Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 134830 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134830 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“He kicked me,” I say, staring at her in wonder as it happens again.
“I know, right? It’s amazing.”
And then her belly turns into something I’ve only seen in Alien movies and I yank my hand away, horrified. “Is that normal?”
Janey doesn’t get the chance to answer because someone crashes into our buggy and at the same time, shouts, “Pendejo!” I reflexively put Janey behind me, out of harm’s way as I turn to see our attacker. “You’re married? With a baby coming? You fucking asshole!” she shouts.
Dani has used her flatbed cart of supplies as a weapon and is staring daggers at me while she loudly and angrily curses me up one side and down the other in Spanish I don’t understand. From the way she’s looking from me to Janey, I get the gist of it, though.
She thinks Janey is my wife and carrying my child and that I’m a lying bastard.
“Whoa—” I say, holding my hands out defensively because along with her rant, she’s waving her hands left and right wildly and might actually hit me.
It’s the equivalent of telling her to calm down and has the polar opposite effect. She grabs a package of tortillas from the nearest stack and chunks them at me. They smack me in the cheek, but I manage to catch them on the rebound so they don’t fall to the floor.
Janey makes a sound of horrified shock at the continuing attack and ducks away from me when Dani picks up another package and takes aim. Suddenly, Cole and Kayla pop out of nowhere. I think I hear Cole mutter something that sounds like, “I knew it was him. Who else would get called that at that volume?” But I can’t be sure I heard him correctly because he’s panting like he ran pell-mell across the entire store. He comes to Janey’s side, cradling her belly. “Are you okay?”
“Daniela! Stop!” I shout the order, knowing it’s throwing kerosene on an already raging fire but not sure what else to do.
In the end, I think it’s Cole who actually stops her because Dani’s not looking at me. She’s ping-ponging from him, who seems real up close and personal with Janey now, and then to me in confusion. “What the hell?”
I shake my head, grinning at her jealous display. I’m sure someday, we’re all going to laugh at this. That day is not today. “Dani, this is my sister-in-law, Janey, and my brother, Cole. And you have no idea how close to getting me murdered you just were.” Because now that Cole recognizes Janey’s not about to deliver in the middle of the warehouse bakery, he’s scowling at me like he’s imagining ten different ways to kill me with what’s in reach, which is impressive considering it’s mostly muffins and cookies.
“I’m Kayla, by the way,” my sister says, waving politely at Dani. But the shrewd look on her face says she’s cataloging every nuance of this confrontation for later use in my interrogation.
Dani’s head swivels, looking left and right as she realizes that she made a huge scene in the middle of the store and people are staring at us from every direction. Her dark eyes fill with regret and panic as it hits her that she jumped to a very logical, but very wrong, conclusion.
“It’s okay,” I say, reaching toward her slowly like she’s a dog that might bite. Mostly, because I’m fairly sure she might. “Janey’s not my wife, and that’s not my baby.”
“It had better not fucking be,” Cole hisses, glaring at me like this is all my fault.
“Everybody freeze,” a new voice shouts, drawing our attention.
A worker in a red vest approaches, holding his hands out like he’s ready to pull us all apart mid-scuffle, even though the drama is over and we’re just standing here.
“We’re good,” I explain, trying to deescalate the situation. “Sorry about the commotion.”
“Sir, this woman assaulted you. Would you like to press charges?”
Assault? Like with the tortillas?
I cut my eyes to Dani, risking my life by flashing her a tiny smirk. “Hmm…” Dani growls, and I only smile wider. “No, there’s no need for that. Just a little misunderstanding, that’s all. No harm, no foul.”
“Speak for yourself,” Cole snaps. “Did she hurt you?” he asks Janey, who’s holding on to Cole’s arm, not for support, but more likely to hold him back from going toe to toe with Dani or me. Cole’s not only protective. He’s protective. Like he’s probably gonna pop an AirTag in their baby before they leave the hospital, or whatever the fanciest, latest and greatest, secret tech in that world might be.
Thankfully, Janey shakes her head. “I’m fine. I think she’s the neighbor,” she tells Cole.
That has Cole and Kayla giving Dani second and third looks of unveiled interest.
The Costco worker doesn’t care about my dating life or our family weirdness, though. “Even if you don’t want to press charges, I’m asking all of you to leave the premises immediately.”