by Piper Rayne
Stella glances at me. “Awkward.”
“Come on.” I guide her down the remaining steps and to my truck, which is around the corner.
After I close my passenger door and round the back of my truck, I spot Owen sitting on a park bench, watching us. I act as though I don’t see him sitting there and climb into my driver’s seat. I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but we can talk about it later. Maybe by then my head will be on straight and I’ll remember all the reasons I promised myself I’d get over Stella.
We ride to the reception hall in silence. Unless you count Radio Ralph’s show from Sunrise Bay’s local radio station. He’s busy arguing with people who say they liked a band before they became popular. Stella laughs a few times. For some reason, it feels safer to listen to Radio Ralph than to turn the station to music. A lot of songs pull me back to that vortex of our high school years, and though I have no idea if it’s the same for Stella, I’d rather not chance it.
We park outside the reception hall, and I walk her across the parking lot, her arm in mine. Her perfume stirs up a craving for that scent to be soaked into my bedsheets. To know she was in my bed and my hands were on her. Jesus, I sound like a fucking creeper.
We pick up our table assignments, and sadly, she’s in the back with Greta from Sweet Suga Things and a few other locals, people Selene would have wanted to sit with. I’m at the family table up front.
“I guess we’ll find one another after dinner?” she says, tapping her place card against her full red lips.
I swallow deeply. “I guess. Maybe you can score the donut recipe from Greta.”
She laughs, and we part ways. I watch her walk to her table and put down her place card. The people at her table all stand and welcome her home, which makes her ebony eyes shine with happiness.
“You’re swimming through murky waters,” Austin says, clasping me on the shoulder.
Easton lies asleep over one shoulder. Austin’s suit jacket is gone, and his sleeves are rolled up. I guess when you’re a parent, you don’t really give a fuck what you look like as long as you’re comfortable.
“It’s nothing. Just gave her a ride.” I shrug.
Austin huffs. “I’m not gonna give you advice. The heart isn’t something you can negotiate with.” He looks at Easton. “All I ask is that if this doesn’t go as you’d like, don’t lose it. Okay? Just come to me and we’ll work it out.”
I nod, my eyes never straying from her.
“Forget it. I can already see that look in your eyes.” He walks away, and I briefly hear him talking to Holly about love and recklessness and no control.
At the bar, I grab a drink and think about grabbing one for Stella, but that’s weird. She’s not my date and I’ve already glanced over enough to know she’s drinking the wine on the table. And she’s holding her own at the table. She doesn’t need me to intercede.
“Hey.” Phoenix pokes her finger into my chest. “We have a problem.”
Sedona waddles up—there’s no other word for it— alongside Phoenix, laughing and asking for a club soda with a lime.
I brush my hands down my suit. “Hands off the suit, okay?”
“You bring up this ridiculous adventure race and now Griffin’s ready to train all winter in order to be prepared. He and Denver are talking about it nonstop. You better hope that Cleo or I don’t put a hit out on you.”
Sedona laughs.
I run my hand through my hair, chuckling. “He doesn’t have to do it if he doesn’t want. It was just me putting the opportunity out there.”
“And you think my survivalist boyfriend wouldn’t want to go? You’d think that him almost dying would knock some sense into him, but nooo, he still went out with Cleo and Denver for that stupid reality show.” She knocks on the bar. “Give me the strongest thing you have.”
“Phoenix,” Sedona says.
Phoenix doesn’t glance in her direction. “What?”
“This isn’t like a movie. You have to tell them exactly what you want.”
I fist-bump Sedona behind Phoenix’s back as Phoenix says, “Fine. Give me a Shirley Temple.”
I quizzically look at Sedona as she does me.
“Shirley Temple?” I ask.
“I’m getting it for Maverick, okay? He loves them.”
“Speaking of the big man.” I raise my hand up as Maverick comes to the bar. He hits my palm, but not with the gusto Dion does. Hell, Phoebe might smack harder. “Phoenix is getting you a Shirley Temple drink.”
