Chapter 14
Nothing ruins a Friday more than understanding today is Tuesday.
Igrunt as I roll out of bed. I thought the heartburn was bad the day after Aspen dared me to drink chocolate peppermint martinis all night, but it has nothing on what I’m experiencing now. Who said pregnancy makes you glow? Whoever it was needs their butt kicked.
I trudge to the kitchen to heat up some milk. The smell of warm milk makes me want to gag, but I’m willing to try anything at the moment. I pause when I hear a door slam.
I check the clock. Two a.m. I know I closed and locked the rear ‘employee’ door to the inn when I quit work last night. Of course, guests are free to come and go as they please through the other entrances to the inn, but it’s two a.m. on a Tuesday night. Nothing happens in Winter Falls at this time. Even the town bar, Electric Vibes, shuts at midnight during the week.
Milk forgotten, I shuffle to the window to peek outside. Despite the lack of street lights – street lights are akin to sacrilege in Winter Falls – I can see a bit since the moon is nearly full. And what I see has me rushing to the front door.
I shove my feet into a pair of boots and fling my door open before trudging down the stairs. I stomp toward my sisters who I am officially kicking out of the family this very minute. Aspen and Ashlyn are giggling to each other and don’t hear me coming up behind them.
“What are you doing?”
Aspen screams while Ashlyn whirls around brandishing the shovel in her hands like it’s a weapon.
“Geez, Ellery. I nearly took your head off. You could have warned us.” Ashlyn drops the shovel and leans against the handle.
“Warn you? You’re on my property in the middle of the night!” I hiss.
“Am I having a heart attack?” Aspen rubs her chest. “Oh no. I think I peed my pants.”
“Keep it down. I have guests at the inn.”
“I told you to wear the adult diapers,” is Ashlyn’s bizarre response.
“I’m not wearing adult diapers because it will be handy if we get arrested and they won’t let us use the restroom. My husband is the Chief of Police.”
“Fine. Ignore my advice. See if I care. And Lyric isn’t your husband yet.”
“Rowan isn’t your husband yet either.”
“I didn’t say he was.”
Is it wrong to wish you can hit your sisters with a shovel?
“Can you two have this argument elsewhere? I don’t need the guests waking up and I need to get some sleep.”
“Why are you awake?” Aspen asks. “It’s the middle of the night. You should be in bed growing your baby.”
Growing my baby? Since when is my baby a plant?
“Didn’t you read Lilac’s email? According to the chart, Ellery may be experiencing insomnia in her second and third trimester.”
I groan. “What did Lilac the all-knowing send everyone?”
Ashlyn grins down at me. My ‘little’ sister is half a foot taller than me and she doesn’t let me forget it either.
“It’s basically a primer on everything to expect when you’re expecting. Rowan found it very helpful.”
Aspen’s mouth drops open. “Are you trying?”
“Yep.”
“I thought you wanted to wait until you’re married.”
Ashlyn shrugs. “I was teasing. We’ve been trying since the day he put his ring on my finger.”