Page 239 of Wait for Him

So naturally, none of us are looking at Blaire.

We’re looking at him.

He’s still chewing, but only because I don’t think his brain has remembered how to tell his mouth to stop. His eyes are huge as he watches his wife take a slow breath and rub one hand over the side of her stomach.

A few seconds pass before Blaire relaxes.

“Sorry about that. Let’s keep going.” She picks up her phone and waves the other hand dismissively, like she didn’t just toss a live grenade into the middle of lunch.

Nobody moves.

Blaire looks around. “What?”

Michael finally swallows whatever has been sitting in his mouth for the last thirty seconds. “What didn’t feel nice?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “A cramp or something.”

I watch what little color remains in his face disappear.

“A cramp?”

“Yes, Bennet.”

“What kind of cramp?”

Her eyebrows pull together. “I don’t know. The cramp kind.”

Beside me, James quietly lowers his pizza to his plate, then I do the same. Contest suspended due to possible baby.

Michael pushes his own plate away. “How long did it last?”

“I don’t know. A few seconds.”

“And where exactly was it?”

“Bennet.”

“I’m asking.”

“I noticed.”

“Was it your whole stomach? Your back? Did it start in your back and move around? Because they said...”

“Oh my God.” Blaire reaches over and puts her hand on his arm. “I’m fine.”

“You’re thirty-eight weeks pregnant and just doubled over at the table.”

“I did not double over.”

“You made a noise.”

“I’m pregnant. I make lots of noises.”

“That was a new noise.”

That nearly takes me out. I press my lips together and stare very intently at the parmesan shaker because laughing right now would make me an asshole, and more importantly, Michael might kill me.

Blaire slowly turns her head toward her husband. “You’re tracking my noises?”