by Carian Cole
“You’re right, and I’m sorry I did that. I was dumb.”
“Apology accepted. And I’m sorry as well. But we’ve both moved on, and I hope you’ve found whatever it is you need.” I glance out the window at Juggsy, standing on the sidewalk peering in on us like a creeper. Why does she always have to be hanging around everything the guys are involved in? She’s like a parasite.
He runs his hand through his short hair. “I appreciate that.”
“What are you doing with her? How did you two even meet?” I don’t trust Jill at all, and I know her hanging out with my ex isn’t just some coincidence.
“Sue and I broke up. Jill sent me a friend request on Facebook, and we hooked up.”
“Seriously, Michael, do you really think that was just a random friend request?”
He shrugs. “She told me she has a history with the band.”
I stifle a laugh. “A history? Is that what it’s called now?”
“She’s fun.”
“I’m sure she is. She’s a troublemaker, Michael. I have no doubt she went after you to either attempt to annoy me or to try to dig info about me out of you. Please tell me you haven’t told her anything about me.”
“No…I mean she knows we were together when you started to see Storm, but I haven’t really told her anything else.”
Ugh.
“Just be careful. And keep me and Storm out of any conversations with her.” I check my watch, pretending I have somewhere to be. “It was nice to catch up, but I really have to get going.”
He nods. “Okay. Take care, Ev.”
“You too.”
I can’t get out of there and get to my car fast enough. What an awkward run-in. And I know that bitch orchestrated meeting him as part of her agenda to screw her way through anyone and everyone even remotely connected to the band. She’s sick.
When Storm calls later I’m going to tell him about this. He’ll be all sorts of gloaty over Michael admitting he fucked up.
Chirping birds wake me, and I blink in confusion for a few seconds before I realize it’s the ringtone on my cell phone and not real birds. My eyes focus on the digital clock next to the bed, the glowing blue numbers indicating it’s seven o’clock. I can’t believe I slept for almost four hours. I fumble for the phone and hold it to my ear.
“Hi, honey. It’s a good thing you called, or I might have slept all night.”
“Evie, what the fuck is going on?” The anger in his voice instantly snaps me awake.
“Huh? Did you call earlier? I was asleep—”
“No, this shit plastered all over social media with you and fucking Michael.”
I bolt up. “What?”
“I’ll send you screenshots. Look at your phone messages.”
I put Storm on speaker and bring up my messenger app, watching as the images of Jill’s social media accounts come through, showing a photo of Michael touching my stomach with the words “Evie Valentine getting cozy with her ex while Storm’s away. Is this really Storm’s baby? #blizzardchick #babydaddydrama”
“Oh, fuck!” I yell. “That fucking bitch!”
“You want to tell me how she got these, Evie? What the hell is your ex’s hand doing on my wife? And my baby?” I can hear him sucking in and exhaling smoke. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” he rasps.
He’s smoking a cigarette. He hasn’t touched one since he quit, right after we met. He’s pissed. My heart and stomach sink and the baby gives me a sharp kick.
“Storm, let me explain.”
He exhales again but says nothing.
“I was at the café when you texted me. I told you that. As I was leaving, Michael and Jill came in. I was surprised to see them together. He asked if he could talk to me alone for a minute. I didn’t want to, but I was afraid they might cause a scene and that’s your brother’s cafe. I was afraid of something exactly like this happening.”
“Go on.”
“He just wanted to ask how I was, I think. He said he missed me and that he fucked up. I told him I was happy, and I told him to watch out for Jill because she didn’t just contact him randomly. She wanted to start shit. God knows what kind of info he’s feeding her about me.”
“And how did his hand get on you?”
“He just reached out and touched me. I backed away, but she must have taken the picture just as he did it. I would never let him touch me, Storm. For God’s sake, everyone in the café knows me. If anything were going on I wouldn’t be doing it there, of all places. And I would never do anything like that with anyone, anyway. I love you.”
