Page 119 of Seven of Hearts

I couldn’t help but laugh as the baby kicked against our bodies. “How’s our boy doing?” I said as I pressed a kiss to her temple. “He didn’t give you too much trouble while I was gone, did he?”

Leah shook her head as she sat up and took a deep breath. “He just used my insides as a bounce house the whole time.”

I rolled up the hem of her shirt and pressed my lips to her bump. “Be nice in there,” I murmured.

That made her laugh.

“How was your doctor’s appointment yesterday?” I asked as I pushed up to my feet and took her hand to help her up. “Did you guys talk about your birth plan?”

Leah let out a sharp breath and steadied herself as she stood. I held her hands, waiting for her to get her bearings. She smoothed her hand over her bump and nodded. “Yeah. My mom went with me. The nurse who did my vitals helped me test my blood sugar and stabbed me with that fucking insulin pen. We got lunch after. He’s still measuring really big, so next week we’re going to talk through inductions and C-sections so I know what my options are and what to expect.”

I could feel the nerves radiating off of her as I ran out to the car to grab my bags, then locked up. When the day had been rinsed off in the shower and tension had been eased with slow kisses and wandering hands, we crawled into bed.

“Come here, baby,” I said as I pulled her into my arms, then waited for her to get the pregnancy pillow arranged just the way she liked.

Leah was tense as her back settled against my chest. I stole the chance to skim my palm over her hip and thigh as she tucked herself into my body.

“Comfortable?”

“Yeah,” she said into the silent darkness. Leah was right here with me, but she might as well have been a million miles away. There was a distance in her gaze as glimmering eyes stared at the wall, deep in thought.

“What’s on your mind?” I yawned.

Leah thought for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. “Nothing. Just tired.”

“You can tell me anything,” I said into her hair before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You know that right?”

She nodded.

I stroked her arm, her back, her waist, and hip, but the tension never eased.

“I’m scared, Logan,” she said into the dark midnight.

“Of what?” I asked as I held her tighter.

“All of it.”

“Going into labor?”

She nodded. “I tried to put it out of my mind because you were gone. Kylie stayed with me, and that helped. I guess...It just got really real, and I don’t know if I’m ready.”

I found her hand beneath the covers and laced our fingers together. “Remember our deal? You’d let me help you, and you would be my friend?”

Tears streaked my chest as she buried her head between my arms. “Yeah.”

“I will always keep my promises, Leah. So I’m promising you that you will not have to go through it alone. I’ll be there at your next appointment to support you in whatever plan you make for you and the baby. I’ll be there to take you to the hospital. I’ll hold your hand and remind you what a badass you are. I’ll be right there beside you for whatever you need. I know it has to be scary for you, because just the thought of you going through labor, however it happens, terrifies me. You will always be the most important person in my world. I will do everything I can to protect you and keep you safe.”

She sniffled.

“But I’m not just talking about the hospital,” I said. “You and me. For better or worse. Here on out. Making each day better than the one before.”

“I love you,” Leah whispered as she began to relax in my arms.

“I love you more,” I said as her breathing settled and she slipped further and further into a restful sleep. I wasn’t far behind. The stress of the trip and the battle to get back to Beaufort was catching up with me, but I would never pass up the chance to simply hold her.

Loving Leah and being loved by her was like seeing a row of sevens flash before my eyes and winning a Vegas jackpot. It was a royal flush with all the chips on the table. It was a shooting star, walking through a field full of four-leaf clovers, and seeing the green flash on the ocean’s horizon.

She was every summer rain that brought life to wilting flowers. She was the breeze through the night air, calm and serene. She was unbreakable like the palm trees, standing strong amidst the storm. She was every joy-filled flower that bloomed after the torrent.

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