Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 33887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
He and Elsa had a great kitchen, but Nora’s acres of green marble countertops, plethora of cabinets, including glass front ones up top that showed off how ludicrously organized her housekeeper or chef was, immediately captured Hale’s attention.
Now that the nursery was done, maybe they needed a revamp of their kitchen. Nora’s was galley, due to the age of her unit, its blueprint, and the space her kitchen was allotted, which was large, though narrow.
But she had a seven burner stove and two fridges and—
“Handsome,” Elsa clipped.
He looked down at her.
She was a mixture of angry and pouting.
He knew why.
Though, he faked that he didn’t.
“What?”
“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” she demanded.
Hale sidestepped one of Nora’s catering staff before he replied, “We’re in the midst of our baby shower, sweetheart, which means, as the guests of honor, we shouldn’t be holed up in the kitchen.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
More faking. “What are you talking about?”
“Hale.”
“Elsa.”
“Handsome.”
“Gorgeous.”
Her ice-blue eyes drilled into him.
Hale kept his mouth shut.
“I’m not going back out there until you tell me what’s going on which means you will have to go out there and open all those presents in front of everybody…alone,” she threatened.
“You wouldn’t do that to me,” he said with mock gravity.
“If I must, I’ll ask Paul to come get me, and not come back and get you until midnight.”
“I know how to use the subway, Elsa.”
“Spill it, Hale Wheeler.”
He sighed.
She crossed her arms on her chest.
This took his attention to her baby bump, which was what he still called it, even if, now, it was a lot larger than a bump.
It was then he asked, “Are you okay that Emilie blew off the shower?”
She squinted her eyes at him. “You’re deflecting.”
“Answer me.”
“No, I’m not okay,” she stated. “She can be a pain, but her not showing is just bitchy. It’s also unacceptable. But it will remain to be seen if it’s unforgiveable.”
“She’s out of the running for godmother,” Hale grumbled irately.
“Jews don’t have godmothers,” she reminded him. “And if we did, she was never in.”
“Who were you thinking?” he asked curiously.
“I’m lucky I don’t have to pick, because Carole would never forgive me if I picked Fliss. Fliss would never forgive me if I picked Carole. And Chloe and Sasha would never forgive you if we picked someone else.”
“More reason to convert,” Hale noted.
“Hale,” she said in warning.
Well.
Shit.
“She doesn’t want to steal your thunder, but Chloe’s pregnant.”
Her eyes got big, then for a woman who had very swollen feet, she moved fast.
So fast, she was out of the kitchen before he could catch her.
He followed her quickly, but she was on Chloe before he could stop her.
“You’re pregnant?” she asked his sister.
Chloe looked to Hale and her eyes narrowed.
“Oh my God. Now you have a big mouth.” She threw up her hands with exasperation. “Where does it end?”
“You’re pregnant,” Elsa said in a quiet voice.
Chloe looked back to her.
She barely got her eyes on Hale’s woman before Elsa dragged her out of her seat with both hands capturing Chloe’s and started girlie jumping, shaking Chloe’s arms, and crying, “Skiing lessons!”
Chloe started bouncing too and shouted, “Soccer games!”
As an aside, it was official.
He’d been correct. Elsa had the upper hand. Because they’d had their ultrasound, and there was no mistaking they were having a boy.
Though Chloe was only late in her second month, so she and Judge had no idea yet.
Elsa didn’t let go of Chloe when she turned to Hale and demanded, “Now we’re definitely getting another plane.”
Allow a woman during a tiff to spend three times as much for a diamond necklace than it was worth, the next thing she’ll want was an extra plane.
Though, that diamond necklace looked stunning around her throat.
Even so.
“My son is not flying back and forth across the country to attend soccer practice every day with Chloe and Judge’s offspring,” Hale decreed.
Elsa leaned into Chloe and whispered loudly, “I’ll work on him.”
Hale found the first father in the crowd, that being Duncan, and he asked, “Are they all irrational in this state?”
“I’m not answering that,” Duncan replied, but he did it smiling.
Elsa finally let Chloe go, whirled on Sasha, and shouted, “I get to throw the baby shower!”
“No way!” Sasha shouted back.
“I called it!” Elsa retorted.
“Baby, you’ll have our baby by then,” Hale reminded her.
“So?” she returned.
Pure Elsa.
Nothing slowed her down.
“You can co-throw it,” Chloe said. “But please, God, no macramé, no offense to all the boho babes in attendance.”
“None taken,” Mika murmured, the words vibrating with her laughter.
“We’re going to have it in Prescott, and Prescott screams boho,” Sasha returned.
“I may live there, but my wellingtons are Chanel,” Chloe shot back.
“Perhaps we should open presents,” Inger suggested, firmly taking the attention off Chloe and Judge’s good news, and landing it on her daughter.
Hale’s phone vibrated, he took it out and read the text from Matt.