Fries Before Guys

by Vale, Lani Lynn

  I pointed to the seat where the parents sat and grinned. “Sit.”

  “Avery, no,” he tried again, backing away this time.

  “Derek,” I said softly. “This is your niece. Your sister and brother-in-law love her. They love you. The baby settled down when you came in here because she knew the sound of your voice. You’re holding this baby.”

  Derek sighed and started to jerk his suit jacket off.

  I walked up to him and took off his tie.

  When he looked down at me, there was fear in his eyes.

  “I don’t know how to hold a baby,” he told me. “I stay away from them until they can sit up on their own. When they’re not breakable.”

  “Riggs will just lie there,” I told him. “You don’t need to do anything but hold her.”

  “Riggs?” he laughed.

  “I can’t call her ‘the baby’ until we learn her name,” I pointed out. “And she reminds me of a little Martin Riggs off of Lethal Weapon. A fighter to her very core.”

  He closed his eyes with a pained expression on his face, and I started to slowly undo the buttons of his black silk shirt.

  I’d had visions of doing this again tonight, but this definitely wasn’t where I expected to be when I did it.

  Derek’s eyes caught mine, and I knew he was thinking much the same thing.

  He winked at me when I got to the last button, then shrugged that shirt off, too.

  When it got caught on his hands, I rolled my eyes and unbuttoned his cuffs, too.

  “Thanks,” he said as he got to his t-shirt and shrugged it off. “Now what?”

  “Now you sit,” Sierra said. “Get comfy.”

  Derek did, getting into the chair and propping his feet up on the ottoman.

  All the while he got comfortable, Sierra worked diligently to get the tiny little baby out of the incubator.

  I reached forward and helped with the detangling of cords, and Sierra pointed.

  “You get the baby, I’ll get the cords,” she suggested.

  So that was what I did. I picked up the cutest, tiniest little creature on the planet as Sierra got the cords, and together we moved as one to place the baby on Derek’s chest.

  Right over the tattoo that covered his heart.

  The tattoo that still brought tears to my eyes every time that I saw it.

  On the middle of his pectoral, there was a tattered black and white flag with a thin blue line coloring one of the middle lines. Underneath it, in beautiful script, it said, ‘I was born for this. I will live for this. I will die for this.’

  Sierra laid the baby right over his heart to the point where you couldn’t see the words of his tattoo, then grinned. “Perfect. Let me grab her blankets.”

  I grinned widely at Derek, who looked uncomfortable as hell, then lifted his hand to place it over Riggs’ back.

  Riggs wrapped her tiny little finger around Derek’s, and I saw him fall.

  His eyes lit up, and his mouth opened as he looked down at the tiny miracle in his arms.

  “I can’t wait to rub it in Katy’s face that I got to hold her baby first,” he snickered.

  I rolled my eyes and backed up as Sierra covered the baby with the blankets, then tucked them all around her so she was snug.

  “We do this with parents all the time,” she said as she did it. “The baby is thirty-four weeks, so almost all the way there. She’s going to be nice and healthy and strong. But the biggest concerns at this stage is of course their lungs being developed fully, and them being able to control their body temperature. The other would be eating on her own, but the way she’s going to town on that pacifier? She’s going to be okay.”

  “When will you feed her?” I asked curiously.

  “Katy will be out of surgery soon, or Logan. Then we can talk to them about what they’d like to do. Most likely we’ll supplement with formula if they’re not going to be upset. But there are other options,” Sierra chattered.

  “Am I doing it right?” Derek asked, eyes huge and worried.

  For such a big man, he was scared of an itty-bitty baby.

  It was cute as hell.

  “You’re doing fine,” Sierra snickered. “These babies are more durable than you think they are.”

  Derek swallowed.

  My phone buzzed with a text, and I opened it up to find Reese sending an update. “Your sister’s out of surgery and in recovery. They’re waiting an hour before they move her to her room.”

  Derek blew out a relieved breath.

