Awake At Dawn (Wildflower Series Book 2)

NOAH RENTED OUT an entire pottery painting place for our first date so I could paint my own set of mugs. To say it was the sweetest thing that anyone had ever done for me was a gross understatement, especially considering that Noah decided to paint a little ceramic puppy that looked like Winnie because he wanted to start decorating the nursery.

A few blissful weeks had passed, and now it was Tuesday again, and we were back at the doctor’s office, sitting in the waiting room while someone on the other side clearly tried to be discreet about taking a picture of us.

“Ignore them,” Noah muttered beneath his breath. He grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers together. I leaned my head on his shoulder because I truly didn’t care if they took pictures. As long as Noah didn’t care.

“I’m not going to deny it,” he said softly after a minute.

I looked up at him. “What?”

He met my gaze, and I was taken aback at how fierce his expression was. “People are going to see us together, post pictures, and assume that’s my baby. And I’m not going to deny it. I don’t want to deny it. They’re going to say that I’ve only settled down, that we’re only dating because I got you pregnant, and while that pisses me the fuck off, I’d rather people believe something false than think, for even one minute, that you and that baby aren’t mine.”

I stared at him, feeling momentarily speechless. But once I got ahold of myself, there was really only one way to respond.

“We are yours, Noah.”

A smile played on his lips at my words. “I don’t intend to lie. I’m not going to outright say something that’s not true. But I don’t want anyone to doubt who the man is in your life and that child’s life.”

“Our child,” I corrected in a whisper.

Noah sucked in, stilling. “Our child, Em?”

I nodded, swallowing past the thickness in my throat. I knew I was probably going to cry today, but I didn’t want to do it in the waiting room. “As long as that’s what you want.”

A hushed curse slipped through Noah’s lips as his hand smoothed over my stomach. “I want that so fucking much. I love you. God, I love you. And I will love our child with everything that I am. Okay?” I nodded as I tried to keep the tears in, and Noah’s eyes darted around us before he added, “I promise to try to shield you and Baby from it, but there might be times you end up on TV again or photographed without even realizing it. Are you okay with that?”

My lips curled into a grin as I placed my hand over his on my stomach.

“Noah, I’ve been living with you for months. I’ve always known that people might see us and assume things, and I only ever cared on your behalf. I didn’t want to put you in a compromising situation. But me? You’re asking if I care that the world knows you’re mine? That you’re off the market and exclusively in my bed?” My grin grew, and Noah’s gaze glittered as he listened to me. “Yeah, Noah. I’m pretty okay with that.”

“You’re so fucking hot when you talk like that,” he said, lowering his voice. The tone of it made me shiver.

“Gemma?”

A nurse calling my name startled both of us. My cheeks reddened; I’d definitely been about to jump my boyfriend in the clinic waiting room, and it was probably obvious.

Noah cleared his throat before standing and taking me by the hand, giving it a squeeze.

And then he smiled at me knowingly, and I nearly melted on the spot.

God, I loved him.

“It’s a girl.”

Did this woman say what I think she just said? A girl? I was having a baby girl? As in a living, breathin⁠—

“Oh my God.” Noah’s choked voice cut into my thoughts. “She’s going to look just like you, isn’t she?”

“It’s very possible the baby will have Mom’s traits, but there’s no guarantee,” the sonographer said politely, and Noah’s eyes flicked from her to the image on the screen, almost like he was pissed that she dared to speak the truth.

“She’s going to look like you,” he whispered stubbornly, leaning close enough to kiss my cheek.

She was going to look like me. Well, maybe she was going to look like me. But either way, she was real. She was coming—a living, breathing part of me, and I already loved her so much. Emotion swelled in my chest, and I looked over to see Noah’s shiny eyes, a clue that he was feeling the same way.

Every time I looked at him and witnessed my feelings reflected in him, I almost lost my breath. I never imagined I’d experience this. But he really did love me, didn’t he? He loved me, and he loved our little girl. I could see that, clear as day and as sure as the sun rising at dawn.

“You’re going to have to think of a name,” he muttered, reaching out to brush away a stray tear that had escaped my lash line.

“No.” I shook my head. “We’re going to have to think of a name.”

A grin spread over his face before he leaned back, looking dazed and content. “Can’t fucking wait.”

“A girl,” I whispered, more to myself than anything.

“A girl,” Noah breathed back, just as awed as me. “Our baby girl.”

I smiled at him before glancing around the room, trying to take deep breaths. We were back in the same place we’d been weeks earlier, sitting side by side once again.

So much had changed since then.

