“We should marry,” she said between pants, her eyes focused on something unseen. Reed wasn’t even certain he heard her correctly until she lifted her gaze to his, pinning him in place. “Why haven’t you said anything?”
“I… Okay. How?” He was right in her face. She closed her eyes, panted a few more breaths before this round subsided. Her eyes opened, and his steady determined woman had alarm in her gaze.
“I was wrong, Reed. She needs married parents. We need to be married.” Lara gripped his hand tighter, crushing his fingers. He could only stare at her as she repeated his very own argument. The same one he’d made every single day for the last four months.
“I can get the chaplain,” Kade offered, already heading toward the door.
“The marriage license is in my purse. Get it, please.”
She carried their marriage license in her purse? What? This entire pregnancy, he felt as if he was the only one focused on putting a ring on her finger. He hurriedly dug through the bags they’d brought until he found her purse on the bottom. His shaking hands riffled through the confusion of her handbag, pulling out several folded pieces of paper until he found that particular one.
“Reed!” The tone of her voice had him whipping his head around. She was already panting. He dropped her purse and went immediately to her. The contractions were getting more intense. She was lifting, gripping her legs as the nurse came through the hospital door. She reacted immediately, going to Lara’s side—his side—and talking her through the pain. That was his job! Lara made it through another long round, and Reed lifted the towel this time, wiping her forehead when she lay back against the pillow. He handed her the ice-chips, and she eagerly sucked several down as her tired eyes met his. “I’m sorry I’m so difficult.”
“It’s just killing me to watch you in all this pain.” He leaned down, getting right in her face, trying to use all his mental brain power to change her mind and take the pain relievers.
“She’s progressing right along. Shouldn’t be too much longer. I’ll call the doctor.” With those words, and a pat to Lara’s arm, the nurse moved toward the door.
Kade came through the door in a rush, his hand on the elbow of a portly looking, older gentleman in a suit.
“You’re gonna have to tip him well. He was in the middle of bible class with the hospital staff,” Kade said, keeping a hand on the pastor until he had him positions at the end of the bed.
“What’s this?” the nurse asked at the door.
“How many witnesses do they need?” Kade asked the pastor, moving back to stop the nurse from leaving the room.
“Texas doesn’t require any, but you’ll need a marriage license to make this legal. I tried to explain that to this officer.” The pastor looked slightly concerned and confused by Kade’s uniformed presence.
Lara’s hand gripped onto Reed’s. He looked down to see her fighting the pain, but it turned into a losing battle.
“I’m calling the doctor.” The nurse left the room quickly.
“We have a marriage license. Get started.” Reed bent low, talking Lara through this contraction.
“Reed, pay attention to him.” Her eyes riveted on his as she bent forward, managing the pain as best she could. He watched as she tried to hold all the pain she was experiencing inside. The only evidence of the intensity of this contraction was the hand-crushing grip she gave him. He lifted slightly and pretended to listen as he began a mental running prayer through his head. He was scared to fucking death.
“Say I will,” Kade instructed from the other side of the bed. Reed mimicked the words as Lara landed back against the bed and caught her breath.
“I will. I will. I will,” Lara repeated his words in a panted rush before she was even asked to. That made Kade smile and lean down to kiss her forehead.
“I need to push,” Lara said, while the pastor kept going with the service that would officially bind them together for a lifetime.
“Lara, hang on. The doctor’s coming,” Kade instructed. She doubled over again in pain. Reed bent too, his focus on Lara, but he heard the words they were married as the nurse came back through the door, the doctor following a minute later. Reed hunkered down and did everything he could to relieve the pain his new wife suffered.
~~~
Hours later, Reed sat on the plastic sofa, his elbows on his knees, his head resting on his entwined fingers. Lara had finally fallen asleep and their little baby girl lay bundled up, sleeping in the crib right beside the bed. If he were smart, he’d be sleeping too, but today traumatized him on a level he hadn’t known possible. Every one of his possessive, protective juices was flowing because everything in his life with meaning was right here in this room. Honestly, his emotional overload hit record highs once the room had become quiet.
“Hey,” he heard Lara’s whispered voice say. He looked up. His tired eyes met hers. He rose and went immediately to her. She carefully scooted over, giving him room to sit on the side of the bed.
“You should be sleeping,” he said, drawing the covers up around her before he sat.
“You should be sleeping. Are you freaking yourself out?” She had come to know him so well. He bent in to kiss her forehead.
“A little.” He gave a small smile, glad they were past the point of hiding.
“We’re gonna be okay, Reed. I promise. She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Lara asked, looking over at the little crib.
“She looks like you. I never told you thank you for marrying me today.” There was emotion in his voice and he leaned forward. She held him there, moving a hand to his neck to keep him close.
“Thank you for loving me,” she whispered.
He rested his cheek against her forehead. Minutes later, the baby started squirming, and Reed instantly went to her. Lara sat up, holding out her arms. He smiled at Lara, and shook his head. He didn’t quite want to let his little one go yet. He went back to his seat on the side of the bed and held his baby while Lara moved in beside them, wrapping her arms around Reed.
“Jerry said something to me the night we found out you were pregnant. It stuck with me, but I’m not sure I understood it until right now. He said we’re all just chasing happy. I was too freaked to get what he meant, but I get it now. I’ve found happy. I promise to be the best husband and father I can be. I’m never letting you two go.”
Tears were in Lara’s eyes as she lifted her face to him. He kissed his wife and then kissed his daughter’s cheek. As scary as the future might be, he’d gladly battle every demon in both their pasts to keep them together, just like this, forever.
The End
Books by Rylie Roberts
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Chasing Happy (Texas Desires #1) Page 35
