Page 100 of Too Complicated

“This is Troy’s friend, Zach Clarke and…” Kate didn’t finish.

“Hey, isn’t he our new neighbor?” Noel asked me.

“It is.” I watched Kate as she gaped at our new neighbor. What was the problem? Was it because he hadn’t been invited?

“This is my nephew, Sam Clarke. I hope you don’t mind that Eleni and I dragged him along,” Zach said.

I looked at our new neighbor. His brows were furrowed as he looked up at Kate.

Noel reached over to shake Zach’s hand. “I think we met at Dane’s once or twice.”

“Right.”

“And Sam is our new neighbor.”

Sam turned his attention to Noel, shaking his hand.

Kate rushed off.

“I’m going with her,” I whispered to Noel.

I found Kate in her office pouring a large shot of bourbon. “What’s wrong?”

She looked up. “Nothing. Just getting a little sustenance. Here, let me get you some water.”

She moved around me, but I stopped her. “Do you know Sam?”

“What? Who? No.” She left her office.

I didn’t believe her for a minute.

She returned with a glass of ice water. “Why don’t you sit? How is Mo? I bet he’s into everything.” She was rambling.

“I’m guessing you don’t want to talk about Sam.”

“Who?” She downed her bourbon.

I studied her and was about to try again to get her to open up for me, when I felt a rush of water between my legs.

“Oh!” I looked to find a puddle of water.

She jumped up. “What?” When she saw the puddle, she looked at me wide-eyed. “I guess I better get Noel.”

She was out the door and back in seconds.

Noel rushed in behind her. “I told you we should have stayed home.” He was grabbing at me and tugging me toward the door, but at that moment, a contraction stole my breath.

“Wait.”

“Wait? We can’t wait. You’re having a baby.” Noel sounded frantic.

“These things take time,” Ethan said from the doorway. “Trust me. I was the same way when Lucy went into labor.”

“You’re supposed to be arranging a ride,” Kate said to him.

“I did. Sam Clarke said he’d take them.”

“I can drive,” Noel snapped.

---