Page 71 of Baby By my Best Friend's Daddy

I nodded. When she left, Landon and I were finally alone.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I nodded. “I’m better now.”

He let out a breath like he’d been holding it.

“Okay. We’re going to be just fine.”

“How did you know?” I asked. “How are you here with me?”

“Right now, I want you to be taken care of,” Landon said firmly. “You’re going to rest and get pills, and then we’ll get you home. After that, we’ll talk, okay?”

I nodded, and a nurse came in to take me to another room. Landon stayed by my side all the way. I’d never had someone care this much. I’d seen people come in on the brink of death, and their families hadn’t been this attentive.

He didn’t let go of my hand unless it was necessary, and then he took it again the moment he could.

My heart constricted when I looked at him.

God, I’d missed him.

22

LANDON

Thedoctorcameinwith two pill bottles. She handed them to Rebecca and explained what they were and when she had to take them using big medical terms I didn’t understand. Rebecca nodded, listening intently.

“If you follow the rules, you and the baby will be okay, but if anything feels wrong at all, don’t hesitate to come see me, okay? I’m always here for you.”

“Thank you, Sarah,” Rebecca said.

“Right, let’s talk about stress.” The doctor sat down on the bed. “Your work in the ER is very strenuous. Your shifts aren’t that long, but mentally it takes a toll, and right now, emotions are a big deal. Pregnancy and stress just don’t go well together. I’m going to talk to your chief nurse and let her know what’s going on. You haven’t let her know you’re pregnant yet, have you?”

Rebecca shook her head. “It’s all so new. I didn’t think it would matter so soon.”

“It does now,” the doctor said. “I want you to consider a different shift until this baby is born. It will be safer for you and the child.”

Rebecca nodded.

“It would be better if you took fewer shifts, too, just until we know for a fact everything is okay. You’re on your feet a lot, and there’s a lot of manual labor and heavy lifting involved.”

Rebecca shook her head. “I can’t cut my shifts. I need the money, especially now.”

Sarah nodded. “I understand, but—”

“I’ll help her,” I said.

They both looked at me.

“I’ll look after her. She doesn’t have to worry about money, I’ll cover whatever she needs to drop her shifts, and I’ll make sure she doesn’t have to overwork herself.”

“You’re the baby’s father?” the doctor said, recognition in her eyes. Until now, she must have thought I was Rebecca’s father. I bristled for a moment, but this would happen a lot. Better to get used to it.

“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll make sure it’s all okay. I’ll be there every step of the way.”

“I’m going to give you my card,” the doctor said and took a card out of the breast pocket of her scrubs. “If anything happens at all, if you have questions,anything, you call me.”

I took the card and nodded. I would do just that.

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