She’s nodding and smiling. “Okay... Let’s do that.”
So I give her exactly what she wants. I bend down and put her over my shoulder because I need to get her home and back in my bed now.
Chapter11
Tate
We don’t quite make it.
My phone rings in my pocket, and I almost ignore it, but something tells me I’d better get it. I look at the caller ID, and it’s Josh. “Shit. I have to take this,” I tell Lakelyn as I put her down on her feet. She puts her hand in mine, and we keep walking. “Josh, what’s up?”
He rambles on so fast I can’t hear him. “Wait. Slow down. I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Hospital... Violet…” he says. It sounds like he’s running.
I open the car door, and Lakelyn gets in. I run around to my side. “Is she okay?”
“Yes... we’re having a baby.”
“Mercy Hospital in Jasper?”
“Yes.”
I peel out of the parking lot. “I’m on my way.”
As soon as I hang up, Lakelyn asks, “Is Violet okay?”
“Yes, she’s having the baby.”
I drive as fast as I can to the hospital. It’s thirty minutes away if you’re driving the speed limit. I get us there in twenty-five. Lakelyn is quiet the whole way, and so am I. I’m worried about my sister, but I know that Josh is taking good care of her.
I barely get the car into park, and I’m running around, grabbing Lakelyn’s hand, and we both run to the entrance.
“My sister…” I pant when I reach the information desk. “My sister is having a baby.”
“Third floor is the maternity floor.”
“Thank you,” I tell the nurse and then start toward the elevators before Lakelyn stops, trying to release my hand.
I stop and look at her. “What are you doing? Come on.”
She shakes her head side to side. She looks scared and uncertain. “Don’t you want to meet my nephew?”
Her eyes light up, but she’s still shaking her head. “This is a family thing. Violet doesn’t want some stranger interfering...”
Before she can get the words out, I’m on her. I have my arms around her, and she’s pulled flush against my body. “You’re not a stranger. And I’m doing my best to not scare you off or push things on you that you may not want, but I love you, Lakelyn.”
She gasps, but there’s no stopping me now. “I do. I love you. I won’t hold you back, you can have the big city, model, do whatever you want. I just need you. I’ll follow you wherever you want to go.”
She clutches my shirt and holds on as she searches my eyes. “I love you, Tate Jennings, and I’m not going anywhere. I want to stay in Whiskey Run with you... I want to see where this goes.”
I kiss her then because there’s no way I couldn’t. She loves me. I don’t know how it happened, but I’m not going to screw it up. I pull my lips from hers. “I can tell you where it’s going to go. I’m going to marry you and put my babies in you.”
She laughs at my bluntness. “I’m okay with that.”
I rest my head against hers. I want to take her home with me and get started right now, but I can’t. “You ready to go meet JJ?”
“JJ?” she asks.