Page 88 of Royal Games (The Royals of Monterra)

“It’s um, behind the, uh, ow, ow, ow, ow!”

She grabbed the steering wheel so tight her knuckles turned a bright white. “Are you okay?”

“Either somebody poured a Sprite all over my front seat while I was outside, or else my water just broke.”

“Oh. That’s not good. What do I do? Do I call an ambulance?” I turned, panicking. “Rafe! We need help!”

He sprinted to my side before Whitney could speak again. Like the Flash.

“No, an ambulance will take too long. Man, this really hurts. Why did I want to do this again?”

She obviously couldn’t drive. And Christopher’s seminar was in Iowa City, so he was already near the hospital. It would take too long for him to get back here.

“Marco’s got first aid training. Let me text him.”

“Or I could call Amanda.”

“Marco’s closer,” Rafe said.

A minute later, Marco pulled up. “I thought you sent them home,” I said.

“They don’t always listen.”

Rafe explained the situation to his bodyguard, while Whitney moaned again in pain, leaning against the wheel. Gracie started to cry. “It’s okay, Gracie, Mommy’s okay.”

“I’ll drive you to the hospital,” I told her. “You and Marco can sit in the backseat and he can help you.”

“No!” she said. “Somebody’s got to take care of the kids. They only know you. It has to be you. Gracie will freak out otherwise. You have to take them over to my mother’s house. Please.”

“I’ll drive her,” Rafe said. “And I’ll have Marco find Christopher when we get to Iowa City. It’s my fault he’s there. You take the kids to Whitney’s mother’s house, and then go straight back to the farmhouse. Stay there until I get back.”

She was going to need her wallet for the hospital. Her insurance card, driver’s license. That kind of stuff. Right?

I told them I’d be right back and ran inside to look for her wallet. I used my phone as a flashlight and finally found the wallet in one of the refrigerators. I put my phone down and filled up a to-go bag with some snacks for her. I didn’t know what she’d need. I only knew that horses liked to eat when they were in labor. People couldn’t be much different, could they?

They’d moved Whitney into Rafe’s SUV, and I handed him the bag and her wallet. “Be careful,” I told him, kissing him quickly.

“You too.”

They drove off. Taking off my coat, I laid it on the front seat of Whitney’s car. I was going to have to sterilize everything I was wearing. “It’s okay, Gracie. I’m taking you guys to Grandma’s house.”

She cried intermittently and only stopped because she had fallen asleep. Whitney was right. If Rafe had driven them, she would have been hysterical. She got that way when she was tired.

It only took me about ten minutes to get to Whitney’s mom’s house. I carried Gracie up to the front door, and when they answered I explained what had happened. Her mom took Gracie from me, and her dad and I carried in Meredith and Beau. They thanked me for bringing the kids over and invited me in.

I told them I needed to get home, and congratulated them on adding another grandchild to their family. By the time I got back to the farmhouse, it was really late. Aunt Sylvia was already asleep.

Laddie was excited to see me, at least. He jumped up on me, and I ruffled his fur. “Did you miss me, boy? Did you?”

I wondered if there was an update. My phone wasn’t in my pocket. Had I left it in my purse? My purse that was still in Rafe’s car? I checked my coat pockets before throwing it in the washing machine, along with my jeans and socks. I put my shoes aside to wash later.

When was the last time I had the phone? Whitney had called me. I went to the diner and I had taken it inside with me.

Where I had left it on the counter. I wanted to thwack myself in the forehead. Apparently Whitney’s pregnancy brain was contagious.

Rafe wanted me to stay put. But how would I know what was happening? How would I know if Whitney was okay? If the baby was okay? If they’d made it safely to Iowa City? If they’d contacted Christopher?

I needed my phone.

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