Page 68 of Maybe, Probably
When those brown eyes connect with mine, his back end moves back and forth with happiness.
Xavier laughs, pulling my attention back to him. His ocean eyes look at me with such a deep force of affection that it takes my breath away. He reaches for my hand, pulling it away from my mug to kiss my inner wrist.
“I love you.” The words spill from my lips like a sigh. I wait for the panic to set in at the confession, but nothing comes.
His glossy eyes connect with mine, “I–” He inhales deeply, leaning forward and pressing his forehead to my own. “I love you too.”
“Come on,” Xavier holds his hand out to me. “Let’s take this boy for a bit of a walk, and we can talk about the New Years Eve party.”
I couldn’t hold back the huge smile even if I tried. “Really?”
“Really.” With my hand intertwined in his, we head toward the door. “I may not have known it back then, but you’ve had me from the moment you fell into my lap.”
Epilogue
Xavier
“Ten…nine…eight…seven…”
“Shit!”Our countdown is interrupted when I hear Josie groaning loudly to my left. Looking over, Monty has an arm wrapped around her, and Josie is keeled over with a tight grip on his other arm. It’s then that I notice the puddle that's surrounding her feet.
“Oh shit,” I mutter. My hands are already in my pocket, feeling around for my phone. Harper left my side as soon as she noticed the liquid on the floor. She’s only gone a minute before she reappears with towels.
“This is all I could find! What do you need?” Kneeling on the floor, she uses the towels to clean up the floor.
A snort comes from Josie. “Don’t worry about that mess, there’s going to be more.” Turning her head, she directs Monty. “Babe, call my parents and let them know what’s happening.”
Monty’s brows furrow, his skin paler than it normally is. “But, you need me.”
“I’ve got her!” Evie appears out of nowhere, offering her hand to Josie, who takes it with a painful smile.
“911. What’s your emergency?” The unfamiliar voice of the operator reminds me what I’m doing.
“Hi there. My best friend's water just broke, and we’re going to need an ambulance.”
I spend the next couple minutes telling the operator the address and all the information I can. When I get off the phone, Monty has returned with a bag.
“I called for an ambulance, and they'll be here shortly.” My friend looks over to me and a huge smile spreads across his face.
“We’re having another baby.”
I slap my hand on his back, my own smile matching his. “Fuck yeah you are!”
Evie and Monty help Josie walk to the front door with Harper following behind, holding their hospital bag.
They’ve been back there for too long. Every time I'm in this fucking hospital, something goes wrong. My best friends are behind those doors, and something doesn't feel right.
A soft hand catches my elbow, stopping me in my tracks. Turning around, I come face to face with Harper.
“They’ve been back there too long. Something's not right.” My pulse thundering in my veins, my dress shirt feeling too tight. My fingers hastily undo the buttons of my shirt, and suddenly, I can breathe a little better.
Harper's hands frame my face, the warmth a comfort that stills my racing thoughts. She holds a quiet command, while her thumbs trace my cheeks, grounding me to the present.
“It's going to be okay. Babies take time, and sometimes it takes a little longer than we expect.”
Her hands fall from my face, but she quickly grabs my hand to lead me to a seat. When I sit down, I expect her to sit down next to me.
She surprises me instead when she sits on my lap.
