Page 15 of Silver Linings
“I can take care of my baby, Gunner.”
“I know you can, Lil, but who is going to take care of you?”
That question floored her. If not for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor attached to her, she would have thought her heart stopped beating. It was such a sweet idea, but she couldn’t imagine taking advantage of him like that.
“So, what? This would be a marriage for my benefit only? I can’t do that to you. Don’t you want to marry someone you love? Someone who will make your house into a home? I have nothing to offer you.”
“I gave up on that dream a long time ago. I want to help a friend, and this is how I can do it.”
“A friend.”
Gunner grabbed her hand. “Yeah, Lil. You and me, we’re friends.”
“Friends who are going to get married and raise a baby together. A baby who is not biologically yours. How can you just be all in on that idea? It’s a huge responsibility, Gunner. Most men run away from things like that.”
“Listen, Lily. The minute you agree to be my wife, that’s it. You’re mine, and so is Sprout. I promise I will love and protect her like she is my own. I wouldn’t dream of letting something hurt her, including me.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
“Not much in life does.”
“But how can you just be all in? You came back to town to say goodbye to your mom. Not to take on the responsibilities of a wife and child.”
“That’s the way my brain works, Lil. Lots of things are just black and white for me. I’ve thought over everything while you were in here alone, and this is the best solution for you and the baby. It’s what I truly believe we should do.”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. Part of her wanted to scream YES as loudly and as fast as she possibly could. But her heart knew this wouldn’t mean anything to Gunner other than a way to fix up the mess she’d gotten herself into. Heat flooded her cheeks.
“I get that it’s been a traumatic night, and that you’re exhausted, so you don’t have to answer right now. We’ll go home, you’ll rest, and then you can tell me what you’re thinking. It would mean a lot to me if we are going to get married, for us to do it soon so that my mom can know before she passes.”
Tears filled Lily’s vision.
“Don’t cry, Lily Kate. Everything is going to be just fine,” he promised.
“Everything will not be fine if you don’t start listening to your body. You need to slow down and rest, Lily.” Dr. Alvarez hovered next to her bed, and she watched as Gunner’s jaw clenched.
“But Lily and the baby are okay?” he asked.
“For the time being, yes. I know from what you told me about earlier tonight that things are stressful right now, but I need you to promise me you’ll go home and actually rest once I discharge you. When you came in, your blood pressure was elevated and it took longer than I would have liked to see it return to normal.”
“Is that something we need to worry about?” Gunner asked. We. What was happening? How had they gotten so quickly to a place where he was holding her hand in the hospital and talking about her and the baby like they were his responsibility?
If she agreed to marry him, they would be. Could she do that? Lily shut her eyes tight and tried to take a few calming breaths. Her heart felt like it was about to gallop out of her chest.
“Lily? What’s going on?” Gunner’s voice was tight with worry, and she didn’t want to open her eyes and see his concern. No matter what sweet words he said to her in a moment of worry, she couldn’t lean on him.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Tell me.”
“I can still work, can’t I?” Lily asked the doctor, ignoring Gunner’s touch on her arm.
“You don’t need to worry about?—”
“Gunner, stop. Stop being so nice to me! It’s stressing me out more, I swear.” She pulled her hand out of his, smoothing the hospital gown over her bump.
“So fucking stubborn,” he grumbled, but she closed her eyes again and let the building anxiety melt away.
“Are you still doing in-home care?” Dr. Alvarez asked.