A Cavalier?Tris’s head swung towards the road. He blinked several times but the snot-green vehicle continued to limp its way up the street. “Cov?”
Dropping his shovel, he jogged to the curb as the car jerked to a stop in front of the station, steam billowing from beneath the hood as the engine coughed and died.Jesus. She’d driven the thing all the way from Miami.
He raced around to the driver’s door and yanked it open.
“H-hi.” She smiled up at him sheepishly.
“You drove this piece of shit all the way across the country? What the hell were you thinking, woman?” They weren’t the first words he’d thought he’d say after months apart, but right now all he could think about was Cov stranded on the side of the road somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
“Um…”
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, um.” She glanced behind him and he realized they had an audience. “Can we talk somewhere private? Somewhere warm maybe?” she asked, her voice soft and wobbly.
Crap. She was bundled up like an Eskimo with three hoodies, scarf and gloves, and it wasn’t even cold enough for him to put on a jacket over his department issued t-shirt. Even with all those layers her cheeks and nose were bright pink and she was shivering.
“Yeah. C’mon, let’s get you inside.” He offered her a hand and she placed a gloved—tag still on—one in his.
“I can’t believe how cold it is up here,” Cov mumbled, her teeth clicking together, as she swung her legs out of the car to stand. She’d barely lifted her ass off the seat when she sucked in a breath. “Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, as she snatched her hand back and wrapped her arms around her waist, hunching forward.
“I have to pee.” She looked up at him with panicked eyes. “Now. I have to peenow.”
“You can use the toilet inside,” Tris offered.
“Where? How far?” Her gaze darted to the station entrance.
“Right inside the front door and down the hall.” Tris gripped her elbows and pulled her out of her seat and against his chest. Except she didn’t press into him like she should have. He didn’t have time to contemplate the situation before she pulled away.
“I gotta go.” On her feet now, she crossed her legs and bent at the middle. “Where? Where’s the bathroom?”
“Inside, to the left—”
“Move.” Cov pushed him aside and dashed around the open car door before racing in an ungainly fashion for the front door of the stationhouse. He’d never seen her move so awkwardly. She was a dancer. Every move she made was fluid, graceful.
“What the hell?” Dylan muttered behind him.
Tris turned to look at Dylan then Chief Maguire, and shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Maguire laughed. “Nothing more dangerous than a pregnant woman who has to pee.”
“W-what?” Tris choked out.
The chief tipped his chin in the direction Cov had taken. “ Pregnant women. It’s life-threatening to get in their way when they have to go.”
Tristan opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. His gaze shot to the door Cov had disappeared through.
Pregnant?
