“Okay. I’m gonna call Dr. Miller now.”

I hung up with Melanie, called Dr. Miller’s office, and told the nurse everything. She told me to head into the hospital. After I hung up with her, I quickly went to my cell phone and texted my mother. If I talked to her, I would break down crying.

Courtney: Mom, I’m in labor. Heading to the hospital.

I took a deep breath and headed outside. When I walked out, I caught a glimpse of Reed. Sometimes, I would just watch him without him knowing, and I would become so overwhelmed with the feelings I had for him that I would just cry. There was nothing stronger in this world than our love. With Reed by my side, there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do.

Another contraction hit, and I held on to the post and tried to breathe. Reed must have sensed I was there because he turned and looked at me. I tried to smile, but his face turned white, and he immediately ran over to me.

“What’s wrong?” he said as he grabbed my face with both hands.

“Um…contractions. We…we…need…to…leave now.”

His eyes moved all over my face before they landed on my lips and then slowly looked up to my eyes. “What?” he said.

I saw something change in his eyes. I nodded my head and smiled.

“Court? When did they start?” Reed asked.

Layton came walking up and smiled. “Courtney, where is your suitcase?” he asked.

I couldn’t even talk. The look in Reed’s eyes took my breath away. He looked so happy, the happiest I’d ever seen, and I knew it was because our baby was about to be born.

“It’s in the truck already,” Reed said.

He leaned down and kissed me. I’d never experienced such an amazing kiss. Something was so different about it. It felt like every fear I had been feeling for the last few months just disappeared. He gently pulled back just enough to where his lips were barely touching mine.

“I love you so much, and I’m so honored to be your husband and the father of this baby. Thank you, Courtney.”

I sucked in a breath of air and felt a tear slide down my cheek. Reed used his thumb to brush it away, and the next thing I knew, he was picking me up and carrying me to the truck. I buried my face into him and took a deep breath. I loved Reed’s smell. I often found myself going to his dresser and pulling out a shirt to smell it on the days when he would work long hours at the ranch. Something about his scent calmed me, just like it did right now.

When he set me down in the truck, he pushed my hair back away from my face and whispered, “Don’t be scared, baby. I’m going to be by your side every single second.”

I smiled and let out a small sob. I covered my mouth and tried to regain my composure. I slowly placed my hand on his face and said, “I love you so much, Reed.”

“I love you, too. Let’s get you to the hospital and meet our son, okay?”

I let out a giggle and said, “Or daughter.”

Reed shut the door, and I leaned my head back onto the back of the seat. I tried to take in good long breaths, but I swore I could almost feel another contraction coming on.

Oh no. This is too soon. I just had one!

I saw Layton pick up Gracie as Reed ran around the front of the truck and jumped in.

“Shit! I forgot my wallet.” He jumped back out and ran into the house.

Layton opened the driver’s door and smiled at me.

I smiled back and said, “What’s up, cowboy?”

He let out a laugh and said, “I’m so happy for you, Courtney. I truly am. You’re going to make a wonderful mother.”

My smile faded slightly and then returned. “Do you know when the first time was that I really knew I liked you?”

Layton flashed me that damn smug smile that could melt any girl’s panties. “When?”

“That first day I met you when you tried so hard to act like you weren’t attracted to Whitley. I could see it in your eyes, and something told me that you were the one who was going to make my best friend happy.”

Layton’s smile spread wider on his face. “Yet, you still felt the need to threaten me on more than one occasion.”

“Oh yeah, and it still holds true. You ever hurt her…I’ll hurt you.”

Layton laughed and said, “Courtney, you never cease to amaze me, you know that?”

Reed came running out of the house and yelled, “Get out of the way, Layton!”

Layton winked at me and said, “Good luck, Court. You’re gonna do great. I’ll have Whit call you, and we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

I winked back and said, “Just give her and Taylor a kiss from me. Don’t come down there and sit and wait. Reed will call you—”

Reed jumped in the truck and said, “Yeah…we’ll call. Got to go.” He slammed the door shut and put the truck in drive, and then he practically ran over poor Layton.

I tried not to smile, but somehow, the calm man who had run into the house had come out a freaked-out man.

“Um…Reed, are you okay?” I asked as I reached for his hand.

He glanced at me quickly before looking back at the road. “We’re having a baby. Do you realize that we…you and me…we’re about to have a baby? I mean, this is not a lab puppy. This is a baby. A human baby!”

I bit down on my lip to hold in my laughter. “I thought I was going to be the one freaking out.”

“I’m not freaking out. I’m not freaking out. Oh. My. God! Mr. Jenkins, could you drive any slower?”

I was going to have to apologize to our poor neighbor, Mr. Jenkins, for Reed almost running him off the road. I felt the contraction coming for real this time, and I grabbed and squeezed Reed’s hand.

Somehow, me doing that calmed him down, and he said in a soft voice, “Breathe, baby…that’s it. Just take deep breaths, and breathe through the contraction.”

From that point on, until we got to the hospital, Reed was calm as a cucumber. Me, on the other hand—the closer we got, the more scared I got.

Reed pulled up to the ER and jumped out of his truck. He ran around to open my door. He helped me out of the truck and then into the ER.

A nurse came over with a wheelchair and smiled as she said, “Dad, you go park the car, and I’ll take her over to labor and delivery. Did y’all preregister?”

Reed and I both said, “Yes,” at the same time.

Before I knew it, I was in a room, and the contractions were coming faster and faster. Reed had asked the nurse when they would give me the epidural, and she said the anesthesiologist was on her way.