I shook my head and smirked. My Dr. Jealous wasn’t that far back, but we were good. Mmm. Chase and I were better than good.
26
Long and firm
Wow. Friday snuck up on me. I loved the four-day work week, especially when you were lucky enough to go to sleep and wake up in the arms of your dream man. Was that corny? Yeah, it probably was, but I really didn’t care. It was the truth. My truth.
Our relationship was solidified by the hospital grapevine, and for the most part, everyone was finally sick of discussing us. Jack seemed to be keeping Leanne entertained with their own sexcapades. She finally let up on the daily sabotage where she drilled me for the play by play. I thought Sierra was bad, but Leanne blew her out of the water when it came to gossip and sex. Damn, that girl knew how to make me blush.
Even Guy and I had a run in, oddly enough in the stairwell this time, and he seemed to be okay. It was time to stop tiptoeing around his feelings as Chase so kindly suggested. So when Guy half sarcastically asked, “So you and Colton, huh?” I went the honest route. My friend deserved that. “Yeah. We’re good, really good.” He assured me our friendship was solid, with a doll, you’re stuck with me. And that’s why I loved Guy. So accepting. Just a genuinely nice guy with a killer dimple. So now that all was wonderful in Lili world, I was ready to start my last weekend of the summer.
My dad and Sharon were visiting us next weekend for Labor Day to celebrate my birthday. And even though I was thrilled they were coming, I selfishly loved that Chase and I had this weekend to ourselves. A quiet drama-free two days. A normal weekend. We had yet to do normal.
Tonight I planned to surprise Chase with a romantic dinner since he always beat me to it. Plus, I always wanted to try Ethiopian food. The vision of Chase’s big frame crouched on the floor, criss-cross-applesauce, eating with his hands made me smile. I grabbed my phone to call for the reservation and saw the missed calls and text.
Call me ASAP.
There’s a vice squeezing my belly!
Was I just dreaming about a quiet weekend? Shit.
“Lil, thank god, what took you so long?” Sierra picked up on the first ring. “I’m not in labor, right? I can’t be in labor, I’m only thirty-six weeks. I thought this little shit needed to cook for forty weeks.”
I chuckled because I just couldn’t help it. “Um, Sier, hi! And yes it’s possible you’re in labor—people have babies early all the time—but maybe you’re just having those Braxton Hicks contractions.”
“Shit, Dodd’s gonna kill me. He told me we shouldn’t have had sex this morning because I could go into labor. And now he’s on a goddamn plane for the next six hours. Fuck, I told him he didn’t know what the hell he was talking about—we had four more weeks. I practically shoved his dick inside me. I’m such a horny bitch.”
I laughed so freaking hard I couldn’t talk.
“Quit your freaking laughing … ah shit!”
“What! You’re contracting?”
“No. I’m looking at my sucky toes. I need a pedicure stat. This chick is screwing with my plans.”
“You’re worried about your freaking nails and you might be in labor. Do me a favor before you rush to the nail salon ... call the doctor and I’ll meet you there. If you’re in labor we need Dodd on the next flight home. I’m not dealing with your craziness by myself.”
“All right, ass, I’m calling. I’ll text you when I have my appointment time.”
“K, bye. Oh and Sier, you’re so not in labor because we’ve been chatting at least five minutes and you haven’t contracted once.”
“Hey, just ‘cuz you’re fucking a doctor, doesn’t make you a doctor. Hell ... who am I kidding? You’re probably right, this sucks.”
“You’re a nut. Just call the doctor.”
“Fine.”
“Good. Then text me ... and Sier, I’m so excited for you. It’s really close, you know. You’re almost at the finish line. Hang in there.”
“Me too. Thanks.”
She was so not in labor, but that didn’t stop my excitement from bubbling to the surface. I was borderline giddy when I hung up the phone. It was crazy how the past eight months flew by. For me, at least. Sierra was going to be a mom.
6:15 tonight OB appt.
C u there.
Call if anything changes.
K.
Thx aunt lili!
Well, no sticky finger dinner for two. At least not tonight. But I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Sierra had dropped so much of her life for me over the years it was my turn. My honor. Chase could handle a night solo.
“Closed, long and firm. What the fuck is that?” Sierra hissed, a little too loud.
I closed the exam room door behind us. “Shhhh ... at least wait until we are outside.”
Oh, she was pissed, and not because the office staff left us in the exam room for over an hour before her doctor came in to examine her.
“Lil, this sucks. Long and firm. What the hell? I’m never going into labor.”
Disappointment was written all over her face. I felt bad for her. Hell, I was even a little disappointed. “You’re only thirty-six weeks, you don’t want to go into labor yet. You even said she needed to cook for forty weeks. This is a good thing. And you heard your OB, her growth is good, her fluid is good. She’ll come when she’s ready. Besides, now you have a chance to get your pedicure, and if I remember correctly, you were pissed just a couple hours ago when you thought you couldn’t get it.”
Sierra rolled her eyes even though she knew I was right. Typical. She scheduled her appointment for next week at the front desk. Her manners were ... questionable, but she held it together, for the most part. The clock above the receptionist read eight fifteen. It was late. I was hungry; Sierra was cranky. Not my vision of how I wanted tonight to go down. We turned to leave the reception area, and sitting in the waiting room by the door was six feet plus of beautiful, head down, concentrating on his iPad.
I rubbed the nape of Chase’s neck to get his attention. “Hey, what are you doing here?” His hair was getting a little long. He needed a haircut. It looked amazing.
He wasn’t startled or surprised, like he’d been waiting a while. “How’d you do?” His voice was ... sincere. He didn’t answer my question but looked straight up to Sierra instead. I loved that.
Sierra shrugged. “False alarm. It’s a good thing, I guess.” She glanced back at me, then back at Chase. “Shit. I totally ruined your night, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”
Chase flipped the cover over his iPad to close it and stood up. “You didn’t ruin anything, just glad everything turned out okay.”
I smiled and squeezed Sierra’s hand. “We can eat on the floor with our hands anytime. Whatever.”
“Like now, hungry?”
Oh. Awkward. “It’s late, Chase. And I want to make sure Sierra gets home. Besides, I canceled our reservation.” I had called him earlier, spilled the beans about the night I planned and promised to make it up to him.
Chase didn’t bat an eye. “We have to eat. Let’s go, my car is outside. Of course I’m going to make sure Sierra gets home ... after I feed her.” He winked at both of us. “I changed the reservation. For three. But Blue, sorry to bust your bubble, Sierra and I are not sitting on the floor.” Sierra chuckled and smiled. She smiled so big my heart could have burst from my chest. Was this man for real? Screw a fancy diaper bag, this meant the world to me.