by Taryn Quinn
“Nah.” I tugged her as close as humanly possible. “We’ll just share one. Worked out pretty good the first time, don’t you think?”
She pretended to consider the question as her lips twitched. “Probably.”
19
Maggie
September
“You know you’re not supposed to get overstimulated at this stage of your pregnancy, right? This might be too much excitement for an old preggo chick,” Kendra teased, sipping champagne.
We were in the limo on the way to Kellan’s big concert at the Allied Center. She wasn’t kidding. I’d had to get special clearance from my doctor to fly this close to my due date, and he’d basically said this was it. From here on out, I’d be on one coast until the delivery.
For any other event, I wouldn’t have taken the chance. But this was the big time and it meant so much to Kellan for me to be there. Tonight, Wilder Mind was the opening act for one of their idols, Oblivion, and we were doing it up in style for our entrance.
Hell, I did most everything in style now. Even my lingerie had changed to La Perla rather than what was on sale at Walmart.
I still wasn’t used to my new life. I didn’t know if I ever would be. Going from being a single, struggling college student with two jobs to a pregnant woman with a famous boyfriend with serious money and no need to work if I didn’t want to—which I did, absolutely—was like Twilight Zone time. My brain and body still hadn’t caught up.
My bestie, on the other hand, was all about this new lifestyle. She’d grown up as the only daughter of a widowed police officer father. While she hadn’t been poor, she was used to scrimping, especially when it came to her education and working two jobs. Now she was traveling in limos with me and day drinking champagne.
The downside was that I wasn’t drinking champagne, since I was oh, eight months pregnant. The other downside was that we were surrounded in said limo by my entire family, as this big concert of Kellan’s was a family affair. He’d gotten tickets for all of us, and while I’d had hoped that one or more of my siblings would pass on the opportunity, nope. They had all crowded into our stretch limo and were drinking and laughing and chatting enough to make my head hurt.
Maeve was wearing a hot pink dress that offset her streaked blond hair and flawless skin. She was also busting out of it up top, which meant she had to tug up the bodice every time she laughed. A frequent occurrence since she’d brought her boyfriend du jour, a landscaper named Mark.
She’d asked more than once if she could get a backstage pass, though of course that went without saying. She’d met the band before, but I swore she was a groupie in training.
Lately she’d even started playing the piano again after not touching it for years. I wouldn’t be surprised if she decided to join a band or something.
Anything went with my sisters. That one, especially.
In a gorgeous plunging red dress, Regan silently sipped her own champagne and viewed the rest of us with her usual bemused expression. She was solo—a fact that “delighted” her, she claimed.
She wasn’t ready to settle down. Unlike some of us, a statement made with a pointed glance at me.
I think she secretly assumed I planned to have a passel of Kelly-McGuire kids rather than go to law school as I planned. I didn’t try to disabuse her of the idea. I wasn’t sure how I’d make it all happen yet. Not having to worry about money was a big help, since Kellan’s career seemed aimed for the stars.
But I wanted to work to achieve my goals. That was how I was raised. Kellan was our child’s father, but that didn’t mean he was responsible for me too. Not financially. It was bad enough I wasn’t working that much now since I was the size of a Humvee and way more cranky about being pushed for speed.
I enjoyed these special occasions, but I was adamant that our kid wasn’t going to eat from a platinum spoon. That was why I was living happily in the cabin in Turnbull while Kellan traveled back and forth from the west coast, though he’d insisted on making more than a few updates before I could live there.
Like an upgraded kitchen and heating system, tons of security, and a part-time bodyguard who also drove me places and looked hulking if anyone eyed me sideways. I thought it was more than a little ridiculous, but Kellan’s public profile had grown exponentially in recent months. With that came a bit of notoriety for me and his bastard baby, as one kind tabloid had referred to us. After that Kellan’s hypothetical marriage talk had become more frequent.
I was just getting through day by day and trying to keep my life as normal as possible. Kellan had to keep up certain appearances, but baby X and I did not have to when we were outside the glare of the public eye.
