Grill (The Wounded Sons Book 3)

by Leah Sharelle

  “Copy that, sir.”

  No matter the reason behind the warning, Booth was right. I had a personal life and a professional one, one more dangerous than the other. The task of finding Addy was in the best hands; all I had to do was go do my job and wait for word from Booth or Ford.

  Easier said than done.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ADELINE

  “Well, Ms Welham, you’re approximately seventeen weeks into your pregnancy and everything seems fine. Your blood pressure is a little high, but nothing I am too worried about considering your profession and workload.”

  Letting out the breath I was holding, and I smiled at my OBGYN with relief.

  “I was going to ask you about the hours I do, being on my feet most of the day concerns me a little,” I admitted.

  “As your pregnancy progresses, you need to rest more, get off your feet in-between patients, and think seriously about cutting your workload in half, at least in the last trimester. And I don’t have to tell you to be careful when it comes to animal manure, or lifting heavy animals onto the examination tables.” I heard everything being said, understood it even, but I was stuck on the fact that I was facing less workload, which meant fewer patients, which in turn equalled less money. Hiring another vet was out of the question, what would be the point in shelling out more money in wages, the outcome would be even worse. My student loans were paid off, but the mortgage for the clinic and my house still a hefty monthly slice into my profit margin. My plan to work right up to delivery suddenly in jeopardy if I didn’t look after myself and rest.

  Rest and paying back the bank didn’t exactly go hand in hand, but I was going to have to find a way.

  “I see you look worried about something Ms Welham, perhaps the baby’s father can help you?” the nosey baby doctor enquired, scooting forward in her expensive leather chair. I could almost hear the unspoken question the whole town wanted to be answered.

  Who knocked up the vet?

  What could I say? Oh, I fucked a solider during some down time while the country’s worst bushfires blazed around us. Oh, and it was the single most profound moment of my life and I have no idea who he is.

  Yeah, that would go down well with the town gossips.

  “It is just me, thank you, doctor, I will take your advice on board,” I announced, standing as gracefully as I could in the heels I’d chosen to wear to my appointment, the reason for getting dressed up this way eluded me for the moment.

  “You can make another appointment with my receptionist, and we will need to see you at twenty weeks for an ultrasound; we accept private health insurance or cash for those.” Nosey baby doctor informed me with a snobby huff, not even looking at me as she spoke.

  Yeah, like I am coming back here, I kept that snarky comment to myself, however. I wasn’t destitute, but I also didn’t have money to throw away on ultrasounds at a private clinic. Maybe I should ask my GP for a referral to go to the local hospital instead, do share-care with my doctor and the prenatal clinic. Hundreds of thousands of women in Australia did it, why was I any different.

  Walking straight past the reception desk, ignoring the disgruntled woman behind the desk, I walked outside and immediately took off the stupid heels. I couldn’t care less how ridiculous I looked walking down the main street in a high waisted skirt, blouse and no shoes. My comfort and my baby’s safety meant more to me than pride or reputation. Sooner or later, I was going to have questions thrown at me about my baby and the father. People’s natural instinct to know other people’s business would eventually rear its ugly head, and I was going to need something to tell them, other than to bugger off. My practice depended on me being diplomatic, my child’s financial future also. Everything was my responsibility; the clinic the mortgages and my baby, all of it.

  A panging ache settled in my chest, as it did, whenever I thought about going it alone, not that my whole life had been any different, but it would have been nice to have a supportive partner taking this journey with me … have Marshall with me.

  “Ridiculous pipe dream Adeline, you know better than to wish for something you know you can’t ever have,” I scolded myself out loud.

  “I’m sorry were you talking to me?” a sweet voice asked, startling me.

  “Oh, shit, sorry, you scared me,” I breathed, holding my hands to my belly, then noticed that the person the voice belonged to was doing the same, only her belly bump was much bigger than mine. Taking in the lady I couldn’t help be jealous of her thick, long blonde hair that fell in soft waves over her shoulders and down her back. A long way down her back.

