“We’re going to need a bigger place,” he sounds as exhausted as I feel. But all I can do is laugh. Lifting his arm, he places it behind me on the back of the couch and I settle into the crook of his arm. Laying my head on his shoulder I feel him kiss the top of my head.

  “We don’t have to put all this away now, do we?”

  “No baby,” he whispers as he takes a deep breath. “Now is nap time.”

  I couldn’t agree more.

  “Don’t panic,” it's the first thing I say when the call rolls over to Tyler’s voicemail. I don’t know why because I know the very minute he hears those words he will still in fact, panic.

  But I continue on anyway.

  “I’m having a lot of lower back pain and I’m just going into the doctor’s office to make sure everything is okay. I know you’re busy, so don’t stop helping your dad. Lauren is riding with me, and I will call you. Or you can call me, and I will give her the phone to answer.” I grab my purse and start toward the door. “I love you.” I add and end the call, before pulling the door shut behind me.

  My mother met me at the doctor and insisted on staying with us too.

  I’ll admit, I’m nervous because the longer I sit here, the worse I feel. My emotions are threatening to turn me into a basket case and even though I told Tyler not to come, every single time the door opens I secretly pray it's him.

  The man has quickly become my best friend, my savior and my hero all wrapped in one. He is the comfort I need in a moment when nothing feels okay, and he is the safety I crave when I’m unsure.

  “Amara Bennett,” I glance up to find the nurse looking around the room, until her eyes lock with mine. “Are you ready?”

  Again I look at the door, feeling my chest grow tight and then stand grabbing my purse and forcing a smile.

  “Do you want us to go back with you?” My mother asks.

  “If it's something I need you for, I’ll have them come get you,” she nods. “I’m sure it's just me being paranoid.”

  Please let it be me overreacting.

  When I get to the room, they offer me a gown and excuse themselves.

  Undressed from the waist down I sit on the table and hold my phone in my hand. Still no return call or text.

  I consider calling him again but doing this will only make him panic. So instead, I sit patiently and wait for the doctor to join me.

  CHAPTER

  FORTY-TWO

  Tyler

  The shop’s phone rings for the third time in the last ten minutes.

  “Can you grab that son,” my father points toward the cordless phone that is lying on the workbench a few feet away. “They won’t stop until we answer.”

  Grabbing a towel I wipe the grease from my hands and reach out to grab it, bringing it to my ear, “Collins’ Garage.”

  “Ty,” Liam says in a rushed tone, and I can hear sirens going in the background.

  “I’m off Liam, already switched with Coleton and Chief approved it.” I grab a wrench and hand it to my father, pinning the phone between my ear and shoulder. “Missing me already, huh?” I chuckle, only Liam doesn’t respond. His voice is muffled as he covers the phone, talking to someone else in the truck with him. That mixed with the radio in the background and the fact that Liam still hasn’t told me what the purpose of this call is, makes me start to panic.

  “What’s going on?” Looking over at my dad, he pauses and stares up at me, obviously picking up on my anxiety. “Liam?” I’m already walking toward the door with my keys in hand and my dad is hot on my heels.

  “We’re on our way to a call.”

  I wait for more details because I already know Liam wouldn’t call me for just any call. Amara and the idea of something being wrong sends a kind of fear through me I’ve only experienced once before.

  “Truck rollover, it sounds bad,” my heart races. Mar doesn’t have a truck and as far as I know she’s home with Lauren, washing baby clothes and organizing the nursery.

  “It’s Tuck,” Liam adds, and I feel like I may crumble to my knees. Tucker and I may have our own issues, but we’ve learned to tolerate one another for Amara’s benefit. I worry about what this will do to Mar, she’s so far in the pregnancy and something happening to any one person she loves may throw her over the edge. That woman loves hard, and family, she’d do anything for family.

  “Where?”

  “Fuller Road,” he replies in an exasperated breath. “About a mile out, right before the bridge.”

