Series: Silver Spoon MC Series by Nichole Rose
Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 38632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 193(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 193(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Why does that scare me so damn much?
"Hey," I say, glancing around the empty room. "What's going on?"
"Paperwork." He holds up a folder. "I want to get it out of the way tonight so you don't have to sign a bunch of shit in the morning."
"Oh." I shuffle toward the table.
He cocks his head to the side, frowning. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Liar. What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I shake my head, forcing a smile. "I'm just tired."
I can tell he doesn't believe me, but he doesn't force the issue. He lets the subject drop for the moment, nudging a chair with his foot. "Sit down, angel," he says. "Let's get this out of the way so we can get you back to our girl."
"Our girl?"
He grins at me. "I plan on being her third favorite person behind you and Siobhan."
"Oh." I drop down into the chair, my stomach fluttering and churning. He's so good to her already. He calls constantly to check on her. I know he's checking on me too. The nurses have commented on it. I'm not sure what to tell them though, so I just shrug off their curiosity. "Um, what do I need to sign?"
"Consent forms," he says, flipping open the folder. "They say you understand there are risks and that things could go wrong. If they do go wrong, they say you understand that we'll do everything we can but there are no guarantees. These also give us permission to make decisions back there based on our judgement without having to delay by calling you to ask for input."
"Okay," I say, reaching for the pen.
He stops me, placing his hand over mine. "We have to talk before you sign, baby. I can't just let you sign until you know what could go wrong," he says quietly.
"I… No," I say, shaking my head. "I already know what's at risk, Tate. I know…I know she could die tomorrow. But I also know if I don't sign these and you don't operate, she will die. So whatever risks there are tomorrow, I accept them. I have to accept them."
"Death isn't the only risk, Samara," he says.
"I know, but it's the only one that's inevitable if you don't do this surgery." I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I've never told anyone my story before, but I want to tell him. "My whole life, it was just me and Siobhan. We grew up dirt poor with an alcoholic mom. We ended up in foster care more times than I can count. When our mom was sober enough to get us back from the system, we lived on the kindness of strangers and whatever abusive boyfriend she was dating at the time. She certainly wasn't sober enough to remember to feed us half the time."
"Jesus," Tate whispers.
"I know what it's like to have nothing because I came from nothing," I say. "All I had was Siobhan. Now, she's gone too. So it doesn't matter what the risks are, Tate. Not when the only person I ever had left her daughter in my care. She trusted me to save her baby, no matter what. I won't fail her now. I can't. Scout is the only thing I have left."
Tate watches me for a moment, his eyes bright. And then he curses softly. "Not anymore, angel," he says, gripping the back of my neck. "You have me."
I exhale a shaky breath. He's right. I know he is. And that scares the crap out of me. I feel like the world keeps shifting beneath my feet. As soon as I think I've caught my balance, it shifts again, sending me into another tailspin. I'm falling in love with this man, dangerously fast. Or maybe I'm already in love with him. The latter, I think. But I don't know how to process that right now, not when Scout needs me to be strong for her.
"I'm terrified I'm going to mess up," I admit. "Carly called me a mom a few minutes ago and it just…freaked me out. I don't know how to be a mom. I'm still learning how to be an aunt."
"Then be an aunt first," he says, lifting me out of my chair and into his lap. He wraps his arms around me, tucking my head against his chest. "No one said you had to figure it all out in one day. You'll fuck up and make mistakes. You aren't perfect. No parent is. But you love that little girl with your whole heart, and you want what's best for her."
"I do," I whisper.
"That's what it means to be a parent, Samara. I've seen you fight harder for her in two days than most people will fight for anything in their entire lives. It doesn't matter what you call yourself, you've already got that part down, baby."