Page 102 of The Closed Off Captain

I hear voices in the background. “Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute,” he snaps.

“Gunner, go, I’m fine. The girls are here; we’re going to watch a movie.”

He sighs. “Okay. Help yourself to anything. And Chloe—”

I hear somebody calling him in the background. “Go, Gunner. Good luck tonight.” I hang up, so he can get going without feeling guilty. I stare down at my phone for a moment because I think I’m hopelessly in love with him. It’s to the point that I literally just ache to be around him. I close my eyes.I’m in so much trouble.With my eyes closed, thoughts of last night start to swirl around in my head. I open my eyes and make my way back out to the girls. I know I need to deal with last night at somepoint, but right now, I just want to forget. “What movie are we watching?” I ask as I settle on Gunner’s comfy couch.

“Knight and Day,” Stephanie calls out and ques it up.

“Haven’t heard of it,” I say as I grab a handful of candy. “Thanks for bringing snacks, by the way.”

“Oh, we never get together without snacks,” Bri says as serious as can be.

“Good to know.”

“How have you never seen this movie?” Stephanie asks, pointing at the tv. “It’s so good. It's got Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise in it.”

“To be honest, I don’t watch many movies.”

“Well, this one is a good one,” Brielle says settling into the couch with a hand on her extended belly.

“When are you due?” I ask.

“Any day now.”

My hand stops halfway to my mouth. “Why are you here?”

Bri laughs. “I’m not in labor like right at this minute. My due date was yesterday, but obviously nothing’s happening. So, I just continue on.”

I stare at her. “Is Aiden freaking out?”

“Oh, he’s a mess and driving me crazy. He texts me and calls me like every minute of every day. But I just keep telling him to just keep doing his thing. We’ll do what we need to when it’s time.” I nod but don’t relax. “It’s okay, Chloe. It’s not like I’m just going to burst into labor at any moment. They told me because it’s my first, I’ll probably be in a labor a while.” She makes a face at that.

“It’s true,” Amber says, throwing a piece of popcorn in the air and catching it impressively in her mouth. “My labor with Riley was long; our mom’s labors were long. So, it will probably be the same for Bri.”

“Probably,” I repeat, still unsure.

“Don’t worry. If I feel the baby coming, I’ll let you know,” Bri says laughing and patting my leg.

Nobody else seems worried about it, so I choose not to worry as well. The morning slips into the afternoon as we fill our bellies with snacks and pizza and our minds with chick flicks. Amber surprised me by ordering a gluten free crust with just red sauce and pepperoni and sausage. Surprisingly, it was really good. By late afternoon, I’m really feeling the exhaustion from last night. I excuse myself and crash on Gunner’s bed for a few hours and offer the guest room for anybody that needs it. After sleeping almost two hours, I feel more like myself.

I head back out to the living room, uncertain if the girls will still be here. I come out to see Amber sleeping in the recliner with Riley asleep on her chest and Stephanie typing away on her laptop. I settle on the couch next to Stephanie. “Good nap?” she asks quietly. I nod. “Good; you needed it.”

I’m still trying to wake up. “What are you working on?” I ask with a yawn.

“My next book,” she says easily.

I knew she was a writer but haven't read anything she's written. "I need to read one of your books.” She just smiles and goes back to typing. “Where’s Brielle?” I ask after another yawn nearly cracks my jaw.

“She’s sleeping in the guest room.”

It’s quiet, and I pull out my phone to catch up with all I’ve missed. I haven’t been working for very long when I hear a shriek from the bedroom.

Chapter 45

Chloe

I’m not sure which one of us moves first, but Stephanie and I run towards the back room with Amber trying to get out of the chair behind us. I reach the door first and throw it open. Bri is standing next to the bed in an awkward position. Her eyes are huge. “I think my water broke.” My gaze shoots to the floor where there’s the smallest bit of...something.

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