Page 135 of When You Blush

“Oh, please?—”

“You won’t talk me out of this.”

Shit, I’m so achy.But I’m not on the verge of a panic attack. This was so different from before. I’m just good and pissed off now.

And fuck, do I hurt.

“Amy,” I say as the fellow nurse helps me get my balance. “I need you to get me down to the ER.”

She frowns but doesn’t ask any questions as she loops her arm through mine.

“Do you need a wheelchair?”

“No. Just take it slow. I’m a little dizzy from that knock to the head.”

“Your lip is bleeding,” she says. “Dr. Blackwell will freak out.”

“Yeah, well, this is the least of his worries.” I walk slow, my right hip and side absolutely killing me, but I’m most worried about the baby.

God, let my little raspberry be okay.

Chapter Thirty-Two

BLAKE

There will be moments in my life that are seared into my brain and haunt me until my dying breath.

One of them will be seeing Harper hobble into my ER with a black eye and a split lip, her hair in disarray, and her blue scrub top torn at the sleeve.

“Jesus, baby,” I rush over to her and lift her in my arms, but she winces and cries out in pain.

“Christ, that hurts,” she says, a tear falling down her cheek. “The right side is probably bruised pretty bad. Hip, too.”

“Fuck.” Two nurses rush after me as I get her on a gurney in a room, and we immediately start working on her, but Harper holds her hands up, stopping us.

“Everyone out,” she barks, her pain-filled eyes holding mine. “I need to talk to you alone.”

“Let us get you?—”

“No.” She closes her eyes with a wince, and it takeseverything in me not to reach for her. I need to help my girl. “You don’t have my consent to touch me until after I talk with you alone.”

Unease slithers through my core, but I nod at the nurses. “Out. Close the door.”

Harper shifts on the bed, wincing again, and it’s killing me.

“Baby, let me help you.”

“Oh, I plan to. Get over here.”

I rush to her side and take her offered hand, bringing it to my lips. “What happened?”

“Fucking pissed-off dad happened. Motherfucker hit me from behind, threw me into a cart, and I fell to the floor. My right side is a mess, but Blake, we need totalk.”

She swallows hard, making all of the hairs stand up on my body.

“Just tell me, Harper. What’s wrong? Talk to me.”

“Okay.” She blows out a breath. “So we’re having a surprise baby.”