We didn’t know yet if we were having a boy or a girl. We’d decided early on to be surprised, though my impatient boyfriend tried continually to get my doctor to accidentally reveal the gender. I was almost certain Kellan wanted a girl so Rainy would have a playmate. All I wanted was a healthy baby and a uterus that belonged solely to me.
I’d never realized how much of a full body sport pregnancy was until I’d discovered even rolling over was a challenge at this stage. As for sex? The second trimester had been incredible, with many semi-athletic feats I couldn’t imagine pulling off now. The third? Let’s just say I bought Kellan an industrial size container of Vaseline and told him to have fun.
“You okay over there, Mags?”
I glanced away from my stem glass of apple juice—that I’d been staring into as if it were tea leaves—to meet Liam’s concerned gaze. He’d been even more overprotective than usual this entire pregnancy. He seemed convinced Kellan would leave me for some groupie any day now. Lachlan, being his identical twin, had immediately taken the opposite stance and decided Kellan was the best friend he’d ever had. Angus didn’t seem to be overly concerned either way, and for that, he was basically my favorite person on the planet.
My family was amazing, but jeez louise, give a grown, on-the-verge-of-exploding-with-child woman some personal space.
“She’s fine,” Kendra answered before I could, slipping her arm through mine. “She’s just thinking about how she’s going to roll on top of that rockstar stud of hers tonight while he’s all sweaty from his amazing show and—”
“Oh my God, Ken!” I smacked her thigh, unintentionally pushing her already nearly obscene black minidress higher. “Shows how little you know. I’m more for side access at this point.”
“Margaret,” my mother chided, reminding me succinctly of her presence. God forbid I forget for one eensy second that I was surrounded by The Partridge Family, crazy Irish 2000s edition. “Not in front of your father.”
“Or in front of me either, thanks very much.” Liam brooded into his beer, but not before I saw his gaze linger entirely too long on my best friend.
Specifically, her long, bare legs, displayed to maximum perfection in her four-inch heels.
But I wasn’t jealous, not even a little. So what if I had on mud brown Crocs under my floor-length royal blue muu-muu? In a few weeks, I’d also have a hopefully healthy baby and a vacated uterus.
Yes, I was focused on the uterus. So sue me.
By the time we pulled up to the venue and were herded into our special VIP box near stage right, I had decided three very important things. One, I wasn’t fond of crowds when they impeded my ability to quickly reach a bathroom. Two, as soon as I wasn’t pregnant anymore, I was going to go out wearing only a bikini—whether or not I was headed to the beach—just to feel air moving over my bare skin. Third, I had to pee. Really, really badly.
Have I mentioned this place was packed with people?
Beside me, Kendra laid a hand on my arm. “Wiggle much? Stop moving. You’re distracting me from scoping out all the hot men. I told you I came here to get laid tonight.”
On my other side, Liam coughed. Where Kendra went lately, Liam seemed to follow. I didn’t know why. Nor did I know why my brother kept looking at Ken like she was a large, juicy steak. They’d been frenemies
since we were kids. All of a sudden, the vibes I was getting from Liam’s side were something different.
Ken, however, barely seemed to know he was alive. If he’d fallen over dead at my feet, I think she would’ve stepped over him and called for a clean-up in the VIP box.
“Hello, preggo bladder. I have to pee.”
“Now? The other opening act will be starting soon. The Thrashers are my favorite band ever, you know that.” I gave her a hard stare and she patted her updo. “Did I say that? Second favorite band ever. There, that sounds better.”
“Why, planning on doing one of them? Did you manage to fit condoms in that matchbox of yours?” Liam cast a derisive glance at Kendra’s tiny red clutch.
“Oh, you better believe it. After this one,” she pointed at me, “I practically insist on a double layer of latex. Not taking any chances.”
I crossed my arms over my enormous belly. “Thank you, sweet godmother of my child who has ears and can hear you quite clearly.”