His nose scrunches. “I’m not drinking that, Phoenix.”
“What? We can ask for extra cherries in it. I thought they were your favorite?” Her lips turn down and she glances at Sedona.
“That was last year.” He’s probably way too used to events with fancy clothes and bartenders who serve you whatever you want, thanks to the celebrity status of both his dad and Phoenix, not to mention his own mom. “I’ll have a Coke.”
Phoenix leans against the bar and sips the Shirley Temple like a sad little girl. Maverick gets his Coke and leaves, pulling his phone from his pocket.
“He’s gone. I’ve lost him,” Phoenix says.
“You have not.” Sedona wraps her arm around her twin’s shoulder. “A change in drink preference doesn’t mean anything.”
But it’s clear Sedona’s words don’t convince Phoenix.
“I need to talk to Griffin.” Phoenix pushes off the bar and weaves through the party-goers, a woman on a mission.
“What do you think she’s gonna do?” I ask Sedona.
She runs her hands over her swollen belly. “I’m afraid she’s going to make one of these.”
“That wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it?”
Sedona looks lovingly at her stomach. “No, but I’m not sure Phoenix is ready. It changes a lot.”
“Hey, you want to talk?” I knock my shoulder to hers.
She sips her drink and never looks at me. “No. Nothing is going to change. He’s not capable of being her father.”
“Her?” I ask in surprise. In the months since she’s returned, I haven’t spent nearly the time I need to with my little sister.
“Yep. A girl.” She punches me in the arm. “You better be a damn good uncle to her. It’s the only reason I came back here. She’ll need a father figure and here she has loads of uncles who will look after her.”
A tear slips and falls on her dress, darkening the light pink fabric, then another.
I pull her into a hug. “Oh, Sedona, I’ll be the best damn uncle I can be, I promise.” I draw back. “Those father-daughter dances?” I point at myself. “Count me in. Those camp-outs and whatever else dads are responsible for?” I point at myself again. “I’m there.”
I see why she doesn’t think I’d be available—I tend to stay away from Lake Starlight as much as possible. But that has to change. I need to man up because Sedona needs me. Hell, I don’t want to be the weird uncle no one truly knows or feels comfortable with. Staying away from here was easy before my siblings had families. Although I lost my parents young, it was etched into us all that family is first—always. It’s time I figure out what I really want my future to look like. I can’t keep avoiding the past. Seems it will always rise up to haunt me anyway.
“Thanks, King.” She wipes her face. “I swear I’m okay with it. My job as a freelance writer has the flexibility, but I want to find an apartment and Phoenix won’t even talk about me leaving her and Griffin’s place.” She runs her hands over her stomach again. “She’s coming soon, and I don’t want to be that mom who relies on others for everything. And Phoenix has her own life, her own family with Griffin.”
Harley chases Dion across the dance floor, catching him right before he runs into the cake table. Nearby people laugh, but Harley’s anything but amused. Dion looks a little scared for his life.
“Have you thought about talking to Harley? She’s the only one who really knows what you’re going through.”
Sedona nods. “You’re right.
That’s probably what I should do.”
“And as for having your own space. Move in with me. I have Juno’s old room empty and I’m barely there. It’s just me there so you don’t have to worry about feeling like you’re invading someone else’s family. Even if it’s not permanent, maybe it’s a better solution for you in the short term.”
“I don’t want to impose. I’m sure you don’t want to bring women home to see a pregnant girl sitting on the couch with a pint of ice cream on her belly.”
“Why does everyone think of me as this player? I don’t sleep with random women.”
She shrugs and purses her lips as though she has to think about it. What the hell? “I’m not sure. I guess I assumed…”
“Listen, I’m no saint, but I’m not a player. Hell, I’d be off the market if one woman would put a sold sign on me.” I look across the room and find Stella’s gaze on us. A small smile on her lips. But I know better than to read into any of that.
