He shakes his head. “I know that. But I still can’t shake the anger I felt not knowing you. It’s a shit feeling.”

I’m not sure what to say right now. “Jaxon…”

“I know. It’s a ridiculous thing to get mad about, but I feel what I feel. So I promised myself as I watched the paramedics wheel you into the ER that I wouldn’t be stuck in a situation like that again.” He goes on.

Oh. He wants to walk away and forget he ever met me. Not that I blame him. The first time he spent time with me and we get into a huge wreck.

“So I have a proposition.” He says.

My eyes lock on his, and I give him a confused look. He smiles and I watch a small dimple form on his right cheek. Just one. It only makes him look more handsome and a little wicked, too.

“Okay…”

“I want to take you out. On a real date, just the two of us. I want to spend a few hours together and learn as much about you as I can. So when someone asks me about my girlfriend, I will be able to answer them.” He says confidently..

I blink at him, a little stunned by his words, and then I laugh. “Your girlfriend, huh?”

“That’s right. I knew the second we were left alone in that interrogation room- “

“I knew it was an interrogation room!” I blurt, making him laugh.

“I knew I was done for. I fell under your spell, and there is no going back. I can’t promise that I won’t get fucking jealous, but I also know that I want to be near you.” He admits.

Wow. Why do all these guys keep saying they’re drawn to me? Am I some sort of witch? I’ve never really believed in that, but now I’m starting to wonder. Only this never happened to me before. Before this year, only one guy gave me the time of day and another acted as if I wasn’t part of his life at all. So what the heck has changed? I glance down at my belly and narrow my eyes.

‘You sneaky little girl. Have you been trying to gather a harem of dads? You want to be spoiled.’ I think amusingly at my little princess.

It was a silly thought, but it makes me smile. When I look at Jaxon again, he looks a little nervous. He thinks I’m going to tell him to hit the road and never come back, but he’s wrong. Today has only cemented the fact that life is short, and at any moment, everything could be ripped away. So if these men wanted to create a life around me, then I would accept it. Jaxon is a good man, and if he wants to know me, then who am I to refuse him?

“I’d like that.” I say and give him a sincere smile.

“Yeah?” He asks and I nod quickly.

He laughs and leans in to kiss me before I know what’s happening. When he breaks the kiss, I laugh and he follows before leaning in to rest his forehead against mine. It’s such a small but intimate action. You would think we have already been a couple for a while now. I move on instinct and wrap my arms around his neck the best I can with my IV tugging on me.

“Bryn?” I drop my hands and Jaxon turns enough that I can see behind him.

My heart drops to my stomach, and a sob escapes my lips. “Sawyer.”

My husband and first love smiles but winces instantly, making my heart break even more. “Hey baby, you okay?”

The nurse wheeling him toward me stops him right next to me at the spot Jaxon had just been.

“Me? Are you okay?” I ask quickly.

He smiles and takes my hand. “I am now.”

I cry even more and lean down the best I can to kiss him. He hisses in pain and I cringe. “Sorry.”

He chuckles. “It was worth it to kiss my girl. How’s the nugget?” He asks, rubbing his hand over my belly.

“She’s okay.” I say softly and wait for for his reaction.

His head snaps up, and he fixes me with wide eyes. “She?”

I nod.

“It’s a girl?” He asks a little louder.

“Yeah it is.” I say again and he laughs.

“A girl?” He asks, but laughs again before I can answer.

Then he’s on his feet and being over to kiss me again. He pulls me into a hug and I hold on tight to him. Relief washes over me and I let some more of my tears fall. He was happy…and so was I.