She hissed through her teeth as pain seared through her shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” Ben said and pulled back. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m okay.”
Ben set a hand on her cheek. “It’s so good to see you.”
The unspoken word “alive” hung in the air.
Tears sprang to Claire’s eyes, and she took a deep breath. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Ben then stood back and everyone took turns giving her hugs or a shoulder pat. Jake was left for last. He stepped forward andimmediately sat on the side of her bed before pressing his face to her neck and kissing it once.
She wrapped her hand around the back of his head and held him there. They remained like that for a few minutes until someone cleared their throat.
Jake pulled back immediately, and Claire’s face flamed. She had forgotten everyone else was still in the room. Her eyes flickered over to where Ben stood with a small smile on his face.
“Claire, I said it to Jake in the waiting room, and I’ll say it to you right now. You two are perfect together. Be together. You don’t have to hide it.”
Claire’s heart swelled. Keeping her relationship with Jake a secret had been hard, and she hadn’t realized how much it weighed on her until this very moment when she received his blessing.
“Thank you, Ben. That means a lot.”
Jake took Claire’s hand and stroked his thumb over the back of it.
“Can we stop making hospitals a habit now?” Liam asked.
They laughed, and Jake gave Claire’s hand a squeeze.
These were her people, and she would not give them up again.
EPILOGUE
FIVE MONTHS LATER
Jake opened the door to his place, totheirplace, and took Claire’s hand, helping her up the steps. She stepped inside and looked around as he lifted the baby carrier with a sleeping two-day-old infant inside.
He set the carrier down on the countertop before unbuckling the harness and picking up his little girl. He couldn’t believe she was here.
Jake cradled her against his chest and walked over to where Claire stood, looking around the living room.
“You okay?” Jake asked.
Claire nodded. “I can’t believe how quickly my life has changed since getting pregnant.”
She smiled up at Jake before smiling softly at the baby sleeping soundly in his arms.
“She’s perfect,” Claire whispered, brushing her hand over the back of Olivia’s head. “Are you sure?—”
Jake leaned over and pressed a kiss to Claire’s lips, silencing the question she asked repeatedly.
“Yes, I’m sure I want you here. Yes, I’m sure this beautiful little bundle is my little girl and no one else’s. Yes, I’m sure this is forever.”
Tears filled Claire’s eyes as she looked up at him. He carefully cradled Olivia with one arm while wrapping his other arm around Claire.
“In fact,” he whispered. “Reach into my pocket and grab something for me.”
Claire smirked up at him. “Are you asking me to give you a handy?”