  “Thank God.” He sighed, his eyes closing briefly.

  I quickly snapped a picture of two of my now most-favorite people and sent it to Reese. Then I sent it to Luke. Katy and Rowen. I didn’t have Logan’s number, or I’d send it to his phone, too.

  Katy wouldn’t be getting it for a while, but she’d have it when the time came.

  And that was enough.

  Reese immediately replied.

  Reese: I think you just made Luke cry.

  I barked out a laugh and showed Derek.

  He rolled his eyes. “The man is a big fuckin’ softy.”

  Then I started taking photos.

  I pulled out my ridiculously expensive camera that my dad had bought me for my birthday last year, then I went to town.

  I was thankful that I’d brought it with me to the hospital tonight. I wasn’t sure I was going to need it, but I’d wanted it just in case.

  And thank goodness I’d brought it!

  I took pictures of Derek and Riggs. I took photos of her fingers and her toes. Of the NICU area where she was at. Of her birth information on the little clear cage-like contraption. I took pictures of everything and didn’t stop until I ran out of things to take photos of.

  All the while, I continued to send photos to a group message including Luke, Katy, Logan (whom Reese had sent me the number for), Rowen, Dax (whom Derek had given me the number), Reese and Derek.

  “I hate group texts,” Derek muttered as he stared down at the baby in his arms.

  I got another text and pulled my phone out of my pocket, seeing that there were now over fifty unread messages. The last one saying that Logan was doing well in surgery.

  I volunteered to go down and sit with him.

  “You stay here and keep that baby warm,” I ordered.

  Derek narrowed his eyes. “Come down here and kiss me.”

  I didn’t bother to hide my excitement as I did just that.

  “Be good,” he ordered.

  I winked at him and trailed a finger down the length of his cheek.

  “I’ll try.”

  Then I hurried down the hall toward the elevators.

  But before going to Logan’s room, I made a detour for Katy’s.

  I knocked hesitantly on the room’s massive wood door and waited.

  Luke was the one who answered.

  He grinned when he saw me and pulled me into his arms, giving me a big bear hug that reminded me a lot of my dad.

  “Come in,” he ordered, pulling me along with him.

  I did, smiling wide when I saw Katy staring at me.

  She smiled softly, eyes tired but alert.

  “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” I teased as I walked up to the bed.

  She grinned. “I saw the picture.”

  “I have more!” I said, wiggling my camera at her.

  Katy’s smile widened a bit and she urged me over with her hand.

  I squeezed in between Reese and the wall, then opened up the camera and looked at them all on the tiny little screen.

  “Uncle Derek to the rescue,” Katy said, a rasp in her voice. “This is beautiful, Avery. Thank you.”

  “When I have my baby,” Rowen declared, hands on her hips. “I’m totally going to have you take this same picture. This is going to be a tradition with Uncle Derek from now on.”

  Dax caught his wife and pulled her into his arms, resting his head on
top of hers.

  “Knew we shouldn’t have gone out tonight,” Logan supplied from the doorway. “I had that hunch. But I couldn’t tell you no when you were so excited about that SUV.”

  I whirled to see him standing there in a hospital gown, clutching his broken arm to his chest, pulling his IV pole.

  I immediately hurried over to him and offered my arm.

  He took it, then gestured to the pole. “Help me?”

  “Logan, you dumbass,” Katy moaned from the bed. “Do you want to fall over and make them redo all the work they’ve just done?” She looked annoyed as she cast her gaze about the room. “Who was supposed to be watching him?”

  I winced. “I think that was supposed to be me. But I wanted to show you the photos I took before I went over there and showed him. I’m sorry.”

  Katy softened, then gestured at the chair.

  “Sit,” she ordered.

  Logan all but collapsed into the chair.

  “I’m not sure that your anesthesia has worn off,” I admitted, looking at him with worry.

  “That chair kicks back, I think,” Luke murmured as he stood with his arms crossed protectively against the wall nearest the door.

