Page 35 of The Final Faceoff
She gives me a reassuring smile before stepping out, the door clicking shut behind her.
As soon as she’s gone, I release a long, slow exhale and press my palms to my face. “I hate this.”
Leif’s voice is far too casual. “You haven’t even done anything yet.”
I drop my hands and glare at him. “I’m about to strip naked in a doctor’s office so they can poke around inside me with a magic wand. Forgive me if I’m not giddy with excitement.”
His lips twitch. “It’s an ultrasound probe, not a magic wand.”
“Oh, I’m sorry—do you have a degree in obstetrics now? Is there something you need to tell me?”
He lifts his hands. “I’m just saying, let’s not confuse Disney with modern medical technology.”
I groan and tug at the hem of my sweater, my fingers tightening around the fabric. “Okay, well, unless you want a front-row seat to a show you didn’t buy tickets for, you need to turn around.”
Leif doesn’t move. He just looks at me, his expression unreadable.
I wave a hand. “Hello? Privacy?”
His brows lift like I just suggested something completely unreasonable. “Hailey, I’ve seen you in a bikini. I’ve literally carried you out of a pool before.”
“This is different,” I snap, already feeling heat creep up my neck. “There’s nudity involved. And a table. And—” I wave toward the paper sheet like it personally offends me. “I don’t know, it’s just weird.”
His gaze softens, but he doesn’t tease. He just stands and turns his back to me. “I won’t peek. Promise.”
Something about the way he says it makes my throat go tight. Like there’s not a single doubt in his mind that he’ll keep his word. Like it’s just a given that he’s here for me in whatever way I need.
I swallow and quickly kick off my shoes, peeling out of my leggings with the grace of a newborn giraffe. The exam table is cold against my thighs as I sit down and wrestle with the paper sheet, trying to arrange it in a way that doesn’t make me feel completely exposed. Spoiler: it’s impossible.
I clear my throat. “Okay. You can turn around now.”
Leif turns, taking in my state of barely-covered vulnerability, and instead of making some kind of joke, he just sits back down beside me, like this is the most normal thing in the world.
I hate him a little for how calm he is.
I stare at the machine again, my pulse hammering in my ears. “What if something’s wrong?” I ask, voice barely above a whisper.
Leif doesn’t hesitate. “Then we’ll figure it out.”
I scoff. “You say that like it’s easy.”
“I say that because it’s true.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Hailey, I get it. You’re scared. You don’t do big, emotional life changes. You plan, you prepare, and when things don’t go according to schedule, you freak out.”
I blink at him. “Okay, wow. When did this become a TED Talk on my control issues?”
He smiles, but it’s soft, understanding in a way that makes my eyes burn. “I’m just saying you’re not alone in this. Whatever happens, you’re going to be okay. You’ve got people in your corner. You got me.”
And most of the time, he is enough. My throat tightens, and before I can stop it, my vision goes blurry. Dammit. Leif notices immediately. His brows pull together, and then, before I can protest, he shifts forward and pulls me into a very awkward hug.
I go stiff at first, my brain immediately short-circuiting at the contact, but he just holds me there, solid and warm and reassuring in a way I didn’t realize I needed until this exact moment.
“Hey,” he murmurs. “It’s okay to be scared. But you’re not doing this alone.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, my fingers gripping the back of his shirt. “I don’t know if I can do this at all.”
“You can.” His voice is steady, sure, like there isn’t a single doubt in his mind. “You’re Hailey. You can do anything.”
A wet laugh bubbles out of me. “That is such a lie.”
