Page 59 of What A Croc
Wyatt handed me a cold bottled water. “I have lemonade if you want it.”
Shaking my head, I thanked him. “No, this is perfect. I wish it would start cooling down soon.”
The summer had been brutally hot, and I was more than ready for cooler days. The heat zapped my strength, making me irritable, and I didn’t like being snappish. For the most part, my pregnancy was going well. My only complaint was the exhaustion that never seemed to go away, which I couldn’t remember having with Wyatt. That I did contribute to my age.
Two other cars arrived, and couples emerged with gifts and more children. I recognized them both, having met them on a couple occasions.
Bennett came over, his son Brodie perched on his hip, while his bestie, Seth, carried a pink wrapped bundle in his arms.
“Becks filled the baby pool yesterday,” Wyatt told the group, “so it should be warm enough for the little ones, if anyone wants to let them splash.”
“Perfect,” Bennett inclined his dark head to his babbling son. “This one will get antsy soon and want to bedown and occupied. He is crawling all over the place. Keeping up with him is a fulltime job.”
We all took a few minutes then to ooh and ahh over the newest addition that Seth was holding.
“How old is she?” I asked. I had known Seth was expecting, which had been a surprise. The few times I had met the outspoken omega, he hadn’t seemed that interested in settling down with any alpha anytime soon, let alone having a baby. But then, nobody would have guessed I would be doing the same.
“Four weeks,” he smiled down at his daughter, who was sleeping peacefully. His face was tired but glowed with love when he looked at her.
“She’s beautiful.”
We all chatted about mundane things for another ten minutes, then Wyatt declared, “I’m going to round up Julianna. We’ll do presents, then cake and ice cream, and the kids can play some more and wear themselves all out. Aiden is still staying tonight?”
I nodded. “He’s excited. Asking Charlie to spend the night helped.”
“What are you going to do with your kid free night?” Wade Sinclair asked me, waggling his dark brows.
Grinning, my eyes found Jackson, talking to all the alphas, while he kept one eye on Aiden as he slid happily down the slide. Resting a hand on my bump, I sighed. “Probably fall asleep, honestly. We’re going to pack someof my stuff and move it into Jackson’s, but my energy level is like at a minus five most days.”
There were understanding murmurs, with Seth agreeing. “I’ve never been more exhausted in my life than when I was pregnant.” Glancing down at his daughter, he amended, “Well, I’m still exhausted.”
Wade laughed, “Get used to it. I think I’m going to be perpetually tired until my last one turns eighteen.”
“Just don’t go popping out any more,” Quinn chided his friend. Wade and Finn’s kids were all very close together in age.
Wyatt was calling everyone over to the gift table, where I could see Becks with Julianna. She had been busy playing since I had arrived, but now I saw she was wearing a pretty lilac colored dress. Her dark curls were a mess around her head from running around, and her cheeks were rosy.
Tires crunching on gravel had us all turning to see who the late arrival was. I was pretty sure all of Wyatt and Becks’ friends were already here, but it could have been someone that attended the daycare.
A black SUV, with dark tinted windows that obscured the occupants, rolled to a stop behind Jackson’s BMW. The driver, clad in a dark suit and sunglasses, got out and opened the back passenger door.
When I saw who emerged, my heart sped up and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“What is she doing here?” Ryan whispered behind me, and my brain screamed the sentiment.
“Who is that?” Seth asked.
“My ex-wife,” I muttered, not believing what I was seeing.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Robert
Suddenly, my lungs remembered how to work and I inhaled sharply. Glancing over at Wyatt, I saw the shock on his face. He looked like I felt. Becks’ arms tightened around Julianna and I swore I heard a low growl issue from his throat.
Wyatt strode over, his long legs eating up the short distance. “Mother, what are you doing here?”
“I was in L.A. on business and decided to drive up to see you.” She seemed to just notice the table with gifts, the yard decorated with balloons and the bounce house, plus all the people. “I didn’t realize you would have company out here in the sticks. Really Wyatt, your house in town was shabby enough, but a cabin in the woods? Honestly.”