  Logan’s eyes moved to me. Then went to Luke. “I needed to talk to you about tonight.”

  His hand went out to catch Katy’s, and he blew out a relieved breath.

  “I think the driver that hit me was drunk.”

  Logan’s words were like a sucker punch straight to the chest.

  Jesus Christ.

  What was it going to take for people to realize that by drinking and driving, they could possibly ruin lives?

  I mean, whoever had hit Logan and Katy today could’ve taken out half of their entire family in one go!

  A baby had been inside Katy.

  And if she hadn’t been so far along, the baby might very well have not survived.

  Not to mention, if the twins had been with them… thank God that Logan’s brother had agreed to keep them.

  “Did you get the plates?” Luke asked.

  I was about to scoff at Logan, remembering the license plate when Logan nodded once, looking a bit foggy.

  He relayed the plates perfectly, though.

  Then passed the hell out.

  I looked over at Katy to see what she thought of her husband, but saw her asleep, too.

  “Well,” I croaked. “They’re just so sweet.”

  Dax snorted and walked over to where Logan was sitting straight up in the chair.

  Seconds later, Dax had Logan kicked back, the IV pole tucked close to the chair, and Rowen was laying a blanket over him.

  I felt a little unsure as I glanced around the room. As if I was the one that didn’t belong.

  “Can I go get anyone drinks? Dinner?” I asked softly.

  There was a general consensus of ‘yes’ that came out of everyone’s mouth. Then I had a list of what they wanted.

  After disappearing out into the hallway, I drew in a deep breath.

  Then blew it out slowly.

  I couldn’t afford to buy them all food and drinks. But I could make a grocery store run, make them sandwiches, and then bring them back.

  Thank goodness I still had Derek’s keys!

  Mind made up, I did exactly that, bringing it back an hour later and handing everyone their orders.

  After getting a ‘thank you’ from almost all of them, I made one final stop to drop a box outside of the NICU with Derek’s name on it, sent him a text that it was there, and went home.

  Chapter 14

  V is for Valentine Vodka.

  -T-shirt

  Derek

  I’d never been happier to pass off baby duty before in my life.

  I’d sat there for four hours before my mother had finally come to relieve me. But by that point, the baby was doing awesome and maintaining her temperature all on her own.

  I had a smile on my face as I made my way to Katy’s room since that was where everyone had gathered—or so I’d been told.

  Digging into the box that Avery had left for me with two sandwiches, some chips, and a drink inside, I found my keys and grinned.

  She hated holding my keys.

  Apparently, they were too bulky.

  Whatever.

  Smile still in place, I made my way into Katy’s room to find both Katy and Logan asleep, and the rest of my family talking quietly in the corner of the room.

  Who I didn’t see was Avery.

  But for the moment, my mind was caught on what my dad was discussing with Dax.

  “Back up,” I ordered. “What happened?”

  “Logan and Katy’s car was hit by a drunk driver,” Dad said.

  I winced.

  Logan and Katy had literally just picked up that SUV from Avery.

  “Well, what they originally thought was a drunk driver,” Dax interjected. “Did you know that Logan and Katy were driving Avery’s mom’s SUV tonight on a test drive?”

  I blinked, then remembered Avery saying something about her car being left there not mattering because Katy and Logan had it. She could just text them to keep it for the night.

  I’d been in the middle of thinking other, more salacious thoughts, and hadn’t really paid attention to anything she was saying about her car.

  I’d been thinking about later tonight and getting her into bed—my bed.

  “You think you were hit on purpose?” I asked, looking to Logan.

  He nodded once, having woken at some point after I’d entered the room.

  “I talked it out,” he rasped, much more alert every second that passed.

  He’d broken his arm and had pins in it that were keeping it straight.

  My sister was much better off than him. She’d had her C-section, and a bit of bleeding from her spleen. They’d had to remove her spleen, and that was that. She’d have a normal recovery as any new mom would after a C-section.

