Page 61 of Never To Forever

I hang up and try again, and again, no answer. Where is he that he’s not seeing all these calls coming into his phone?

I glance over at Haven between calls, her face pale and drawn, her fingers gripping the seatbelt across her chest. I hit redial once more.

“Come on, Christian. Pick up.”

For the fifth time, his voicemail clicks on. My frustration bubbles over, but I tamp it down. No time for that now. I wait for the beep and leave another message, keeping my voice calm but firm.

“Christian, it’s Marie again. Come on, man. Haven needs you. Call me as soon as you get this!”

I hang up and Haven gasps, “Try his assistant, Laura.” She rattles off a number, and I connect the call.

Please answer.

On the second ring, she picks up, her tone brisk but professional. “This is Laura.”

“Laura, it’s Marie, a friend of Haven’s. I’m trying to reach Christian, but he’s not answering. Haven’s in labor, and we’re heading to the hospital now. Can you get a hold of him?”

There’s a brief pause, and then she says, “Oh my—okay, I’ll track him down right away. Do you know which hospital?”

“Blue Ridge Falls Medical. Please, Laura, it’s urgent.”

“I’ll take care of it. Thank you for letting me know,” she replies before the call ends.

“We’re almost there, Haven,” I say, glancing at her. She’s biting her lip, her eyes squeezed shut against the pain, my heart pounding as the hospital’s lights come into view.

I pull up to the emergency room entrance and throw the car into park. Jumping out, I rush to Haven’s side and help her out.

We make our way inside, and a nurse at the front desk looks up.

“She’s in labor!”

Within moments, a team of nurses arrives with a wheelchair. They take Haven from my arms, moving quickly but gently. I follow closely, clutching the hospital bag, my adrenaline spiking.

Haven’s gaze locks onto mine as they wheel her toward the maternity ward.

“Marie,” she whispers, her voice shaky. Scared. “I can’t do this alone.”

My heart hurts and I force a reassuring smile as I hurry to keep up with her.

“I’m right here. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The nurses guide us into a delivery room. Haven clutches the side rails of the bed as another contraction hits, her face contorting with pain.

“You’re doing great,” I say, brushing her hair back from her damp forehead. “You’re so strong, Haven. Just keep breathing.”

Her grip on my hand tightens. I stay by her side, murmuring encouragement as the medical team moves around us, preparing for the baby’s arrival.

Through it all, my phone stays silent. No call from Christian, no word from Laura. I fight the urge to check it every five seconds, keeping my focus on Haven. Right now, she’s all that matters.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

GARRETT

The airinside the old bookstore is heavy with dust and smells musty, but I can already see the potential. Mason stands next to me, tapping a pencil against a clipboard as we go over the list of repairs we’ve come up with.

“We’ll need to start with the structural stuff,” he says, pointing to a sagging beam near the back. “Can’t do anything else until we make sure the place won’t collapse.”

“Agreed,” I reply, running my hand over a patch of peeling wallpaper. “Once that’s done, we’ll need to replace the flooring, repaint, and update the lighting. Marie’s got a good eye for design—she’ll know how to make this place shine.”

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