“I know.” Sedona rubs my upper arm. “Maybe this is a second chance for you guys.”
“I don’t think so, since I told her we could just be friends and she could date my best friend at the station.” That decision stings every time I think about it.
“You didn’t?” Sedona shakes her head at me, a frown on her lips.
“I did.”
“King,” she says, sighing.
“I know, I know. But seeing her back here caught me off guard, and she clearly doesn’t feel about me the way I feel about her. I’m becoming that clingy loser guy who can’t stop loving someone who clearly doesn’t fucking love him back.”
“She’s stupid and crazy if she doesn’t love you. But I think you might have it all wrong.” She turns to the bartender and asks for a lemon-lime drink. “Screw it, I’m having the sugar.”
“I don’t have it wrong. She snuck back here and never told me. She was here for six months and not one word.” I put a tip in the jar for Sedona. She needs to save her money right now.
“I think the two of you need to talk. You might have read the entire situation wrong.”
I shake my head.
“Oh shit!” Harley walks by, holding her stomach, Rome at her side. She looks at me and points her finger. “Don’t you dare say a thing. This is Braxton-Hicks.”
I raise my hands.
“There’s a lot of hostility coming your way tonight.” Sedona laughs.
Stella rises from her chair and heads over to us.
“I can’t walk. Rome.” Harley grabs his arm and drags him down to sit with her. They both fall into a chair. Well, Harley falls onto a chair. Rome falls on his ass.
“Hey, Harley, are you okay?” Stella crouches next to her.
“Stella!” Phoebe jumps at Stella.
I snatch up Phoebe and hand her off to an approaching Phoenix for the baby fix she needs.
“Let’s go into the lounge bathroom,” Stella says. “Sedona, can you make sure there are no women in there? Rome, you go and get your truck. I’ll just examine her really quick and see where we’re progressing.”
Grandma Dori must sense something is amiss because suddenly she’s there. “She’s a doctor, everyone. No worries. Oh, this is so great to have a doctor in the family.”
Stella looks at me and I roll my eyes.
After Sedona gives us the all-clear, we move Harley into the bathroom and position her on the couch. Stella washes her hands and situates herself to look under Harley’s dress, removing her underwear.
Stella swallows hard and looks at me, eyes filled with trepidation. “Harley, you’re going to have this baby right here.”
“Excuse me?” Harley tries to sit up on the couch but winces and grabs her stomach.
“It’s okay. I’m a doctor, and we have a great paramedic right here.” Stella motions to me.
Rome walks in, oblivious to the turn of events. “Come on, truck is running.”
“I’m sorry, Rome, but she’s going to have the baby here. Someone call an ambulance to come for transport.”
“On it!” Sedona says and leaves the room.
Harley groans and Rome falls to his knees at her side, taking her hand in his.
“It’s early,” she cries to Stella.
“Just sit tight. I’m going to talk with Kingston for a sec and get some supplies. I’ll be right back.” Stella nods for me to follow her out, so I do, and she leads me into the kitchen. “I need clean anything. Towels, tablecloths, whatever we can find. Do you how many weeks she is?”
I shrug. “I don’t really know.”
“When did she announce that she was pregnant?”
Again I shake my head. “I’m not always around, okay? I think at the baby shower.”
“Okay, let’s just grab what we need, and you can come back and help me.”
Once we’ve quickly gathered everything, we return to the bathroom and Stella positions herself between Harley’s legs.
“You’re sorely mistaken if you think my little brother is gonna see my wife’s pussy.”
“Rome,” Stella says. “Do you want a healthy baby?”
He frowns and points to me. “Eyes closed.” He slides onto the couch to hold his wife’s back to his front.
I leave the room and a screaming Harley to make sure that ambulance is on the way.
Twelve
Stella
Kingston not knowing how far along his sister-in-law is confirms my suspicions that he hasn’t been around Lake Starlight nearly enough. That saddens me since his entire family has found their way back here to start their families.
“Okay, Harley, when was your due date?” I ask.
