"How long does it take to have a baby anyway? This is taking forever."

Ayden reached over and slugged Nate on the shoulder. "Impatient much? Settle down over there. All that leg shaking is making me nervous." 

"What did you expect," Nate grumbled. "I don't do good with waiting. I'm nervous, fidgety, and anxious. What if things—"

"Don't go there," I cut in and pointed to each one of my friends. "I don't what to hear any what-if scenarios from any of you. They're going to have a healthy, beautiful baby girl and Danielle is going to be fine."

That shut Nate up pretty quickly. Ayden too. Thank goodness Karma took Lanie, Jamie, and Cherise to the cafeteria. Lanie was a nervous wreck, and I had a strong feeling she was thinking back to when little Nate was born. Especially the way she's been cradling him ever since we stepped into this hospital. 

Ayden wasn't that much better off either. His hands were resting on the arms of the chair, appearing calm, cool, and collected to those who didn't know him. But I didn't miss the way he was white-knuckling the arm rests.

As for Ryan's parents, his dad was on a flight back here from California. He'd been away on business and hopped on a plane as soon as we called him. His mom was here in the waiting room, but she wouldn't leave the coffee station that just happened to be twenty feet from us. 

Vegas money told me it wasn't for the coffee. 

Then there was Jackson. He was sitting next to me with his eyes still glued to the double doors that read Only Authorized Personnel Beyond This Point. Each time Ryan came through those doors with an update, Jackson jumped to his feet. Then Ryan returned to Danielle and Jackson went back to his staring. 

"You okay, baby?" I asked him softly. 

"Fine, princess."

"You're not fine, Jackson. Why don't we go for a walk?" 

It might be good for both of us to get a little air. Danielle went into labor exactly nine hours ago, and last we heard she was only five centimeters dilated. We had a long way to go, and sitting in this room staring at a door wasn't doing Jackson or me any good. 

"I don't want to leave. I don't want to miss an update."

I placed my hand over his and stroked the inside of his wrist. After knowing someone and living with them for a few years, you pick up on the little things that comfort them. Jackson always seemed to calm down when I did this. 

"Please," I begged. "I need some air and I want you to take me." 

Jackson's eyes finally met mine. I could see the conflict he was dealing with. He wanted to give me what I wanted, but he also didn't want to leave this room. Even though I really thought getting him to go outside would help, I wasn't going to push it. 

"Go ahead, Jackson," Ayden said from his seat. "I promise to call if those doors open." 

With a sharp nod, Jackson got out of his chair and held out his hand to me. "Let's go, princess." 

I took his hand and let him lead me out of the waiting room and towards the exit of the hospital. Doctors, nurses, and visitors passed by us in the halls.

Everyone seemed to be in a hurry here. Medical staff was in a hurry to save someone's life or bring them into the world. Security was in a hurry checking guests in and out. Visitors were anxious, begging for results of loved ones. 

Everyone was in a hurry. That applied to us as well. We were all in a hurry to know for sure that the baby was going to be okay. And Danielle, too. 

"You can't fool me, princess." 

We stepped through the sliding doors, and I frowned at Jackson. "What do you mean?" 

"You brought me out here so I wasn't staring at that bloody door, didn't you?" 

"Of course not."

"Bollocks. You were never a good liar. Fess up or I'll punish you when we get home in a way that you won't like." 

His tone was slightly teasing and I turned to him with a seductive smile. "Oh, Jackson...you know I love all the ways you punish me." 

"Don't think a little flattery is going to get you out of this, princess." He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. "Thank you, by the way. For getting me out here. I'm just..."

"Worried," I finished for him. "I know. Me too. And you're welcome."

"I love you, princess," he whispered against my lips. "And I'd be nothing without you." 

"I'm nothing! No, more than nothing! I'm completely useless right now!"

"Okay, Lanie, take a deep breath. Everything is fine." 

Lanie stared at me like I grew three heads. "How can you say that? Our best friend is in the delivery room right now having a baby and we haven't had an update in like five hours—"

"It's been forty-five minutes, L." 

"—and we have no idea what's going on in there!" Lanie put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. "Maybe I should put on some scrubs and sneak back there. And if I have a mask on, they won't even know it's me." 

I watched as Jamie grabbed Lanie by the shoulders. "If you do that, Lanie, you will be kicked out of this hospital. Now stop talking like a crazy woman and pull yourself together!"

"She's right," I added. "We're all worried, but let's not do something that can end up with one of us in an orange jumpsuit."

"Fine," Lanie barked. "But you will both be sorry if something happens when I could have been there to stop it." 

I shook my head at my best friend. I didn't blame her for freaking out, but she was really stressing herself out about all this. Then again, we were all stressed. 

Especially Nathan. We were in bed together before we got the call. We had just made love and I was laying in his arms, feeling completely safe and more loved than I ever had before. It was moments like those when I tried picturing Nathan and I with a baby. Maybe more than one. Whenever I brought up the subject, the blood would drain from his face. 

It was odd, actually. He's mentioned more than once before that he wanted kids with me. But now it seemed the opposite. I tried to get him to open up to me about it with no success. Maybe some other time. 

"Here, sweetie. You look like you need this." 

Cherise was to my right holding a cup of coffee. 

"You have no idea," I breathed as I reached for it. "What would we do without you, Cherise?"

"Probably live a normal private life," Jamie said loudly. 

"Hush, Guinevere. Karma and I are having a moment." Cherise looked back at me with a motherly smile. "You say the sweetest things, dear. Now drink your coffee. You need it." 

Following orders, I sipped the coffee. The warm liquid soothed me and took a little of my worry away. It didn't do anything about the guilt, however. Not being here when Lanie got into the accident and had the baby was a regret I would never get over. 

No matter how many times she told me she didn't hold it against me.

God, what if something had happened? I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. There were so many things I would do differently if I could. But the past was the past and we couldn't do anything to change that. 

"Are we ready to go back?" Jamie asked. "Harper just texted that Danielle is almost to ten centimeters." 

"What!" Lanie shrieked. "What the hell are we doing standing around here for? Let's go!" 

We all followed Queen Lanie back to the waiting room where Jackson was pacing and Ayden was standing with his arms crossed, shifting his weight back and forth on his feet.

Nathan was running his hands through his hair so much it looked like he got electrocuted. Worried for the man I loved, I walked over to him and rubbed his back. 

"You okay?"

With a huff he turned towards me. "I am freaking out, gorgeous. Ever since that whole passing out thing, I've been worried about Danielle." 

"That's because you care about her," I whispered. "I'm sure everything is fine. Didn't Ryan say in his message that she was doing well?" 

"Yes." 

"Then you need to stop worrying until there is something to actually worry about. Okay?" 

"I will if you will," he challenged. 

A corner of my mouth lifted in a smile. "Deal. Now give me a kiss." 

Just as his lips touched mine, those damn double doors opened. The waiting room fell into a dead silence as Ryan came out holding a small bundle in his arms.

There were tears streaming down this cheeks when we looked up at us. He had the biggest smile I had ever seen. So much love and joy on his face. 

"Everyone," he said proudly, "I'd like you to meet my daughter..."