Page 119 of Reckless

Can’t.

Cannot.

“Everything’s gonna be okay.” I don’t recognize my voice because inside I’m losing my shit. “Ambulance is on itsway.”

The Texas heat sears into me as I bounce on my toes with nervous energy and yank my hair into a massive bun on top of myhead.

Why did I tell Brady to go?Why?

A small audience gathers behind me. Patrons from the restaurant and some neighbors. Scanning the faces, I spot one of the waitresses. “Get me some clean towels and some hot water. Maybe a glass of ice water too. Oh, and a clean turkeybaster!”

She nods like this makes perfect sense, and I ignore the strange look on my sister’s face. No need to tell her what that last item isfor.

“Let’s get you more comfortable.” I release the lever for Kat’s seat and shift the whole contraption back as slowly as possible before I recline her. “Better?”

“Yeah.” Her pasty, pale complexion freaks me out. She might be the one in labor, but I have to remind myself to breathetoo.

I feel bad that she’s sitting here with a towel under her ass like a diaper and half of our town is watching this go down.Ugh, the indignity ofchildbirth.

Please, don’t poop, Kat. I know you’ll never forgive me for dropping a deuce in front of so manypeople.

The waitress runs up to me with the supplies I asked her for, and I lean over my sister and set everything on the driver’s seat except for the ice water, which I offer to Kat todrink.

“Tori!”

Goosebumps race up and down my arms. Thatvoice.

When I see Ethan stalking toward me, weaving through the crowd, my knees almostbuckle.

It takes two seconds to shake myself out ofit.

Fuckthat.

I don’t have time to deal with him right now even though my heart can’t decide if I’m elated to see him or so fucking mad, I wanna sock him in thenuts.

“What’s going on?” he asks over myshoulder.

I snort. “What does it look like? Kat’s having her baby.”Duh.I roll myeyes.

As discreetly as possible, I reach for the container of hand sanitizer and squirt it all overmyself.

When Kat sees what I’m doing, her eyes widen. “Why do you needthat?”

“In the event you pop out a living, breathing human before the paramedics arrive, I thought I should have clean hands. So I can catch him. Or her.” Damn it, why didn’t I bring any blankets? “I used to play basketball in high school. I got you,babe.”

I don’t remind her that I sucked at basketball and all that dribbling. I’m not good with bigballs.

I’m too freaked out to mentally snicker at my dirtyjoke.

When her next contraction overwhelms her, a war-like shriek breaks from her lips, making me jump, but Ethan places a warm hand on myshoulder.

I clench my eyes shut and say a prayer for Kat and this baby. That they’re okay. That I can get them throughthis.

We can dothis.

Behind me, I tell everyone behind me to back off, because I need to protect the sanctity of my sister’s vag, and Ethan helps me, making sure no one can see into the cab of thetruck.

I hoist up Kat’s butt so I can push down her soggy underwear, which is tough to do standing outside the passenger side, leaning in, but it’s not like there’s an easier way. She lifts her swollen legs, balancing her feet on the edge of her seat, andgrunts.

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