Loving Storm (Ashes & Embers 5)

“Evie?”

I stare at him and put the paring knife down. “I think my water just broke.”

His eyes light up. “Now?” He jumps up and comes around to look.

“It did,” he says. “Come on, I’ll drive you to the hospital.” He gently takes my arm, but I tug it out of his grip.

“No…I can’t go without Storm.”

“Evie, the hospital is over half an hour away. We can’t sit here and wait. I’ll call him on the way, and he can meet us there.”

I grab the counter as I start to panic. What if he doesn’t make it in time? I can’t do this without Storm—he’s my rock and this is the scariest event of my life. We went to all the classes together. I need him to help me breathe and push and scream.

Asher strokes my back as I melt down. “It’s okay, I promise. I’ll stay with you until he gets there. Ember had Kenzi in less than two hours. I wouldn’t wait around unless you want to risk having the baby here.”

“Two hours?” I had no idea a baby could come that quickly. That’s hardly any time at all.

He nods. “The baby came really fast.” I let him lead me out of the kitchen.

“Wait, let me just go change real quick. I have some clothes down the hall in the laundry room.”

I try to call Storm from the laundry room as I change into a new flowy dress, but he doesn’t answer. The reception goes in and out on the roads up here, so I’m not surprised. Taking a deep breath, I tell myself I have to calm down for the baby. I can’t sit here and cry and waste time.

“All set?” Asher asks when I come back down the hall.

“Wait…I need my hospital bag. I just remembered.”

“Where is it?”

I point to the foyer coat closet. “It’s in the closet.”

He retrieves my bag while I try to call Storm’s cell again, but it just rings and goes to voice mail.

“I can’t reach him,” I say, tears springing to my eyes.

Asher smiles calmly at me. “We’ll call him when we get to the bottom of the hill, and he can meet us at the hospital.”

I look at him skeptically. I want to wait here for Storm. That’s how I always envisioned it in my head—us driving to the hospital together, holding hands in the car.

“My brother will kill me if I don’t get you to the hospital, Evie.”

“Okay. I guess you’re right.”

Holding my hand, he walks me outside to his car and opens the passenger door for me. I’ve never seen such a small car in my life. I don’t know how it can be so expensive when it’s hardly a car at all.

“Ash…I can’t get in there.”

“It’s small but you’ll fit. Trust me.” He moves the passenger seat as far back as it will go, which isn’t far.

I lift my dress a few inches from my ankles, and he helps me into his sardine can on wheels.

“This is a nightmare. My ass is bigger than this entire car.”

He laughs as I slowly lower myself onto the seat. “See?” he says. “You fit.”

Barely. My stomach is almost touching the dashboard.

He closes the door and puts my suitcase in the trunk; then he jumps behind the wheel, spins the car in a tight circle in our driveway, and zooms down to the street.

I’m scared out of my mind. The baby bean is coming, and Storm isn’t with me. He’s going to be so heartbroken when he finds out I’m on my way to the hospital without him. My hand flies to my stomach when a sudden pain roils through me.

“You okay?” Asher asks, glancing at me. “Was that a contraction?”

Was it? Already? “I think so. I’m not really sure.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get us there.”

“Were you there when Kenzi was born?” I ask. I need to keep talking to distract myself from having the mother of all panic attacks because I’m terrified that might make the baby come faster. Oh God, I can’t have my baby on the side of the road.

“I was there the entire time.”

“Was it awful?”

“No. It was beautiful, watching her come into the world.”

“Were you scared?”

He nods as he expertly navigates us through traffic and onto the highway. “I was petrified. We both were. But sometimes the scariest things are the most special things.”

“Do you think Storm will be scared?”

“Yeah. I do.” Asher squeezes my hand. “He won’t let you see it, though.”

I smile and blink back tears. “You’re right about that.”

“Try calling him now that we’re off that mountain.”

I dig my phone out of my purse and call Storm’s cell phone. Finally, he answers.

“Hey, babe. I just called the house to see if you wanted some ice cream.”

“My water broke! I’m on the way to the hospital with Asher right now.”

“What? Now?”

“Yes, we’re about halfway there. I wanted to wait for you but he said we shouldn’t wait. Just in case. I was worried-”

“No, you shouldn’t wait. Shit, I’m almost home, I’m gonna turn around and head to the hospital. Are you okay?” Urgency and worry lace his voice.

“I’m okay, just really nervous and I wish you were here.”

“I’ll be there baby, I promise. What the hell

is that noise?”

“Asher’s car engine.”

“You’re in the Porsche?”

“Yeah, he squished me in.”

“I’ll kill him. Why didn’t he take your SUV?”

Good question. “I don’t know. We weren’t thinking.”

“This is faster and cooler,” Asher says loudly enough for Storm to hear, winking at me.

“How did you get with Asher?”

“He just stopped by the house after you left.”

“As always with his weird lucky timing.”

“Storm, don’t drive like a maniac trying to get there. The baby’s not coming immediately,” I say, ignoring Asher’s look as another pain rips through me.

“Okay. I’ll see you there. I love you, babe.”

“I love you, too.”

“I forgot you had a car,” Asher says when I end the call.

“I did too.”

“This is a better story to tell everyone—your brother-in-law racing you to the hospital in a Porsche.”

God. I hope no one sees us. Social media will have a field day with Asher Valentine taking his pregnant sister-in-law to the hospital with Storm nowhere in sight. I wince and smile at him. I know he’s trying to make me laugh, but I’m too worried to have a sense of humor right now.

When we arrive at the hospital, Asher pulls right into the emergency entrance and jumps out to grab a wheelchair and sprints with it to my door to gently help me out of the car and into the chair.

I send Storm a text to let him know we’re here as Asher wheels me inside, yelling for a nurse.

“I better be this kid’s favorite uncle,” he says.

“I’m sure you will be.”

“Oh my God, is that the singer from Ashes & Embers?” I overhear a nurse say.

Another chimes in. “I think it is! He’s hot as hell. Maybe that’s his girlfriend!”

“He’s married,” the nurse shoots back.

“He can be married and still have a pregnant girlfriend!”

As I rub my forehead, hoping this doesn’t turn into a circus of rumors, my phone beeps with a text:

STORM: I’m almost there. I love you and baby bean. xoxo

The nurses whisk me into a private room, still whispering about who Asher is, while he waits just outside the door, calling family to let them know where we are. Meanwhile, I’m changed into a robe and hooked up to all sorts of monitors.