  “Feet swelling?” the pretty blonde asked, smirking at my heels dangling from my fingers.

  Looking down at my hand, I let out a droll laugh, and the expensive black Mimco strappy shoes had been an impulse purchase, one I regretted the minute I walked out of the store. A trip to Melbourne turned into an extravagant day of overspending. Wearing the shoes today to my appointment had been a necessity more than a fashion decision. I had to justify spending four hundred dollars and the only way to do that was to wear the stupid bloody things. Sometimes a girl on a budget needed to spurge, then deal with the buyers remorse afterwards.

  “Um, yeah. I don’t know what I was thinking of wearing ten-centimetre stilettos when I am nearly eighteen weeks pregnant,” I replied ruefully.

  “Oh my god, I am eighteen weeks too! How exciting!” the blonde shouted excitedly, jumping up and down, her hands cradling her big belly.

  Frowning, I glared at her belly, then back up at her smiling face. “Really?” I hesitated then coughed when her smile turned into a pouty frown, “I mean, oh, really, that is exciting,” I agreed, nodding my head, trying desperately to cover my careless comment.

  “I know, I am huge, aren’t I?”

  “Oh no! I didn’t mean—”

  “It’s fine hon; I really don’t care. My name is Wren, by the way, and if you saw this one’s daddy, you would understand why I am so big,” Wren laughed, still holding onto her bump. Her friendly smile and easy-going nature were putting my mortification at ease.

  “Big guy, hey,” I smirked.

  “Oh, honey, Bastian’s muscles have muscles. Hmm mmm, I miss my man,” Wren’s sigh wasn’t sad as much as it was … needy.

  “Explain please?” I asked, suddenly intrigued.

  “Bastian, my fiancée, is a soldier in the Australian Army. He is away on deployment at the moment. He has only seen two months of my pregnancy so far, but what he does is very important and I couldn’t be prouder. He doesn’t think he will be away too much longer, which is good because I have just about had enough with tile samples, flooring samples, and god bless him, his father,” Wren huffed dramatically, but the beaming smile on her face told a different story altogether.

  “I take it you are building a new home.”

  “And trying to arrange a wedding, and keep his dad calm, all while growing a human.” Wren nodded. “Who said women couldn’t multitask?”

  “No one ever!” I quipped, then joined Wren in a giggle.

  “Hey, would you like to get something to eat?”

  Mentally, I went through my patient schedule, quickly figuring I had at least another hour before I had to be back at the clinic. I had planned to use that time for a quick nana nap, but suddenly company for lunch sounded much better.

  “Absolutely. As long as we can eat somewhere close by, my feet won’t go back into these shoes any time soon, and I really don’t want to look like I am doing the walk of shame barefoot.”

  “Oh, honey, you sound like fun,” Wren declared, hooking her arm through mine and guiding us down the footpath. “I know a place where you can get the best caramel slice in the world.”

  “For lunch?” I asked, shocked, but my stomach grumbled wholeheartedly in agreeance.

  “We’re pregnant, and we can have whatever we want.” Wren winked at me.

  “Oh, you are definitely fun. I’m Addy, by the way,” I mimicked Wren’s comment, lau
ghing with her, my earlier moment of loneliness suddenly lifting for the first time in a very long time.

  ***

  I rubbed my cheeks with the tips of my fingers, massaging the ache in them from laughing for the last twenty minutes.

  Wren had brought me to a cute little cake shop, well it was more than just cakes. The glass display cabinets that lined the front of the store held a delicious array of slices, cupcakes, pastries and cream delicacies that simply boggled my mind, and tempted to derail my sensible pregnancy diet.

  As soon as we sat down, a pretty blonde woman Wren called Stella, brought us a sweet milky concoction topped with lashings of whipped cream and a heavenly warm chocolate sauce. Then came the food, oh my god, the food. Not a lettuce leave, or cherry tomato in sight. Nothing but sweet thick custards, sugary apple, and fudgy chocolate; everything you would need to bring on a bout of gestational diabetes.

  Stella reached for her coffee and brought it to her lips, her eyes studying me.

