The Gate to Everything (Once Upon a Dare Book 1) (13 page)

He watched her blink tears away for a moment. “I’ll tell her, Jordan.”

“I was sorry you weren’t at the Super Bowl,” he made himself say.
 

Her eyes darkened. “We were too, Jordan. The boys came over to watch it with Pat and me. We were proud of you, Jordan. Your mother would have been too if God hadn’t seen fit to take her from us so young. You worked so hard for so long. You deserved it.”
 

Jordan found that he couldn’t respond. Man, he missed his mom. On days like this, all he wanted to do was dial her number and talk to her.

They sat quietly, drinking in the silence until Meg announced she needed to get back to Grace. When they reached the front door, Jordan moved first, holding onto her tightly until she pressed back. As she walked to the elevator, he had to bite his lip not to call out to her and ask her to tell Grace that he loved her.

Chapter 10

Grace’s spotting didn’t stop over the next few weeks, but it didn’t worsen either. Her mom arranged for a leave of absence from the hospital to stay with her longer. The bed rest was a constant frustration, but her mom’s presence helped. She didn’t know what she would have done without her.

Her mom called Jordan with periodic updates at Grace’s request, but whenever she listened to her mom talk to him on the phone, she had to fight the tears that wanted to streak down her cheeks. And the urge to grab the phone and talk to him. She missed hearing his beautiful voice.
 

His Once Upon a Dare guys showered her with well wishes and presents, everything from giant teddy bears and cashmere baby blankets for the baby to French copper pots and white truffles harvested near Alba for her. She suspected Jordan was behind the ongoing encouragement—that it was his way of staying connected—and it made her miss him even more.

As more days passed, Grace relaxed, knowing the baby was further out of the woods. They were going to make it, and sometimes, she gave in to the tears of relief at that thought.

An oppressive humidity hung over Atlanta on a Wednesday evening in early July just two days after America’s birthday when she felt it: a huge tugging in her womb. She put her hands on her belly.

“What’s wrong?” her mom immediately asked, setting her knitting aside and rising from her normal perch in the rocking chair they’d brought into Grace’s bedroom.

Her gaze flew to her mother’s. “I’m not sure. There was this tugging. Didn’t feel like the usual.”

“Hmm…” her mom said, falling into nurse mode. “Let’s hang out a little while and see what happens.”

Her mom placed her hand on the watermelon shape that had become her belly.

A few minutes later, there was another tug, this one stronger than the last. The pain seemed to shoot up her side. “Ow. Are these contractions?”
Please no. I’m not full-term yet.

“They might be,” her mom said. “Could be Braxton Hicks. Any back pain?”

Her alarm was rising, and she could feel the urgent beat of her heart in her chest. “Yes, for a few hours now. I thought I was just uncomfortable. Lying down all the time makes me feel like a beached whale. Mom, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be,” her mom said, cupping her face and staring into her eyes. “I’m here. Everything is going to be fine, Gracie.”

But soon the pains sharpened.

“Why don’t you call your doctor?” her mom said finally. “I think she’s going to want you to come to the hospital, but let’s confirm.”

Sure enough, after a short call, her doctor asked her if she wanted them to send an ambulance. Her mom shook her head when she asked her, saying they didn’t need the fanfare.

“I think we should call Jordan and see if he can take us, Grace,” her mom surprised her by saying. “You don’t have to have him in the room when the baby is born, but he’ll want to be at the hospital. He’ll feel more included that way.”

Just the thought of seeing Jordan again in the flesh had her insides churning, but it was the right move. “Will you call him?”

“Sure thing, sweetheart,” her mom said, grabbing her phone. “Hi, Jordan. Don’t freak out, but Grace is having some contractions, and the doctor wants her to come to the hospital. Can you come and pick us up?”

Her mom listened for a moment and then said, “Good. See you soon.”

While they waited for Jordan, her mom helped her change out of a cotton nightgown and into a T-shirt and stretchy pants. The hospital bag they’d packed together weeks ago came out of her closet, and Grace tried not to panic.

Jordan must have broken every speed limit because he arrived ten minutes earlier than she’d expected from his new digs in Midtown. Her hands curved around her belly when she heard him knock on the door. Her mom rose from the bed and went to greet him.

When he arrived in the doorway, he was smiling. She knew a game face when she saw one, and apparently he’d practiced one for her.

“Hey there, Gracie girl. Are you ready to see if our baby plans to come into the world today?”

Grace took her hand off her belly, noticing how his eyes darted to it quickly before looking back at her. She tried to return his smile. “Sure, let’s get this show on the road.”
 

She moved to sit up on the bed, and Jordan darted forward. “Here, let me help you. You might be a little off center from being in bed so long.”

He reached a supportive arm around her back as she scooted awkwardly from the middle of the bed. Grace didn’t shrink away from his touch, but a shiver went through her. She blamed it on the contractions, but knew it was a lie.

“Maybe it would be easier if I carried you to the car,” Jordan said, frowning at her. “I don’t want you tiring yourself out. You might need to conserve your energy.”

“Okay. Good idea.”

Jordan lifted her easily. “Just like I thought. Even with the baby, you’re still a lightweight.”
 

“I don’t want the baby to come early,” she whispered to him suddenly, letting the safe feeling of being in his arms wash over her.

He met her eyes, and in them she could see the worry he was trying so hard to hide. “I know, sweetheart.” He pressed his cheek to hers in a gesture of pure comfort. “What did your mom tell you, Gracie?”

She could feel tears well up in her eyes. “She said the baby is far enough along.”
 

“Has your mom ever been wrong?” he asked, casting a glance at her mom, who was watching them by the door.

Her mouth tipped up slightly. “Not usually.”

“Well, then there’s no reason to worry, is there?” he said matter-of-factly.