  “I’m on the way.” I can hear the shakiness in my voice as I try my best to hold it together.

  “She’s gonna need you on this one, no matter which way it goes.” Liam tells me and I nod like he can see me. “Hold it together, you have to. I have no idea what we are rolling up on, someone else called it in but no matter which way, I figured you’d want to be on scene.”

  “Already on the way,” I jump up in my truck and crank over the engine, my father jumping up in the passenger side. I don’t even question him as I toss the cordless phone to the seat and start backing down the driveway.

  I didn’t even bother to search for my own phone but right now I had one place to be.

  My thoughts are racing and I’m not a praying man, but I can’t stop asking God to make sure Tucker is okay.

  The drive feels like it takes forever. A long stretch of road that goes on and on, until I come up over the hill and the lights flashing in the distance come into view. The entire scene makes everything more real and only makes my heart rate spike even more.

  “Tyler,” Fitz holds out his hand as I run toward the truck. “Hold on man.”

  “No,” I push past him. “I’m going down there.”

  I hear the Chief holler out my name, but I continue on practically falling down the small hill that leads right to the water.

  The front half of the truck I recognize is partly in the water, the entire front crushed inward, I assume from the landing. The windows are blown out on the passenger side and the driver’s side is pinned against a tree.

  “Liam,” I scream, feeling myself start to panic. I can’t see a way in. And the fact that I, someone who is trained in these types of scenarios, was beginning to panic was even more frightening. This is my fucking job; I do this shit all the fucking time.

  “Over here,” he finally yells out from somewhere down front, and I move closer, standing up on the large rocks near the front wheel. “I need a crowbar.”

  “Crowbar,” I holler out to whoever followed me down. “Right fucking now.”

  Within minutes it's in my hand and I trudge through the knee-high water until I meet up with Liam on the other side.

  “If I can get this door open, I think one of us can slip in behind him, put on the brace and then we can bust out the windshield and reign him out that way.”

  “I’ll do it,” I don’t hesitate as I move in behind him.

  “I’m geared up,” he insists.

  “Which is exactly why I should go in; you’ve got all that shit on and you taking the time to shed it is time wasted. Now move!” I don’t care how I sound, because at this moment I’m losing my shit and the only thing racing through my mind is getting Tucker out of this truck and assessing his injuries.

  “Has he responded?"

  “No movements so far,” he looks away from me, and I know this has to be hard for him too. Tucker is his cousin and though he’s a prick most days, family is family.

  I stand back giving Liam room as he cranks and works on the door. The creaking sounds, of metal on metal, the grunts of his labor, until finally there’s a loud pop as the door swings open and smacks the tree.

  I hurry in before he has the chance to tell me to and slide into the small extended cab space behind the driver's seat. Immediately feeling alarmed when I see the blood coating Tucker's hair and along the side of his head.

  Clearing my thoughts I motion for Liam to hand me the neck brace, and I make quick but careful movements to slide it into place. The second I tighten the strap Tucker begins to move around as if finally becoming alert and the first instinct he has is to panic.

  “Don’t move,“ I tell him, and he can’t see me, but he knows I’m there as I try to hold him in place.

  “Get out of my way,” he slaps at my hands and starts reaching for the door handle. But no matter how hard he tugs there is no way he’s getting out there.

  “Damn it Tucker,” I grip him tighter, and move in closer. “I said don’t fucking move. You don’t like me and that’s fine, but the last thing I want is for your ass to end up paralyzed. We have to access your injuries so like I said, don’t fucking move.”

  He seems to wise up, and suddenly goes completely still.

  “Ty?”

  I smile, of course me saying he doesn’t like me gives everything away.

  “Yeah,” I chuckle.

  “Fuck,” Tucker mumbles, “as if you already don’t have a big enough ego, no you’ll have some kind of hero complex to boot. Ah Tyler saved Tucker, la, la, la. Without him who knows what would have happened.”

  “Hey dick,” Liam hollers from right outside the door. “I’m here too so there’s two of us that will get all the credit for pulling your sorry ass out of this newest mess you’ve found yourself in.”