“Sorry, kiddo.” Kendra patted my stomach and glanced at her bangle watch. “All right, let’s go now before the Thrashers start. Though we’re cutting it awfully close.”
“Maybe you can hookup on the way to the bathroom,” I offered, only half joking.
When Kendra was on a sex mission, she was a sight to behold.
“Hmm, maybe.”
“If your boyfriend comes out here, I’ll tell him you’re helping Ken have sex.”
Since I was more focused on the fact that Kendra was leading me to safety—aka the bathroom—I barely paid Liam any mind. “Okay, great, thanks,” I called over my shoulder.
My thoughtful boyfriend had gotten us seats in the section nearest the bathroom. The only problem was I’d vastly underestimated the size of the crowd. My head swam just from trying to see through the sea of bodies. The bathroom doorway might as well have been an oasis in the middle of the Sahara, and I was approximately two miles away. Evidently everyone in the arena had decided to use the first opening act’s performance time to get their pee on.
And my baby was doing a tap dance on my bladder.
“Are you sure you can’t hold it?” Kendra asked, urging me forward with her hand on the small of my back as the house lights dimmed and the crowd began to cheer. Loudly. Kellan had told me the first act’s portion would only be like three songs, basically just a teaser before Wilder Mind came on.
We’d have to have made it to the front of the line before the end of the Thrashers set, right?
Please God, yes.
“I’m thirty-five weeks pregnant,” I shouted over the guitar licks coming from the stage. “I’m holding it right now by not peeing on your damn foot.”
“What?” Kendra shouted back.
I gave her the finger.
We shuffled forward about an inch per song. I rubbed the ache in the small of my back, shifting to alleviate the pressure. All I wanted to do was sit down. I’d even chance it by lowering my keister onto the bathroom seat. I needed to rest that badly. Not to mention I was—
“Oof,” I muttered, gripping my lower belly. “That wasn’t…” I trailed off, since Kendra wasn’t listening to me and couldn’t have heard me even if she tried.
Was that a contraction? I’d had Braxton-Hicks during the flight to California on Donovan Lewis’s jet. Donovan owned Kellan’s record company and seemed to be a pretty cool guy. He was also ridiculously rich—hence why almost everyone called him Lord Lewis under their breath—so he’d arranged for the special flight for me and my ginormous family.
I rubbed my lower back with one hand and my belly with the other as the line slowly inched forward. We could hear the band from here, but we weren’t quite able to view the stage. We could see the crowd going crazy, dancing and waving their arms and shouting the lyrics to songs I didn’t know. I was trying to broaden my musical knowledge because of Kell but I still tended to like the Luscious Lovahboys the best, much to my boyfriend’s chagrin. Wilder Mind was up there too of course, but that was a given. I might’ve even gotten Kellan to sing to me a time or two during intimate acts. Really intimate, when different vibrations were a very good thing. No one growled quite like him.
God, not even thoughts about my sexy guy were enough to distract me from the clenching in my lower back and belly. My entire midsection felt like it was seizing up, and sweat dotted my brow. Discreetly, I tried to wipe it away only to feel more appear right away. It was a warm day and there were tons of bodies all crammed together in a small space, but we were standing right near a vent. Not that it was helping.
“You okay?” Kendra peered at me as the line moved forward and I sagged against the wall.
I shook my head as another odd sensation went through my belly. More Braxton-Hicks, maybe? I needed to talk to my mom. The pressure in my abdomen was growing and I wasn’t certain I just had to pee any longer.
“It’s too early,” I said under my breath, and she frowned, not understanding me.
The crowd yelled as she leaned closer, and I caught a fragment of what was being said in the main bowl of the arena. The Thrashers were already finishing up their set, and we were still what felt like miles from the bathroom.
“You’re all red. Here, let me rub your back.” She moved behind me and tried to find the right spot to make me feel better.
Since that would’ve taken about sixteen hands and a miracle from on high, her fumbling touches weren’t cutting it.
“Stop it. No. Ow. Go away.” I flapped my hands at her and she lifted her brows.
