I stretched my arms over my head. “I’ll take the walk with you. I’m stiff from the way I must’ve been leaning on you.”
“Yeah. I’m stiff from you leaning on me, too. Had a perfect view right down your shirt. Red bra, by the way, nice. Sexy.”
“You’re even a perv at two in the morning.”
“You bring out the best in me, sweet pea.”
The two of us wandered the halls of the hospital until we found a coffee machine that actually worked. When we returned with Margaret’s coffee, Derek was in the waiting room giving everyone an update. “She’s at seven. Been stuck there for a few hours. Doctor’s said it’s probably still going to be a while before the baby’s here.”
“You can’t rush perfection,” I said.
Derek looked as if he’d spent the last twelve hours in labor. He raked his hand through his hair. “My feet are killing me. Although if I said that to Anna with what she’s going through, she might literally kill me.”
Margaret laughed. “I’d keep your foot pain to yourself.”
Derek turned his attention to Hunter. “By the way, she’s also pissed at you.”
“Me?” Hunter said. “What the heck did I do?”
“Remember when we first told you Anna was pregnant?”
“I think so?”
“What did you say?”
Hunter’s response was a guess. “Congratulations?”
“Nope. You said maybe we’d have the kid six weeks early to share a birthday with his favorite uncle.”
Hunter smiled. “I guess I did say that.”
“Yeah, well…my wife thinks the baby would have been born a few hours ago, but it stalled to share a birthday with you.”
“So it’s my fault she’s still in labor?”
Derek smiled. “It’s better than it being my fault, which it was until she came up with that crazy theory.”
“I’ll take one for the team. No problem.”
With a promise that the next time he appeared he’d be announcing the birth of his child, Derek headed back through the double doors of the labor and delivery unit.
Since we had some time to kill, Hunter and I decided to go outside and do a lap around the hospital to get some fresh air. It was dark, but Los Angeles still lit the night.
“So, I guess happy birthday is in order?”
“Thank you.”
“How old are you, again?”
“Thirty.”
I turned to walk backwards. “Wow. That’s a big birthday. Do you have any plans?”
&
nbsp; “I was supposed to have a drink with Derek while you ladies threw Anna her baby shower. Then we were assigned to load my truck with gifts and deliver them to Derek and Anna’s place. My plan was to try to convince their houseguest to pick up the kiss where we left off at the wedding last year.”
I laughed. “Looks like you’re ahead of yourself. We did that this afternoon.”