I should’ve known from the minute Noah insisted on coming with me to my doctor appointments that he was in it for the long haul. And even more than that, I should have realized that there was no way in hell I would get through this pregnancy and roommate situation without falling in love with him.

There was now a nursery in the apartment. Blake stayed with us for a few days when he came to Boston for an interview, and the brothers put together a crib while I watched with a bowl of ice cream in hand. They bickered at each other the entire time, but it reminded me of my own siblings, and I couldn’t help but smile.

I hoped Blake got the job. It would be good for Noah to have more of his family around, and despite my initial impression of him, Blake really was a nice guy. Before leaving, he gave me his number, making me promise that I’d text him if I had any medical questions about the baby or whatever else.

That made Noah happy. With the football season in full swing, he wasn’t home much, and he was worried. To put it lightly. And giving me easy access to his doctor siblings seemed to make him feel better.

“Does everything look okay?” Noah’s anxious voice brought me out of my thoughts. “Anything we need to worry about? Mom and Baby both.”

The sonographer suppressed a small smile as she glanced at Noah.

He was cute; I couldn’t blame her. Who would have ever thought that this tattooed, hot shot of a football player was so goddamn adorable once you peeled back his layers?

I’d always known that Noah was an amazing man, but even still, he’d blown me away in the past month with his love and support.

“The doctor will review the results with you at your appointment.”

Noah’s mouth curved into an abrupt frown. “You can’t just tell us, like, right now?”

“Noah,” I laughed. “Our appointment is in half an hour.”

He shot me a glare that was truly ineffective. It looked more like a pout. “That’s a long time to go while thinking about the answer to that question.”

I rolled my eyes, but lovingly. “You weren’t worrying about that question an hour ago.”

“Says who?” He raised a brow. “I’m always worried about you and Baby. Why do you think I damn near carried you off the ice last night?”

Noah saw me nearly take a stumble on the ice last night at practice, and when I stepped off the rink, I found him pacing around the perimeter of it. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever seen him strung so tight, and if there hadn’t been people watching, I was positive he would have thrown me over his shoulder and marched me straight out of there.

I opened my mouth to say something, but Noah looked straight at the amused sonographer and said, “She flies around an ice rink on tiny blades for a living, and I’m just supposed to be okay with that?”

“You get tackled by linebackers for a living, and I’m just supposed to be okay with that?” I shot back. “That’s far more terrifying to have to watch once a week.”

Noah turned back to face me, and his voice softened. “I’m not carrying our child, angel.”

Our child.

I wasn’t sure I would ever get over that, but I couldn’t wait to find out.

“Dr. Amos can further discuss restrictions if Mom would like to have that conversation,” the sonographer cut in, and I could tell she was trying to keep a straight face while also maintaining professionalism.

I sighed as I looked at Noah. “I’ve already talked about it with Dr. Amos, but I can bring it up again today if it would make you feel better.”

“Yes,” Noah said definitively. “It would make me feel better.”

I poked a finger into his hard chest. “But you’re not allowed to argue with her if you don’t like what she says.”

Noah threw his hands up. “Fine.”

Roughly thirty minutes later, Noah and I followed a nurse back to a different patient room. When Dr. Amos arrived, she greeted me before her eyes immediately skirted to Noah.

“Good to see you again, Mr. London.”

So she had recognized him the first time he was here. Her brows rose slightly, and I could tell she wanted to ask questions about his reappearance but was holding her tongue.

“It’s good to see you, too, Dr. Amos,” Noah replied with a nod. He didn’t seem put off by the way she’d acknowledged him. In fact, he appeared more than comfortable in the seat beside me. Maybe a touch tense, but I knew it was only because he was anxious to hear more about how Baby was doing.

“I was wondering if you’d be back,” Dr. Amos said, almost more to herself, as she sat in front of her computer and began clicking around to presumably bring up my file.

“I’m back,” Noah confirmed. “And I’ll be back for every appointment after this.”

Dr. Amos smiled to herself. “Glad to hear it.”

“You might be less glad when you realize how many questions he has,” I laughed, and Dr. Amos chuckled as she tore her attention away from the computer monitor and swiveled in her chair to face us.

“That’s what I’m here for,” she said, opening her palms up in a welcoming gesture. “To answer any questions that Mom and…” She paused as her gaze landed on Noah.

“Dad,” he supplied, so confidently that I had to bite down on a smile. “I’m still not going to be able to provide any information about Baby’s medical history because that, unfortunately, will never be tied to me. But you can call me Dad.”

She grinned warmly and finished her sentence. “…Any questions that Mom and Dad have.”

“Excellent.” Noah clasped his hands together. “So, how do you really feel about pregnant women ice skating?”