“I’m, like, four weeks early.”
I nod, really hoping that ambulance is here before the baby comes out. The baby should be fine if he or she is four weeks early, but any labor has risks. Even the easiest delivery can change course quickly with a simple complication. I’d rather she have this baby in a hospital.
“What could go wrong?” She looks at Rome, who looks to me for reassurance.
But I know better than to guess what we’re dealing with here. Many a lawsuit has been filed based on some doctor looking into their crystal ball and trying to predict what may or may not happen.
Kingston comes back into the room, Grandma Dori right behind, dragging Sedona with her.
“Don’t you dare think I’m not coming in, Kingston. Sedona needs to see this to prepare herself,” Grandma Dori says.
“The baby is crowning,” I say.
We get towels situated underneath her and some extras ready. By then, Harley lets out an anguished cry.
Grandma Dori touches Harley’s hair and pats Rome’s shoulder. “How are we doing?”
“Having a baby, G’Ma D,” Rome says, a bitterness to his voice almost none of them ever have with their grandmother.
“I don’t think I want to see this,” Sedona says, standing at the end of the couch with a horrified expression.
“Nonsense. You need to know what you’re in for,” Dori says.
“Okay, she’s ready to push. You have everything?” I look to Kingston, who has a tinge of green coating his cheeks, but we’re doing this together. We have no choice.
He nods and positions the bowls, one with water and one without. “Want me to tear up the tablecloth?”
“Sure.”
He pulls it apart with ease, the muscles in his arms and chest bunching with the effort. I’m flabbergasted that I can actually be aroused when I’m about to deliver a baby.
“Shit, Hercules,” Rome says.
Once we’re all ready, I inhale, praying I don’t do anything to mess this up. There’s added pressure when you’re surrounded by people you know.
Another contraction starts.
“Okay, push, Harley,” I say.
She puts her hands on her knees and pushes. Her red face says she’s doing everything she can. The only good thing is she’s had three kids already, so this should go fast. The head comes out with ease, and Kings
ton hands me a towel to remove the membranes from the little one’s airway.
“Oh my God,” Sedona says. I take a quick glance at her, who looks as if she might puke.
I massage the skin around the shoulders, helping to ease them out one at a time. “One more push on the next contraction.”
“I really wanted to be present for the birth, but the things I’ve seen happen on that sofa.” Grandma Dori cringes. “It’s been here for ages. Your grandfather and I made out on it once, and then he always did this thing with his—”
“Thoughts to yourself,” Rome yells at his smiling grandma, who’s reliving another time on this couch.
Harley’s head moves side to side on Rome’s chest. “I cannot believe this is happening.”
But she pushes one more time when the contraction hits, and the baby slides out. I hand what I see is a little boy to Kingston, who has a clean towel available.
“I’m scarred for life! Thanks, Grandma!” Sedona races from the room as fast as her belly will allow her.
“Unbutton the top of her dress,” Kingston says to Rome.
“Um, hell no,” Rome says with a scowl.
“I’ll open it.” Grandma Dori reaches forward.
Harley looks petrified and she just gave birth to a baby in a bathroom.
“Skin to skin is best,” Kingston says. “Jesus, I don’t care about Harley’s tits, Rome.”
“Especially because he’s early and won’t have as much fat on him as he would otherwise,” I agree with Kingston, but Harley’s already opening her dress.
Kingston places the baby on her chest, pulling the towel over him. Sirens sound from outside and Kingston rushes from the room. Paramedics come in a few minutes later and there’s still no placenta, so I give them the lowdown on everything that’s happening.
“Thank you, Stella.” Harley grips my hand. “And Kingston, you too.” Tears well in her eyes. “Thank you both.”
“You’re welcome.” I smile and watch while the paramedics leave the room, along with everyone but Kingston. I wash my hands then sit on the sofa, my hands still shaking.
After cleaning up the blood and mess, Kingston washes his hands. “You were amazing.”
