“Spencer!” Jess knocks something to the ground and whimpers. “Oh my god, Spence, the baby is coming!”
“Oh fuck.”
Forgetting Abby, I bound over the rows of flowers and practically sweep Jess up into my arms. Water puddles on the floor where she stood a moment ago, and all I can focus on is the fact I really,reallydon’t want to deliver these babies today. Or ever.
“Okay, it’s gonna be okay. Legs closed, Jessie. Hold your breath or some shit. We’re going to the hospital.” I look to a horrified Abby, who stands in shock and watches us. “Call an ambulance. That’ll get Luc. Then call Checkmate. That’ll get her man.”
Jess giggles in my arms as Abby sprints back to her counter and fumbles with the phone. Red hair flies while she juggles, her Nikes slap the smooth concrete, and a mumbled ‘Coconuts!’ brings my brow up high when she tries to dial and has to restart.
“Stop.” Jess’ little giggles turn to belly-rolling laughs as she crawls back out of my arms and places a watering can back on the shelf. “I was kidding. That ain’t mine.”
“What ain’t yours?”
My heart rarely races. I’ve seen too much in my life, run from shit men shouldn’t have to know, or run at things that most wouldn’t. I’ve seen and done shit that visits me in my dreams, so not a lot gets my blood pumping these days. But it runs now. My brain races from thought to thought. Kane is in the city today and won’t be back until dinner, which is how I got stuck on flower duty. And evidently, baby duty.
“Jessie,” I press. “What ain’t yours?”
“The water. I knocked the can over, since you and Abby seemed to have hit it off so well and had no plans to stop chatting anytime soon. I said the magic words, now you’re here, she’s there, and you’ve both shut up.”
“Hello!” Abby’s panicked voice brings our eyes up. “Yeah, someone needs to call Kane Bishop. Jess is having her babies.”
“Abby, no!” Jess pushes around me with a laugh, and while I know she’d rather run and bound the way I did, all she manages is a grunting waddle until she grabs the phone and brings it to her ear. “Hel– hell–” She pulls the phone from her ear and frowns. “Riley, calm your shit, man. Nobody is having any babies.” She pauses to listen. Nods. “I swear. It was a false alarm. Abby got spooked, but everything is fine. Pinky promise.”
“You were lying?” I see red and explode. “You were fuckin’ lying? Are you insane, Jessica?”
“Calm down, crazy.” Jess hangs up the phone and hands it back to a pale and shaking Abby. Turning to me with a roll of her eyes, she snickers and walks away from the stunned woman. “Now can we look at my flowers? I have to pee, and standing is uncomfortable.”
“Jessica! What the fuck is wrong with you? You don’t joke about that shit!”
“What is wrong withyou?” Abby snaps. She steps around the counter and shields Jessie from me. “Stop shouting at her. And stop swearing, period. It’s disgusting.”
My head snaps back in shock. “The fuck, she saidwhat?”
Jess holds her stomach and laughs. “Abigail, meet Spencer Serrano. Spencer, shut your trap unless it’s to say something nice. And don’t swear…” Her lips twitch with trouble. “It’s a disgusting habit.”
* * *
I haveto follow these chicks for an hour. A whole fucking hour of being their bitch boy, holding bouquets and fighting off the odd posy tucked behind my ear.
Jess does the tucking, not Miss Priss.
She wouldn’t dare.
I walk behind the women and compare asses. Jess is massively pregnant and ready to drop, and her ass isstillbetter than the shapeless, shit-filled, diaper rounded ass Abigail owns. Jess’ long, platinum blonde hair swings and sways as she talks, as though she talks with her whole body. Abigail’s hair has been scared into submission, combed out and threatened with an eternity with the devil if a single strand moves out of place.
I bet no man has ever pulled her hair.
Abby turns to me with a glare despite the fact Jess is mid-sentence. “What the heck did you just say?”
I stop with my arms filled with boxed flowers, and rock back onto my heels. “Hm?”
“You’re mumbling!” she snaps. “And whatever you just said is absolutely not welcome in here.”
Jess’ eyes narrow as she looks between us. “What did he say?” She turns to me. “What did you say?”
“I was talking to myself.” I set the stack of flowers on a low shelf to my left and drop my hands into my pockets. I constantly feel the need to have free hands around this chick; for fighting off, or fighting for. I haven’t quite decided. “None of anyone else’s business.”
“Maybe you’d like to go finish your discussion outside.” Priss glares. “In the street. It’s garbage collection day.”