“Ignore your brother’s request. He shouldn’t have asked that of you. If Carter is the guy I think he is, it isn’t going to change anything,” Anna says. “And being honest might makeit easier for you to work through this. When they’re on the road next week, just come over. We’ll try to watch a—” Her words cut off as she sucks in a breath, both hands moving to her stomach.
“Anna,” I say. “Honey, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” she says, almost impatiently. “Tell me something else about Carter. What’s it like living together?”
“It’s fine,” I say pointedly. “Now answer my question for real.”
She presses her lips together. “So help me, Sarah, I will not go into labor at your art show. I will not make tonight about me.”
I look over my shoulder and make eye contact with Carter. The look on my face must indicate the urgency of the situation because he comes right over.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“Nothing at all,” I say. “But can you very calmly go tell Miles that his wife is in labor?”
His eyebrows shoot up. “For real?”
Anna looks down at her feet and lets out a little gasp. “Um, pretty sure my water just broke.”
“That would be a yes,” Carter says before heading after Miles.
Anna reaches out to squeeze my hands. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. My timing is terrible.”
Tears spring into my eyes. “Your timing is perfect. I’m going to go explain to Calista why I’m leaving. Then let’s go have a baby.”
22
CARTER
“I’m just goingto say it, man,” Theo says as he walks into the waiting area on the labor and delivery floor of Atlanta General. “For not actually being in love with her, you really know a lot about your wife’s clothes.”
He drops a bag of food on the seat beside me, then adds one of the canvas grocery bags Sarah keeps in our pantry. I look inside to see the jeans, hoodie, and sneakers I had Theo grab from Sarah’s closet.
Sarah and I have been at the hospital for almost an hour, and we came here straight from the art show. She told me I could head home and come back for her later, but then, Anna’s labor progressed so quickly, I decided it’d be easier to stay. That way, I’m here whenever Sarah’s ready to go. Plus, I might get to meet the baby. Assuming Miles will let me anywhere near the hospital room.
“It’s not a big deal,” I say, reaching for the bag of food and sorting through what Theo brought. “I folded her laundry yesterday.” I look up to see his dubious expression. “Anddon’t say anything about me folding her laundry. It was in the dryer, and I needed the dryer.”
“Uh-huh,” he says. “I’m sure that was your only motivation.”
I ignore him and text Sarah, letting her know her cheeseburger and fries have arrived. We were planning on grabbing some food after her show, but then we came here instead. When Theo texted and said he’d dropped by my house and wanted to know why I wasn’t there, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to see him, feed us, and get a change of clothes for Sarah, since she’s still in the heels she wore to her show.
I toss Theo his burger, then pull out my grilled chicken wrap. Because my brother apparently has both superior pectoral musclesanda faster metabolism, I can’t do a cheeseburger this late.
Seconds later, Sarah drops into the seat beside me.
“How’s everything going?” I ask.
“It’s going,” Sarah says. “Anna just got her epidural, so she’s feeling pretty good now. And she’s already at eight centimeters, which is awesome.”
I look down at her. “I have no idea what half those words meant.”
Sarah grins. “She’s drugged, meaning she’s numb from the waist down, and she’ll probably be pushing within the hour.”
“I appreciate the translation. Are you hungry?”
“Starving,” Sarah says, and I hand over her food. “Can you believe that had we not gotten married, I’d be leaving next week? One week with baby Fiona. That’s all I would have gotten.”
“I’m really glad that isn’t happening,” I say, and I genuinely mean it. For all kinds of reasons—even the onesI’m not willing to admit out loud. “Also, I had Theo bring you some clothes.”
