Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
The ladies launch into chatter about someone named Veronica, and I immediately tune out. I look around for Janelle, spot her still in place with the other kids, but she’s not talking to anyone. Merely listening.
Like me.
“It would be maybe two to three hours a day, Riggs.”
“Huh?” I give my attention to Clarke who just said something, but I didn’t catch all of it.
Clarke nods to Ella. “She said your sister might be interested in working at the bookstore after school?”
“Um, yeah,” I reply, although I have no clue if this is a good idea. “I mean… I have to see if she’s interested, of course.”
“Sure,” she says brightly. “Let me know, and we can get her going as soon as she wants. Over the holidays, even.”
I nod, but no one is paying attention to me as Kane says, “So the three flavors of cake we’ve narrowed in on—”
Uninterested in cake flavors, I look around to figure out my escape. Jim claps me on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go find some beer and testosterone-driven conversation.”
No helping my laugh and my gratitude. While I respect the fuck out of Kane as a teammate and am grudgingly happy for his newfound love, I can’t hear another second about the wedding.
Jim and I step away, but Aaron looks panicked that we’re leaving him behind. Unfortunately, Clarke has her arm firmly locked in his as she listens to Kane talk about cake. I snicker, and Jim and I move toward the bar.
“Oh. My. God.” The voice is terrified and out of control—loud enough to be heard above the crowd and Christmas music playing in the background—and we spin in that direction. “Someone call an ambulance.”
That’s Erik’s voice.
Jim and I, along with throngs of people, move toward the source of his urgent declaration. We push through the crowd along with several other Vengeance players—because we’re big and can hip check the fuck out of someone if need be—to find Erik standing with Blue. Erik looks pale, like he’s going to pass out.
Blue is holding her hand under her very large belly, bent slightly forward as if she’s uncomfortable, one hand on Erik’s arm. She looks totally calm in opposition to her husband’s alarmed expression, and I’m not sure if she’s steadying him or what—but she gives him an exasperated look.
“I don’t need an ambulance,” she snaps irritably. “Just a calm, rational person to drive me to the hospital. I’m in labor.”
Everyone around issues exclamations of joy and congratulations that Blue appears to be in labor. Erik looks like he’s going to puke, and there’s no way he’ll get her to the hospital safely. Jett moves to his side and urgently chants, “Breathe… just breathe, Erik. Deep breath in, long one out.”
Blue rolls her eyes at Jett, but Erik starts deep breathing, which frankly can’t hurt.
Someone jostles my arm, and I look down to see Janelle poking her head past me. “What’s going on?”
“Blue’s in labor. Erik’s freaking out.”
Janelle’s expression doesn’t change. No joy. No amusement. No interest.
I make a command decision, stepping out of the crowd and pulling my car keys from my pocket. “Come on,” I say to Blue, with a side glance at Erik. “I’ll drive you both, and Erik can sit in the back seat with you.”
This is code for “Erik is too discombobulated to drive,” and if anyone is looking for deeper meaning, they’d notice an “I’m done with the Christmas party and want to leave” sentiment and even a little deeper, “Maybe Janelle will snap out of her funk.”
I look over my shoulder at my sister. “Come on. We’re on a mission.”
She blinks in surprise because she knows I don’t put myself out there with the team.
It’s the first genuine expression I’ve seen all night.
CHAPTER 2
Riggs
“That went a lot smoother than I thought it would,” I say offhandedly to Janelle as we get back in my car—a midsize Lexus, which is sedate by most professional hockey player standards. I don’t spend money on flashy things. I squirrel it away because I fully understand how fleeting any given situation can be and how life can change on a dime.
Janelle doesn’t respond, but quietly puts on her seat belt.
She seems completely calm while my heart is still racing. While there wasn’t a crazy sense of urgency of an impending birth in the back seat of my car, it was still a thrilling ride through Phoenix traffic to get to Erik and Blue’s preferred hospital.
Blue was quite calm, spending most of the drive reassuring Erik, who at least was not freaking out as much as I thought he’d be. Janelle craned her neck curiously to look into the back every time Blue had a contraction. I kept my eyes on the road, but I could hear Erik’s gentle encouragements and Blue huffing and puffing through the pain.