Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) - Amber Kelly Page 0,7
and Myer’s thrilled family and friends—Walker and Elle, Madeline, Doreen, Ria, and Sonia. Finally, Sophie and Charlotte come in with Beau, carrying boxes.
“We brought the baby some cupcakes,” Beau says as he bounces into the room and to his uncle Payne.
“Yeah, we had lots left over from the shower, so we thought we’d bring them for everyone to snack on while they waited,” Sophie says as she hands off the boxes to Braxton.
“We’ll run down to the cafeteria and grab coffees and sodas. Come on, Walk,” Braxton offers after setting the treats on the table under the television.
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to check on them,” I tell the room at large before pacing down to the nurses’ station.
“Any word on Dallas Wilson?” I ask the nurse who has answered this question for me several times.
She gives me a patient smile. “Not yet, dear. Last time we checked in, she was dilated to an eight.”
“Okay, thank you. This is our first baby in the family. We’re a little excited,” I explain.
“I promise, as soon as the doctor is called in and she starts pushing, I’ll come to give you guys an update,” she offers.
“I appreciate that.”
I head back down to the waiting room, and I hear Charlotte’s voice fussing at someone.
“Seriously? That’s what you wear to the hospital? You know that’s what you’re going to be wearing in every picture the day your niece or nephew was born, right?”
I see Payne grinning up at her with Beau sitting in his lap.
“What does it say?” Beau asks curiously.
“Nothing,” Charlotte gets out just as Payne says proudly, “Beavers love wood.”
“Payne!” Charlotte scolds.
Beau looks up at her, confused. “Beavers do love wood. They build dams in the river,” he helpfully replies.
“They sure do, buddy,” Payne agrees as he grins up at Charlotte.
“You’re a pig,” Charlotte says.
“No, he’s not. He’s a boy,” Beau defends, and Payne’s grin gets wider.
Charlotte rolls her eyes and sits down in the chair beside them.
I join Elle and Sonia in the chairs on the opposite wall.
Braxton and Walker return with trays of beverages and start passing them out to everyone.
“Hey, guys. Thanks for coming,” I tell my best friends.
“Like we’d miss it. This baby is going to be calling us Auntie too,” Sonia says.
“Where’s Ricky?” I ask.
She sighs. “At home. He told me babies are chick territory. I texted him when we got here and told him that Walker, Braxton, and Payne were all here, but he didn’t respond. Maybe I should try him again,” she says as she fishes her phone from her bag. “I’m going to step outside and give him a call, see if I can convince him to ride over.”
She walks off, and Walker takes her vacated seat beside Elle.
“She really wants Ricky to become friends with you guys,” Elle tells Walker, and he snorts.
“Not going to happen,” he says.
“Maybe he’s not that bad once you get to know him better,” I offer.
“Oh, they’ve tried. I convinced Walker to take him out for a few beers about a month after their wedding while Sonia and I had a girls’ night,” Elle says.
“I’m never doing that again, and no amount of sexual persuasion is going to change my mind this time,” Walker insists as he cuts his eyes to Elle.
She gives him a challenge accepted grin.
“I mean it, woman!”
“That bad, huh?” I ask.
“The guy’s an asshole. All he did was complain about everything. The bar was too loud. The beers were lukewarm. The wings were too expensive,” he starts, ticking off Ricky’s offenses.
“Sounds like a fun date,” Braxton says as he sits across from us.
“You’re much more my type,” Walker says as he winks at him and blows him a kiss.
“Aw,” Brax responds with a hand to his heart.
“Gross. Your bromance is falling out; you’d better tuck that back in,” I rag them.
Walker chucks a cupcake topper at me before he continues, “Honestly, I have no idea what Sonia was thinking, marrying that guy. He spent the rest of the night getting hammered on those lukewarm beers and pawing at every female in the place. I swear, if I hadn’t promised Elle to be on my best behavior, I would have knocked his ass out for touching them without their permission and left him bleeding on the bar floor.”
“Maybe you should have,” Braxton mumbles under his breath.
“That would have gone over well, coming home to me and Sonia from your boys’ night out—without her husband,” Elle interjects.