Unmissable (Haven Falls 7.5)

“Me?” Tully gapes. “You’re the fucker who put her in this situation, remember? It’s got nothing to do with me.”

Noah looks back at me before finally catching his bearings and rushing toward me. He scoops my hand into his and the touch of his skin upon mine does wonders. I look up at him, wanting nothing more than to call it quits.

I see relief overtake Tully behind Noah’s shoulder and I try to make a mental note that once all this shit is over, I’m going to owe her a major apology. She lets out a breath before mouthing ‘thank God,’ and discreetly backing out the open door to where Rivers sits in the hallway. She drops down onto his lap while shaking her hand and showing him the nailmarks left on her skin.

The door slowly closes them out and then finally, it’s just me and Noah.

The room falls into silence with the click of the door blocking out all the outside noise. Noah sits on the edge of my bed and pulls me into his arms before leaning down and pressing a kiss to my temple. “Are you doing alright? How do you feel?”

I turn in his arms and look up at him as though he’s lost his fucking mind. “How do you think I’ve been doing? My body feels like it’s being torn apart from the inside out and I feel like someone has taken a serrated knife to my vagina.”

“Is it really that bad?”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Why don’t you bend over and I’ll tear you from your asshole to your ballsack and then we can compare notes?”

Noah’s eyes bulge before a shudder takes over him. “Fair call,” he says, “but for the record, I’m not letting you anywhere near my asshole for the foreseeable future.”

I roll my eyes and snuggle back into his side. “And after the foreseeable future?”

“Still no chance.”

I let out a deep sigh and focus on my breathing as Noah’s hand slips into mine, lacing our fingers together. “I was worried that I was going to miss it.”

“I wasn’t,” I murmur. “I knew you wouldn’t miss this for anything. I’ve just really needed you here for these damn contractions. You keep me calm so hopefully it’s a little more manageable from now.”

“Words can’t express how sorry I am that I’ve been gone these last few hours.”

“I know,” I tell him, closing my eyes as I try to prepare for the next contraction. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me. I know what your job means to you. It’s life or death, and truth be told, had you left your team to come and stand by my side while innocent lives were at risk, I would have been disappointed with you. Your need to protect and put others first is one of the reasons why I love you so much. Besides, as I remember it, I was the idiot who first suggested you look into a career as a fireman, so really, all this bullshit is on me.”

“And don’t you forget it,” he teases, reaching for some ice chips and pushing the hair back off my sweaty face. “You know I love you, right? You’re going to make an incredible mother. You’re so strong, compassionate, loving, and kind. You’re going to have rows upon rows of ‘Best Mother in the World’ mugs and t-shirts.”

“You really think?” I ask, tilting my chin to look up into his eyes.

Noah’s lips press ever so gently down on mine. “I know, Henley. You and me, we were made for this. Tully and Rivers are incredible parents and nine months ago we made a promise that we were going to kick their asses at this gig, so really, we have no other choice. You know I don’t like to lose.”

I shake my head as I feel my body preparing for another contraction. “You’re such an idiot.”

Noah goes to make some smart ass comment when my phone chimes on the bed beside me. He goes to reach for it, but the contraction comes up and takes over me like never before. I squeeze down hard on his hand, clenching my teeth and trying to refocus the pain. “Holy shit,” I pant.

“What do I do?” Noah panics. “How can I help?”

I shake my head, trying to squeeze his hand tighter. “There’s nothing,” I say with tears springing to my eyes once again. “I can’t do this anymore. It’s too much.”

Noah uses his other hand to run through my hair, trying to comfort me as best he can. “You can. You can do this, and afterward, you’ll have the bragging rights to hold over my head for the rest of our lives.”

I shake my head against his chest. “No. I want the drugs. Get me the drugs. The gas or an epidural. I don’t care, just get it. I’m done.”