“I found out I was pregnant a couple of days ago, but before I called you tonight …” She paused again. “I had to go to the hospital because I was bleeding—”
Everything around him froze, the sound ceased, the air stilled, and all he could do now was stare at the wall and feel his heart pounding in his chest.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
“Are you okay?” he said right away. “Are you okay?” He needed to know that above all else.
“I’m fine.” Her voice was soft, distant. He felt relief fill him.
“Good. That’s … good.” And then the second part hit him. The baby. “Lena … the baby?”
She exhaled and he felt his heart seize again. “The baby is fine. But I was at risk for a miscarriage.”
He hurt, all over. God, he hurt.
He hated himself that he didn’t have anything comforting to say at that moment, but he knew one thing: he had to be with her. “But you’re okay? You’ll be okay?” He felt frantic, scared shitless, and didn’t know how in the hell he wasn’t pacing the room and breaking shit, his emotions in turmoil.
“I’m okay,” Lena spoke softly.
They were both so silent that it was like the line went dead.
“Are you okay, Rory?” she asked.
Damn, here she was going through this alone, and she was worried about him.
“I’m fine, baby.”
She cleared her throat, and he heard her mother speaking to her again. “Stunned … scared.”
He breathed out roughly. “I wish I was there with you. I’d be holding you, Lena.”
“I know, Rory. I wish you were here, too, but I’m okay. Everything will be okay.” More silence stretched between them, and he heard someone speaking overhead on the other line again. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away about the baby, but everything seemed to happen so fast.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head. “It’s okay, Lena. You don’t apologize to me or about this. I am coming for you, coming to be with you. You don’t need to be alone right now.”
“No, no,” she said and cleared her throat. “I’m fine. My mom’s here, and you leaving won’t do anything but have you possibly losing everything with your job. I am fine, really.” A moment of silence stretched out between them. “I’m taking the doctor’s advice and staying on bed rest, taking things slow. As long as I follow all that, I know I’m doing everything I can to make things work out to the best of my ability.”
“I love you,” he croaked, feeling helpless and weak for the first time in his life.
“I love you, too.” He heard the genuine emotions in those three words as she whispered them.
He scrubbed his face. “Listen, get some rest. I love you, and we’ll talk tomorrow, okay?”
Lena whispered she loved him again and got off the phone.
No fucking way he was going to be able to stay in Colorado, not when his girl needed him. No, Rory would do whatever it took to get back, even if that meant losing his job and any opportunity he had with this company in the future. Lena was everything to him.
She was his world, and he needed to be with her.
14
A few days later
She sat on her bed, staring out the window, her thoughts confused and heavy. It had been three days since she’d told Rory about the baby, and although she’d spoken to him on the phone since then, all she could keep thinking about was how things would play out.
Lena didn’t know how long she sat there, but the sound of someone coming up the stairs didn’t even faze her. She was too lost in her own thoughts, in wishing Rory was here, but knowing she didn’t want him to leave his job because he’d been so determined about it, almost excited about the advancements he’d make with the company and being able to provide for her.
That had her smile. God, he was such a good guy, so thoughtful and compassionate.
The feeling of someone standing behind her, the feeling of that awareness that she was being watched, had Lena turning around on her bed and staring at Rory. She felt her eyes widen, felt her heart start to pick up its pace. Standing, feeling like she was in this surreal moment, she wanted to move toward him but found herself rooted to the spot.
“Rory?”
“Hey, baby,” he said softly and smiled, although it didn’t reach his eyes. He walked into the room, and before she knew what was happening, he had her in his arms and just held her. They stood like that for what seemed like forever, but she was okay with that. She felt the love she had for him consume her, felt his love for her seep into her, and didn’t want this moment to end. Crying was right there at the surface, but it wasn’t just from the sadness. She was also so happy to have him here.