  “Okay, talk me through it,” I urged.

  He did.

  “Well, Katy and I were driving it to dinner,” he said. “We’d just turned onto the street that led away from Maude Cobb when we were passed by a car that was driving a little too fast. I ignored it. We got almost to Kobee’s when I saw a car make a U-turn and overcorrect. At least, I thought he’d overcorrected. I got his license plate the first time he’d passed me. When he hit me head-on, he didn’t have a license plate on his front. But I recognized the car because it had this stupid sun antenna topper on it. He hit us head-on. Luckily, I’d slowed down, seeing it play out before it’d actually happened.” He paused. “What makes me think it was on purpose was the way that he almost seemed to aim for me. When he was passing us originally, he sort of came into my lane a bit. At first, I thought it was because he was just going too fast, but now that I’m thinking about it, I think he was trying to run me off the road.” He exhaled. “That car—Avery’s mom’s car— was fabulous. I’m talking it had great reaction time. The safety features in it… shit, I feel bad for wrecking her car.”

  “Avery won’t care,” I murmured, narrowing my eyes. “Where is Avery?”

  Logan looked around as if confused, as did Katy and my dad.

  Dax frowned.

  “I saw her there after handing out all the food…” Dad said.

  I groaned. “She went home.”

  “What?” Dad asked. “Why?”

  I rolled my eyes and pressed my hands against my eyes, trying to cut the burn that I could feel in them.

  “She’s probably thinking that this is family time and that she doesn’t want to intrude,” I muttered.

  Dad shook his head.

  “Avery really came through for us today,” he said. “I would’ve never asked her to leave.”

  “I know that,” I said. “She doesn’t.”

  “Call her and tell her to come back.”

  That was Katy, who was now more than awake and listening to our conv
ersation, too.

  I looked over at her and grinned. “I think, actually, that it’s time for us to go.”

  Dax grunted with acknowledgment, looking to Rowen who was asleep on the bed next to Katy.

  She was curled up in a ball at the end of the bed, her face resting on Katy’s thigh.

  “I agree,” Dax concurred. “She’s worn out.”

  “Too much excitement, adrenaline, and terror,” Dad agreed. “We’re staying, though.”

  I already knew that.

  “What do we do about the drunk driver that’s not actually a drunk driver?” I asked then.

  “I called in the plates. They were registered to a man that had his truck stolen two days ago in Harris County,” Dad murmured. “So that’s a dead end. We also had one good Samaritan follow the car that hit Logan and Katy until the truck broke down farther down the road. Watched him bail out of the car and run into the woods. He didn’t pursue him because apparently he disappeared into the shadows of the parking lot and couldn’t tell which way he went after that.”

  I sighed and rubbed my face with my hands.

  “I need to go. Make sure that she got there safely,” I said, pulling out my dead phone. “I also need to get a new phone because this one’s battery is awful since I did that new update on it.”

  Dad grunted out agreement. “I’ll call you and let you know if I find anything else out. Text me to let me know that Avery is safe when you get home.”

  I gave him a thumbs up and walked over to Katy, dropping a kiss onto her cheek before saying, “You got a cute kid, sister. Riggs is a fighter.”

  “Riggs?” Logan asked from beside me.

  “Well, she didn’t have a name, and Avery started calling her Riggs. After Martin Riggs off of Lethal Weapon. Something about her being a scrappy little fighter. Now everyone’s calling her that until you can come up with a real name.”

  Katy laughed, looking over at Logan with a grin.

  “I like it,” she said.

  His brows went up. “I kind of do, too.”

  Feeling more anxious by the second, I said my goodbyes and was out the door moments later.

  I didn’t want to leave Avery alone now that I’d heard about what had happened to Logan and Katy.

  It may have been an actual drunk driver. It sounded like it, even. But I trusted Logan’s judgment. If he didn’t think it was an accident, then it wasn’t an accident.