Tied with Me
Page 45

“Yes, and Marla is a new nurse.” Will scowls as he takes a bite of cupcake, making Meg laugh harder. “And, boy, does she have a thing for our Will.”
“Most women do,” Stacy responds, patting her own husband’s back. “It’s a Montgomery curse.”
“Well, let’s just say that Marla isn’t coy about it.”
“She’s fucking embarrassing,” Will agrees.
“I don’t think I’ve seen Will embarrassed before,” Luke adds and sits behind his wife, then pulls her back against him and rests his hands on her belly. “This is fun.”
“She hits on him in front of everyone,” Meg continues. “And if she wasn’t such a…hmm…” She scrunches up her nose trying to come up with the right word.
“Persistent?” Jules offers.
“Well, let me put it this way. I wouldn’t say she’s a slut, but her favorite shade of lipstick is penis.”
“Oh my God!” Brynna cries, busting up laughing with the rest of us.
These people are freaking hilarious!
“What’s her number?” Mark asks with a wide, charming grin. “I’ll take her off your hands, man.”
“Trust me”—Meg shakes her head while laughing—“she’s kind of psycho. Once she sinks her claws in, shaking her off is nearly impossible.”
“Oh, yeah, you can keep her.” Mark laughs and sips on a beer. “I don’t want anyone permanent.”
“You’re disgusting.” Sam scowls at her brother.
“Just honest.”
“So what are you going to do about her?” Caleb asks. His hand is planted on Brynna’s belly.
I glance up at Matt to find him watching his brother with happy eyes.
Could she be?
“Ignore her,” Will mumbles. “And take security with me every time I go to the hospital.”
“Are you okay?” Caleb asks Brynna.
“I’m fine, sailor. Stop worrying.”
“What’s going on with you two?” Dominic asks.
“Yeah, you’ve been doting on her all day,” Natalie agrees. Luke leans in and whispers in Nat’s ear then nibbles on her neck, and her eyes go wide. “No way.”
“Dude, is she pregnant or something?” Mark demands.
Brynna blushes bright red, and Caleb sighs deeply.
“She is!” Jules cries.
“You didn’t tell me!” Stacy accuses her with angry eyes. “Oh God, you’re going to have a baby!”
“We weren’t going to say anything,” Brynna begins, but her eyes fill with tears. “It’s super early. I haven’t even been to the doctor yet.”
“When did you find out?” Natalie asks.
“On our last day in Tuscany,” Caleb replies. “The stick says I knocked her up.”
“You’re so classy.” Jules rolls her eyes and looks over at Matt. “You knew!”
“I was sworn to secrecy,” he replies calmly.
I take a deep breath and realize that I’m a bit shaky. I didn’t eat much this morning and barely picked at the food at lunch because my nerves got the better of me, being around Matt’s family for the first time.
Stupid!
I know better. The conversation continues around me, but I no longer really hear what they’re saying.
How am I going to get through this without drawing attention to myself?
My breathing and heart rate have increased, and I’m starting to feel woozy.
This one has come on fast.
“Hey, are you okay, baby?” Matt asks and tilts my face back to meet his gaze. He frowns down at me. “You don’t look so good.”
“I think I just need to eat something,” I reply and pull myself out of his arms, but as soon as I stand, I have to grip the back of the chair so I don’t fall. My head is spinning.
My sugars have crashed.
Fuck.
“Hey, hey, hey, baby.” Matt stands and helps me down into a chair.
I push my head down between my knees and focus on my breathing.
“What’s wrong? You’re scaring me, Nic.”
“For fuck’s sake, is she preggo, too?” Mark demands. “What is it with this family?”
“I don’t think that’s it,” Meg replies and kneels next to me. “Nic, are you diabetic?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I don’t think I ate enough today.”
“Someone run inside and grab her a sandwich and a glass of orange juice,” Meg orders sternly.
“On it,” Dominic announces and breaks into a run to the house.
“When was the last time you checked your sugars?” Meg asks and caresses my back in long, slow strokes.
“This morning. Every morning,” I reply and focus on breathing. The shaking is worse now.
“Maybe we should take her to the hospital,” Matt announces. His voice is as hard as steel.
He’s angry.
“She’ll be okay in a few minutes,” Meg assures him as Dominic returns and passes me the juice. “Slow sips. We don’t want you to spike.”
I take a bite of the sandwich first and then sip the juice, feeling foolish.
“I’m okay,” I assure everyone. “Really.”
“You almost passed out, sweetheart,” Will responds. “We’ll feel better if you just sit here for a few and eat.”