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“Oh,” she muttered. “Okay, yeah, I can see why that would be reason enough to be worried. But you’re obviously sick right now. You need to go sit down.”
“No. Just give me a second. I’ll be okay.” Bending, I put my hands on my knees and lowered my head, breathing through the nausea that was making the dizziness even worse.
“You stand here. I’ll take this inside so Aunt Raven doesn’t come looking for us.” Nova stepped away, and it was only then that I realized she’d still been holding on to me and supporting a good portion of my weight. At the loss of her stability, I felt like I was going to fall again. Reaching behind me, I braced myself against the SUV a little better so I didn’t face-plant into the ground.
Nova picked up the box I’d dropped and hurried inside, appearing again only a moment later. “Still okay?” she asked softly as she grabbed another box.
All I could do was nod because if I spoke, I knew I was going to vomit. The look the younger girl gave me was skeptical, but she carried the next box inside.
I stood there for a couple minutes while she took a few more loads. Just as Nova entered the bar for the fourth time, the sound of a vehicle pulling
into the parking lot caught my attention, and I slowly turned my head to see who it was.
Monroe’s husband parked their gigantic SUV, and Maverick’s youngest sister got out with a beaming smile on her face. Her hair was pulled up into a simple ponytail that hung past her shoulders, and she was wearing a pretty floral dress that clung to the curves she’d kept after having her beautiful baby girls. “Hey, River!” she called as she opened the back door to grab one of the car seats her twin daughters were strapped into.
“H-hey,” I called back.
Gian walked around to take the car seat from her. “I told you I would get them, precious,” he gently scolded her before dropping a kiss on her lips. “Go speak to the birthday girl. I’ve got our angels.”
Without arguing with him, she practically floated over to me. But when she got close enough, her eyes widened in concern. I tried to give her a small smile, but it felt wobbly, and it only made her that much more worried for me. “Are you sick?”
I lifted a finger to my lips when her voice rose, and she clamped her mouth shut in understanding.
“Where is Mav?” she whispered.
“He had to go on a run to Reno Friday night with Jack and Kingston.” I wiped my upper lip with the back of my hand. “He should have gotten back last night, but something came up. He promised he would be back today, though.”
I was kind of hoping he wouldn’t get back in time for the party, however. I knew it was only putting off the inevitable, but one more day of peace wouldn’t have been a bad thing. I wouldn’t have to worry about blood being shed at my birthday party—or Maverick being beaten into a coma.
Just thinking of what could happen to the man I loved when he showed up at the party only made my stomach cramp painfully. Whimpering at the sudden agony, I bent in half once again and lost the fight to hold back the vomit.
“Crap,” I heard Nova mutter as she ran up to join Monroe. “I knew you wouldn’t last long.”
I could barely hear her as I retched over and over again, all while trying to stay upright. Eventually, my stomach calmed down enough for me to catch my breath, and with Monroe and Nova on either side of me, I was able to stand upright.
“It sucks that you’re sick on your birthday,” Monroe soothed. “I heard there was a stomach bug going around.”
“Yeah,” Nova agreed, her face completely serious, without showing so much as a flicker that she knew my secret. “I think half my first period class had it on Friday.”
“Girls, what’s taking so long…?” Aunt Raven’s voice trailed off when she saw the puddle of puke at my feet while Nova and Monroe held on to me. “Damn. That bug hit you hard.” She came over to take Monroe’s place and pulled my arm over her shoulder. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“I-I’m okay now,” I tried to assure her as she took most of my weight, instructing Nova to finish carrying everything inside so Aunt Flick could put everything out on the bar top.
“I bet you are,” she murmured quietly as she helped me to the bathroom.
I glanced around, but it seemed that Dad was either in the office or had gone out the back door to get more decorations. In the bathroom, Aunt Raven locked the main door and then helped me over to the sink. Turning on the faucet, she grabbed a few paper towels and dampened them before wiping my face.
“It shouldn’t be called morning sickness if you’re ill all day.”
My entire body turned to ice, and I knew I had a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look on my face as I lifted my gaze to hers. “I don’t—”
“Don’t lie to me,” she warned, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know a pregnant woman when I see one.”
Tears instantly started spilling from my eyes. “Please don’t tell Dad,” I begged.
Her face softened. “Of course I won’t, River. I know this might be hard to believe, but I’ve been in your shoes.”
“I doubt it,” I mumbled to myself as I cupped my hand under the faucet and washed my mouth out.
