Page 80 of Surprise Baby for Mr. Fischer
Tears trailed down her cheeks. “How long do I wait?” She swiped at her cheeks. “I don't want to hold you back, Lincoln. And I don't want either of us to resent each other. What if we can't make it as a couple? Then I'd be left with nothing.”
“Can’t you give us a try?” I pleaded.
“Isn't that what we've been doing these past few weeks?”
“Yes, and this is our first big obstacle.” How was I going to get through to her? She still wouldn't let herself believe that I’d stick around for her. That I meant it when I said I was hers.
I could tell by her blank expression she’d already shut down. I was going to lose her. Fear and frustration had my nerves jumping around like I was holding a live wire. If my actions hadn't proven my commitment to her, then maybe my words would.
“I love you.”
Now that the words were out, I knew this was what I felt for her all along. And whether or not she said it back, within my heart, I knew she felt it too.
She twisted her hands together. “Lincoln.” Her sad tone ripped through me. “You only think you do. Once you’re away from here, you’ll start to realize that it’s just the circumstances that made you feel this way.”
“What are you trying to do here, Harper?” Fury raced through me. Why was she pushing me so hard to leave? Why couldn’t she believe in us as much as I did? “You love me too.” I insisted.
She shook her head.
This time I moved faster than she could shift away. I cupped her chin gently in my hands and stared into the beautiful blue-green depths of her eyes. “I know that you love me.”
“It’s not real,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes and spilling over. “Once you leave, you won’t come back.”
My hands dropped. She took that moment to turn away from me.
I knew Harper had a problem believing in herself, but right now, she was letting that destroy us before we had a fighting chance.
This whole time I’d told her with my words and my touch that I found her to be the most beautiful woman in the world, but it wasn’t only her beauty that drew me to her. Her quick wit, intelligence, charm, and kindness made me cherish everything about her. Every facet of her personality created the person I wanted to be with forever.
I wasn’t letting her give up on us. Determination drove me toward her. I wouldn't leave until we'd settled this, and she stopped pushing me away.
A terrifying high-pitched cry burst from Harper’s lips.
My heart stopped when she dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach. I rushed to her side and laid my shaky hands over hers.
“What’s wrong?” I forced the words out through wooden lips as fear lodged in my belly. It was my job to protect my girls.
“I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right.” Her eyes grew wide as she cradled her belly. She grabbed my hand, strangling it within her hold. Her body shook. “It’s too soon for the baby to come,” she said in a broken whisper. Sobs burst out of her, and she sagged forward, curling into herself. “We need to get to the hospital. The baby. We can’t lose the baby.”
I wrapped my arm around her and sat her down on a nearby chair. She gave a mewl of protest but didn’t say anything else. I ran to the hall closet and grabbed her coat and shoes. When I got back to her, I gently eased her arms through the sleeves, zipped up the front, and placed her shoes on her feet. She sat there, barely responding except for the occasional whimper.
“Everything is going to be okay. You hear me?” I didn’t expect an answer. My firm tone didn’t leave room for her to argue with me. However, I wasn’t quite sure if I was trying to convince her or myself.
Fear clawed at my throat. Every worst-case scenario flooded my mind, and the room spun around me, blurring the colors together in a sickening spiral. I dug my heels into the ground to keep myself upright.
No. I needed to be strong. For me. For Harper. For our baby girl.
I shuffled her through the kitchen, picking up my phone as we passed the counter, trying to go slow so I wouldn’t make whatever was happening worse. I had no idea what to do. Dread tugged at my gut, making me think the worst. I swallowed down the lump forming in my throat and kept the fear at bay.
At this moment, I reached deep and put every bit of my acting skills to the test and made sure I gave the best performance of my life.
We made it to the back door and out to my car. I laid a gentle kiss on top of her head and helped her into the passenger seat. With considerable effort, I forced my hands to stay steady while I clipped her seat belt in place. After shutting her door, I sprinted to my side of the car and got in. My heart thrashed against my chest until I thought it might explode.
I backed the car out of the driveway while trying to punch the hospital’s name into the navigation app. Once I hit the road, I flew, not caring if I got caught. The police could follow me to the hospital.
Harper grabbed my hand, holding it tightly to her chest as we weaved in and out of traffic. “My phone. Lincoln, I forgot to grab my phone.”
“It’s okay. I have mine.” Horns blasted as I cut a driver off to take the main road.
