Page 83 of Heartbreaker Handoff

Right.

When I reach Marlena, she gives me a worried mama smile and grabs my shoulder. “Mijo, she’s going to get an epidural, which should help with the pain.”

That’s a shot into her spine.

I blink a few times, feeling lightheaded. Fuck. If I pass out right now, I’m gonna kick my own ass. “What do I do?”

“What you’ve done for her this whole time. Be there for her. Love her through this.” She chuckles. “She might not be very nice. I was a beast toward my husband when I had the kids, but he took it all.”

I nod. I can do that.

She ushers me in, and Rox turns toward me. She looks so small in that hospital bed. Except for the giant round bulge in her midsection.Ezra’s such a fool,I think for the millionth time. How could he give her up?

Her eyes are swollen and her face is flushed. She looks as terrified as I feel. This is probably a good time to fake it ’till I make it.

“Hey, biscuit. How you doing?” I give her a reassuring smile and reach for her hand. Thankfully, she lets me hold it this time.

“My uterus feels like it’s going to explode. Remember that movieAlienwhere that creature busts through that man’s chest?”

I nod hesitantly. My older brothers love horror films.

“It’s like that, only lower. Like there’s something gnawing its way out of my guts.”

My stomach lurches, but I swallow and try to keep my shit together.

A contraction hits her, and her eyes squeeze shut as her whole body tightens. The machines around her beep. One is her heart rate, which speeds up every time she gets a contraction, and one is connected to a strap around her waist and predicts the contractions a few seconds before they happen.

The nurse stacks towels on the table opposite the bed.

I head over to her. “Excuse me. Can I get some ice water and washcloths?” I remember one of the moms at that birth class said she liked having cool cloths and needed to drink lots of water. Roxy is sweating up a storm. Bet that might make her more comfortable.

“Of course.” The nurse returns a minute later with the supplies I asked for.

After I wash my hands in the en suite bathroom, I dampen a washcloth. “Rox, think this might help?” I hold it up and wipe her face and neck.

“That feels so good. Thanks.”

I let out a breath of relief. Maybe I won’t be a fucking idiot today.

It hurts to watch her writhe in pain. It makes me put a pin in the idea that she’ll want more kids someday because I don’t know why she’d subject herself to this kind of torture again. I hold her hand through every contraction. “Good thing I’m not a quarterback anymore,” I joke and shake it out after a few minutes.

“Oh, sorry.”

I lean over to kiss her sweaty forehead. “I’m good, babe. Just do your thing.”

Finally, an anesthesiologist arrives to give her that epidural.

He has her turn on her side, and I crouch down to talk to Roxy while he does the procedure. I don’t tell her that I might pass the fuck out if I have to watch him slide that enormous needle into her vertebrae.

“Did you decide on a name?” I whisper as I stroke her head and push the hair out of her eyes. It’s piled on top of her head, but several strands have escaped and are sticking to her sweaty skin.

Baby names is one of our favorite topics, and I’m hoping it’ll distract her.

She shakes her head. “I can’t decide. How do you choose a name? It’s forever, and that’s a lot of pressure. I don’t want to get it wrong.”

“You’re right. A name is important.” I lace my fingers through hers and squeeze her hand until the procedure is over. “Maybe when you meet her, it’ll come to you, and you’ll just know.”

Her brows pull tight. “Billy, speaking of names, there’s something I want to talk to you about.” She chews on her bottom lip. “I did some research,and—”

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