Happily Ever All-Star: A Secret Baby Romance (50 page)

A
t least it was over
.

My fingers trembled as I redressed, tugging the tank over my head and wishing I had worn something other than the pink sweatpants proudly proclaiming “Sweet” over my butt.

My heart still raced. I didn’t think it’d ever slow. More tears fell over my cheeks. The nurses handed me a handful of tissues as they retrieved the discharge forms. It didn’t help.

I needed Jack.

I sat on the bed as the shouting rang from in the hall. It wasn’t polite, but I didn’t expect him to be. My knight-in-shining armor crashed through a damn hospital as aggressively and unsubtly as he could. Thank God no cameras were here to see this.

I was so glad to hear his voice, even if it echoed a nasty curse at the head nurse who refused to give him my room number. I pulled my cell and made a note to send a basket of various Rivets’ paraphernalia to the patient staff forced to deal with Jack Carson’s latest temper tantrum.

Jack sprinted into the room, limping heavily on his leg. He didn’t slow until I was safe in his arms.

I fell into his embrace, and he kissed me furiously, a silent apology that shook me to my core. I clung to him, finally warm and calm. He pulled away only so he could look at me, his words heavy, solemn, and brimming with the same fear I felt a few minutes ago.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I got your message…and I tried…but I was…”

“It’s okay.”

“Are you?” His voice broke. He lowered his hand as if he were afraid to touch my tummy. “Is the…”

“Everything’s okay.”

Jack’s eyes widened, a surge of blue so bright it startled me. He stared as if I would lie to the only man I’ve ever loved.

He exhaled. “It’s okay?”

“Yeah.”

“But you were—”

“Overreacting?” I bit my lip. “It’s…unusual for me, I’ll grant you that.”

“What happened?”

“Women can experience something called round ligament pain. It’s a muscle ache when their womb is growing for the baby.” I swallowed. “For example, if they’re expanding for the very large son of a very large quarterback.”

Now Jack looked faint. I guided him to the bed, taking his hand and pressing it against my tummy. He opened his mouth to speak, couldn’t, and collapsed backward instead. I laughed, letting him have a moment while the news overwhelmed him.

“A
son
?” he asked.

“They had a good shot on the sonogram tonight, but it’s still very early. We’ll have to check again in a couple weeks.”

“Do you think…it’s a boy?”

“I think he’s a boy.”

“And he’s okay? You’re not…hurting?”

“I’m just a little embarrassed.”

Jack pulled himself upright with a core strength I envied now. He shook his head, pulling me close for another kiss.

“Never. Don’t you dare say you were embarrassed. Fuck, I’ve donated enough money to this place. There should be a whole
wing
I can use. I could keep you here with all the doctors and nurses and staff until we’re absolutely sure—”

“I’m sure your donations are better allocated to the kids in pediatrics,” I said. “I had some discomfort when I stood and walked, but it’s perfectly normal, if not thoroughly frightening for a first time mom. The doctors said to keep an eye on it.”

“Two of them,” he promised. “You can sleep. I won’t. Not until that baby is born and safe and—”

“Jack.” I smiled. “I’m okay. You’ll be the first to know if there’s any problem.”

“Damn right I’ll be.” Jack sat me on the bed so he could pace instead. His steps hit the floor too hard, and I didn’t even want to imagine the damage he did to himself by running through the halls.

I sighed. “Stop. I’m not sending you downstairs to get an MRI if you tear up your knee.”

“I’ll cut the damn thing off.”

“You might find it a little hard to play football on one leg.” I shrugged. “You’re a big guy, Jack, but even your tripod can’t get you out of a blitz.”

“I’m serious, Kiss.”

“And everything’s okay. I’m just waiting for the papers that tell me that I overreacted.”

“You didn’t overreact.” His voice hollowed. “You didn’t have anyone there to help you.”

“I can handle myself.”

“You shouldn’t have to.”

“Even if you were there, nothing would have changed.”

He didn’t believe me. “That’s not true—”

“I wouldn’t have risked anything. We’d have gone to the hospital, only you would have driven me.”

“Yeah.” He beat at his chest with a fist. “
I
would have taken you. I’d have been there. I’d have kept you safe and calm and
helped
you. But I wasn’t there.”

No, he wasn’t, and I didn’t care. I was okay. He was okay.

Our
son
was okay.

That was the single greatest news anyone had ever given me.

“I’m not holding it against you,” I said.

Jack steadied, though he seemed to grow, every inch of his body raging and tensed and prepared for a battle he could never win against his own regret.

“I’ll hold it against me.”

“Jack—”

“Leah, I’m in love with you.”

I dropped onto the bed. Jack knelt before me, and I was really going to need my hand back to cover the gasp that puffed past my lips. He held my palm, both of them, and kissed. His gaze locked on mine. I believed every word he spoke.

