Page 60 of Doctor Daddies

At least this time around I have my three men to advocate for me. They have already arranged me a suite at one of the most exclusive birthing centers in the city, and there’s an army of specialists on hand to help me should I need it. As it stands now, it looks like everything is going exactly as it should be, but you never know when the time comes.

As for nursing school, that starts in another year—plenty of time for me to bond with the new arrivals to our family before I get back to work. It was James who encouraged me to go ahead and apply again, when I mentioned that I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself once the contract between us was officially over. He didn’t want me to give up on the dreams I’d once held, and for the first time in years, I could actually contend with the possibility of a life outside just being a mother.

If I can send off this application, of course.

But then Ross leans over and taps the button for me, perhaps sensing that I need someone to take over this part for me. A second later, the screen pops up to tell me that my application has been submitted. My heart flips in my chest, and I look up at him, chewing my lip. “Well…that’s it…”

“That’s it,” he replies, grinning. “I know you’re going to get in.”

“Don’t get too attached to the idea.” I laugh. “I have no idea if I’m going to make it.”

“Well, I do,” James’s voice comes from the doorway. “Besides, Matt’s already bought the champagne to celebrate. Can’t let him down now, can you?”

I giggle. “Champagne,” I groan. “God, it’s been so long since I had a drink…”

“Not long now,” James promises me, slipping his arm around my shoulder for a moment as he smiles at me.

And he’s right about Matt too—Matt has it in his head that he’s going to be the first one to celebrate with me when I get into nursing school, already deciding that I’m going to make it. Which seems something close to a miracle, given everything that happened between all of us.

I can still remember the way Matt blew up at all of us, how hopeless it felt that he was ever going to accept what we were doing here. But now, he’s as much part of our lives as Lewis is, spending a couple of evenings a week at the apartment to have dinner and hang out between conference trips. He might not have admitted it out loud yet, but I get the feeling he’s secretly glad that I found a set of partners who he already approved of.

I stretch my arms up over my head—and as I do so, I feel a twinge deep in my belly. I clasp my stomach, wincing, and James crouches down beside me, a concerned look on his face.

“Are you okay? Is it the babies?”

“I…I think so,” I groan. The sensation is familiar, but it takes me a moment to recognize it for what it is. In fact, it’s not until Istand up and see the damp patch on the office chair below me that it strikes me just what is going on.

“Oh my God,” I gasp, hand flying to my mouth. “I think my water just broke.”

“Holy shit,” James mutters. “Holyshit.Okay, we need to get you to hospital—Ross, text Cole, tell him to get his ass up here right now.”

The guys spring into action around me, the reality of the situation just starting to settle in.

It’s happening. I’m really doing this. I’m about to give birth to triplets, the children of the men who I have fallen in love with over the course of these last nine months—cementing our family, filling our homes with life and love and joy.

But first, I have to get through the difficult bit. I inhale deeply as another twinge makes itself known in my belly. I lean back in the seat, and Cole arrives in the office, rushing over to my side to check on me.

“How are you feeling?”

“Nervous,” I admit. “But…but excited.”

He gives my hand a squeeze. “It’s going to be just fine,” he promises me. “Any eventuality, we have it covered, okay?”

“Got it,” I reply, and he presses a kiss against my forehead.

“I love you,” he murmurs.

“Love you too,” I reply.

James and Ross appear at my side, though I’m not sure where they’ve been.

“Transport is on the way,” Ross tells me. “Lewis is with Matt, I’ve told him what’s going on, and he said that he’ll bring Lewis down to the hospital when the babies are born.”

“Okay, great,” I breathe. “Ow! Oh, I’d forgotten what this felt like…”

“You’re doing amazing,” James tells me gently.

“It’s hardly started yet,” I laugh, but he rubs my back.