Beat of the Heart (Runaway Train #2)(96)

He laughed. “Mia, honey, I could give two shits about my shoes right now. I’m a little more concerned about the fact you’re in labor.”

“Oh damn,” I muttered.

“We need to get you to the hospital.”

Tears stung my eyes. “Now I’m really going to ruin AJ’s night.”

As I sniffled, Brayden’s hand came to cup my cheek. “Mia, I promise you when it comes down to it, awards and parties won’t mean shit when he holds Isabella in his arms for the first time. Nothing will ever compare to that moment when he sees the life he helped create.”

My lip trembled at his sweet words. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome. Now why don’t you just sit back down here while I go find AJ, and then we’ll get you to the limo.”

“Yeah, that should be—” My voice choked off as pain ripped through my abdomen like a steam locomotive charging through it. I doubled over and cried out. Around me, I could hear Brayden talking furiously to someone, but I couldn’t make out his words through the agonizing pain. It seemed to go on forever before it finally let up.

“Mia!” AJ cried.

I glanced up to see him tearing down the veranda—his face ashen with worry. When he got to me, he wrapped me in his arms. “Amorcito mio, it’s okay. I’m here now.”

Before I could stop myself, tears stung my eyes. “Oh AJ, I’m so sorry about going into labor tonight.”

His eyes widened. “Don’t you dare say that! You and Bella are my world.”

Another pain rippled through me, and I cried out. “Come on. We gotta get you to the limo.” AJ wrapped one arm around my waist while the other he used to push us through the crowd. Brayden started ahead of us, shoving people out of the way to clear a path. By the time we got outside, Jake, Abby, Lily, and Rhys were pacing beside the limo.

“Oh my God, Mia,” Abby cried, rushing up to me.

“I’m okay…I’m just in labor.”

“And we’re going to get you to the hospital ASAP,” Lily replied.

“No, no, you guys need to stay and have fun,” I protested.

Jake grinned and shook his head. “I think there’s a new party to go to—‘Miss Bella’s Introduction to the World Party’.”

I laughed. “Yeah, it’s going to be a rocking one for sure.”

“All right, enough talking. You need to get inside the limo. Now,” AJ commanded.

“Eesh, so bossy,” I muttered before I dipped inside. AJ threw his tux jacket across the seat. Just as I sat down, another pain gripped me. AJ immediately appeared at my side and grabbed hold of my hand.

When I finally came out of my pain haze, I saw that Abby and Jake had ducked inside as well. “That was intense,” I croaked.

“I’m so sorry,” AJ murmured, kissing my cheek.

I was adjusting myself on the seat when the limo driver appeared at the door.

“Why aren’t we moving?” Jake asked.

His face paled. “We seem to be having engine problems.”

“Excuse me?” I demanded through gritted teeth.

“It won’t start.”

“You gotta be f*cking kidding me!” AJ exclaimed.

Jake shook his head. “Maybe we can borrow someone else’s car or limo?”

The limo driver shook his head. “I just called the paramedics on dispatch. They were right around the corner, and they should be here any minute.”

“Shit,” I muttered as another terrible contraction ricocheted through me. Looking back, I realized all the pains I’d had yesterday and today weren’t just the usual pregnancy pains or Braxton Hicks. Even though I was a Cardiac nurse, how the hell could I not have realized the signs that I was in labor?

I gripped AJ’s hand tight as I rode the agonizing wave of pain. When it finally subsided, I relaxed. But it was at that moment that I felt something had shifted below my waist. “Um, this is probably totally in my imagination, but it feels like she’s coming out already.”

Abby peered down at her phone. “Your contractions are coming faster and faster together. Do you want me to…” She glanced between AJ and Jake before looking back at me. “You know, check on things…down there?”

“Yeah, it probably wouldn’t hurt. I mean, between the two of us, we probably have just enough nursing training to be dangerous when it comes to labor and delivery.”

When Abby reached to ease up my dress, Jake threw up his hands defensively. “Wait, I’m sorry, but I have to get the hell out of here,” he said, before ducking out of door. I caught a glimpse of Rhys pacing outside with Brayden and Lily before Jake closed the door.

Abby gently reached under my dress to remove my soaked panties. She tossed them to the side, and then pushed the hemline up. “Oh my God!” she screeched.

“What?” AJ and I demanded in unison.

“You were right. Bella’s head…it’s like…right there.”

“Oh, shit, I’ve already crowned?”

“Whoa, what the hell is crowning?” AJ questioned.

“Didn’t you read any of the baby books I gave you?”

A sheepish look entered his face. “I skimmed some of them. Those birthing pictures were way intense.”