“I
love
you,” he said. “I was an idiot. I didn’t know what to do because of the injury, and I took it out on you. I was wrong.”

“You love me?”

“I went to the party because I thought it would make me happy. Like it always used to do.”

My mouth dried. “You
love
me.”

“They had drinks. And they had girls. And three of them were just in my lap.”

Not the detail to include in this apology. I lowered my voice. “But you love me?”

“I didn’t want them. I kept thinking about you. I left you so angry and hurt. Fuck, I was stupid. I didn’t see what I had.” He squeezed my hands. “You don’t think I’m responsible. You don’t think you can depend on me. You’re probably right, but I’m gonna work on it. I’m going to be there for you, for the baby, for us.”

“You love me.”

Jack nodded. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. You’re the only woman who could
make
me love someone other than myself. I’m so sorry for ever making you think otherwise.”

The exhaustion and hormones got to me before his words, but now I was a weeping mess. I sniffled, holding onto his shoulder while I stared at my unbelievable man.

“You know me…” I whispered. “I have a plan for everything. I know what to do, what to say, how to react. I can prevent any sort of disaster.”

“I’m a disaster now?” Jack grinned.

“The worst kind.” I touched his cheek. “I have no idea what to do when I’m around you. There’s no plan that can guard my heart. I’d have to leave you to protect myself from everything I feel—and, Jack, if I had to spend another moment separated from you, I might’ve lost myself.”

“But I’m here,” he said.

“You’re here. And you have no idea how much you mean to me. You asked me what I thought of you? It’s simple. You’re my
world
. You are everything I could ever, possibly want in this lifetime.”

His smile warmed me, chased away the fears and stress. “You love me.”

“I love you. How’s that for a headline?”

“
Respectable, Amazing Woman Falls For Idiot Trouble-Maker
.”

“We can spin it to be something more positive. That’s why you pay me the big bucks.”

Jack mellowed. He stared at me, his breathing still shuddered with adrenaline. “Marry me?”

Call in the paddles; I was going into shock. “
Marry
you?”

“Yeah.”

“Jack, we’ve only just said—”

“I don’t care. Marry me.”

Wild, foolish, impetuous man.

“It’s a little sudden. Spontaneous.” My lip quivered. “Romantic.”

It was nothing the old me would’ve done, but now it sounded right. For once, I didn’t think about my answer.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“
Yes
?”

“Yes.”

Jack leapt to his feet. “Now?”

Oh, dear God. My eyes widened. At least he caught himself before he got too wound up.

“Okay.” He laughed. “We can plan it.”

“Maybe just a little.”

“But we gotta do something now. Something…for us.”

Getting out of the hospital would be a start. I rested my hand over my tummy, glancing up at him. “How about we name the baby?”

Jack went still. “Name him?”

“I kinda…have one in mind.”

“Just one? You probably had some spreadsheet set up with a dozen names all alphabetized and color coordinated—”

“Sam.”

It took a moment to sink in. Jack’s expression twisted, aching. He spoke the name silently at first. His eyes rose to mine.

“For my…”

I nodded. “In honor of your little brother.”

He sucked in a breath. “I like Sam.”

“I do too.”

“I…” He approached again, kissing me so gently it was as if he thought I’d break. “Thank you.”

I smiled, and Jack helped me to my feet. His hand never left mine.

“What can I do?” he asked.

Easy. “I want to go home and
sleep
. Let me give these forms back and we can go.”

The nurses at the station exchanged smirks as I wandered to the desk. The nice brunette in pink scrubs who treated me first took my paperwork with a wink.

“We’ve all been there, honey,” she said. “Especially with our first baby.”

“Thank you.”

“Was that your man who brought in the police officer?”

Police
? What the hell...of course it had to be
Jack
.

I turned, following her nod. I was not at all surprised to see a uniformed police officer shaking Jack’s hand. Jack thanked him for the escort.

The
escort?

I crossed my arms. “Jack Carson, can you go
one
night without someone calling the cops on you?”

He shrugged, slapping the officer’s shoulder. “What can I say, Kiss? Maybe I just like a good pair of handcuffs.”

God. The entire nurses’ station giggled. At least they thought it was charming.

So did I.

I smiled. “Maybe the officer would be kind enough to lend me his—”

The camera flash disoriented me. Two men rushed through the halls of the hospital, chased by a portly security guard who shouted for them to stop. The video camera pointed directly at me, the handheld camera flashed at Jack.

A microphone aimed at my face.

I stumbled, trapped against the counter to the nurses’ station.

“Leah!” The little worm holding the microphone guided his cameraman closer. I recognized his squeaking voice. He was the same slime ball who called me a
slut
on my first date with Jack. “Leah, couple questions?”

Jack launched, but not before the sleaze edged him out and took another picture.

“Did you lose the baby, Leah?” The reporter shouted it so everyone could hear. “Where was Jack partying when the baby died?”

