Free The Proposal by Katie Ashley Page A

have all of her medical information.”
    “I’m already pre-registered here through my OB/GYN,”
Emma muttered, through teeth gritted in pain.
    “Then he’ll have to stay until we get the insurance
information.”
    Aidan stared helplessly at Emma as she handed him
her purse. “My cards are in my wallet.”
    He raced through the paperwork. Most of it he left
blank, hoping they already had it since he didn’t know it. The irony wasn’t
lost on him that Emma may be carrying his child, but he had no idea if she had
ever had any major surgeries or childhood illnesses. Just as he started to
punch the button to open up the doors, someone cleared his throat.
    It was the security guard. “Fuck!” Aidan cried.
Several people in the waiting room looked up at him. Digging his keys from the
pocket, he sprinted past the security guard and to his waiting car. Tires
squealed as he pulled around the entrance and back-tracked it to the available
parking deck.
    When he got back inside, he punched the button on
the Authorized Personnel Only doors. His gaze spun desperately around the
hallway of rooms. Feeling an odd sense of deja vu from earlier in the day, he
was just about to flag down a nurse when Dr. Nadeen appeared before him, his
face tense with worry. “She is in room five,” he said.
    Although he hated to say it, Aidan mumbled, “Thank
you.”
    He threw open the door to find the curtain pulled.
The sound of a baby’s heartbeat echoed off the walls. “Em?” he cried.
    “I’m here.”
    He raced forward, throwing the curtain aside. At the
sight of Emma in stirrups and a doctor between her legs, he froze. “Aidan,” she
urged, motioning him to her side. The insistent tone in her voice caused him to
move quickly. He sidestepped the doctor and went to her side. He grabbed up her
hand and squeezed.
    “I’m sorry. I had to fill out all this paperwork and
then go move my car.”
    “It’s okay.”
    He shook his head. “No, it’s not. You shouldn’t have
had to be back here alone. You needed me.” He gazed down at her. “I needed to
be with you.”
    “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
    Aidan couldn’t stop himself from leaning over and
kissing her forehead. He would have to give the hospital props. They had been
there barely twenty minutes, and Emma was already outfitted in a hospital gown
and was being seen by a doctor. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was not only
the seriousness of her condition, but also Dr. Nadeen that helped matters
along.
    The doctor, whose white coat had “Dr. Pendleton”
embroidered in blue, rose off his stool. “You can come out of these now.” Emma
eased her legs out of the stirrups as Dr. Pendleton slid the table back down
for her. After he tossed his rubber gloves in the trash, he turned to face
them. “Even though you were experiencing preterm labor, you’re not dilated, and
your cervical plug is still intact.”
    At what Aidan assumed was his blank expression, Dr.
Pendleton said, “Those are good factors. I’m going to have a nurse come in and
administer Turbutaline, which will stop the remaining contractions you’re
experiencing. I’ll come back in and do an ultrasound to see how your baby
looks. From his heartbeat, he seems to be a little agitated, but that could be
from the uterine walls contracting.” He turned to go to the door. “Since you’re
condition is now stable, I’ll be back in a little while to check on you.”
    Aidan’s legs didn’t feel like they would support him
any longer, so he collapsed into the chair by the bed. Relief washed over him.
For the moment, it appeared that Noah was going to be okay, and in turn, Emma
was as well.
    “Thank you God,” Emma murmured.
    A commotion came outside the door. “What the—”Aidan
began before Casey and Connor burst inside the room.
     

 
     
     
     
    CHAPTER SIX
     
    “Em!” Casey cried, hurrying over to the bedside. She
wrapped her arms around Emma and squeezed tight. “What’s the