“What brought this on?”
Clover settled back against me. “Got overwhelmed by Parker being honest. I want this pack to keep me, and for once, we were on the same wavelength. Maybe a bit hasty, but it felt like the best way for us to grow together. Plus, he’s really cute, has a great butt,andcomes with accessories. Gotta lock that shit down.”
“Oh, and by the way, if you ever need to yell it in the future, my middle name is Montgomery.”
Her laugh was sweet. “I fucking love that.”
My cheeks warmed.
Was she chaos personified? Yes.
Would I regret a lifetime bathed in her light? Absolutely the fuck not. I couldn’t wait for it.
Chapter 47
Clover
I’d been sticking close—probably too close—to home since my car baby got trashed, but I was running out of things to do as the weeks marched by. In the last three and a bit months, I’d reorganized the nursery about fifteen times, following the nesting urges the closer I got to my due date. I wasn’t normally a fan of laundry, but I couldn’t seem to stop folding all the adorable little baby outfits I had accumulated.
I’d already packed, unpacked, and repacked my hospital bag several times, triple-checking that I had everything I needed and following the helpful lists online. Meadow had come over and given me the full rundown of everything she had and everything she wished she’d had on the day. My bag was looking more like a suitcase, but I was never one to pack light.
“Where’s my favorite sister?” Maggie’s sweet voice called out as she entered my room.
“I’m your only sister,” I pointed out.
“Fair enough,” she conceded. “I heard that someone’s going a little stir-crazy.”
I groaned. “I am. I love it here—it’s amazing—but I’ve barely been interacting with humanity besides you and my pack. Meadow has been having a rougher time with this pregnancy,so she’s not up and about as much. This is practically torture for a social butterfly. The only sky I’ve seen has been from the backyard or the car window for my OB appointments. It’s actually pretty hard to go adventuring when you have a super protective pack and are a million months pregnant.”
“You’re like nine months tomorrow,” Maggie pointed out.
“Semantics,” I replied.
Maggie sat next to me.
“I used to sit down like that,” I said wistfully and only a little bitter. “So easy, so graceful.”
Maggie laughed. “You’ll be there again soon enough. Now, I came here because I’m craving some good junk food, and I had a feeling you would be too.”
“I’m growing a human being—of course I want junk food.”
“Parker told me you’re obsessed with that place that makes all the different kinds of fries. How about we go there?”
“Maggie, I think you’re the most amazing Ashcroft,” I declared.
“That isn’t hard competition when Parker is my brother.”
“He’s gotten pretty sweet, so the competition is alittlestiff.”
“Huh.” Maggie looked thoughtful. “I suppose youcanteach an old dog new tricks. Come on, preggers, let’s go get you some food.”
“You have to drive. The guys are worried about me driving this late in pregnancy. What’s the point of having one of the most beautiful cars in existence if I can’t drive it?” I said grumpily.
“Isn’t your car still being repaired?”
“Don’t remind me.”
Maggie popped to her feet, but when I tried to do the same, I only grunted and remained where I was.