I clutched at my tummy, suddenly terrified the doctors made a horrible mistake or they refused to tell me some dark and awful secret. My eyes welled with tears and impossibility. I didn’t have time to respond.

Jack charged, his fist connecting with the asshole’s face. The sleaze was fortunate the punch landed while he was in the hospital. He was out cold before he struck the ground.

The camera man filmed it all.

Jack rushing to my side.

The nurses shouting.

The security guard calling for help.

And, worst of all, he filmed the police officer breaking up the chaos. Doctors rushed to the unconscious man, but I didn’t worry so much about the bastard who dared to trivialize my baby’s health. I focused on Jack.

So did the police officer.

The officer apologized as he pulled Jack away.

“I really wish you hadn’t hit him in front of me,” he said.

So did I. So did Jack. But my bad boy wasn’t afraid of a good fight.

Jack grinned. “That was one hell of a hit, huh?”

The officer nodded. “Your lawyer will love it.”

Oh, this wasn’t happening.
Again
. Jack faced me, shame darkening his gaze. He forced a bit of lightness into his voice.

“Hey, I know I talked a lot about changing. A lot. But…I gotta go get…”

I finished for him. “Get arrested.”

“Yeah.”

“Again.”

Jack took it like a man. “At least you know where to pick me up?”

I could have been angry. I should’ve cried. Instead, I was just so glad he attacked the asshole before I did or nothing would have remained of that slimy journalist.

I kissed his cheek. “Tell me you don’t want to marry me just so you’ll have someone to bail you out of jail?”

“At least you’ll know where the checkbook is,” he said. “This is the last time. I promise.”

Yeah, old habits died hard. I pulled my cell and prepared to make my usual list of calls. “I’m charging you for overtime on this one, Mr. Carson.”

“That’s why I love you.” Jack’s smile faded as the officer led him to the elevators. “You’re practical.”

“One of us needs to be.”

“I’ll get out of this. Promise.” He held my gaze. “I love you.”

I watched my future husband and father of my child get arrested for the second time in only a few months. My voice was soft.

“Love you too.”

Now how the hell was I going to spin this?

“
I
’m not doing it
.”

I expected Jack’s resistance.

I straightened his tie and brushed the wrinkles from his suit coat. He clutched the speech I prepared in his hand. If he ripped it up, I had spares. A copy in my purse, another in his jacket, and I still had my tablet and phone with copies ready to pull up at a moment’s notice.

He was giving this press conference.

And he was going to read my speech.

Even if he hated it. If he wanted to stay in the league, this was the only way.

“Jack, not every man gets third, fourth, and fifth chances,” I warned. “You got lucky with the judge, but just because he dismissed the case with some silly anger management classes doesn’t mean your fans or the league will understand.”

He held up the speech. “And
this
is supposed to fix it?”

“Jack, that apology is the only thing that’ll save your career.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I wrote it.” I pulled him close for a kiss. “Read what it says.
Mean it
, and we’ll see what happens when the league concludes their investigation.”

“But I don’t mean it!” His voice sharpened. “Accepting the four game suspension without question? Fully cooperating with whatever their decision they render? Eating the fine and donating the same amount to charity?”

I arched an eyebrow. “You’re donating to the hospital.”

“Yeah.” He shook his head. “But now everyone’s gonna know. I’ll let my name get shit on, but I don’t want them to say anything about my little brother—”

“They won’t. Believe me, Jack, this will show that you have a commitment beyond yourself.”

He held my hand, kissing the finger that now brandished a beautiful diamond ring. “I already have a commitment. I have you. I have Sam.”

“Charm’s not getting you out of this, bad boy.”

“What if I toss you back on the bench, promise to behave, and give you the licking of a lifetime?”

“In the middle of the locker room?”

“Always been a fantasy of mine.”

“And so it will remain.” I poked his chest. “Speech now. Licking later.”

“Promise?”

“I still got that leash on you, Jack Carson. Tighter than ever.”

His smile only grew. I should have known better than to encourage him, but even in the darkest moments, he was always eager to flirt.

He kissed me and rubbed my tummy. I rested my hands over his. Jack hadn’t yet recovered from our scare, and he spent every waking minute tending to my needs—offering me food, blankets, any sort of fun second trimester naughtiness that tickled my fancy.

But his knee was healed, and training camp was coming to an end. No one knew who would start at quarterback. Jack only hoped he’d have a spot on the team when the season began.

I wasn’t about to let this latest scandal ruin his career. I wrote his speech to show heart, growth, and personal responsibility. It welcomed any of the league’s chosen consequences as fair and just.

But we knew it’d be brutal. They weren’t punishing Jack. He’d serve as a lesson to every other bad boy in the league, but if he could just be permitted to stay…

One of the Rivets’ spokespersons rapped on the door. He waved us forward, and I gave Jack as much of a hug as my baby bump would allow.