I didn’t ever talk to her like that unless she was being super annoying and I had PMS. That clearly was not the case here.
“You’re acting weird,” she shouted back.
I swallowed, shutting my eyes. Now I was starting to feel queasy too. Had to be nerves. There were so many people around us, all pressing too close, and the only thing I wanted was my mother. She’d know what the heck was happening inside me. I sure didn’t.
“Do you want me to call Kellan?” Kendra yelled beside my ear.
“He’s about to go on stage,” I replied loudly, nudging her back. “He can’t come out here and hold my hand.”
“Fine, then I will.” Kendra gripped my hand and stared me down with her no-nonsense dark eyes. “What do you need?”
“A damn toilet and some air and maybe some water.” If I could keep any down.
“Maybe I should tell your mom to come out here. Or your dad. Or Li—”
I wagged my finger in her face. “Do not even finish that statement. I can’t give birth with my overprotective brother and father trying to keep my vagina on lockdown.” I waved my hand in front of my face. “Too late now.”
Another wave of pain went through me, and my face must’ve gone white or red or who knows what because Kendra took one more glance at me and whipped out her phone.
“Do not call Kellan,” I said, snatching her cell. “He can’t leave the stage right now.”
She snatched it back and leaned closer so I could hear her. “I wasn’t texting him. I was texting your brother. I’d text one of the others but this is a new phone and Liam’s number is the only one I have right now.”
I angled back to stare at her. “Why do you only have Liam’s number in your phone?”
She released an exasperated sigh. “There’s no time for this. I’m getting your family or a voodoo doctor or someone, anyone, out here to help you.”
The growl that left me was entirely involuntary. Kendra just continued typing, her fingers flying fast enough to make me dizzy.
“I’m fine,” I insisted through gritted teeth. “I just need to damn pee!”
A woman a few feet ahead of us motioned us forward. “Here, ma’am, take my spot.”
“I’m not a ma’am, I’m only twenty-three!” But I didn’t hesitate to step in front of her, muttering my thanks.
“Wow,” Kendra said. “She’s done lost it. I’m sorry, ma’am,” she said pointedly to the other woman. “Think the demon’s coming
out.”
“I understand. I had four.” The woman held up four fingers to go with her shouting and I grimaced.
I needed a chair, a cold washcloth, and some Xanax. Stat.
“Ken,” I mumbled pitifully, raising my voice when she didn’t appear to hear me. “Ken!”
“What, what? I’m here.” She resumed rubbing my back again, and this time it didn’t feel like she was a gnome with gnarled hands intent on bringing me pain. I leaned against her, shutting my eyes as heat swept over me again, drenching me in sweat from head to toe.
“Something’s happening. I don’t know what. I’m freaking out.” Tears sprung into my eyes and I reached for her hand. “Don’t leave me.”
“I’m not. I won’t. You’re just probably in labor.”
Kendra’s ridiculously calm voice did not ease my fears. In fact, it enraged me. Sure, she could be calm. She didn’t have someone about to forcibly push his or her way out of a microscopic opening so not meant for that.
So maybe it was meant for that, actually, but hello, design flaw. If you have to squeeze out a watermelon, make it a watermelon-sized hole. I was convinced mine was smaller than average. I probably shouldn’t be having kids. I wondered if I could halt the process now.
No? Guess not.
I peered up at Kendra as new tears filled my eyes. “I’ve decided not to have this baby. It hurts. Oh God, it hurts.”
She gripped me by my upper arms and propelled me forward. “Just pee first,” she said against my ear. “Then we’ll see how you feel. Liam is on his way. There was a commotion in your aisle and he’s having trouble getting out.”
“What commotion?” Oh shoot, was that the last minute soundcheck I could hear? The Thrashers were off stage now. I was about to miss Kellan’s performance and I still hadn’t made it to the bathroom. “I’m going back to my seat,” I decided, pushing my way out of the line.
If I was going to be in hell from the boobs down anyway, I might as well get to scream for Kellan until I passed out.