Page 6 of Baby, Be Mine

Everyone was rushing around in the restaurant. I’d polished off the fries that Miss Stick-In-The-Mud refused to eat. I was pretty sure ol’ Jimmy was still burping up last night’s bourbon and beer at the other end of the bar.

I’d told him the grease would help, but he was being stubborn.

Ah, well, that just meant more for me.

And personally, I’d go for another basket if someone actually stopped in to check on us. Then again, the waitstaff was scattered to the four winds with the bus full of geriatrics who wanted special attention along with the senior’s menu.

In my boredom-slash-research I’d perused The Mason Jar’s website and the only senior thing on their classy menu was breakfast. Probably why they’d descended on the end of the breakfast rush like the squawking seagulls outside on the lake.

Or ducks.

They were surprisingly plentiful in this town. Maybe even the Mallards had a touch of the effervescent baby fever that seemed to be part of the lore of Crescent Cove. I couldn’t say I knew for sure since I’d gotten myself preggo outside town limits.

One thing I could say about the Cove was there was no judgement about women walking around in a baby way. Not that you could really tell I was, thankfully. Well, up until the last week or so. I’d fully popped, as they say.

Theybeing the constant barrage of people who wanted to touch my damn belly.

I might have been the smallest of the Hausers, but I still had a bit of height to me. And for once, my long torso had come in handy. I rubbed my side again. But even with the little bit of extra room, this kid was kicking up a storm today.

I dug into my purse for my phone and winced when I saw that five texts were waiting for me. Most were from Clint, and one from his new wife Kitty.

Bringing out the big guns if Kitty hopped into the text pool.

CLINGER:

How are you feeling today?

CLINGER:

Are you awake yet? Is everything okay?

CLINGER:

I called all the hospitals in the area. Answer me.

One Missed Call

CLINGER:

CLINGER:

Dammit, you turned off the location app again.

KITTY:

I’m sure you’re fine, but your brother has his head between his legs for non sexual reasons. Could you check in with him so I can enjoy the one afternoon he has off? I would like to have adult relations and he can’t concentrate.

I snorted and fired back a group text to them.

I’m fine. I’m having lunch with friends.

Not exactly a lie.

Maybe a small stretch of the truth.

All my friends were back at school. I’d managed to scrape together the brainpower and sheer power of will to finish school while the bean was rapidly changing my life. Lucky for me, my baby daddy was avoiding me like the plague, so I didn’t have to explain myself.

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