“I’ll make sure that happens,” Drake said.
“You don’t need to babysit me Drake,” I said.
“Woman, you’re pregnant with my child. Now that I know that, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Would you like to see the baby?” the doctor asked.
I whipped my head over toward the doctor as Drake clamped down onto my hand.
“Like an ultrasound?” I asked.
“Mhm. We’ll need to do one anyway for our records. Might as well have Daddy present,” she said with a smile. “Don’t worry, we’ve got a mobile unit on a cart, so you don’t have to move an inch.”
I caught his gaze, his eyes sparkling with light and life as he nodded his head.
“Get that cart in here,” he said. “I wanna see my kid.”
CHAPTER 27
Drake
After the ultrasound, Delia had fallen asleep as the I.V. fluids ran through her system. The doctor wanted her rehydrated before she left and I still had to do damage control with the media. Some people had seen me rushing into the hospital, and throngs of fans had gathered in all areas trying to get a glimpse of me. I figured the only way to get them to leave was to give them what they wanted.
I signed autographs and took pictures with people while Delia slept. Hank was in the corner fielding a steady stream of phone calls, no doubt from media outlets who had caught wind of the fact that I’d dashed into a hospital. Nurses and parents were wheeling sick children up to me and I took the time to be with them. It took two hours to get Delia fully hydrated before the doctors would release her from the hospital. I tried to give her as much space to process everything as I could. Hank was putting out informal press releases to news outlets and magazines, popular blogs and radio stations. Everyone was speculating that I was back in the hospital due to my alcohol, but Hank was reassuring everyone that it was a family emergency and that everything was fine with me.
That was all we were telling the media until I could figure out what the fuck I was supposed to do now. I stared at the ultrasound picture in my hands and I couldn’t help but smile. Though tiny, and looking like nothing more than a lima bean, our baby was perfect. I thought back to the morning I’d buried Shannon and Ava, and I’d opened that damn pregnancy test. I thought then that I’d never have another chance at having a family. But now, looking at that little lima bean, I knew I did.
When Delia came shuffling out of her room, her cheeks were still stained with tears. I rushed over to her and wrapped my arms around her, walking alongside her as we walked down the hallway. I helped her to the parking deck out back so we could stay away from the cameras, then I loaded her into my truck and took off.
“Do you know the way to my place from here?” she asked.
“I do.”
“Well, you missed the left turn you were supposed to make?” she asked.
“Because you’re not going home.”
“Where am I going, then?”
“We’re going to my place so I can take care of you and we can talk about all of this.”
“Please, I don’t want to be a burden,” she said.
“Now look. All this time, you hid the fact that you are pregnant from me. And I get it—I understand your reasoning. But I meant what I said in that hospital. Now that I know, I’m not letting you out of my sight. I’m not dropping you off anywhere. You’re coming to my house, you’re sitting on my couch, and you’re letting me take care of you for a change.”
Delia nodded and settled into her seat.
As I drove, I turned the truck down every back route I could think of, just in case someone was tailing us. I pulled into my driveway and shut the truck. I walked around to the passenger door and helped Delia down.
I unlocked the door and threw it open, ushering her over to the couch. I went into the kitchen and got us both a glass of water, but she tried to shoo hers away.
“You were so dehydrated you needed three I.V. bags in the hospital. Drink the damn water,” I said.
She looked up at me with that cute little scrunched up nose before she took the water from my hands.
I sat down on the coffee table in front of her as she sank into the couch. She took mindless sips of the water I handed her, avoiding my gaze when possible. I raked my eyes up and down her body, taking stock of the way it was changing. Her hips did seem a little wider and her stomach was tighter than usual. Her breasts were definitely bigger. Practically spilling out of the bra she had on.
I took a deep breath to settle my desires for her as her eyes finally connected with mine.