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ChapterThirty-Five
Hallie
Chase closed the door behind him. His eyes were pinned to me as he crossed the room.
“Hey,” he said, his voice gruff. His hand curled over mine where it rested beside my hip. “How are you feeling?”
“I'm fine.” Iwasfine, and I was annoyed at my situation. My elbow was sore, and this whole thing had been an ordeal. “All I did was fall. I wouldn't even be at the hospital if I wasn't pregnant.” I smoothed my free hand over my belly.
He rested his other hand over mine. Just then, as if to make a point, our baby kicked. Chase leaned down, pressing a kiss to my temple before straightening. His eyes skated over my face.
“I'm sorry, and I'm a dumbass.”
“You're not a dumbass.”
“I'm not?”
“Well, no, but maybe yes.”
“I overreacted.”
“You need to get used to Jonathan being a part of my life. He's my best friend.”
“I know. Our relationship is fresh, and it's a lot. I overreacted,” he repeated.
“Is it all that simple?”
“I don't know. We're figuring it out a day at a time, right?”
“We are,” I replied.
He squeezed my hand. “Are we okay?”
I smiled up at him. “I missed you.”
“I love you,” he whispered.
“ I love you too.” My voice was raspy, and the words were true with my heart thumping in recognition.
He leaned down, brushing his lips over mine. Our baby kicked again, and I felt the curve of his smile before he straightened. “The doctor says you're going to be here for the night. Can I stay?”
“I don't know. Where's Jasper?”
“I asked my dad to pick him up for the night before I left. I met Darren and Risa.”
“Oh?”
“He told me to stop being a dumbass.”
“Ah, I talked to Risa, and she probably told Darren,” I explained.
“He said if things were okay with us, he would come up to help me finish the house on the weekends.”
“Really?”
Chase nodded. “What do you think about that?”
“It'd be nice. I mean, we don't have room at my apartment. We have room at your smaller place, but we’ll want more space in the long run. If Darren's volunteering to help, I say take him up on it. He did an addition on their house, and it looks great.”
“I trust him,” Chase replied. His eyes dipped down, coasting over me. “How's your elbow?”
“It's sore, but that’s it. My back is a little sore, but it’s not bad.”
“You’re not allowed to fall again,” he ordered.
“I'll try not to,” I replied with a grin.
I wanted time alone with Chase, but that didn't really work out. Risa and Darren came to the room for a visit. Nurses came to check on me on a schedule, and there was a constant flow of beeps and other sounds in the background. But he slept in a chair beside my bed. He refused to get in the bed with me because he said it was too narrow. He was worried he’d hurt my elbow or the baby.
It didn’t matter. It felt so good to have him there.
