Unfinished Ex (Calloway Brothers, #2)(89)

“I’m sure Jaxon will be here as quickly as he can.”

“I know he will be. But I was talking about Eric.”





Chapter Thirty-seven



Jaxon




Tag weaves through downed trees on the way into town. It took us twice as long as it should have to get home, but we’re finally pulling up to the hospital a few minutes before noon. My nerves are still shot. When Nicky finally got through to me at eight o’clock this morning and told me to meet her at the hospital, my world imploded. When she quickly added that she was fine and wasn’t the patient, and everyone was okay short of Calista’s arm injury and bruised ankle, I found myself overcome with relief.

Tag drops me at the entrance. Nicky is right inside, and we wrap each other in a hug. Neither of us has words. We just hold on.

“I was so fucking scared,” I tell her after swallowing the knot in my throat. “Thank God you and the baby are okay, and both of them are as well.”

“Jaxon, it was awful. Her house is ruined. Do you know how lucky she is? Had she been five feet closer to where the tree fell, we’d be going to the morgue.”

“Jesus.” I put my hands on her shoulders. “And you saved her?”

“Hardly. I couldn’t get her out. I had to run to a few neighbors’ houses until I found someone who could go for help.”

“You saved her, Nic.”

“She’d have done the same for me.”

I cackle out a laugh. “I sincerely doubt that.”

“Come on.” She takes my hand and leads me to the elevator.

“Where are we going?”

“To see Calista.”

“She’s okay, though? They said the baby is all right?”

“Everyone is fine.”

We go to the second floor, right to Calista’s room, as if Nicky had been here all night.

Something’s different. When we enter, Calista smiles. At Nicky. And Eric is at her bedside holding her hand. I turn to Nic. “What the hell happened during that ice storm?”

She giggles. “Okay to come in?”

“Sure, yes.” Calista rubs her belly. “The baby is fine.”

“Nicky told me. Uh, hi, Eric. What’s up?” The three of them look at each other and laugh. “What am I missing?”

Nic shuts the door behind us. The four of us are alone. “Let’s see,” Calista says. “I almost died.

Your girlfriend saved me. Eric and I got back together.” She grins at Nic. “She’s pregnant. Oh, and Nicky and I are friends.”

“You… friends… Eric… what?” So much is going through my head right now, I can’t even figure out where to begin. I turn to Nic. “You told them?”

“She didn’t have to,” Calista says. “When she took off her sweater to stop my arm from bleeding out, I saw her bump.”

My gaze bounces between her and Eric. “And you two?”

“I was being stupid and selfish and adolescent,” Calista says. “I guess being pregnant isn’t attractive on me, because it made me into someone I never wanted to be.”

“I think pregnancy is very attractive on you,” Eric says, leaning down to kiss the back of her hand.

“And you?” I turn to Nic and motion toward Calista.

“What can I say?” Nic says. “We’re two women about to have a hell of a lot in common, and we’ll be tied together by you and the babies for a long, long time. I guess it took a tree falling to make me realize I was being jealous.”

“And for me to realize who I’m really in love with.” Calista gazes up at Eric.

“Which is a good thing,” Eric says. “Because you’ll need a place to stay for a month or so while your house gets fixed.”

“And you’re really okay with all this?” I ask him.

“I told you I can’t have kids, man. I never expected to be a part of anything like this. I’m just happy to be along for the ride.”

“Okay, then. Looks like everything worked out. Calista, can I get you anything?”

She chuckles. “For once, no.” She latches onto Eric’s arm. “I have everything I need.”

“She’s going to be released later this afternoon,” Eric says. “I’ll get her settled at my place and then head to her house to pack her things and assess the damage.”

“Let me know if you need help. I guess I’ll get Nicky home. And please, can you both not say anything? I know this is unbelievable, but until she announces it, let’s keep it under wraps.”

“You got it,” Calista says. “That’s what friends do for each other.”

I shake my head as we leave. “I feel like I was gone for months. How did everything change so quickly?”

“Near-death experiences can do that,” Nic says.

“Is that why you said yes to giving us another go? Because of what happened to you during Louisa?”

“Well, that and I never stopped loving you.”

I pull her to me. I don’t care that we’re standing in a hospital hallway. I run a finger down the bridge of her nose, across the tip, and to her lips, where she kisses it. “You’ll never know how scared I was. What if it was you under that tree?”