Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“You’ll get used to being ours again,” Spencer said cheerfully, waving at an orderly going the other way. He wore bright pink trainers, yellow shorts and a pink shirt.
It was an outfit that wouldn’t work on someone else, but on Spencer it looked amazing.
Theirs again?
Things couldn’t be like they once had been. Not anymore.
Indie was silent as they headed to the car. It wasn’t a vehicle she’d seen before. As Quaid placed her stuff in the boot, , Rock picked her up and carried her to the middle row of seats and set her down. There was an aisle down the middle of the car between all of the seats. It was surprisingly roomy and comfortable.
It also looked brand new.
“Did you guys just buy this?” she asked as Rock fussed with her blanket and then carefully drew the seatbelt over her.
Indie bit back her objection, letting him take care of her.
Rock nodded.
“Why? I mean, it doesn’t seem like your sort of vehicle.”
“The back has a lot of room and there are six seats. All our other vehicles are four or five,” Spencer explained as he took the seat behind her. Quaid got into the front passenger seat, Slade got in next to her while Rock headed to the driver’s seat.
“You wanted six seats?” she asked.
“We’ll need it when the baby comes,” Slade told her. “Are you comfortable? No pain?”
“You bought this because of the baby?” she whispered.
“Yep,” Spencer said cheerfully.
“It has an excellent safety rating. The seats are easily able to accommodate baby seats and the boot can fit shopping and a pram,” Quaid said as though he was reciting a list of facts.
She guessed he was. But she had no clue how he felt about all of this.
“That’s . . . that’s nuts! You can’t buy a vehicle for the baby.”
“You didn’t answer me,” Slade said. “Are you comfortable?”
“What? Yes, of course. Let’s go back to the fact that you bought a car to fit the baby. My baby.”
Slade reached across and placed his hand over her belly. “No. Not yours.”
“Huh?”
Urgh. She sounded ridiculously breathless. Why did their touch do this to her?
“Our baby.”
Her heart raced.
“Uncle Slade, huh?” she said as Rock pulled out of the hospital car park.
Slade grunted. “I was thinking a different title. But we can start with that.”
What the heck did that mean?
She opened her mouth to ask him before deciding that maybe it was best she didn’t know. The doctor had warned her to keep her stress levels low. That she needed rest and relaxation.
She had to start putting her baby first. Which meant avoiding conversations which might upset her.
They arrived at the penthouse, pulling into the underground parking lot. After they’d come to a stop, she unbuckled her seatbelt.
“Wait there,” Slade warned. “I will come and get you.”
She shook her head at their overprotectiveness. Did they really think she’d hurt herself getting in and out of the car?
That they’d bought for her baby.
Yep. It would take a while to wrap her head around that. She fully expected Slade to help her down and that she’d walk to the elevator.
Instead, he collected her up in his arms and carried her to the elevator doors.
“Slade. I’m meant to move around.”
“Not after you just leave the hospital. The nurse said you’re supposed to take things easy for the next few weeks. Nothing strenuous, no stress, plenty of rest, water and good food.
Drat. She knew she shouldn’t have let them stay while Monica went through the discharge papers.
Idiot.
They stepped out of the elevator into the small foyer that led to their penthouse apartment.
And she couldn’t help but remember the last two times that she’d been here.
She grew tense, her breathing becoming more rapid. Nausea bubbled in her stomach.
“Stop guys,” Slade ordered.
“What is it?” Quaid asked. He’d already opened the door and stepped in to quickly turn off the alarm.
She remembered doing that. Then Billy had . . . he’d . . . hell.
And as if the memory of Billy forcing her to let him into the apartment wasn’t bad enough, the memory of when she’d been hurt by them started swirling through her mind.
No, no.
She needed to forget all of this or she wouldn’t be able to step through that door.
“It’s being here, isn’t it?” Spencer said worriedly. “We’re going to have to leave. We should sell up and find somewhere which doesn’t have terrible memories associated with it.”
Wait. What?
He hadn’t just said that, had he?
That nonsense broke through her panic like nothing else.
“You can’t do that.” She gaped at Spencer in shock.
“He’s right,” Slade said decisively. “Quaid, look for a new place for us to live. And get this place listed. Although that could take some time. Maybe we’ll go to a hotel until then.” Slade turned toward the elevator doors.
She waited for the others to tell him that he’d lost his mind. But none of them said anything, not even Quaid.