Page 41 of While We Waited

But when I return to my truck, she’s waiting for me. She has her arms across her chest and she’s scowling, but she’s waiting.

If she’s annoyed I’m driving her home, she’s going to be even more annoyed when she realizes where we’re going. Too bad for her I won’t budge on the destination.

Chapter 15

Poopy diapers – a reason for Nova to fall in love

Nova

“You’re going the wrong way,” I tell Hudson when he turns left out of the parking lot of the hospital.

His response? He grunts.

“A grunt is not a response, Captain Cranky.”

He sighs. “We’re not going the wrong way.”

“I think I know the way from my house to the hospital.”

The smuggler knows I’ve driven it enough times. Between Dad and Mom being sick and my own irrational fears for my health, I’ve seen the inside of the Smuggler’s Hideaway hospital more times than I care to admit.

“We’re not going to your house.”

It’s like pulling teeth with this man. “Where are we going?”

“To my place.”

A current of excitement travels through me. Hudson is practically a hermit. He doesn’t invite people over. But he’s bringing me to his place. Me? The woman who he couldn’t stand less than a week ago.

I wonder what his place looks like. A typical bachelor pad? Or a sterile hotel room?

I squash those thoughts. I don’t want to see Hudson’s place. I want to go home. I ignore the tiny voice in my mind shouting I’m a liar. I’m not lying. I do want to go home.

“Why are we going to your house?” A thought occurs to me and I nearly thump my forehead with realization. There must be an emergency. Why else would he bring me to his house? I’m not special to him.

“Is there an emergency? You can drop me off at the side of the road. I’ll have one of my girlfriends pick me up.”

“I am not dropping you at the side of the road.”

“It’s fine. It’s not raining.”

“I am not dropping you at the side of the road. I’m taking care of you.”

Hudson needs to stop taking care of me. He needs to stop bringing me groceries and preparing me soup. He needs to stop rushing to my side when I’m in the hospital. He needs to stop, period.

Because if he doesn’t, I’m going to fall in love with this man. Which would be a disaster of mermaid proportions since the man couldn’t stand me until he found out I was pregnant.

“You don’t need to take care of me because you’re the father of the baby I’m carrying.”

“Okay,” he grumbles.

Okay? Isn’t he going to say more? Explain himself perhaps. I wait a few seconds but he doesn’t elaborate.

“Can’t you drop me off real quick at my house before you rush off to whatever emergency there is at the resort?”

“No emergency.”

“No emergency?” My brow wrinkles. “Why are we going to the resort if there isn’t an emergency?”

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