Page 46 of Blue Norther
“You know I’m going to get my ass handed to me for this—taking the interim sheriff’s pregnant wife away from the office for some fried chicken.” Nate shook his head as he pulled the SUV into the parking lot of Dolly’s.
“Colt shouldn’t have left his pregnantex-wife on her own at dinner time then, should he?” I laughed. It wasn’t his fault. Something was happening in Lark Lake that he had to support. I told him to go, but I also didn’t expect it to run into dinner. The baby wanted fried chicken, and it was one of those things where I was about to sit on the floor and cry if I didn’t get some. “I’ll totally fall on my sword for you. He knows I’ve been dying for this all day. Besides, I’m getting some for everyone back at the station. We’ll be back before he even notices.”
“You are nothing but trouble. I just got off of desk duty,” he mumbled under his breath. I laughed as I unlatched my seat belt.
By the time Nate came around the front of the vehicle, I was quietly shutting my door.
“My God, it’s like you want me to get fired! You should have waited for me,” he scolded me.
“You’re awfully jumpy. You know Colt is just a big teddy bear, don’t you?”
He looked at me like I was growing a second head. “Yeah, sure. The man definitely gives off teddy bear vibes. Come on, let’s go get your chicken before you decide to run into trafficjust for fun.”
I laughed, grabbing my belly so it wouldn’t shake. Out of all the sensations and feelings in pregnancy, understanding what the stories meant when they said “Santa’s belly shook like a bowl full of jelly” was something I truly did not enjoy.
“Are you going to let me get the door for you, or would you like to just run through the glass?” Nate groaned.
“I would love for you to get the door for me.”
He nodded, stepping up to grab the door for a family coming out before ushering me in with an enthusiastic sweep of his hand. He really had been such a hoot to rile up.
“Vi!” Much to my surprise, Jessie and Hawk sat at a booth right off the entrance of the diner.
“Go say hi,” Nate encouraged. “I’ll put the order in at the counter.”
“Are you sure?”
“I can keep an eye on you from there.”
I smiled as I turned to walk towards the booth.
“Hey, you two. Where’s Beckett?” I asked.
Hawk laughed. “Mae and Stone scooped him up right out of Jessie’s arms when she brought him in to say hi at the end of work, and they refused to give him back to us until after dinner.”
Jessie reached over and picked a french fry off of Hawk’s plate, popping it into her mouth. “I won’t say no to a few hours of kid-free time, especially now that he’s not attached to my boobs for hours at a time!”
“Ouch. I don’t know if I’m looking forward to that.”
Jessie shrugged. “You get used to it. But there’s nothing wrong with bottle feeding if you want to do that instead. Oh, I just got so excited that next year, both our sons will be running around here like wild little things.”
I placed my hand on my belly. “You think he’ll be walking before he’s one?”
Hawk laughed. “We’re still debating if it’s the Ford genes or the Morgan genes that made Beckett so rambunctious, but every time I see one of Jessie’s brothers up on a horse, I’m certain it was her genetics that programmed him to be so wild and carefree. No doubt Colt’s DNA will instill that in your little one, too.”
“Got it.” I sighed. “Start panicking now.”
“There’s no way Colt is the less protective parent out of the two of you.” Jessie pointed the end of another french fry at me. “Remember when you took me to swim in the creek and Colt flipped out on us?”
I laughed. “God, yes! He was always such a worrywart. You know what…good. I’ll happily let him take on that anxiety. I’ve had so much just trying to get through this pregnancy.”
“Speaking of my brother…Where is he? I’m surprised he let you out of his sight.”
“He’s still in Bell Ridge, got called out of the office for something. Not sure what’s going on, but I sent him a text and told him Deputy Jones was coming with me to secure dinner. I’m dying for your mom’s fried chicken and coleslaw. We’re going to order some for everyone at the station tonight.”
Jessie’s eyes went wide. “He’s going to be mad when he realizes you left.”
“He can’t get too mad. I could have Deputy Jones take me home. He made your poor husband spend hours the other day installing a security system in the house. What good is it if I can’t rely on it?”
