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“Okay, Hormones McCrazy,” I told her as I extracted myself from her surprisingly strong grip. “Because you’re not going to like the next part.”
She froze, her green eyes going wide. “You’re not keeping it?”
“Jana,” I sighed.
“Foster care isn’t ideal, but we came out all right. Didn’t we?”
“Jana! I’m keeping my baby, but I’m swearing you to secrecy.”
She was my best friend and I knew asking her not to tell Tate’s brother and her future husband wasn’t right, but this time, I felt okay about being selfish.
Jana sighed, completely deflated from her giddiness a few moments ago, and shook her head. “I love you, Teddy, but I’m not sure I can keep this from Max.”
I glared at her, not surprised but disappointed anyway. “Then we have nothing else to talk about.” The room had fallen silent, tension thickening the air as I busied myself packing up my few things.
“That’s not fair, Teddy! You can’t ask me not to say anything to him!”
“Say what to who?” Max asked, leaning against the doorway as cool as you please. I didn’t think for one second that he hadn’t heard the full conversation because he was as inscrutable as they came.
“Nothing to no one, because there’s nothing to say. To anyone.” I turned my back to them, wishing I’d just called a damn cab even though I couldn’t count on a cabbie to help me move around with one good arm and one good leg.
“You both are shitty liars,” Max said and even though my back was to him, I could hear the smile in his voice. “For the moment, I’m okay with that because I’m ready to get the fuck outta here.”
Join the club. “I’ve been ready since they wheeled me in here, unconscious and broken, but it’ll be a few more hours. You guys should probably go and I’ll get myself home.” As bitchy as it sounded, if I couldn’t share my thoughts and secrets with my best friend, I didn’t see any point in having them here.
“Cut the shit, Teddy.” Max lowered his big body into one of the hard plastic chairs and pulled it so he was between me and the doorway. I wanted to think it was a protective move but the intensity of his gaze said it was more of a keeping me here move. “What’s this big secret?” He smiled and I said nothing so he shrugged. “You know Jana’s gonna tell me, don’t you? She might just break from the silence, or I really hope she makes me coax it out of her.” He smiled and looked over at Jana with love and heat in his eyes.
I held up a hand, fake gagging. “Oh please, spare me the damn details, Max.” I knew I couldn’t hide the pregnancy from Tate forever, but I needed to come to terms with it myself before he started trying to tell me what to do with my body and my life. I didn’t need more opinions before I decided for myself, but I knew Max was right about one thing, Jana would break before the day was over. Time for a subject change. “Please tell me you guys got to eat some of the party food?” I’d spent so much time planning that party, I really hoped it wasn’t for nothing.
That perked Jana right up, hopefully her impending betrayal all but forgotten as she gushed over the cake, the cupcake tower, the mac & cheese balls, the bread bowls filled with dips.
“It was so beautiful and so delicious! Some of the, uhm...club girls, brought some of it to the waiting room so plenty of people got to enjoy it, Teddy. I can’t,” she blinked and sniffed, trying to fan away the tears threatening to drop. “I can’t thank you enough for the party. It was a shock, the best surprise really, and so great. Until you nearly died.”
“I’m happy for you both, and it was my pleasure. But this was all Tate, I just put it together.”
“You have to forgive him sometime, Teddy.” That came from Max, a dark scowl on his face as he stood to make room for the doctor and nurse entering my room.
“There’s nothing to forgive, Max. He was helping me and then he wasn’t. No big deal. I’m a big girl and I have been taking care of myself for a really long fucking time.” Even if I did let myself forget for a little while. Max and I were trapped in a staring contest until the nurse checked me out while the doctor gave me orders for wound care, painkillers and walking.
“It’ll be difficult at first, but we have a wheelchair to help you get around. But only short trips, like the bathroom,” the doctor emphasized. “And here are your prescriptions. Feel free to call if you have any questions.” I smiled, grateful she hadn’t accidentally spilled my secret.
Finally, I was free to go home. The drive was short and silent, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to stumble to my sofa and get lost in a few days of Netflix bingeing.
“Fuck my life,” I groaned as Max stopped in my driveway where Detectives Haynes and Dobbs waited. With Tate.
“You have to deal with them some time,” Jana offered, most unhelpfully.
“Actually, I don’t.” It was a struggle, but I managed to get out of the car without any help. But Max wasn’t moving all that quickly so I stood, wobbling on one leg and trying like hell not to fall. I watched Max yank the chair from the back of his truck and struggle to open it. “Bring it here.”
He ignored me, still fumbling with it and letting out long strings of colorful curses. “Fuck this shit. Tate,” he yelled and motioned to me.
“I don’t need any help. I need the goddamn wheelchair,” I yelled, holding a hand up to stop Tate’s movement and nearly toppling over as I grew unsteady.
But what did it matter what I wanted with two overbearing men around? Tate scooped me off my feet and carried me up the steps, leaning down so I could unlock the door and disarm the new security system. Ignoring Tate and his big strong arms, I looked around my hou
se and noticed there were no traces of any of the shit that had gone down here over the past few months. No paint cans, no soot, no broken glass.
No fucking gifts.
