Page 75 of The Backdraft
I needed an emergency C-section.
My baby.
Frantically surveying the room, my gaze landed on Archer. He was here, sitting in the corner of the room, arms resting on his knees, as he stared at the floor.
My mouth was dry, my lips peeling apart somewhat painfully as I went to speak. “Archer?”
His head snapped up, green eyes crashing into mine. Then he was moving across the room to my side, hands reaching out like he was going to pull me into a hug before he thought twice about it.
I shifted into a sitting position, wincing as I did. Everything hurt. Not in a broken way, but in a way that confirmed the wreck hadn’t been a nightmare.
“Are you okay? What can I do?” Exhaustion had given him dark circles, and my chest throbbed at the barely-concealed concern in his eyes.
“Where’s our baby?” I demanded softly.
Archer brushed a hand over my head, careful to avoid the cut on my temple. “He’s okay. He’s upstairs in the NICU.”
I sucked in a breath of air, then began sobbing in earnest. “He? It’s a boy?”
Archer nodded, a smile curving his lips. “Yeah. It’s a boy. Doctor Ambrose says he’s doing great. He’s got your nose.”
“You saw him?” My voice cracked, my heart beating too vigorously in my chest.
His face fell slightly, as he misinterpreted my question. “Is that okay? I figured you wouldn’t want him to be alone, and I—”
“Archer, stop. He’s your son too. I’m glad you saw him.” I smiled, reaching out to hold his hand.
Resting his forehead against mine, he took a shaky breath, one that carried far too much panic in it. “I was so scared, Darcy. You have no idea.” His voice broke. “We got on the scene, and I sawyour car, and I–I–I just . . . I was so sure I lost you. Lost both of you.”
My heart broke at the raw pain etched into his face, into his tone. I couldn’t imagine how he felt, with what he went through with his mom, and then showing up to my accident. He must’ve been in a full blown panic. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. We’re both here.”
He pulled away, watery eyes scanning my face. “I love you. I should’ve told you sooner, but I’ve never said that to anyone, but then I thought you might be dying or already dead and I never told you. I love you, Darcy, with every broken piece of me. And if you’ll let me, I promise I won’t let another day go by without me telling you, without me showing you exactly how much.”
Was it weird that I could feel the change in the way my heart pounded? Before it’d been racing out of worry for my baby, but now it was thrashing in my chest because this man, this beautifully broken,goodman, was telling me he loved me. “I love you too.”
He lowered his head back to mine and brushed a barely-there kiss across my forehead, as if any amount of pressure would break me. Then he lifted his head. “I used your phone to call your sister. She and your mom are on their way here. I’m sorry I didn’t contact them sooner. I wasn’t thinking clearly.” He still seemed shaken up even though I was right there in front of him, alive.
“It’s okay, Arch. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Garrett and your dad should be getting on a plane as we speak.”
I rolled my eyes, but not out of annoyance. It was such a classic Adler move. Of course they dropped everything and boarded the first available plane as if I’d gotten hit by a semi-truck and not a pickup.
He placed another kiss on my forehead, lingering for so long I’d wondered if the exhaustion had finally caught up to him, but then he pulled away. “Let me go get a nurse. Then maybe you can meet our son.”
I watched him stride out of the door and disappear into the hallway, and then I let my head fall back against the pillow.
We had a son.
***
Our son was perfect.
An hour after the doctor had come in to check on me, and after I kindly kicked my overbearing sister and mother out of my room, I was in a rocking chair, holding and admiring the baby that was inside me not even six hours ago. I was mesmerized, unable to look at anything other than his cheek smushed up against my chest. It took some arranging with all his tubes and wires, but when the nurse said he was stable enough to be held, I cried. I hadn’t stopped yet, despite the grin on my face.
Archer stood behind me, peering over my shoulder at the same face we’d been staring at for thirty minutes now. “Have you thought about what you’re going to name him?”
I laughed gently, glancing up at him. “WhatI’mgoing to name him? You don’t want a say?”
