Always with You - Part One(13)

CHAPTER ELEVEN



Cash



I dial Gavin's number. He answers on the second ring. "Did I wake you?" I ask when I hear his sleepy voice.

"No. Just, er, lazing in bed."

"Am I interrupting?"

Gavin's laugh says it all. "Nothing that won't be resumed the instant I hang up."

"Make it quick, Thor," Ginger chimes in loudly from the background. "I was right in the middle of showing Gavin a neat trick."

I can't help smiling. Not only am I happy for Gavin and Ginger, Olivia will be thrilled. And she could use some thrilling news.

"Does this trick involve clothing?" I ask, teasing.

"Not at present," Gavin replies distractedly.

"I'll be quick then. I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Olivia's dad is in the hospital. She's back there in the waiting room now. They let her see him before he went in for a heart catheterization. Looks like he's had a heart attack."

"Oh shit, mate! I'm sorry. Give Olivia our love."

I hear Ginger asking him questions in a softer voice, one that's laced with concern. I pause while Gavin answers her before I continue.

"Listen, I just came out to call Nash so that he could tell Marissa's dad. I had a message that Stella can't work tonight. Obviously Olivia can't fill in for her and I think everyone else pretty much had plans. Sophie will be working at Dual for a few weeks. Think you could show her the ropes tonight?"

"Sure," he says in his congenial Australian way. "Does she have any bartending experience?"

"I don't know. We didn't really get that far, but we're in a pinch, so … " 

"Well, it just so happens that I might know someone who's a very experienced … bartender, who might be willing to help out. If I ask nicely. Very nicely."

I roll my eyes. I really don't need to hear Gavin when he's half talking to a nude Ginger in bed. "Whatever, man, just work it out, okay?"

"Consider it worked out."

"I don't expect to be around for a while, but I've got my phone if you need me."

"No worries. Focus on that beautiful wife of yours. I'll take care of everything else."

"Thanks, man."

"Later," he says and then the line goes dead. I try not to think about what's probably already happening between those two. Ginger has become almost like a sister. I prefer not to think of her in any kind of sexual manner, much less naked, possibly riding my best friend first thing in the morning.

I shudder at the mere suggestion.

Quickly, I dial Nash's number, trying to put all images of Ginger and Gavin out of my mind. He answers on the first ring.

"Need me to smuggle you out of the country until Sophie leaves?" he asks as soon as he picks up, his voice smug. He always did like to rub it in when I got into trouble.

Asshole.

"I haven't needed bailing out of trouble in years. Now you on the other hand … "

"Not anymore," he defends. "In a few months, I'll be a father. I can't be getting into trouble any more. From here on it's the straight and narrow."

"Well, my trouble isn't of the Sophie variety. At least not right this minute. I'm at the hospital with Olivia."

Before I can explain, Nash interrupts. "What? What's wrong? What happened? Is she okay?"

"It's not her. It's her dad. Darrin had a heart attack. He's having a heart cath right now. Hopefully they'll be able to put in a stent, but they said if it's bad … "

"If it's bad what?"

"If it's bad, he could end up having open heart surgery."

"Oh shit!"

"Yeah. I know. We're hoping for the best, but …  Even though those two are the way they are, Olivia wanted her uncle to know, so I told her I'd take care of it. So now you can take care of it."

"I like how that works. Putting it off on your brother. Nice."

"I thought so."

"I'm sure you did," he replies sardonically, but I know he's just playing. He knows I'd do anything for Olivia because he's the same way over his wife.

"How's the, uh, pregnancy, by the way?"

"She's sick as hell until about ten in the morning and then she's fine. Doing great. And I gotta tell ya, bro," Nash says, dropping his voice low, "I'm loving the hell out of what's happening to her body. You'll see what I mean when Olivia gets pregnant. Her boobs … damn! She's got the tits of a porn star. And horny! Holy shit is she horny! Now I see why people have an ass-ton of kids. This part's a lot more fun than what I expected."

"Dude! That's some shit I did not need to hear," I tell him in mock horror. In truth, though, it makes me a little sad to think that Olivia and I might not be able to ever experience all that together. I'd never let her know that it bothers me or that I'd miss it if I couldn't see her belly grow round with my baby. It would hurt her even more than what she's already hurting. But I do think about it. I probably mourn it as much as Olivia does, but I hide it. Because I love her. I love her more than I need to share my own feelings on the matter. And I love her more than a missed pregnancy or pre-baby tits. She's all that matters to me. Plain and simple.