“Yeah, makes sense. Okay.” Dan moved around me, forcing me to release Janie’s hand, and slipped his arm behind her back once again. He then helped Quinn walk her to the car.
“I can walk, you know.” I couldn’t see her expression, but her voice sounded amused. “It only hurts when I have a contraction, and not even that bad.”
Quinn said nothing, stubbornly keeping his arm in place.
When they reached the car and Quinn moved to help her in, she said, “I can also get in the—”
He cut her off, grabbing her face and fastening his mouth to hers. And then he kissed her like they were alone, like maybe this was their last time kissing, like she was the love of his life and he hungered for her more than life itself.
I glanced at Dan. He glanced at me. We shared a wide-eyed look.
Janie groaned, breaking the kiss to suck in a breath, her hands coming to his wrists.
Quinn leaned away and touched his nose to hers. “Please stop fighting me and let me help.” It was the first time a note of something other than calm entered his voice.
“Fine.” The wrinkles reappeared on her forehead and she spoke as though words were difficult. “But if you hover and boss me around in the delivery room, I will send you on a snipe hunt.”
Chapter Twelve
Trade Secret: A formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, commercial method, or compilation of information not generally known or reasonably ascertainable by others by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers.
—Wex Legal Dictionary
**Kat**
Stan drove Janie, Quinn, and Dan. I was relieved Stan was driving. Both Quinn and Dan looked like they were incapable of steering a remote control car.
Charles escorted me to Janie and Quinn’s penthouse while I texted Elizabeth to give her a heads-up. The baby’s bag sat on top of the changing table, open and half packed. I checked it, filling it with all the necessary items, plus a few unnecessary items—three changes of clothes, blankets, diapers, wipes, pacifier, burp cloth, hat, mittens, socks, etcetera. Once satisfied, I went to the master bedroom and easily found Janie’s bag in the closet, all packed and ready to go.
Catching my reflection in the bedroom mirror, I realized I was still wearing my pretty dress, which reminded me that Dan was still wearing his gorgeous suit.
His suit brought to mind our wedding at the Clerk’s office and everything after, especially how natural it had felt to be held by him. This, of course, had me wondering if everything between us would be just as natural and easy. I hoped so.
God, I hope so.
Perhaps Dan would be my lucky charm, my get-out-of-jail-free card. Maybe he would be the answer to my inability-to-enjoy-physical-intimacy-without-alcohol problem, and all this fretting and therapy was just to prepare me for this moment and—
Wait. Wait a minute. Don’t get ahead of yourself.
Blowing out a breath, I pushed those thoughts away. Daydreaming about Dan and his magical talent to distract me and make me feel comfortable even while turning me on would have to wait until later. Janie was in labor. I needed to change, get to the hospital, and support my friends.
“Hey, Charles.” I wheeled Janie’s bag to the living room, searching for the doorman.
“Yeah?” Charles already had the baby’s bag over his shoulder and reached for Janie’s rolling suitcase as soon as I drew near.
“Will you let me into Dan’s apartment? I want to take him a change of clothes.”
“Sure thing.” His gaze flickered over me, landing on my left hand before he turned and crossed to the door. “You don’t have a key?”
Caught off guard, I covered my ring finger. “No. Not yet.”
“It’s okay. I have one.”
I followed him out and down the hall, feeling a tad puerile for some reason. “Thank you.”
“It’s all good,” Charles called over his shoulder, arriving at the elevator and pressing the down arrow. “Nice people should marry nice people, that’s what my mom says.”
I gave him a grateful smile and was about to thank him as we boarded the lift, but he wasn’t finished.
“Does his mom know? About you two getting married?”
The elevator doors closed and I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t say, I don’t know. The admission felt like revealing too much: Dan and I hadn’t yet discussed his family, we’d married in a hurry, so many things were unresolved and confusing between us.
Charles reached into his pocket and withdrew a key, handing it out to me. “Don’t lose this, it’ll get you into all the doors on this floor. I’ll meet you downstairs when you’re done.”