Seven months later…
“Jess, clear table seven and reset it!” I shout over the music. “Logan, we need another round of martinis at the VIP table, and don’t forget to make the one for the guy in the red blazer extra dirty! Dani, refill the garnish trays; we’re running low on limes. Hell, we should’ve been stocked up before the shift started. What’s the story?”
Dani, our new assistant bartender, a cute blonde in her mid-twenties, looks at me with an expression of total terror. “More limes next time, boss!”
“That’s what I like to hear!”
The club is packed, a wall of sound and motion that would overwhelm most anyone else. But for me, this is my kingdom. I’m in my element, barking out orders like a general commanding troops.
My staff hustles to follow my commands, moving like a well-oiled machine.
I take a quick breath, wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead. Being the front-of-house manager is no small task, especially on nights like this, but I thrive in the insanity. Every inch of this place is mine and I love it.
An older guy nursing a scotch stands at the bar. He catches my attention as he grins and raises a hand. “Hey, Erin,” he calls, his deep voice cutting through the noise. “When’s the little one coming? Or are you planning to deliver behind the bar?”
I place my hands on my hips and raise an eyebrow, giving him a mock glare. “If I do, Patrick, you’re cleaning up the mess,” I shoot back, smirking when the people around him burst into laughter.
“Fair enough!” he says, tipping his glass toward me in a toast.
I grin, shaking my head as I move back into the fray. I’m almost eight months pregnant with twins and still running this place like a queen. Samuel wasn’t thrilled about me staying on so close to the due date, but I’d insisted.
I need this, need to keep busy while we wait for the big moment.
James catches my eye from his spot near the front doors. He nods at me, his arms crossed, his usual no-nonsense expression firmly in place. It’s a quiet reassurance that he’s got everything under control. I nod back, turning my attention to the bar just as Dani waves me over.
Before I can take a step, something shifts inside me—a sharp, strange sensation that’s both unfamiliar and immediate. Warmth spreads down my legs. I freeze. My hand instinctively goes to my belly as realization slams into me. My water just broke.
James is at my side in an instant, his eyes narrowing as he studies my face. “Your water broke, didn’t it?”
“How the hell did you know?”
He offers a smirk. “Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a woman go into labor mid-shift.”
“Sounds like you’ve seen it all.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Time to go.”
I nod, my heart racing. “Yeah. Time to go.”
He doesn’t waste a second. Turning to Dani, he jerks his head toward the bar. “You’re in charge. I’ll pull Josh off security and have him back you up.”
Dani’s eyes widen, but she nods quickly. “Got it.”
“Talk about a trial by fire, huh girl?” I ask her.
“You said it!” With that, she rushes into motion.
James pulls out his phone, his fingers flying across the screen. “Samuel’s out on a supply run,” he tells me as he sends a quick text. “I told him to meet us at the hospital.”
I release a shaky breath as James steers me toward the exit.
It’s happening. It’s really happening.
James’s car is parked right out front. He opens the door for me, and I slide in as gracefully as I possibly can with his help.
“You good?” he asks, buckling me in with a precision that borders on military.
“As good as I can be.”
He jumps behind the wheel and we’re off, weaving through the city like it’s a racetrack. The streets of Denver are bathed in the kind of sunset you see in postcards—all purples and oranges melting into red and gold. It would be beautiful if I wasn’t about to give birth in a car.
“Breathe, Erin,” James says, glancing at me as he maneuvers around a cab. “Remember your techniques.”
I roll my eyes but do as he says, focusing on the deep inhales and slow exhales we practiced. “Didn’t know you were an expert in childbirth.” I’m teasing, of course, but impressed at the same time.
“Combat medic training,” he says with a smirk. “Like I said, I’ve seen a few things. Trust me, you’re in good hands.” Before I can respond, his phone buzzes. He picks it up, glances at the screen, and puts it on speaker. “Samuel,” he says.
“Where are you?” Relief washes through me at the sound of his voice.
“We’re at the beach!” I yell. “Where do you think? I’m about to have your babies!” There’s a grin spreading across my face in spite of everything happening.
There’s a pause, then his deep laugh fills the car. “Babies,” he repeats, his voice soft. “I still can’t believe it.”
“Neither can I,” I reply, shaking my head as I breathe through a contraction.
Twins. We’d learned at our first ultrasound that we’re not having one baby, but two.
It’s all still so surreal.
James snorts out a laugh. “She’s handling it fine,” he says, cutting in. “We’ll be at the hospital in twenty.”
“I’ll meet you there,” Samuel says. “Erin, hang in there. I love you.”
“Love you too,” I say quickly before the call ends.
James glances over at me, his expression calm. “Keep breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth.”
I follow his instructions, feeling a little more grounded as he expertly navigates the evening traffic.
“You’re surprisingly good at this,” I admit, shooting him a sideways glance. “Didn’t peg you for the nurturing type.”
He chuckles, his eyes flicking to the rearview mirror. “Don’t get used to it. This is a one-time deal.”
I laugh. “Maybe if you get bored of security work you can pivot to a career as a birthing coach.”
That gets a sharp laugh out of him. “Uh, no.”
I pull my phone out and fire off a quick text to Tiffany.
It’s time! Heading to the hospital now.
Her response comes almost instantly.
OMG! I’m coming. Don’t have the babies without me!
Tiffany and I hadn’t been super close before the Misha incident, but ever since then, we’ve become close to besties. She’s been there for me throughout the pregnancy, and I’ve been by her side since she left her parents and moved back into the city. I’m already at the point where I don’t know what I’d do without her.
We pull up to the ER just as another contraction grips me, sharp and insistent. The pain is blinding, but it fades the second I see Samuel standing outside, waiting for us. Relief and happiness crash over me all at once.