“Evie, I know you wouldn’t cheat on me. That never even entered my mind. But I don’t want his hands on you, and I don’t want him fucking with your head.”
“He didn’t.”
“Telling you he misses you and admitting he fucked up is trying to get you to second-guess leaving him and doubt me.”
“I’ve never second guessed leaving him or being with you. You’re the only guy for me and we both know that.”
“I know, but he’s hoping you change your mind. I’m gonna kill both those assholes. The whole fucking world has seen those pics.”
“I thought you said we should ignore this stuff,” I say. This is awful…all the fans seeing this…making it look like I’m cheating and the baby might not be Storm’s. It’s nauseating, and way worse than fans saying crazy things to get attention. Jill did this to intentionally hurt and humiliate us, and neither one of us deserves it.
“This crosses a line, Evie. That bitch dragged our kid into it. I’m sick of her games.”
“She’s jealous. She thought she had a chance with you once upon a time.”
“No,” he says quickly. “She never had a chance. She turned our friendship into something it wasn’t. She fabricated it into more in her own fucked-up head.”
And this is where friends-with-benefits goes horribly wrong. I’m not going to say that and throw salt on the wound though.
“Baby, I’m sorry I yelled at you. This really caught me off guard.”
My clenched grip on the phone relaxes. “It’s okay. How many times have I blown a gasket over a picture without knowing the whole story?”
“Lotsa times,” his teasing tone is back. Thank God. “Asher’s having the lawyer contact her to get all the posts taken down.”
“Should we post something ourselves to counteract what she said? About me and the baby?”
“No. That’ll just feed what she wants, making my wife have to validate paternity to our fans. Fuck that.”
“Storm, I’m so sorry for this. It’s obvious she went after Michael for dirt, and running into me by accident was just the cherry on top for her.”
“She’s done. I just now got a text from Asher. All the band members and our wives are filing restraining and cease-and-desist orders against her. The papers will be at the house by Monday.”
“We can do that?”
“Apparently so.”
I let out a huge sigh of relief. “I really hate this stuff.”
“I know, babe. I do too. I usually don’t let this shit get to me. I just miss you, and I flew off the handle. Saying things about you and our baby is off-limits. I’m not letting her fuck with my family.”
The baby kicks me again, like she knows what’s going on and she’s mad, too.
“Can I tell you something?” I ask him before he has to go.
“Anything.”
“I just want you to know how much I love you, and I can’t wait to see you with our baby. You’re going to be an amazing dad…she’s going to love you just as much as I do.”
Although we haven’t talked about it since he shared the note with me, I know Britney’s words still haunt him, especially about him not deserving the baby.
He’s silent for a few moments before he answers. “I need to hear that sometimes. I love you both, and I’m not doing any more traveling until the bean is at least a year old. Or maybe even when she’s driving. I have to think about it.�
�
I laugh. “I would totally be okay with that. Maybe we should just name her Bean.”
“Nope. Her name is perfect, and it’s better than Bean. You’ll see.”
Chapter Fifteen
I lean against the doorframe and take a picture of Storm sitting on the floor of the nursery surrounded by pieces of wood, screws, and various hardware. The crib assembly directions are spread out in front of him, and he’s mumbling to himself. Halo walks across the room and plops down on the edge of the paper.
“I thought this would be way easier,” he says as he reaches up and ties his long hair back with a rubber band.
“Let me help you.”
“No. This is a dad thing. And you could burst at any minute.”
“I’m not due ’til next week.”
He stands and stretches. “We’re missing some screws. I have to run to the hardware store real quick.”
“Okay. I’m going to stay here and make us lunch while you’re gone.”
He pulls my huge body into his arms and kisses me tenderly, rubbing my lower back. I can’t wait to have this baby and get my body back. Storm’s been great, cuddling me all the time and always making me feel just as beautiful and sexy as he did before, but I’m beyond uncomfortable and achy.
