Hollywood Prince (Hollywood Royalty 3)

“Hello.” Ryan answers at the end of the first ring.

“Hey, it’s me,” I tell him and take a deep breath. “We are at Cedar.”

“What happened?” I hear the worry in his voice, and I hear rustling in the background. “I’ll be there in twenty.” He disconnects the phone, and I walk in and sit on the chair beside her bed, watching her chest rise and fall. Twenty minutes later, the door opens softly, and I see that it’s Ryan. He comes into the room, and I look to see if Erin is awake, but she is sleeping. “Is she okay?”

I nod my head. “Yeah, she’s good.” My eyes don’t leave hers. “She was bleeding,” I say, ignoring the lump in my throat.

“Did she miscarry?” he asks, coming to sit in the chair next to me.

“No,” I tell him. “The doctor said it’s not uncommon to bleed.” The tears now escape, and I look over at him. “I thought my heart would stop,” I tell him, sitting forward. “When she called me and was crying, I swear, Ryan, my heart only started again when I saw her.”

“Carter, do you love her just because she is having your child?” he asks me, and I just shake my head.

“I would give my life for her,” I tell him. “Even if she wasn’t having my child.”

“Then I suggest you do something about it before it’s too late.” I look at him. “Because you don’t want to just go through the motions for the rest of your life. I did that, and I don’t recommend it.” He looks at me. “Don’t let her slip through your fingers.”

“I don’t know how to get her back.” I tell him the truth.

“Tell her.” He grabs her hand and kisses it.

“I don’t know if she will ever forgive me,” I tell him. “I don’t deserve what she can give me.”

“You don’t,” he says, “but she does. She deserves a man who will love her with everything that he has. Who can make her smile, who can hold her hand, and wipe her tears away.”

“I want to be that man,” I tell him, watching her. “I want to be there with her every day, all day.”

“Don’t let it get away from you,” he says to me. “Don’t let your fear get in the way.” I nod my head and sit with him until she wakes up. She opens her eyes, and we both move forward to her.

“Hey, honey,” Ryan says to her, and she looks at him and then at me.

“How are you feeling?” I ask, and she just puts her hand on her stomach.

“Scared,” she says softly, and I just nod. “Do you think they could do another ultrasound?” she asks me.

“I’ll get the doctor,” I tell her, knowing that I will pay for a private machine if it will make her sleep better. I walk out and see the nurse. “Sorry, Erin is up, and we were hoping we could see the doctor.”

“I’ll send him right in,” she says, and I walk back to the room and take a deep breath before I open the door. The bed is empty, so I look at Ryan.

“She’s in the bathroom,” he says, and then I nod at him and wait for her to come out of the bathroom.

“No blood,” she says hopeful. “Not even spotting.” She gets back into the bed, and the doctor comes in. When we ask for another ultrasound, he nods and gets the machine again. I stand beside the bed, holding Erin’s hand in mine as we look at the screen. When he places the gel on her and the swishing sound fills the room, my heart is so proud. Ryan leans over and kisses Erin. “Is everything okay?” Erin asks, and the doctor nods.

“Everything is looking good,” he says. “I would like you to follow up with your OB.”

“Can I have a picture?” Ryan asks the doctor, who nods and prints out two. He hands one to Ryan and one to Erin. She sits in the bed, holding the picture of our child in one hand and holding my hand in the other.

“You are free to go,” he tells us, and Ryan gets up.

“Do you want me to drive you home?” he asks Erin, and I look at her as she looks at me.

“Can you drive me home?” she asks me, and I smile. Ryan kisses her goodbye and tells her he’ll check in with her later today, and then she gets up and goes to change. She leaves the picture on the bed, and I sit down and take a picture with my phone. She walks into the room dressed. “I’m ready when you are,” she says. We turn and walk out of the hospital. I drop her off at home and then place a phone call to put my first plan into action.