Page 161 of Penalty to the Heart

And after we’re both spent, lying naked on the floor, with paint on our hair and body, I hold her tightly, vowing to spend the rest of my life making her as happy as she’s made me.

Always and forever.

Chapter 30

Caleb

I lean against the door at the therapy center and watch Lenny goof off with a couple of veterans as they challenge him to an arm-wrestling match.

“You’re on!” He chuckles.

Long gone is the guy who seemed so angry at the world that he couldn’t see a palm in front of his face. Here, he found the serenity he needed. A place that offered him hope when he believed there was none left.

But then again, this place gave me that too.

This center and my Roxie, of course.

My gaze pulls away from a laughing Lenny to my love, sitting on the other side of the room talking to a teenage boy who looks as lost as I was the first time she came storming into my life.

Whatever that kid is going through, I have no doubt he’ll feel a whole lot better knowing that there is someone like Roxie willing to hear him out.

I look around the center and see so much love, so much acceptance, completely uncaring that the one story building is basically on its last leg.

A place with so much love to give should receive a bit of love back, too, don’t you think?

I start to visualize how this center would benefit from a huge makeover. I’m talking top to bottom renovations. Maybe even add another few stories to it. Maybe I could even get some sponsors to donate brand-new equipment and other essentials. As for other volunteers to create more buzz, I’m sure Nate would love to be a part of the project. Maybe Bellamy, too. Of course, I’d also need to sweet-talk someone with deep pockets to help me with the venture. Trent wouldn’t mind writing a big fat check if he knew how much this place means to my Roxie.

And if Jack ever wakes up…no… when Jack wakes up, he’ll see that my days of being a fuck-up are long behind me.

But before my mind has time to start making all sorts of grand plans for the center, my phone rings, interrupting my thought process. When I see Erin’s name flash on the screen, I immediately answer it with a smile.

“Hey, E! How is my second favorite gal doing today?”

“Shut up, Caleb! Just listen to me,” she yells, breathing heavily on the line.

“Erin? What’s wrong?”

“What part of listen to me don’t you understand?” she continues to heave on the line. “My water broke, and my contractions are all over the place. I need you to go to General Mass now. I can’t do this alone, Caleb. I just can’t.”

“Shit! Okay! Okay! I’m coming!”

“Thank you,” she tells me before hanging up the phone.

I run over to my woman like a madman and tell her, “Erin just called. Her water broke, which means the baby is on its way.”

“Oh, my god!” Roxie shouts in utter glee.

“I have to go to General Mass ASAP. Meet me there later?”

“Of course I will,” she replies, giving me a quick peck on the lips. “Now go! Hurry!”

I press another kiss on her lips because a peck just doesn’t do it for me, and then I’m off.

I arrive at the hospital fifteen minutes later, losing my goddamn mind with the receptionist telling me that no one by the name of Erin Donovan has been admitted. I’m about to call her to find out where she is, when my sister-in-law wobbles into the hospital lobby.

“The fuck, E! Why didn’t you tell me you were still at home? I could have picked you up.”

“I was a little preoccupied with having a baby, Caleb!” she shouts back, huffing and puffing.

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