  “Great,” his body sags back against the seat. “Just great.” I can hear Liam laughing and I can’t help it, I join in feeling relieved that he’s at least alert and still a prick.

  Getting the backboard in place, we move Tucker through the now cleared out windshield. In the perfect form of an assembly line, we start passing him up the small incline and then into the back of the ambulance. Liam and I stand side by side, watching until he’s loaded, and the doors are closed. With the sirens’ flipped on, they pull away and I hang my head, finally allowing the emotions to hit me.

  I’ve been around for months now, even before that. But to actually be considered part of Amara’s family it hits me hard. Tucker may be a hard nut to crack but damn it, he’s my family too, because one day I plan on marrying his sister.

  Telling her or any member of her family bad news would have destroyed me.

  I thank God that this scene went the way that it did.

  “Ty,” Chief hollers down the hill to me and I figure I’m about to get my ass chewed.

  “Harsh is going to bench you,” Liam tries to hide his smirk, and if I wasn’t in the line of sight of Chief, I would have knocked Liam into the water.

  “Yeah Chief?”

  “You need to get your ass moving.”

  I take in a deep breath, “I’m going,” I hold my hand up in surrender.

  “No, I mean now,” he places his hands on his hips. “You’re needed at the hospital.”

  “What?”

  “Amara’s in labor,” I feel like I lose my footing and stumble a little as Liam places his hands on my shoulder and back.

  “You alright?”

  “Mar’s in labor,” I repeat, still feeling like I’m having some kind of out of body experience.

  “I heard,” Liam smiles, looking up the hill. “I think your ride is waiting.”

  Looking in the same direction Liam is, I see my dad, standing next to the chief. “Come on son,” he hollers, waving me on. “I’m ready to meet my grandchild.”

  CHAPTER

  FORTY-THREE

  Amara

  I am completely and utterly exhausted. I feel like I’ve gone to battle but I’ve never been happier. I can’t take my eyes off my boys, Tyler with our son in his arms. He’s holding him so close, his lips resting upon his forehead while he rocks him in his arms slowly. His eyes are closed, but I can see the shuddering of his breathing, and I don’t have to see his face completely to know that he is sharing an emotional moment with his son.

  And I am in complete awe.

  I’ve never been more in love with this man than I am at this very moment.

  When I hear a knock on the door I look up just in time to see the crowd shuffle in. My family and his, they all gather around the bed, trying to get their first glimpse of the newest addition.

  Tyler takes a deep breath, looking at me and the redness I find there makes my chest burn with my own emotions. He mouths a thank you, I have to hold my breath to keep them from spilling over right then and there in front of everyone.

  Then Ty turns his attention to the room and turns the baby so everyone can see him more clearly. “I’d like everyone to meet our son, Jacob Tyler Collins.”

  Hearing him say the name we’d picked months ago out loud is my breaking point and I hang my head as the tears begin to fall.

  My mother hurries in, hugging me close. “He’s beautiful,” she whispers and all I can do is nod my head.

  Yesterday afternoon when I went into the doctor's office I never expected to be sitting where I am now and that our son would be here with us. But when the doctor examined me and found that I was in labor, he wanted to admit me for observation and attempt to slow down my active labor.

  I was directed to the labor and delivery ward and as they were wheeling me down the hallway toward the elevator, I felt like I’d peed my pants. My water broke and then there was no turning back.

  Tyler made it after my sister got on the phone and tracked him down. I could tell when he arrived that there was something he wasn't telling me but the pain I was in outweighed the curiosity.

  But eventually after he was told everything was good and our son was here with us, he told me about Tucker’s accident. Quickly assuring me that my brother was fine, just some stitches and being placed on a watch due to his concussion.

  Glancing around the room I find him sitting in a chair off to the side, watching Tyler with our son. There’s a softness to his features I haven’t seen before.

