Page 33 of The Acquisition

Wringing my hands, I bit my lower lip. Guilt chewed at my gut and I couldn't release the feeling. "I think not telling anyone is going to come back to haunt us."

"We can tell whoever you want. I think Evie will eventually accept us together. We can go right now if you want."

Pulling my phone out of my purse, I resolved to do just that. "I'll see if she can meet with us."

The phone rang several times before going to voicemail. "That's odd," I muttered. "It isn't very late, and we just saw her a few hours ago. She always answers my calls."

Colter wasn't worried. "They are newlyweds. God, thinking about why she isn't answering is going to make me ill. I'll try Beck if for no other reason than to be a pain in the ass because he's with my daughter."

Beckett actually answered his phone. I couldn't make out his words, but I could see the color drain out of Colt's face. "We'll be right there," he said and hung up the phone.

"We need to hurry to the hospital."

TWELVE

COLTER

Traffic was a blur as I raced across the city to the hospital. Beck's voice was tense on the phone, and I barely heard anything other than the word ‘hospital’ before I hung up and dragged Jana the couple of blocks to where we'd parked the car.

Inside the waiting room, Beckett paced back and forth. He was barely holding it together when we arrived, and I instantly rushed to his side. My usually stoic best friend wrapped his arms around me, and I held him while he shook with fear.

"What happened?" I asked as soon as he let go.

"When we got home, she said she wasn't feeling well and didn't want dinner. She went to lie down, but that didn't help. Next, she was complaining about back pain, so I rushed her here. The doctor has had her in the exam room monitoring her. They've got a strap thing around her stomach."

"Why are you out here?" Jana asked him.

He looked down, sheepishly. "I, uh, wouldn't stop demanding the doctor fix her, and apparently I was making their heart rates faster. The doctor kicked me out."

Luckily, Jana and I didn't need to wait nearly as long as Beck to find out what was going on. A doctor came down the hallway heading straight for us.

"Mr. Anderson, can I speak to you a moment alone?" he asked.

"It's okay, doctor, this is Evie's father and her best friend."

The doctor nodded. "Mrs. Anderson is experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. They are very common. I am a bit concerned about her stress level. Lowering it should make sure this baby doesn't come early. We still have a few weeks to go before she's full term. I'd like for her to stay off her feet this week, and there needs to be a reduction in her stress level for the rest of the pregnancy."

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until he said she was going to be okay. Losing someone leaves a mark that can't be measured. I'd already lost her mother twice, and each time the pain cut deeper.

Only once I had hope for the future did I start to see that the love I felt for Jenny wasn't meant to be my forever. Even so, she was an important chapter in my life, and our daughter was the only remaining piece of her in this world.

Beckett strolled off to speak to the doctor alone for a conversation I was positive I didn't want to be a part of.

"He's asking the doctor if they can have sex, isn't he?" Jana asked, forcing the image of the two of them together into my mind.

I groaned. "Most likely. It's what I would do, but I sure as shit don't want to think about it. He's a kinky fucker and there are so many things about him I suddenly would like to unlearn."

"What about you?" Her blush told me what part of my statement she was questioning me about.

"Am I a kinky fucker?"

She nodded, a quick jerk of her head. It was adorable to see her both flushed and embarrassed at the same time.

"You're going to find out really soon, brat."

Jana worried her bottom lip and looked to make sure Beckett was still talking to the doctor. "We can't tell them. You heard the doctor. We can't be the cause of any stress. I'd never forgive myself if we did and something happened to Evie or the baby."

I was glad she brought it up because I was thinking the same thing. "We continue with the original plan. Except for the courthouse, we aren't doing that."

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