Aster’s finger tipped my chin up and stared into my eyes. “Fuck! How late are you?”
“Five weeks.” I winced as Aster hummed.
“Have you spoken to Magic?”
“No. Magic’s stressed out with the bar. He’s got all the licences and everything to pay for and submit. He doesn’t need this, especially if it’s a false alarm.”
“Oh, honey, we both know this is gonna show positive,” Aster soothed, and I shook my head.
“Shut up, bitch! You better not jinx me!” I snapped.
Aster glanced at my phone. “Three minutes.”
Scared, I scowled. “Aster, I hate you.”
“Haven’t you heard of protection?” Aster teased.
“I’m on the pill! Magic uses condoms. I don’t understand how this happened.”
“Didn’t you have antibiotics for that throat infection a month or so ago?” Aster asked, and I paled.
“Oh God, I didn’t think!” Aster winced, and I shook my head.
My phone beeped, and I knew I had to look.
Aster reached out. “On the count of one, two, three…”
“Shit,” I groaned as the result appeared on the stick.
Magic
“Mathews made it perfectly clear,” Salvos said.
“Back off now,” I warned.
“No,” Salvos retorted and grinned.
Refusing to retreat, I stepped forward and went nose to nose. “And I told ya. Jody is ill. I won’t force Jody to attend something she’s not up for.”
“You’ll come, or Mathews will be insulted.”
I snorted. “Bull, I’m a casual delivery guy. Nobody important. If I intended to insult Mathews, he wouldn’t give a shit.”
Out of the corner of my eye, Jody’s car pulled up. My gut knotted. Talk about bad timing. Salvos turned, and an evil grin slid across his lips. Seconds later, Jody stepped out. She was whiter than white and looked as sick as a dog.
“Holy crap, you look rough,” I exclaimed as she neared. Jody shot me a glance, and then her body curled in on itself as she heaved.
Luckily, nothing came up, although Salvos stopped following me as closely.
“Magic, we need to talk,” Jody said weakly.
“Not now, babe,” I replied. Jody’s timing couldn’t have been worse.
“Magic, please,” Jody argued, and almost turned green as she swallowed hard.
“Babe, I’m working, and you look like shit. Go to bed.”
“Magic, it’s important,” Jody whispered, and I noticed a slight shake in her hands. But I couldn’t show concern in front of Salvos. That would put Jody at risk.
