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Dani isn’t legally married to either Nathan or Michael because she didn’t want to have to choose between them, but there are clearly practical issues arising from that. I’m surprised Michael didn’t address the issue before but hell, maybe the three of them have discussed all of this and didn’t include me in that conversation since I’m not her husband. I don’t know. But right now, we need to get this ultrasound handled as planned without Nathan bullying a girl just trying to do her job.
"Hi," I say to the girl as I approach the desk again, giving her a big smile. "Sorry about that. We didn’t realize there was a protocol we had to follow. We would prefer not to reschedule so can I just pay out-of-pocket with no financial assistance?" I pull out my debit card and hand it to her. "It doesn’t matter what it is. Then maybe you can help me set up a meeting with the financial consultant so we can get this sorted before Danielle’s next appointment? I would really appreciate it."
She is studying my debit card. "You’re Crew McNeill? The Racketeers Crew McNeill?"
"That’s me. You a hockey fan?"
"Yes. So much," she gushes.
"Sorry about the championship," I tell her, giving her a sheepish shrug. "We’ll bring it home next year."
"Oh, absolutely. I know you will." She clutches my debit card to her chest for a split second before she seems to realize what she’s doing. "I’m a fan, no matter what. I’ll get this taken care of. Just give me five. I need to ask my manager what code to put in my computer."
"Thank you, that’s fantastic. What’s your name?"
"Kayla."
"Thank you, Kayla."
She nods, pushes her chair back on its wheels and quickly stands up. "I’ll be right back."
When I go over and sit with Dani and Nathan, he’s looking stormy.
I give him a knock-it-off look. "This is so exciting, babe," I say, as I sit down on the opposite side of Dani and squeeze her knee. "Our first look at the baby. I can’t wait."
She gives me a bright smile. "This is crazy, isn’t it? Did you get the bill sorted out?"
I nod. "We need to get you insurance though."
"I’ll talk to my lawyer and my assistant," Nathan says. "I should have done that already. I’m sorry, Danielle. I dropped the ball."
Nathan looks like I felt when we lost the championship. Like he’s let down all of Chicago.
"Don’t worry about it. I didn’t even think about it either. I’m never sick so it doesn’t really come up and they didn’t say anything when we went to the OB/GYN."
Nathan is reading her paperwork on the clipboard. "What’s with Larkin? I thought we agreed you’re going to be Danielle Armstrong Hughes."
"My name hasn’t been legally changed yet. I can’t sign in that way."
"Why haven’t you changed it? Just because we’re not legally married doesn’t mean you can’t change it."
"I’ve been writing a book and growing a placenta," she says, cheeks pink.
That color in her face is a sure indication that she’s annoyed with Nathan. I have to admit, the guy has terrible timing. This is a happy occasion and he’s being territorial. I get it. I’m not exactly fucking thrilled that she’s planning on taking Michael and Nathan’s last names and not mine, but I have no rational reason to be mad about it. Neither does Nathan. I hate paperwork and standing at the social security office doesn’t sound like anything I would want to do when I have a free couple of hours, so I don’t blame Dani for not jumping on it. He needs to lay off.
"How about you have your people get everything ready to go so Dani doesn’t have to dig around online for all the information on how to do that?" I ask. "Seeing as you love to have your people do shit for you."
Nathan frowns at me. He’s about to say something when Kayla the receptionist calls me up to the desk. "Crew, I have your card for you." She gives me a bright smile.
By the time I’ve signed the receipt and returned to Dani and Nathan, shoving my wallet into the pocket of my shorts, Michael has arrived, thank God. He knows how to rein in the bossy billionaire better than me.
He gives Dani a kiss on her temple and glances at the paperwork. He takes my seat but I don’t mind. Doc has a tendency to let me and Nathan take center stage so I work hard to remember to give him his fair share of closeness to our girl.
"Why Armstrong Hughes?" I ask Dani as I slouch in my chair. "Why not Hughes Armstrong?"
"It just sounds better," Michael tells me. "We were going for flow. It doesn’t mean anything."
"Hmm." It has me wondering what the baby’s last name is going to be. If Dani’s name is theirs, where does my name go? Especially if the baby is mine biologically. I know intellectually it’s most likely not since Dani and Michael spent a few days in Vegas together and when they got home, I was on strict orders not to have sex because of a groin strain thanks to that dickhead Justin Travers, who plays for the Dragons. He took a cheap shot and rammed me into the boards for no fucking reason.