  Tucker sees me watching him and grins, then looks back to Tyler, there is a difference between the two of them, almost a truce of some kind.

  “Mr. Bennett,” we all look toward the door as a redheaded girl walks in, holding what appears to be medications. Holding them out to Tucker she offers him a smile. She can’t be but a child, only she’s not because she is wearing scrubs and they say RN right on the front of her tag. But wow, she seems so young. “Meds,” she arches her brow at him and refuses his dismissal. “You may want to act all tough and refuse them now, but later when you are crying and whining, waking up your momma you’ll be wishing you listened to me.”

  She shakes the bottle at him and the sound of the pills shaking echo over the silent room as we all watch the scene play out. “I promise I won’t spread the news that the Tucker Bennett can’t handle the pain. Just take the pills already.”

  My father chuckles, my mother grins from ear to ear and all I can think is, wow.

  He takes the pills, she does a little clap, rolls her eyes as she spins around offering us a wave. “Gorgeous baby,” she says just before ducking out of the room.

  “Oh, I like her,” the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, and Tucker shakes his head and looks down at the bottle. “Nurse Hackett is a pain in the ass.” Even though he says these words I notice the smile on his face as he glances back toward the door.

  “You don’t have time to play matchmaker,” Tyler leans in and kisses my cheek. “It’s time for you to rest.”

  For now I’d let it go, but only for now.

  It’s the middle of the night and I reach out feeling the bed beside me only to find it empty. The cold feeling lets me know that Tyler’s been gone for some time.

  Sitting up, I look around the room and swing my legs over the side of the mattress.

  Tiptoeing for fear of waking Jacob, I exit the bedroom and start down the hallway, only to pause when I see the nursery door open.

  Peeking inside I swear my ovaries burst and my stomach flutters.

  There in the oversized chair in the corner and there is Tyler, shirtless, in only his boxers and Jacob is on his chest. Wrapped securely in a blanket and his father’s arms, they are both sleeping soundly.

  That is until Tyler opens one eye and peeks up at me and I lean against the frame of the door.

  “Hey beautiful,” he whispers with a smile, and I walk into the room further running my fingers through his hair as I lean over and kiss him softly.

  “We’ve been home for a few weeks now and I’m starting to miss you in bed next to me.”

  I’m only half teasing because finding him like this is perfection.

  “Just trying to keep him happy so his mommy can sleep.”

  “And what about his daddy?” Tyler’s grin grows so big when I say the word, Daddy. He’s really taken to the roll like a pro.

  “Daddy is good.” Reaching out he links his fingers with mine. “Real good,” he adds.

  We both focus on Jacob, watching the blanket on his back rise as he takes in one breath after another. It's still so hard to believe that he is here and that he’s ours.

  “I want to ask you something,” I look away from our son to see Tyler watching me, still holding my hand. I nod, and wait for him to continue. “You can’t freak out, you can’t go panicking and waking up the baby,” oh hell is all I can think. “And you can’t get up and walk out of this room without answering me."

  “You’re scaring me.”

  But his smile is so bright that I know it can’t be terrible. “See, that’s crazy because it doesn’t scare me at all.”

  “What doesn’t?” Now my mind is racing.

  “Marry me,” I freeze, staring at him like I must have heard him wrong. Tyler Collins did not just ask me to marry him. The guy I feel like I’ve been in love with for years, my crush, is asking me to marry him.

  “You’re crazy,” I laugh, in a nervous reaction.

  “Maybe,” his unfiltered happiness amazes me. “But that doesn't change the fact that I want to marry you. We’re a family, the three of us and I know that no piece of paper changes that. But I’ve spent most of my adult life running from commitment, and here I am a Dad and in love with you so incredibly deep that I feel like you’re a part of me and all I can think about is the fact that I want you as my wife. I want to commit myself to you in the biggest way and I want everyone around us to see how deep I am in with you and Jacob. This is what I want Amara, this life, I want it all and I want it with you. So will ya stop hassling me already and just say you’ll marry me?”