“Just be you out there,” I said.

“Irritated and sarcastic?”

I kissed him. “Be the man I love.”

He smirked. “I’m pretty good at that.”

“Don’t get cocky.”

“I’m good at that too.”

And that was what I was afraid of. I tucked the speech into his jacket and let him lead us to the pressroom. The media room was big enough to fit the usual batch of local reporters, but tonight it filled completely, overflowing into the hallways and fit with more cameras and photographers than crammed in during last season’s playoffs.

Jack offered the room a smile, even though I told him to appear as solemn as he could. Wasn’t going to happen. I crossed my fingers.

“Lots of cameras today.” Jack cleared his throat and approached an impromptu podium. “Don’t worry, I won’t break any of ‘em.”

Cripes. Now I crossed both fingers.

Jack unveiled the speech from his pocket. He looked it over and heaved a breath. Appropriately remorseful, but I saw something else.

That defiance.

He hated this so much. My heart ached for him, but it was the
only
way.

Jack wasn’t a man who’d beg for mercy. He earned the chances he got because he was the best quarterback in the damn league and everyone knew it.

Which meant he already made his decision.

I knew it before he did.

“Good evening.” Jack read from the statement. The cameras whirled and clicked. Flashes of light captured the hard angle of his jaw, his growing scowl. “I wish to take this opportunity to thank the members of the press and my fans for allowing me this moment to express my sincerest remorse for…” He paused. Exhaled. “For…”

I saw it happening. His mind changed.

At least he almost made it through the opening paragraph.

Jack’s demeanor shifted. He shook his head and ripped up the speech. The reporters murmured to themselves.

“No.” Jack started again. “I’m not
sorry
for what happened that night. Yeah, I got arrested. Again. And yeah, I got a massive speeding ticket and nearly lost my license. I regret the trouble it caused the team, league, and my family, but I can’t apologize for the reason it happened. In fact, I’d do it all again if I had to.”

No PR company could salvage this. I waited as Jack faced everyone who would skin him alive for daring to be honest when the media needed a scoop.

“That night, I’d thought I lost my unborn son.” His words darkened. “I thought the woman I loved was in danger. Yes, I sped to the hospital. Yes, we had an
issue
with a journalist. But I did everything I could to rush to her side. I’m not apologizing for doing what a father should do to protect his baby.”

The room shifted. More lights and flashes. Jack shrugged at me.

“There’s not much else for a man to do while we wait for the kid to be born. I, uh, painted the nursery. I got the late night ice cream. Did the foot rubs. But that’s nothing when you realize how
helpless
you are if there’s a problem.” His voice hardened, confident. “I can’t do much for him now, but I will always be there if he’s in trouble, no matter the damn consequences.”

I cradled my belly, meeting Jack’s gaze with a gentle smile.

“As for the assault charge.” The devoted father faded, and the hardened lover returned. “No one will
ever
terrorize the woman I love, especially if she’s in the hospital, fearing for our baby’s life. If defending her, if
protecting
her makes me some sort of criminal, then I’m a criminal. Cut me from the team. Expel me from the league.”

The room buzzed. Jack didn’t care.

“I might not be a quarterback anymore, but at least I know I’ll be a damned good husband and father. There’s
no
apologizing for that.”

The press silenced. My eyes blurred with tears, absolutely moved by the man I loved. It wasn’t the apology I wanted him to give, and it wasn’t anything the league would ever tolerate. It didn’t matter. He made a mistake, got into trouble, but this time…it wasn’t something selfish and inconsiderate.

He sacrificed everything for
me
.

Jack wrapped it up with a nod. “Now, I am sorry for the legal problems this is causing. My driving was reckless, and I did punch a guy out.” He paused. “I know how my behavior reflects on the league and the team. Hell, I know it’s making Leah squirm because I’m going off script. Just let me say, I’ll take a punishment. Whatever the league wants. And I won’t complain because it’s deserved. But I won’t apologize for defending my family. I love her. I love my baby. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them protected and safe.”

Jack tucked the crumpled speech in his pocket. The media stood, shouting questions and calling his name. He ignored them, holding out a hand for me to take. He pulled me from the zoo and led me away until we tucked in a quiet, dim corner office. I was lost to his arms.

His kiss stole my breath.

“Marry me now,” he said. “If my career is ending, at least I’ll know I’ll have you, Kiss. Let’s get married now and just be happy.”

I stared into those bandit blue eyes. “You really are bad, aren’t you?”

“Willing to do something reckless?”

“Loving you isn’t reckless.”

“You sure?”

“It’s a testament to my patience, but it’s not reckless. It’s easy.”

Jack smiled. “Is that a yes?”

I kissed him again, easing the worry from his body with a simple brush of my lips.

“I love you,” I whispered. “Let’s get married.”