  “So, Addy, which clinic do you own in town? I have a friend with rabbits—”

  “Not Kelsey?” I asked.

  “Yep, that’s her. Poor woman can’t handle it when she loses a rabbit, and she keeps naming them all —”

  “Peter!” I finished for her, collapsing into more giggles, Stella and Wren joining me.

  Glancing out the window, I noticed not for the first time, a very big, very handsome, and very intense man sitting on an intimidating Harley staring at us from his position directly in front of the shop. His intense gaze directly on Stella.

  “Um, have you noticed a man on a big bike is staring at you, Stella?”

  “Yep. That is my husband, Booth,” Stella explained, turning her attention to the man and smiled saucily at him. “Hunky, isn’t he?”

  “My goodness, yes he is,” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

  Slapping my hand over my mouth, my eyes bugged and I felt my face flame in embarrassment. “Oh no, I am so sorry,” I repeated again for the second time in less than an hour. Seriously, being pregnant was messing with the responsible adult I once used to be.

  “Oh please, the man is an Adonis,” Stella huffed, waving her hand at the window.

  “Look all you want; the man only has eyes for me.”

  The confidence in her man oozed from Stella, so much that I envied her and I hardly knew her. If only I had ...

  “Addy? You okay, sweetie?” Wren asked, placing her hand over mine. That small kind gesture bringing tears to my eyes.

  Bloody hormones.

  “I’m fine, just fine. I guess seeing— it doesn’t matter. Listen, I really need to get back to work,” I announced abruptly, standing too quickly to get away and my foot, which had my heel back on turned on the side and I before I knew it I was falling to the ground. In my panic, I wrapped my arms around my bump and hit the floor hard on my side, crying out.

  “Addy!” Wren shouted at the same time, Stella yelled out, “Booth!”

  The sound of heavy boots came at me, and just like that, the hunk on the bike was kneeling down in front of me. Even in pain and panic, I couldn’t help the intake of breath I made as I stared into the most amazing grey eyes I have ever seen as they searched my face with concern.

  “Hey, lovely, are you okay? Anything hurting?” hunk asked in a deep, deep timbre that sounded so—.

  “Huh? You have a strong jaw, and your nose is perfectly straight.” I kept sharing like the idiot I had suddenly become.

  “Is that right, come on darlin’, let’s see if we can get you up and see if anything is hurting,” the man, Booth, suggested, putting his arms under my legs and back and lifted me effortlessly up into his arms and held me against his very strong, very broad chest.

  Something about him nagged at me; he looked like no one I had ever met before, yet he seemed so familiar.

  “Any pain, Addy?” Stella asked me, her voice laced with worry as she pulled over a padded office chair from behind a wall and quickly wheeled it to the middle of the room. Booth placed me gently on it, then knelt back down in front of me.

  “Did that hurt when I lifted you or put you down in the chair?”

  I wiggled my hips experimentally on the cushion. Other than a slight ache, nothing hurt badly nor did I feel any cramping.

  “I don’t think so. Nothing feels wrong or different.”

  “Oh, thank god!” Wren gushed, coming to my side, getting awkwardly down on one knee. “Maybe it is time to give the sexy heels up until baby gets here, yeah?” Wren suggested, with a sly grin.

  “Definitely,” I agreed in relief, my hand going to my belly, “they hurt anyway.”

  “Why do women suffer for fashion?” Booth drawled, narrowing his grey eyes first at me then at Wren, and finally his wife, who just laughed at him.

  “Because Boothie-poos, we like how sexy heels make our calves look and so do our men,” she sassed at him. A low growl followed from Booth and a heated exchange of eye contact passed between the couple, causing me to look away.

  “Tonight, Honey, you will show me just how sexy,” Booth ordered in that familiar deep timbre.

  Damn why is his voice affecting me? I have never seen this man in my life, let alone heard him speak until now.

  “Addy is there anyone I can call to help you home?” Wren asked, pulling my attention away from Booth, thank god.

