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“No shit.” He smiled back. Kissing me on the lips, as we always did, he nodded toward Ryker. “Take care of my girl, dude. I know where you live, remember that.”
Ryker nodded as Gage winked, leaning his mouth against my ear.
“Ohana, baby doll.”
A fresh wave of wetness blanketed my face. “Ohana.”
It was our special code word for family. As self-proclaimed orphans, Gage and I had decided long ago family was what you made it. And no matter where life took us, he’d always be mine.
With a close of the door, my last lifeline left me.
***
The place was a mess, and I didn’t give a shit. I couldn’t stop staring at the cake still sitting on the raised platform on the dining room table. Anger welled as I stalked toward it. Crooking a finger, I trailed it through the frosting, marring the beautiful, intricate design.
“Phoebe, look at me. I leave tonight, and I’ll be back by tomorrow afternoon. It’s a morning drive interview that’ll last ten minutes. The shower isn’t until six o’clock, right?”
“Yes. Six.”
“Perfect. I’ll be home no later than two o’clock. Plenty of time.”
Plenty of time, my ass.
Something inside me snapped as I grabbed the cake and hurled it against the wall. As white frosting and bits of dyed cake slid down the paint and littered the floor, I began to laugh hysterically.
At least I could decorate the nursery now. And pick a name.
As my laughter died down, I sighed and took inventory of the hell hole left in my kitchen. Faith offered to clean, but I just wanted everyone out of my house. I’d just leaned down to pick up the toppled cake stand when I felt it.
Horrified, I glanced down as clear liquid trickled down the inside of both of my thighs and pooled on the floor. I stared at it as if I could will it away. A noise from the hallway pulled my attention away as the front door opened. Ryker leaned over the couch to grab his phone.
Holding it up, he grinned. “Sorry, forgot my phone.”
My eyes returned to the continuous stream of liquid still running down my legs.
“Jesus Christ, Phoebe!” His panic-filled eyes steadied on me as my stare lifted from the puddle to his face. Our eyes locked, and I glanced back to the floor, dragging his widened gaze along with me. “What the fuck is that?”
“My…my water broke,” I stammered, still in shock.
“Well, fix it!”
“My water broke, Ryker!” I threw my arms wide as if the gesture would clarify the situation.
He mimicked my stance. “It looks like you pissed on the floor.”
As we stood arguing, the first contraction hit. Shocked, I winced and wrapped both arms around my belly. “It means you have to…take me to the hospital…now!”
Stumbling backward, he ran both hands through his hair while still clutching his phone. “Oh, hell no. This wasn’t part of the deal.”
“Ryker…” My knees shook as another contraction hit.
Something isn’t right.
“Stop this shit and hold it in there. Or up there. Or whatever you girls do.” He paced the room, his eyes ping-ponging from wall to wall. “We’ll clean this up and pretend it didn’t happen. Where the hell is the mop?”
I tried to stay calm for both of us, but his erratic behavior made me lose hold of my sanity.
“This is really happening. Oh god, this is…what the hell are you doing?” I looked up from my crouched position as he punched numbers on his phone.
