Searching the fridge’s contents, he found a bottle of fizzy apple juice he’d bought when he first arrived at the house and then completely forgotten about. He grabbed it, headed for the door and walked along Foxglove Street to see Courtney, hoping she wouldn’t mind the unexpected visit.
Hoping she’d be glad to see him. Already impatient to see her smile.
19
When the doorbell rang,Courtney hauled herself off the sofa to answer it, grimacing thanks to her aching back.
“Travis!” she said in surprise when she opened the door. “Hi.”
“Hi,” he said and offered a wary smile. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
“No, I was just… ” A sharp pain sliced through her and she hissed out a breath.
“Hey, are you okay?” Travis asked, his eyes widening as he stepped closer and reached towards her.
“I’m fine, I’m just a lot more achy today than usual.” Courtney rubbed at the sore spots on her aching back and swollen abdomen, willing them to disappear. “Uh, do you want to come in? It’s a little uncomfortable for me to stand at the moment.”
“Sure. Come on, let’s get you sat down.”
Grateful when he closed the door behind himself while she returned to the living room, Courtney sank down onto the sofa with a sigh. Travis hovered beside a chair near the window before he, too, sat down, his gaze raking across her face.
“Sorry, you haven’t caught me at a good time,” Courtney said. “I’m feeling very pregnant today.”
“Can I get you a glass of water, or something else?”
She shook her head and nodded to the bottle he was holding. “You’ve come bearing gifts?”
Travis looked at the bottle and nodded. “I finished my book today and thought you might like to share a glass of fizz with me to celebrate.”
Despite the aches in her body, Courtney couldn’t keep the delight off her face at hearing his book was completed, nor the surprise at the idea he’d come here to share the moment with her. “Congratulations on finishing your book. You must be thrilled.”
“I’m ecstatic,” he grinned, but his smile quickly vanished. “Are you sure you’re okay, Courtney? You look pale.”
She waved a hand. “I’m just tired and sore and fed up.”
“Would you rather I left?”
“No, don’t go. It’s nice to see you.”
She wanted to say something about their non-kiss on the park bench last week, wanted to apologise for scaring him off with her hormonal nonsense when she’d hugged him, but fatigue stopped her from summoning the energy required to get into it.
Instead, she nodded again at the bottle in his hand. “Much as I’d love to celebrate with you, I can’t drink alcohol.”
“I know, so I brought fizzy apple juice instead. We can share some of that, can’t we?”
Touched by his consideration and feeling stupid tears threaten because of her out-of-control emotions, she managed a smile. “Sounds perfect. There are glasses in the…ouch!”
A spear of hot pain sliced through her, cutting off the rest of her words. As she clutched at her abdomen, which felt like a steel band was tightening around it, Travis leapt to his feet.
“Oh, God! What’s wrong?” he asked, his tone urgent, alarmed.
“I, uh, I think…”Another bolt of pain had her wincing as panic mounted. “I think I might be in labour.”
Every drop of colour drained from Travis’s face, his eyes wide. He set aside the bottle of apple juice and pulled out his phone, his hands shaking. “Okay, right, I’ll phone for an ambulance.”
“No, don’t do that.” As quickly as the pain appeared, it was gone again. Courtney let out a breath and tried to assemble her thoughts, which had been scattered by the all-consuming sensations coursing through her body.
“Are you crazy?” Travis frowned. “If you’re in labour, we need an ambulance!”
