Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87990 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
But first, Marta’s Chiles En Nogada. “Hello, lover,” I said as I opened the Tupperware and breathed in the fiery poblano peppers and ground picadillo. I was just about to take my first bite when the doorbell rang.
“Damn it.” I hoisted myself out of the chair and waddled to the door, disappointed and a little surprised to see Xander on the other side. “Oh, it’s you,” I greeted. “Hale’s not here.”
“Rayne.” Why did my name always bother me when he said it? “You’re looking…uncomfortable. Hale told me to meet him here. He’s on his way.”
“Come on in.” Buttressing a hand at my back, I waddled back to the kitchen, leaving Xander in the foyer.
“He has some papers he wanted me to sign before he goes on baby leave. Which, by the looks of things, should have already started. Are you overdue?”
I sat down and glared at him over my stuffed pepper. “You’re very funny.”
“I try.” He sat across from me, always making himself right at home. “What is that?”
“It’s mine.” On second thought, I slid the spicy dish closer to him. “Did you want to try?”
He leaned forward and sniffed. “I’m set.”
Great. So he was just going to sit there and watch me eat. Awesome…
“How’s Tyler?”
I chewed slowly, narrowing my eyes. “Why do you care?”
He shrugged. “Just being polite.”
“How courteous of you. Tyler’s great. He’s dating this fabulous architect he met in Malibu last month.” That was a lie. Tyler was stuck in boring Oregon, reading a book a day and doing the same old stuff he usually did, but I wasn’t about to tell Xander that. “The new guy’s a real hottie.”
“Good for him.”
“It’s great for him. He’s not a man-child like the first guy he slept with, and he doesn’t play games. Rumor on the street is, he’s so hung he could make a Clydesdale blush. Also good, because I heard the first guy also had a micro-penis.”
“I know for a fact that’s not true.”
I shrugged and scraped up the last bite of peppers and sauce. “I can only go by what I hear.” I wiggled my pinkie. “Hung like a light switch.”
He narrowed his eyes and inhaled slowly. “Any idea how far away Hale is?”
I hoisted myself out of my chair and carried my plate to the sink. My stomach tightened and I grunted. “I haven’t talked to him.”
“Maybe I’ll come back later.”
As I turned, a strange sensation pulled low in my abdomen. I was just about to tell him I thought that was a great idea when a rush of fluid spilled down my legs. I looked at the floor then up at Xander in shock. The plate I’d been holding shattered on the floor.
“Oh, fuck. Is that what I think it is?”
“Um…” I looked again at the puddle by my feet, my mind blanking on what I was supposed to do.
“Rayne?” Xander was in front of me. “Call Hale.” He shoved his phone in my hand. “Where’s your broom?”
“Um… “ There was glass everywhere. “The broom’s…” I pointed toward the pantry. “Where’s my phone?”
“I don’t know. Just use mine. It’s already ringing.”
I brought it to my ear as I started to hyperventilate.
“Xander, I just landed.”
“Hale?”
“Rayne?”
Panic welled-up inside of me. Hale was my always in charge, always punctual, and always logical person, and he wasn’t here! “Honey, my water broke.”
“Shit! Where are you?”
“Standing in the kitchen. Xander’s here. Willow went for a walk with Andrew and Elara. I don’t know what to do.”
“Okay, listen to me, baby. You’re going to get into Xander’s car and let him drive you to the hospital.”
“No, I don’t want to do that.”
“What do you mean, no? Baby, your water broke.”
“The books say sometimes that can happen days before the birth.”
“That may be true, but I still think you should get checked out. You were having contractions this morning. Have you had any more?”
“No…” I lied.
“Rayne, are you lying?”
“Maybe…”
“Baby, please just get in the car with Xander and let him drive you to the hospital. Either that or call my dad or your mom and have them take you. I can meet you there.”
“I’ll call Remington.”
“Okay, but you need to leave in the next ten minutes, Rayne. Promise me.”
“All right. I promise.” As soon as I hung up the phone another contraction hit, this one long and painful enough to make me grip the counter.
“Rayne? What can I do?”
“Son of a mother-fucker!” I blew out a breath and met Xander’s wide-eyed stare. Something told me there wasn’t time to call Remington. “I need you to drive me to the hospital.”
“No, no, no, no. I’m not trained for this. There has to be someone else.”
“God, you truly suck.” I held out the phone to him. “Do you have Remington’s number in here?”
“Yes, but I doubt he’ll take my call.”
“Just dial!” I blew out a hard breath as another contraction cinched my insides.