Page 3 of Crossing Lines

“Nothing that smelled like that, I can promise you. Dear God. Please just let that be wind.”

“Wind? Sissy, really?”

“What?”

His brow arched. “He smells like a rotting zombie. That was more than wind. I’m not doing it.”

“I’m not doing it,” I rushed out.

I was older.

What I said went.

Carter and I shared a brief look, and he nodded. In unison we said, “Dad can change him.” The grin on my face grew. Now I just had to make it home without barfing...this kid’s butt smelled horrid.

Chapter 2

Stella

“Stel,I know this might be hard to swallow and all, but?—”

“Stop!” I barked. I needed a minute, but Shelby, like the rest of these heifers, just kept trying to get me to hear her. I’d fucking heard her. Loud and fucking clear.

I needed air.

I needed—I tried my best to just tune her ass out.

I’d heard her…correctly. Right?

Had I really, though? ’Cause what I’d heard and what she’d said had to be two different things. Maybe! This could be my ears not hearing correctly. Had I hit my head and not remembered it? Or was I stuck in one of those bad dreams that make your worst nightmare come to life?

A bad dream! Yes!

Sweet heavens above.What had I done to deserve this?Was I being punished for some misdeed I didn’t remember doing? Was I destined to be locked in a padded room for losing my ever-loving mind?

I could do nothing but blink at the small strip of paper and the little white square of plastic in Shelby’s hand. I’d come in with an upset stomach and heartburn from hell. I was thinking the chili we’d eaten at the roadside cafe on the way back fromShreveport the night before last had been bad, not this horse shit.

“Stel, did you hear me?” Shelby stood before me.

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

This wasn’t possible. It had to be a false test. Or better yet, she was playing some horrible trick on me. That was it! These heifers always threatened me with the ‘just wait, you’ll see what it’s like one day’ pregnant woman grumblings.

God, at this moment, I hated them all. I slid from the exam table and made my way toward the door. I wasn’t doing this. “Shelby McKenna, I never thought you’d stoop so low. This is beyond cruel!” I snapped, my anger growing with each second. My mind was telling me this was a joke, but in my heart, I knew it was true. I just couldn’t handle this.

“Stella! Wait!” Shelby grabbed my arm and hauled me back into the room. I pulled free of her grip and rounded on her.

“How could you!”

“It’s not some cruel joke, you psycho!” She shook her head and took my hand in hers. “I’d never do such a thing. Believe me when I tell you, these tests are accurate.”

“No! It can’t be. I was just checked. I had a new IUD put in a few months ago. I can’t get pregnant with that in me!”

“Stel, sweetheart, listen. You could if the IUD is not working properly. We need to make an appointment and have you go in and have it removed.”

---