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“Oh, um, fine, I suppose. The club’s as busy as ever. We did our back-to-school supplies drive last week and had a great turnout.” A hint of pride glows in Starla’s hazel eyes.
“That’s fantastic,” Dallas says.
“Thanks.”
An awkward silence lingers, and in it, I sense the tension crackling between them once more. Dallas’s eyes lower to his plate in a rare sign of bashfulness I never thought I’d see from Gabe’s most charming and witty friend.
“Your plate’s empty,” Starla observes. “Would you like some more?” She goes as if to rise.
“I’ll get it!” I offer, jumping up from my seat a bit more quickly than my pregnant body is used to. But I desperately want to see how this plays out. These two clearly have some connection that I’m not sure either is willing to broach. I don’t want Starla to weasel out of her discomfort by busying herself, yet again.
“So, how long are you in town for?” Dallas asks lightly.
Strange, I’d thought they were talking a good amount before the wedding, but now it seems as though they’ve completely lost touch.
“I plan on staying as long as Winter and Gabe need help with the baby. Newborns can be pretty overwhelming, and I have nothing else to do. Plus, I love babies.”
A wry grin spreads across Dally’s face, and his eyes dance. “Don’t I know it? It seems every time a new one pops up, you find a way to hold them for the club events.”
He’s been watching her hold babies?Something is definitely up.
Bending, I let the oven door fall open and reach inside to grasp the casserole dish. And freeze. Now I’ve done it. I didn’t go to the bathroom when I knew I needed to, and now fluid is rushing down my leg. I gasp, my hand mid-reach as my mind races for the appropriate reaction to have in this kind of situation.
“Winter?” Gabe asks, his tone filled with concern as he rises from his chair.
Hot embarrassment pools in my cheeks. “It’s nothing,” I rush, slamming the oven door closed. “I just… if you’ll excuse me.” I take a step forward, intending to flee toward the hallway, but the fluid’s coming more rapidly now, trickling down onto the floor as it seeps through my panties. And as I’m only wearing a summer dress, there’s not much else to stop it.
“Did your water just break?” Starla asks, her attention fully on me.
I hadn’t even thought of that. Aghast, I look down at my belly. Am I going into labor? As if in response, a wave of agonizing pain washes through me. My knees nearly buckle, and I grasp the counter with one hand as my other reaches back to grip my lower back.
Gabriel’s beside me instantly, his hand finding mine as he grips me firmly, supporting me with his body. “I think that’s a yes.”
“Holy shit,” I gasp, panic setting in. I’m not ready for this. I mean, I knew it would happen eventually. But now that it’s here, I’m not prepared to give birth to a baby. I can’t squeeze a watermelon out of my vagina. If it’s anything like that first wave of pain, I think I might just rip in two.
29
Gabriel
I am utterly terrified.Not because I’m about to become a father but because Winter is clearly in pain, and I have no clue how to help her. Sure we went to a birthing class together, and I learned how she’s supposed to push and all that. But now that the moment’s here, it seems as though all of our calm preparedness has gone right out the window.
As I drive Ruby far too quickly down the winding streets of Whitfield to the local hospital, Winter screams, her hand gripping the grab handle of the car so fiercely her knuckles are white.
“Breathe, baby,” I offer as I press the gas more firmly to the floor. I try to mimic the way the birthing class instructor showed us how.
But Winter turns fierce eyes on me. “Don’t tell me how to breathe!” she screams, her gasps heavy and desperate as a snarl twists her face.
Even when she’s crazed and blind with rage, I can’t help but think my wife is the most adorable woman I’ve ever met. I can tell she’s panicking because she doesn’t feel ready, but I have faith in her. She’s an incredible woman, and I know she’s capable of anything.
“Breathing helps the contractions,” Starla says, adding reason from the back seat.
Only then does Winter attempt to get her breathing under control, and I’m impressed by the way she manages to rein in her fear to make it happen.
When wefinallyreach the hospital, I pull up right outside the front door. I barely take the time to throw the car in park before sprinting into the hospital’s pristine reception area.
“My wife, she’s having a baby,” I announce, shouting across the space to the front desk.
A nurse follows me out with a wheelchair, bringing it right up to the passenger-side door so I can ease Winter into it as soon as she’s out of the car. As soon as she’s seated, the nurse wheels her inside the hospital doors.
