Page 69 of Waiting on You

“I missed you,” she says.

“Not as much as I missed you.”

“How long are you herefor?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Her phone buzzes from next to her on the bed, and I sit back.

“Why did Ana call me?” I ask.

I assumed it was because Paige hadn’t had access to her phone, but she obviously does.

“I didn’t want to bother you,” she admits with a frown.

“What?” I hiss. “Are you serious? You fell. In what universe did you think calling me to let me know what happened would be considered bothering me?”

And then it hits me. “Did I do something to make you think you couldn’t call me?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “It’s just…you’ve been busy. You’ve barely called the past couple of days, and when we did talk, I could see the stress you were under. I didn’t want to add to that, especially without knowing what’s going on.”

She rests her hand on her protruding belly. In the week and a half that I’ve been gone, she’s grown more, her bump even more pronounced, and I can’t wait to see all the ways her body changes as she grows our baby.

“It feels like you do that a lot,” I say with a sigh.

“What?”

“Take my choices away from me. You didn’t call me because you didn’t want to bother me, but did you think about how I would feel, not knowing? Had Ana not called me, I would’ve been at your house, surprising you with dinner, while you’re in the hospital, worriedabout our baby. The same way you keep telling me where I should and shouldn’t live and whether I should be with you.”

She swallows thickly, and I hate that we’re having this conversation right now, but it’s one that needs to be had.

“You told me that your dad didn’t talk to you after your mom died. He moved you to another country without considering your feelings. He took your choices away, and you didn’t like that, did you?”

She shakes her head.

“Neither do I. I’m never too busy for you, Paige. Never. You understand that?” I pinch her chin and look into her eyes, which are filled with sorrow. “I don’t care where I am or what I’m doing. You come first. Always. Don’t take my choices away. You and this baby are my world. Let me in, please.”

She nods in understanding, and we’re both quiet for a moment before she breaks the silence.

“What if I lost the baby?” she whispers, fresh tears filling her eyes.

“Don’t think like that,” I say, squeezing her hand. “There’s no use in thinking the worst.”

“But it hurt. And…I’d rather prepare for the worst.”

I don’t agree with that logic, but since that’s her way of thinking, I go with it. “Ifsomething happened to the baby, we’ll handle it together.” With the hand that’s not holding hers, I palm her cheek. “It’s you andme, for as long as you’ll have me. I came to Rosemary for you. You being pregnant was merely a bonus.”

“I want you,” she admits, shocking me. “I realized this week how much I care about you. And even though it’s selfish, I want to be with you. I know your family is going to be upset but?—”

“Whoa, why would my family be upset?”

My family has been one hundred percent supportive since they found out about her.

“I overheard Dustin and his wife talking at the barbecue,” she admits, looking at me sheepishly.

Suddenly, it all makes sense. One minute, she was fine, and the next, she was pushing me away.

“He said they would have to find someone to replace you…someone that’s not family, and Valerie said you must be devastated.”

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