She nodded. “Are you scared?”

“A little, for you,” he confessed harshly. “If I could take this from you, I would. You’ve already gone through so much.”
 

“You would look silly with this watermelon belly,” she teased, trying to bolster them both.

“Oh, but think of all the new clothes I could wear,” he said, teasing her right back.

She burrowed her face in his shoulder, inhaling his musky aftershave. And then she felt another sharp pain in her back and made an anguished sound. Grace gripped his arms as the sensation built.
 

“Breathe, Grace,” he said in his team voice. “Deep breaths. Like me, okay?”

If the pain hadn’t been stronger this time, she might have teased him for knowing about breathing during labor. More research, no doubt.

Her mom picked up her bag by the door. “We’d better get going,” she said in a calm but firm tone.

Cradling Grace against his chest, Jordan followed Meg out of the apartment. She locked it behind them, then continued on ahead, giving them some space.
 

“So, what’s it like having your own personal nurse?” Jordan asked.

“Wonderful. An angel in disguise.”

“I’m so glad you had her,” he said, walking briskly through the lobby. “It helped me worry less.”

As they reached the door, Grace felt a rush of panic surge through her. “There’s no press out there, is there?”

He shook his head. “No, Grace. I have new ways of diverting them. I’d never let them close to you and the baby.”

The absolute certainty in his voice calmed her, but when they arrived at the front door, he stopped. “Do you trust me, Grace?”

She nodded, and her mom pushed the door open. The sunlight was harsh on her eyes, and the humidity was oppressive. He led them to a black SUV parked with its hazards on in the fire lane.
 

“What do you think of my daddy mobile?” he asked.

Grace’s mom opened the back passenger door. “Beats that old minivan I had to drive with you kids.”

Jordan gently lowered her to the back seat, and her mom rearranged the fluffy pillows piled there to help her get comfortable.

“You brought pillows?” Grace asked Jordan.

“This is a full service ride,” he said, handing her a blanket from the front passenger seat.

She gave him a look. “It’s almost a hundred degrees out.”

A shadow crossed his face, and for a minute she could see the helplessness he was fighting. “I thought… Right. Let me turn up the air.”

Jordan stowed her bag while her mom settled beside her in the back.

He drove slowly down the street. “What hospital are we headed to? I forgot to ask.”

Her mom told him to go to Northside. “The hospital has a celebrity entrance we’re supposed to use. Dr. Jessica told me where to go.”

Grace looked over at her. “You didn’t tell me that.”

Her mom shrugged. “You didn’t need to worry about it. I took care of it.”

When they arrived at the hospital complex, her mom gave Jordan directions to the side entrance. The minute he parked and exited the vehicle, two hospital workers rushed out with a wheelchair. Before she knew it, Grace was being wheeled into a private elevator, her mom and Jordan following right behind her. Dr. Saunders was waiting for them when the doors opened on the third floor. She had on chartreuse tennis shoes.

“Hey, Grace,” she said with an intent look. “Meg, it’s nice to see you. And you must be Jordan. It’s good to finally meet you.”

Jordan nodded, resting his hands on Grace’s shoulder. “Yes, thank you for taking such good care of Grace and our baby.”

Our baby,
Grace thought, and hearing him say those simple words was enough to put tears in her eyes.

“It’s a pleasure,” Dr. Saunders said. “Well, Grace, you just made it to thirty-three weeks. That’s all we could hope for, given what’s happened. Let’s get y’all settled in so we can see if we’re dealing with the final performance or the opening act. We have a private suite waiting for you.”

As they wheeled her down the halls, Grace could feel herself tightening up. She hated hospitals, and even though they were bringing her to the maternity ward, she was still nervous.

“Grace.”
Jordan extended his hand to her. “You got this.”

She nodded and grabbed the comfort he was offering.
 

When they arrived at the suite, the nurse wheeled her into the room, and they got her into the hospital bed with Jordan’s help. The room was decorated warmly in the same soft yellow as the hallway. High-backed chairs sat like an old couple across from a purple print couch and rocking chair. It was friendlier than the average hotel room, but Grace still couldn’t pretend she wasn’t in a hospital.

“You might want to step out a sec, Jordan,” her mom said, patting his arm. “They’re going to get her into a gown and examine her.”

“There’s a private room off to the right,” Dr. Saunders told him, pointing. “That way you can be close enough to call.”

Jordan’s eyes sought hers one last time before he smiled at her and left.

Her heart clutched, and she had to admit the truth. It hurt to see him go.

Chapter 11
      

Jordan had mixed feelings leaving Grace. The private birthing coach he’d consulted in case Grace wanted him present at the birth had shown him videos and walked him through the process—either a natural birth or a Caesarean. Either way, Jordan was prepared for both. He would just take his cue from Meg and Grace. They would tell him how much they wanted him around.

The private waiting room was smaller and decorated with a burgundy printed chair rail. There was a medium-sized television mounted on the wall in front of two high-backed chairs in navy. He sat in one and sorted the magazines on the small coffee table, feeling the need to organize and control something. He noted that over half were about parenthood and babies. Some Jordan had already read. He’d subscribed to a few on the advice of his coach.
 

At first the magazines and books had read like a foreign language—who would have thought there was so much lingo specific to childcare?—but he’d learned from them. Some of the information felt a little off given how his mother raised him. But he figured that’s what made parenthood individual. Everyone did it differently. It was clearly not a science.

He texted a few of his Once Upon a Dare brothers while he waited. They were all eager to hear the news about Grace. A few of them asked if he wanted them to fly out, but he told them to chill until he knew more. Although he appreciated their support, he could barely focus his attention on texting. All he could think about was what was going on with Grace and their baby. Besides, if they all showed up at the hospital, the media would certainly put together what was going on.