  “No, and I really need to get back to work. Thank you all for your help; I promise no more heels.” Getting slowly to my feet, Booth rose at the same time, his height now becoming apparent. He was so intimidating, but not in a scary way.

  “Look darlin’; I don’t think it is a good idea for you to work today. Your husband would not be happy to know you took a spill and still went on with your day,” Booth told me, and instantly my wall went back up. Since meeting Wren and then Stella, all my insecurities had taken a back seat, and I even shared personal information with them I rarely talked about with anyone. I allowed myself to enjoy their company and got to know the women without any of my usual inhibitions. I hadn’t done that since my night with Marshall. Not that I gave even him too much about myself, something I wished I really had now.

  Seeing Booth look at his wife with that smouldering gaze, and her obvious devotion, caused a pain that had nothing to do with my fall.

  I wanted that, craved it even.

  “There isn’t a husband, and no, there isn’t a boyfriend either. Just my baby and me.”

  Grabbing my bag from Wren, I lifted one foot and removed my shoe then did the same with the other foot.

  “Please don’t worry. Wren, we still on for next week?”

  Wren bobbed her head. “Absolutely. I have your number so I will text you the address of the club. If you need a ride, just let me know, and Booth can organise someone to get you.”

  Biting back the refusal for help, I allowed myself to accept.

  “Thank you, Wren. I have to get going; my next patient will be waiting not so patiently for me. He is probably piddling on my floor as we speak,” I laughed, taking a few experimental steps, relieved to feel nothing.

  “Excuse me?” Booth gaped at me.

  “I’m a vet, and the patient waiting for me is a boxer,” I explained, smiling. “He gets a little excited and tends to pee all over the floor.”

  “Delightful!” Stella joked, but it was Booth’s response that intrigued me.

  “You’re a vet? Do you do any volunteer work?”

  “Yes, all the time. I love animals and help wherever and whenever I can. I spent a week in Gippsland, mainly in Mallacoota, helping with the koalas caught in the recent bushfires,” I replied, rather proudly. That week had been full of sadness seeing so many wild creatures burned and many killed, being a vet I was used to seeing death, but the destruction a fire caused wasn’t something I had been prepared for at the time. The toll of so much death staggered me, meeting Marshall and spending that memorable night had gone a long way in my healing.

  “That is very commendable Addy, is t
hat your name?” Booth enquired, but it was the way he said my name that brought a line of goosebumps to run up my spine.

  “Yes, it is actually Adeline, Dr Adeline Welham.”

  “Lovely to met you Addy.” Booth held out his hand, his large hand to me. I took a second or two but I eventually placed mine in his and felt a rush of warmth.

  “You too,” I murmured, sliding my hand out of his and covertly rubbing it down the side of my dress.

  What the hell is going on? I know I am not attracted to this man; it was not that. There was something I couldn’t put my finger on.

  “Do you have a brother?” I blurted out, then regretted it when Booth’s grey eyes went from intensely curious to intensely guarded.

  “No,” he clipped, then turned around and walked away, taking his wife with him.

  Weird, very, very weird.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  GRILL

  “Okay, Bombshell, yeah I know, I hate that I am going to miss it too, baby.”

  I listened to Bastian talk to his fiancée while lying in my bunk, calling on all my military training not to get up and belt the shit out of my LT.

  Hearing him upset that he was most likely going to miss Wren’s upcoming doctor’s appointment was just a reminder of the appointments I must have missed already, if the woman who changed me with one night, was pregnant with my baby.

  “I’m glad you have a new friend, someone to share all your cravings with too.”

  If Addy was pregnant, was she experiencing food cravings too?

  “I can’t wait to get my hands on your belly babe, or get my—”

  “Oh, fuck, Ammo, give it a fucking break for Christ’s sake!” I complained loudly. Hearing about Wren’s belly was one thing, but hearing anything that had to do with sex was not something I needed right now. My dick had been in a constant state of semi-arousal since leaving Gippsland, leaving Addy. Technically she left me, but either way, I missed the feel of her naked body against me. Her soft skin under my hands, and her moans, fuck, her moans were better than a Pornhub video.