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A few ri so close he was alainst the policeman’s chest
"They took her away in an ao She was one of the first they got out I don’t have any further details It’s crazy right now, but they said she was conscious and appeared to be unharmed"
Cam’s knees buckled and he nearly went down All his breath rushed out in a violent explosion of relief
"Whoa, steady there Maybe you should take a seat"
Cao Where did they take her?"
He was already turning to run to his SUV when the officer called after him with the naot into his truck and pulled away from the chaos
He had to force hiet to Pippa as fast as he could He had to see her Had to know she was all right Had to hold her again and tell her everything that was in his heart Everything he’d been too stubborn and too stupid to tell her before
He only hoped to hell she would listen
Pippa lay on the uncoency room as nurses came and went Her horrific panic had settled someith the news from the doctor that the baby was okay She hadn’t been subjected to the se to her or the baby
But she kept i what could have happened
What if she hadn’t awakened when she had? What if she hadn’t gotten out as soon as she did?
The i circle, reassured by the baby’s movements The past hour had been a blur as she’d been poked, prodded, stuck, checked over A sonograotten to see for herself that her baby was still there, still alive and didn’t seem in any distress
She reeked of smoke She looked like hell But she didn’t care All that mattered was that her baby was okay
Her door opened and to her surprise Devon poked his head in To her further surprise, Ashley came in behind him and all but ran to Pippa’s bedside
"Pippa! Oh, my God," Ashley choked out
Ashley threw her arms around Pippa, who lay there, stunned and unable to find her voice
"What on earth?" she finallyhere? You just had a baby! You should be in bed"
Devon came around to the other side of Pippa’s bed and leaned down to kiss her forehead "We orried, Pippa When we heard, Ashley had to coht down I couldn’t very well tell her no"
Pippa frowned "You should have Where’s Katelynn? Ash, are you okay?"
Ashley hugged Pippa fiercely and then pulled away, her eyes flashing "I’m fine! The question is how are you? I had a baby, Pip Nor around all day And Katelynn is in the nursery for now Tell e of the bed beside Pippa and grasped her hand, squeezing tightly It was the last straw Tears streaked down Pippa’s cheeks and she hiccuped back a sob
Devon gently stroked Pippa’s hair Ashley gathered Pippa’s hands in hers and leaned forward, concern etched on her brow
"Oh, Ashley," Pippa whispered "It’s been such an awful night"
"Wait, did you go see Ca "Oh, no What happened?"
"It’s over," Pippa said, her voice cracking under the emotional strain and the rawness from the smoke "I went to his house, told hihtly, rubbing her hand up and down Pippa’s back
"I’irls soht outside the door"
He gave her one last affectionate touch on the arently pushed Pippa’s bedraggled hair fro hat the doctor said You scared me to death I want to know you’re okay first and then I want to know everything that happened at Cam’s"
"The doctor says I’m fine The baby is fine I went to sleep on the couch and when I woke up, the whole apartot out before I inhaled too , but I’ll be fine The doctor even says that I can go ho that she no longer had a ho down her cheeks
"It’ll be okay, Pip," Ashley soothed "I promise you I don’t want you to worry Ma You know she loves you just like a daughter She’s alreadyyou home with her and take care of you"
Pippa sht now" She broke off and sighed "I should be happy I htfully so But I’m so miserable I love that jerk and I’m mad that I can’t make it stop"
"Tell me," Ashley said quietly
Pippa looked down at her hands, huain "He told me he didn’t want to love me or our baby Not that he couldn’t or that he didn’t believe he’d ever find another soul mate Just that he didn’t want to love us He was so…cold"
Ashley scowled "I hate him I don’t care if he’s Dev’s best friend I swear the man fell out of the stupid tree and hit every dah but she dissolved into a coughing fit instead
"Easy," Ashley ht"
"Oh, God It all feels so unreal"
Ashley squeezed her hands again "I don’t want you to stress about this I know that sounds absurd You’ve had the rug pulled out froht now you likely think your entire world is falling apart But it’s going to be okay You have me You have Mama You have Sylvia, Carly and Tabitha to help Devon will do whatever he can, you know that Please don’t ht now you just need to focus on you and the baby and ave her a watery smile "Thank you I love you, Ash I don’t knohat I’d ever do without you"
"I want you to get some rest now, okay? It’s alo back up, but I’ll have Dev check in on you Ma to wear home I want to know the o hoether"
Pippa squeezed Ashley’s hand "Thanks, Ash You’re the best Kiss that baby for me"
Ashley fussed with the pillow and tucked the sheet more firmly around Pippa before she finally backed away from the bed and started for the door