“There’s my man,” I say, grinning through the pain as James helps me out of the car. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s going to be okay.
A nurse wheels me into the ER as Samuel holds my hand. My head is spinning from the rush of it all, but the warmth of his grip keeps me grounded.
A nurse with kind eyes and a clipboard meets us inside, smiling. “Dr. Mayer is on her way,” she says. “She’ll be here soon.”
I nod, relieved. Dr. Mayer’s been with me through my entire whirlwind pregnancy, and knowing she’ll be here makes me feel a little more in control of what’s happening.
I’m wheeled into a small exam room where my vitals are taken and I change into a gown. Within minutes, the ER doctor on call, a tall woman with dark hair pulled into a no-nonsense ponytail, steps in and takes charge. She examines me, her touch efficient yet gentle.
“Well,” she says, pulling off her gloves, “these babies are ready. They’re coming, and they’re coming soon.”
I blink at her, completely thrown. “Wait, what? I thought labor was supposed to take hours—like, marathon-level hours.”
The doctor chuckles, clearly used to this kind of reaction. “Sometimes it does,” she says with a shrug. “Sometimes it doesn’t. You’re one of the lucky ones. Or unlucky, depending on how you look at it.”
“Lucky,” Samuel says, giving my hand a squeeze. “Definitely lucky.”
Another contraction rolls through me. “Lucky!” I bite out.
They transfer me to a delivery room, the sterile white walls and beeping monitors adding to the surreal nature of the experience. I’m settled into the bed, and Samuel stays glued to my side, helping me breathe through each contraction.
He’s calm and steady, the rock I need right now, and I’m so grateful I could cry.
James, on the other hand, is on a mission. He’s darting around the room, grabbing water bottles, extra pillows, and anything else he thinks might help. At one point, he even checks the thermostat, muttering something about it being too warm.
“James,” Samuel says, shooting him an amused look, “you don’t have to stay. We’ve got this.”
James snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. “Not a chance in hell. There’s no way I’m missing my god kids’ birth.”
James had already been a rock during this pregnancy, but ever since learning we wanted him to be the twins’ godfather, he’s gone into overdrive.
He goes on. “Besides, the security staff can survive without me breathing down their necks for one night.”
Samuel chuckles and claps him on the shoulder. “Fair enough.”
A flurry of motion near the door catches my attention, and Dr. Mayer finally steps in, her smile reassuring as always.
James, seeing that things are about to get real, slips out with a wave. “I’ll be back in once they’re here.”
“How are we doing, Erin?” she asks, setting her bag down and slipping on a pair of gloves.
“Ready to get these babies out.”
She laughs softly. “Good, because you’re fully dilated and ready to push.”
Holy shit. It’s happening.
My heart skips a beat. Fear and excitement flood through me in equal measure.
I grip Samuel’s hand tighter and look up at him. “Here goes nothing.”
“You’ve got this,” he says, his voice steady and sure.
The room buzzes around me, voices blending into a hazy backdrop of urgency and professionalism. But my focus narrows to one thing: bringing my children safely into the world. I clench my teeth, gripping Samuel’s hand like it’s the only thing tethering me to reality, and bear down with everything I’ve got.
“Good, Erin!” Dr. Mayer’s voice cuts through the pain. “You’re doing great. Keep pushing!”
I grunt, the pain white-hot and consuming, but I push again, harder this time. A rush of relief floods through me as I feel the shift, and then I hear it, the tiny, piercing cry of my firstborn son.
“He’s here,” Samuel says. He cranes his neck to see. “Erin, he’s perfect.”
Tears sting my eyes, but I can’t stop yet. My body reminds me quickly that I’m not done. Another wave hits, and I brace myself, already exhausted.
“There’s another one waiting for his turn,” I say. I’m rallying, still in total disbelief that I’m about to push a second kid out of my body.
Samuel turns to me. “You can do this.” His eyes are locked on mine.
“Baby, I love that you’ve got my hand, but I think you’re about to crush my fingers.”
Samuel laughs, a warm sound that cuts through the haze of pain. “Sorry,” he says, loosening his grip slightly. “Better?”
“Much.”
“Good,” he says. “Now get ready, baby. One more to go.”
I nod, my breath hitching as I bear down again. But nothing happens. Panic flares in my chest, and I glance at Dr. Mayer. “Why isn’t this one coming out as easily?”
“He must be a mama’s boy,” Samuel says.
I let out a breathy laugh, but it’s cut short as another contraction tears through me. “Not funny.”
“Just a little stubborn,” Dr. Mayer says. “Keep going—you’re almost there.”
Minutes later, the pressure builds to an unbearable peak, and then suddenly, it releases. A second cry fills the air, this one louder but just as heart-stopping as the first. My head falls back against the pillow, the exhaustion overwhelming.
“Baby number two,” Dr. Mayer announces, her voice warm and happy. “Congratulations, Mom and Dad.”
Samuel kisses my forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before he steps away to see our sons. The ache in my chest isn’t from the labor, it’s from the love I already feel and the need to hold them.
“Bring them to me.”
The nurse gently places one tiny bundle in each arm, and as I look down at their scrunched-up faces, my heart swells to a size I didn’t know was possible. Pure, unconditional love floods through me, and I can’t help the tears that spill over.
Samuel crouches beside me, his hand brushing against mine as he looks down at our boys. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.” His voice is soft and full of awe.
I glance at him and smile.
“Well, Daddy, say hello to Samuel Jr. and James. My two favorite boys named after my two favorite men.”
He chuckles, leaning in to kiss me again, his lips soft against mine.
“Sammy and Jimmy. Welcome to the world, boys.”