After he leaves, I take Niko out into the yard to walk around for a few minutes. Then I start chopping up vegetables for a salad.
Not five minutes later, the doorbell rings. Wiping my hands on a towel, I waddle to the front foyer and open the door to find Asher standing there, his long hair hanging around his bearded face from under a black beanie. He’s wearing what I call his business grunge clothes—a black blazer over a white tee, faded jeans, and biker boots. Behind him, his red Porsche is parked in our driveway.
“Hey, beautiful. I stopped by to check on you guys.” He kisses each of my cheeks as he comes inside. Asher kinda spooked me the first time I met him. His intense stare and solemn aura and his resemblance to Storm freaked me out and made me uncomfortable. But now that I know him, I love him as if he were my own brother.
“Storm went to get more screws; he’s trying to put the crib together. He’ll be right back, though.”
“Trying,” he repeats with a chuckle as he follows me into the kitchen. He sits on a stool on the other side of the granite island I’m working at and grabs a peach out of the fruit basket.
I smile at him. “I’m a little nervous he needs more screws.”
“I would be too. Just be glad he’s not using super glue and duct tape.”
I laugh and, suddenly, liquid trickles down my thighs. Oh my God. Did I just pee? I look down at my feet—a small puddle of clear fluid is on the floor.
“Evie?”
I stare at him and put the paring knife down. “I think my water just broke.”
His eyes light up. “Now?” He jumps up and comes around to look.
“It did,” he says. “Come on, I’ll drive you to the hospital.” He gently takes my arm, but I tug it out of his grip.
“No…I can’t go without Storm.”
“Evie, the hospital is over half an hour away. We can’t sit here and wait. I’ll call him on the way, and he can meet us there.”
I grab the counter as I start to panic. What if he doesn’t make it in time? I can’t do this without Storm—he’s my rock and this is the scariest event of my life. We went to all the classes together. I need him to help me breathe and push and scream.
Asher strokes my back as I melt down. “It’s okay, I promise. I’ll stay with you until he gets there. Ember had Kenzi in less than two hours. I wouldn’t wait around unless you want to risk having the baby here.”
“Two hours?” I had no idea a baby could come that quickly. That’s hardly any time at all.
He nods. “The baby came really fast.” I let him lead me out of the kitchen.
“Wait, let me just go change real quick. I have some clothes down the hall in the laundry room.”
I try to call Storm from the laundry room as I change into a new flowy dress, but he doesn’t answer. The reception goes in and out on the roads up here, so I’m not surprised. Taking a deep breath, I tell myself I have to calm down for the baby. I can’t sit here and cry and waste time.
“All set?” Asher asks when I come back down the hall.
“Wait…I need my hospital bag. I just remembered.”
“Where is it?”
I point to the foyer coat closet. “It’s in the closet.”
He retrieves my bag while I try to call Storm’s cell again, but it just rings and goes to voice mail.
“I can’t reach him,” I say, tears springing to my eyes.
Asher smiles calmly at me. “We’ll call him when we get to the bottom of the hill, and he can meet us at the hospital.”
I look at him skeptically. I want to wait here for Storm. That’s how I always envisioned it in my head—us driving to the hospital together, holding hands in the car.
“My brother will kill me if I don’t get you to the hospital, Evie.”
“Okay. I guess you’re right.”
Holding my hand, he walks me outside to his car and opens the passenger door for me. I’ve never seen such a small car in my life. I don’t know how it can be so expensive when it’s hardly a car at all.
“Ash…I can’t get in there.”
“It’s small but you’ll fit. Trust me.” He moves the passenger seat as far back as it will go, which isn’t far.
I lift my dress a few inches from my ankles, and he helps me into his sardine can on wheels.
“This is a nightmare. My ass is bigger than this entire car.”
He laughs as I slowly lower myself onto the seat. “See?” he says. “You fit.”
