Page 131 of Calamity Rayne Knocked Up

“Oh, it was lovely, like passing a watermelon through a keyhole.”

“I’m sure you weren’t at all dramatic,” he teased.

“Drama’s not my style, Ty. You know I’m all sophistication.”

He laughed then greeted Hale.

“Meet Avalyn,” Hale said as he placed her in Tyler’s arms.

Tyler cradled her gently and smiled. “Wow, Rayne. She’s beautiful.”

I wiped a tear from my eye because, apparently, the crying thing didn’tstop for something like eighteen years once a person became a parent.

“You okay?” Hale asked softly, kissing my head.

“Oh, yeah.” I sniffled. “These are happy tears.” Despite all the unpredictable calamities, today had turned out to be a perfect day—one I’d never forget.

The family stuck around for a few hours, but when I started nodding off, they left so I could rest. Tyler left with my mother and Elara, promising to return in the morning. Seraphina promised the same.

The nurses tried to take Avalyn to the nursery, but Hale wouldn’t have it. He slept in the chair beside the bassinet while I slept in the bed, waking only to nurse when Avalyn started to cry.

I awoke the following day to daylight flooding through the curtains and Avalyn being wheeled out of the room. “Where are they taking her?”

“For some routine tests. Nothing’s wrong.”

My sudden panic shifted to relief, and I sat up. Breakfast had been delivered, so I perused the bed tray. The eggs looked rubbery.

“Don’t eat that,” Hale said. “Phina’s bringing real food.”

“Thank God. How long have you been up?”

“A few hours. Avalyn and I returned a few emails and checked some accounts.”

“She’s only a day old, Hale. The rule is they have to be at least a month old before prepping for their MBA.”

I was moving slower than usual, and my body was sore, so Hale helped me shuffle to the bathroom. While I peed, he tidied up the bedding and sanitized the bed rails.

My rubber-treaded hospital socks stopped at the bathroom threshold as I watched him. “I leave you alone for two minutes, and the whole place smells like disinfectant.”

“Germs are dangerous for newborns.”

“I’m sure that’s why you bleached the bed.” He helped me get comfortable and situated under the sheets. He looked at me in a strange way that made me frown. “What? Why do you look like you have bad news?”

“Not bad.”

“But something. What is it?”

He sat back andsighed, which did nothing to ease my sudden anxiety. “I wanted to wait until you were?—”

“Just say it, Hale. Whatever it is, I’ll handle it.” He knew I didn’t do well with suspense and could make a mountain out of a molehill.

“It’s about Xander.”

Ugh. That could go either way. I still didn’t trust the guy, but since giving birth in his very fancy car, I sort of decided to give him a mulligan. “What about Xander? Did he say something to Tyler?”

“No, this has nothing to do with Tyler.”

“Then what?”

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