Page 127 of One Reckless Night

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AMELIA

Iwas in the lab trying to make time move faster. And slower at the same time. I couldn’t wait to have the baby, but I was also terrified of having an actual newborn to take care of.

My due date was fast approaching. I was tired, uncomfortable, and ready to meet this baby already. After the scare several months ago, everything had been smooth sailing—normal, uneventful, and stress-free. It felt almost unfair, all that worry for nothing. But here I was, counting down the days, hours, and minutes until I could finally hold my son in my arms.

The doctor assured me all was well, but yes, I still had some concerns. It was impossible not to. Especially with Jared questioning every hiccup and case of heartburn. He was supportive and move of a worry wart than I was.

It was cute. Absolutely adorable. And incredibly annoying.

I couldn’t wait to see him. Jared and I had a date tonight. I had a feeling he was up to something. That man was a paradox—stoic and calm while digging around in someone’s brain, but jittery and transparent whenever he was trying to hide something from me. It was almost comical. I’d caught him sneaking around the house a few times this week, whispering on the phone, and being very secretive.

I glanced at the clock on the wall, then down at the stack of files on my desk. My research assistant, David, was standing in the doorway, looking hesitant. He was young—fresh out of grad school—and still trying to find his footing in the lab. I waved him in.

“Hey, David. What’s up?”

He stepped inside, fidgeting with a pen in his hands. “Uh, I just wanted to check in with you. Make sure everything’s set before you… you know, go on leave.”

I leaned back in my chair, resting a hand on my belly. “Everything’s fine, David. Or as fine as it can be. The project’s on track, and Clair’s going to take over while I’m out. You’ll be in good hands.”

He nodded, but he still looked uneasy. “Yeah, I know. It’s just… I guess I’m nervous. You’ve been leading this team, and now you’re going to be gone for months. What if something goes wrong? What if we miss something?”

I smiled, trying to reassure him. “David, you’re more than capable. You’ve been doing great work, and Clair’s been keeping up with things. She knows this lab inside and out. Trust me, you’ll be fine. And I’m on the campus. It’s not like I’m going to be out of reach. I’m sure I’ll be popping in and working from home.”

He nodded. “Okay. But, um, my position is secure, right? If you don’t come back, what happens?”

“You have a job. I have a job. It’s fine.”

“Okay. Cool. Uh, can I get you anything?”

“No thank you.”

He walked away. I smiled and shook my head. I understood his concern, but I had made sure everyone was ready to handle my absence.

I checked the time. I wanted to go home and get ready. It felt like an exercise in futility to try and dress up and look sexy at this stage in my pregnancy, but I was going to give it my best shot. I had bought a dress for the night. Although when I opened the package, I thought it resembled a tent. But Jared assured me he thought I was beautiful.

I closed my laptop and stood up, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my lower back. “Okay, little guy,” I muttered, rubbing my belly. “You’re not making this any easier. Get your foot off my kidney. Or liver. Wherever it is, move it, buster.”

I grabbed my bag and headed out of the lab, waving goodbye to the assistants. The walk through the foyer was slow and awkward, my waddle more pronounced than ever. I felt like a penguin. No matter how hard I tried to walk normal, it just made it worse. I had long lost the ability to see my feet. They were a little swollen, but the doctor said it was fine. Nothing to worry about. That’s what she said. I had given up on heels and had taken to wearing Uggs most days, despite the weather not calling for it.

I was just passing the main entrance when it happened.

A sudden gush of warmth, and then—oh no. My water broke.

I froze, staring down at the puddle forming at my feet. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered. This was not how this was supposed to go. Jared was still in Miami. He was supposed to fly back tonight, and we were meeting at the restaurant in an hour. He was going to miss it. He was going to miss everything.

A few people nearby noticed and rushed to my aid. “Are you okay?” one of them asked, their voice panicked.

“I’m fine,” I said, though my voice was shaky. “I just… my water broke.”

They stared at me, wide-eyed. I realized they had no idea what to do. These were all neurosurgeon interns and researchers. OB was not their thing. I was about to tell them to call Jared when Shawn appeared.

“Amelia,” he said, looking down at the puddle at me feet. “Let’s get you to the clinic.”

“Thank you,” I said. To my own ears, it sounded like I was thanking him for holding open the door for me.

Shawn was always so composed, so reliable. He guided me to his car, helping me into the passenger seat before climbing in behind the wheel.