Page 67 of Be My Baby

Darby shrugged as elegantly as she could at nine months pregnant. “These Braxton Hicks pains are literally a pain in my ass. Or rather, belly. They bothered me all night.”

Millie shared a glance with Finn. “How far off is your due date?”

Darby flicked a hand in the air in frustration. “Not for another week. I saw Doc Farrell two days ago and he said this is quite normal. It hurts like a bastard, though.”

Finn opened the car door for Darby. “Would you like me to call Ryan? You know, get him to meet you at home?”

Darby had not long ago told them that Ryan was at Gabe’s, helping him inseminate part of his herd.

“No. It’s fine. It’s just—” Darby gasped and grabbed at her belly. “Holy crap!”

She looked down at her feet and Millie followed her gaze. Her sneakers were drenched.

“Darby!”

Darby’s startled eyes met hers. “My water broke.”

Finn’s laugh was strained, nervous. “You don’t say. Somehow I don’t think those are Braxton Hicks, Darby. We need to get you into this car.”

Millie’s hands shook as she opened the driver’s side door. Her stomach somersaulted and she clenched her fist.

“Finn?”

Finn looked up from helping Darby into the front seat. “Yeah?”

“Can you drive us to the hospital? I’m not sure I should. I’m a bit…”

A compassionate smile tilted his lips as he tried to get the seat belt wrapped around Darby. “Nervous?”

Millie nodded. It was ridiculous, but the instant she’d seen the fluid, her heart had raced, leaving her light-headed.

It was real. Darby was in labour. She glanced at her watch and noted the time.

Finn closed the door and hurried around to take the keys from Millie. He opened the rear door and ushered her in, a huge grin widening his mouth.

“You need me to help you with your belt too?”

Millie sent him what would normally be a withering glare, but he just laughed and jumped into the front seat, adjusting everything to fit his tall frame.

As he adjusted the rear-view mirror he intoned, “Please stow away your tray tables and keep your seat in an upright position.”

Millie groaned at the fake flight announcement. “Stop being funny and get us the hell to that hospital.”

She pulled out her phone and sent a message to the family chat group that Max had added her to a few weeks beforehand.

Meet us at the hospital ASAP. Darby’s water just broke. I think the baby’s coming.

It took only seconds for aholy crap!to come back from Gabe, and anis she all right?from Ryan. Max and Simon chimed in also.

“Millie?”

She looked up into Finn’s calm eyes in the mirror again. “Yes?”

“Call the hospital to let them know we’re on our way.”

Millie nodded and hit the number she’d already preprogramed into her phone. Why hadn’t she thought of that?

“Maternity’s over the far side of the hospital. The opposite end to the emergency department,” Darby said breathlessly. A sharp moan came from her, and Millie could see she was struggling to breathe through it.

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