Barely. My stomach is almost touching the dashboard.
He closes the door and puts my suitcase in the trunk; then he jumps behind the wheel, spins the car in a tight circle in our driveway, and zooms down to the street.
I’m scared out of my mind. The baby bean is coming, and Storm isn’t with me. He’s going to be so heartbroken when he finds out I’m on my way to the hospital without him. My hand flies to my stomach when a sudden pain roils through me.
“You okay?” Asher asks, glancing at me. “Was that a contraction?”
Was it? Already? “I think so. I’m not really sure.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get us there.”
“Were you there when Kenzi was born?” I ask. I need to keep talking to distract myself from having the mother of all panic attacks because I’m terrified that might make the baby come faster. Oh God, I can’t have my baby on the side of the road.
“I was there the entire time.”
“Was it awful?”
“No. It was beautiful, watching her come into the world.”
“Were you scared?”
He nods as he expertly navigates us through traffic and onto the highway. “I was petrified. We both were. But sometimes the scariest things are the most special things.”
“Do you think Storm will be scared?”
“Yeah. I do.” Asher squeezes my hand. “He won’t let you see it, though.”
I smile and blink back tears. “You’re right about that.”
“Try calling him now that we’re off that mountain.”
I dig my phone out of my purse and call Storm’s cell phone. Finally, he answers.
“Hey, babe. I just called the house to see if you wanted some ice cream.”
“My water broke! I’m on the way to the hospital with Asher right now.”
“What? Now?”
“Yes, we’re about halfway there. I wanted to wait for you but he said we shouldn’t wait. Just in case. I was worried-”
“No, you shouldn’t wait. Shit, I’m almost home, I’m gonna turn around and head to the hospital. Are you okay?” Urgency and worry lace his voice.
“I’m okay, just really nervous and I wish you were here.”
“I’ll be there baby, I promise. What the hell
is that noise?”
“Asher’s car engine.”
“You’re in the Porsche?”
“Yeah, he squished me in.”
“I’ll kill him. Why didn’t he take your SUV?”
Good question. “I don’t know. We weren’t thinking.”
“This is faster and cooler,” Asher says loudly enough for Storm to hear, winking at me.
“How did you get with Asher?”
“He just stopped by the house after you left.”
“As always with his weird lucky timing.”
“Storm, don’t drive like a maniac trying to get there. The baby’s not coming immediately,” I say, ignoring Asher’s look as another pain rips through me.
“Okay. I’ll see you there. I love you, babe.”
“I love you, too.”
“I forgot you had a car,” Asher says when I end the call.
“I did too.”
“This is a better story to tell everyone—your brother-in-law racing you to the hospital in a Porsche.”
God. I hope no one sees us. Social media will have a field day with Asher Valentine taking his pregnant sister-in-law to the hospital with Storm nowhere in sight. I wince and smile at him. I know he’s trying to make me laugh, but I’m too worried to have a sense of humor right now.
When we arrive at the hospital, Asher pulls right into the emergency entrance and jumps out to grab a wheelchair and sprints with it to my door to gently help me out of the car and into the chair.
I send Storm a text to let him know we’re here as Asher wheels me inside, yelling for a nurse.
“I better be this kid’s favorite uncle,” he says.
“I’m sure you will be.”
“Oh my God, is that the singer from Ashes & Embers?” I overhear a nurse say.
Another chimes in. “I think it is! He’s hot as hell. Maybe that’s his girlfriend!”
“He’s married,” the nurse shoots back.
“He can be married and still have a pregnant girlfriend!”
As I rub my forehead, hoping this doesn’t turn into a circus of rumors, my phone beeps with a text:
STORM: I’m almost there. I love you and baby bean. xoxo
The nurses whisk me into a private room, still whispering about who Asher is, while he waits just outside the door, calling family to let them know where we are. Meanwhile, I’m changed into a robe and hooked up to all sorts of monitors.
