Page 127 of Make the Play

She answers, mid-smile.

“Hey, babe, what’s up?”

The smile drops.

“What?”

Chapter twenty-five

Wanna piece of my toy gun, Zo?

Zoe

Charlie’s voice is calm. Too calm. “Don’t freak out.”

Immediately, my stomach knots. “Charlie—”

“I’m fine. I promise. But the contractions are close, and my midwife says it’s time to come in.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Chase still in the kitchen, frozen halfway through unscrewing the lid on his protein shake.

“You’re early.”

“I know.” She exhales. “Jake’s trying to act normal, but he’s currently in the bathroom packing gum, a phone charger, and—for some reason I will never understand—a hairdryer.”

I blink. “A hairdryer?”

Chase glances over at that, brow raised. I ignore him.

“In case I want to do my hairafter pushing out a human,apparently.”

Despite the coil of panic in my chest, I let out a startled laugh. “Jesus.”

“Yeah, he’s pacing and mumbling and trying to pretend he’s not spiraling. I love him, but if he doesn’t stop repacking the hospital bag, I will kill him before this baby gets the chance to crown.”

A cabinet slams shut in the background. Jake mumbles something unintelligible about baby socks and nail clippers.

“So this is happening?” I ask quietly, shifting slightly as I feel Chase’s attention still fixed on me from across the room.

“Yeah,” she says. “Contractions are regular. I’m four weeks early, but the midwife wants us at the hospital.”

My throat tightens, and I nod even though she can’t see me.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. I mean, it’s my third time. I know the drill. But my parents are still somewhere in the air over the Pacific. I’ve rerouted their flights, but they won’t land until tomorrow night.”

“Okay…”

“And Alison’s driving in from Glenwood, but she won’t be here for a few hours.”

I’m already standing. I catch a flicker of movement as Chase straightens too, like he’s readying for something before I’ve even said a word.

“You need someone on kid duty.”

“I wouldn’t ask if—”

“I’ve got it,” I say. “I’ll be there soon.”

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