Page 70 of Into the Fire
Her fingers squeezed weakly around his. And Levi bowed his head, pressing her hand to his lips like a silent promise.
He wouldn’t let her go. Not now. Not ever.
“You scared the hell out of me, Baby.”
Before she could answer, a soft knock interrupted the moment. The door swung open again with a quiet creak, and in stepped a man neither of them had seen before—tall, clean-cut, and almost too polished for Cold Creek. His white coat hung open over a fitted gray knit sweater and darkjeans, not the typical buttoned-up look you’d expect from a hospital doctor.
He had a simple charm about him—chestnut hair, clean shaven, and warm eyes. Handsome, yes. But not in a flashy way. More like he’d grown into it.
“Good evening,” he said, voice smooth and easy. “I’m Dr. Reid Holden. Sorry for the late drop in. I just transferred into rotation here a few weeks ago. I just came from report with the last doctor on shift. I'll be taking over as your doctor for the next 12 hours. Figured I'd introduce myself and give you an update.”
He held her chart loosely in one hand and offered a calm, reassuring smile. Simple but professional.
Levi’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Not in jealousy, but in instinct. A man like that didn’t go unnoticed in a small town. Emery felt it too: the quiet confidence, the sense that Reid had seen things—real things, but had learned how to wear the weight of it lightly.
“Nice to meet you,” Emery said, her voice still a little raspy. “Hope we’re not your craziest case yet.”
Dr. Holden chuckled, eyes flicking to Levi and back again. “You’re definitely in the top five. But I’ve got a feeling this town might keep me on my toes. Anyways, I was just reviewing your vitals and going over your labs.”
Levi tensed slightly, his thumb still moving slowly across Emery’s knuckles. “Is she okay?”
The doctor nodded. “Yes, she’s very lucky. No permanent damage from the smoke inhalation, and her lungs are recovering better than expected. But…”
His eyes flicked to Emery’s, then Levi’s.
“There’s something else I want to share. We ran full panels when you were brought in. Standard protocol. And something came back that I think you both need to know.”
Levi sat straighter. Emery’s brows pinched together. The doctor’s expression softened. “You’re pregnant.”
Emery blinked. “I’m—what?”
The words landed a 50 lb. sack of feed thrown from the hayloft of a two-story barn. Her fingers tightened in Levi’s. She turned to him, wide-eyed, like she wasn’t sure she’d heard right.
Dr. Holden smiled warmly. “Based on your HCG levels, it’s early. Just a few weeks. But it’s definite.”
Silence filled the room like a weight.
Levi looked from the doctor to Emery, his jaw slack, eyebrows raised as his lips parted like he wanted to speak but couldn’t quite get there yet.
Emery let out a stunned breath, then half-coughed, half-gasped. “Oh my God.”
Levi finally found his voice. “You’re… we…?”
She shook her head slowly. “I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know.”
“I believe you,” he said instantly, his hand reaching to cradle her cheek.
The doctor gave them a moment before continuing, “We’ll need to keep an eye on things, make sure the stress doesn't affect anything. We will want to repeat your labs in a few days to make sure your levels continue to rise like they should. But so far, everything looks good.” He excused himself, gently closing the door behind him.
Emery stared at the closed door for a long beat before looking back at Levi. “Whoa...”
Silence settled for a beat, then Levi burst into laughter. It was loud, unfiltered, and completely unexpected. Emery blinked, still trying to process the words they’d just heard, when she turned to him, wide-eyed.
"Are you seriously laughing right now?" she asked, half-stunned. "Are you okay?"
Levi wiped his eyes, still beaming. "Okay? Baby, I’m better than okay—I just found out I knocked up the love of my life. Talk about a fucking plot twist, I didn’t even want a nanny, now I’m in love with you, and you’re gonna have my baby," he leaned in and kissed her gently. “This is more than okay,” he whispered. “You scared the shit out of me last night.And now, I feel like I’ve been handed a damn miracle.”
She smiled against his mouth, and he kissed her again.
