Page 206 of California Wild

She pulled back, just enough to press her forehead against his, her breath coming fast, her lips swollen from his. “You’re here.”

His throat felt tight. “I fucking told you I would be.”

Before she could respond, a voice—flat, unimpressed—cut through their moment.

“Sooo… still gonna follow me?”

Jesse turned his head, blinking at the nurse standing a few feet away, clipboard in hand, eyebrows arched like she had seen this shit before.

Hayley let out a breathless, embarrassed laugh, still clinging to him.

Jesse smirked, keeping his hands right where they were on her ass. “Yeah, give us a second.”

The nurse sighed, flipping a page on her clipboard. “We don’t really do foreplay in the waiting room.”

Jesse chuckled, setting Hayley down reluctantly, his hands lingering on her hips as she swayed slightly, like she was still trying to process that he was actually here.

She reached up, her fingers brushing over his jaw, like she didn’t quite believe it. Like she was checking to make sure he was real.

Jesse caught her hand, lacing their fingers together. “Come on, baby. Let’s go meet our kid.”

And just like that, they followed the nurse, Jesse’s grip firm and unshakable, walking into the future together.

* * * * *

The room was small, dimly lit, the monitor flickering to life beside the exam table. Hayley lay back, rolling her tank up just enough for the ultrasound gel.

The sonographer adjusted the probe, moving it slowly across Hayley’s stomach, the cool gel smoothing under gentle pressure. The machine hummed, and the black-and-white image flickered across the screen—a grainy but unmistakable outline of their baby.

“Everything looks good,” the sonographer said, voice warm, professional. “Strong heartbeat. Baby’s measuring right on track.”

Jesse was locked in place, his eyes fixed on the screen, his grip on Hayley’s hand still ironclad. He was barely blinking, his jaw tight, like he was afraid to breathe too hard and miss something.

“Do you want to know the sex?” the sonographer asked, glancing between them.

Hayley nodded, heart pounding. “Yes.”

Jesse let out a rough exhale. “Hell yes.”

The sonographer chuckled, shifting the probe, moving lower. “Okay, let’s see if baby’s cooperating.”

A moment passed.

Another.

Then—nothing.

The baby had shifted, turning slightly, but not enough.

The sonographer sighed good-naturedly. “Your little one is feeling shy today.”

Jesse scoffed, leaning in closer, as if sheer willpower alone could get his kid to move.

“Come on, little bug,” he muttered. “Help us out here.”

The sonographer grinned. “You’d be surprised how often dads try to reason with their unborn children.”

Jesse gave her a look. “And does it work?”

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