Page 31 of Rival Hearts

Ember and Becky groaned, and Jett gave Ember a quick hug and she nodded to Riley, before she followed her mom, Hannah’s parents, and the nurse.

The nurse led the five of them to a hospital room, and when she opened the door to reveal Hannah and Brody, Jett couldn’t help the gasp that left her lips when she saw the little bundle in Hannah’s arms.

Brody looked up and smiled at Jett. “She’s beautiful, bro,” he said and Jett nodded, walking closer with everyone else.

The five of them took turns holding the baby, which Brody and Hannah decided to name Emma, and stayed for a little bit to chat and look at Emma. However, Hannah was exhausted, and they decided to leave after about an hour with the promise to visit tomorrow.

“Don’t come before noon,” Brody said. “Hannah needs her beauty rest.”

Hannah laughed. “I don’t know how much rest I’m going to be able to get,” she said.

“Still,” Brody said. “Tell everyone after noon.”

“Of course,” Jett and Brody’s mom said before she gave Brody a kiss on the forehead. “I love you.”

The five of them left the hospital room and when Jett walked back to the waiting area with her mom, she fully expected for Riley to be gone and for her to have to ask her mom for a ride to her car.

However, when she got to the waiting area, Riley was still there, looking around, and she smiled when her eyes met Jett’s.

“How was it?” Riley asked.

“She was beautiful, it is honestly so amazing. That tiny little baby in her first moments of life,” Jett said. “They named her Emma.”

Riley smiled and then stood up, walking toward Jett. “So, I was wondering, would you want to go back to my place?” she asked. “Or would you rather me drop you off at your car?”

Jett had never stayed the night with Riley before, and if she had been thinking more clearly, she would have talked herself out of it. Staying the night together was something girlfriends did, and the two of them weren’t dating. But Jett was tired, and while her brain wanted to keep her distance, her heart really liked Riley and the idea of waking up next to her.

“Your place sounds good,” Jett said, and the two walked out together.

When they got to the parking lot, Riley reached for Jett’s hand in the dark and Jett let her.

9

RILEY

Riley was at work, wondering why Dr. Everett was being more chatty than normal. She didn’t mind it too much; the two had always gotten along well. Dr. Everett had moved from England a couple of years ago and often had bold ideas that matched Riley’s own innovations. However, while the two would occasionally chit-chat, most of their conversations were work-related.

Now, though, Dr. Everett was getting personal. Riley typically tried to keep her work and personal life separate. Which was funny if she thought about it, since lately she had been failing to do that with Jett.

Dr. Everett was talking about Jett’s new niece, showing pictures to Riley, and talking about any updates in the little girl’s life. Not that there was much since Emma was only a week old.

Riley smiled as Dr. Everett talked to her, but she couldn’t help the unnerving feeling that she felt any time Dr. Everett would talk about what was going on in her family. Riley felt like an outsider, and she wondered what she had done to make Dr. Everett no longer feel that way. She supposed it had something to do with a particular tall and dark-haired firefighter paramedic,

“So, anyway, every Sunday we typically meet at Maria, Jett’s mom’s, house for lunch and hang out the entire day until supper, but she’s been too busy being a new grandma and spending time with her son and daughter and law. So Becky and I decided to host it at our house this coming up Sunday instead,” Dr. Everett said.

Riley nodded, passively wondering why Dr. Everett was telling her this.

“Anyway, I know that Becky is going to invite Jett,” Dr. Everett said, “but we’re expecting to see you there, too.”

Riley choked on air. Being invited to a family gathering? There was no way that was real.

“What?” Riley said. “I can’t—” She was interrupted by Dr. Everett raising her hand in front of Riley’s face.

“No,” she said, “now that you and Jett are together, you’re part of the family.”

Jett and Riley together? They had never told anyone that they were together—hell, the two of them had never decided they were together. This had to be some kind of mistake. Dr. Everett must just be assuming things.

“We’re not together,” Riley said.

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