Page 63 of Flash Bang
Zach leaned on the doorframe closest to Ro, and said, “Move over, babe. You ain’t leavin’ without me. No way, no how. Don’t care what you say.”
Mouth hanging open, Ro looked to where Graham was shoving gear under the bench seat.
“What … what are you doing?” Ro asked him.
Graham looked up. “You were right. It’s all or nothing for us. And nothing isn’t something we can live with.”He’d heard that?
“But the ranch … your team … I thought—”
“I was dead wrong to think I could let you go. You’re more important than the ranch. They’ll be fine. It’s Zach and me who won’t be fine if we let you leave without us.”
Ro was still processing his statement when he tossed her an unfamiliar black backpack. “That’s from Beau.”
“What is it?”
“No clue, babe. Didn’t take the time to check. Was in a little bit of a hurry.”
Erica leaned over the seat and snatched the bag from Ro before she could unzip it. Rowan didn’t argue, because Graham and Zach had finished stowing their gear and were climbing into the back seat, sandwiching her between them.Where she belonged.The warmth of that thought chased away any lingering confusion.
Ty smiled. “Sorry for the hold up, folks. It turns out I do have the right key. It’ll be just a minute.”
“What the hell is all this?” Erica said. She held up two white rectangular boxes and a fat pill bottle. “Is there something you aren’t telling us?”
The main gate swung open, but Rick didn’t put the truck in gear. He was staring at the bottle and whatever else Erica was holding. Graham nabbed the bottle just as Rick grabbed one of the boxes and opened it.
“Rowan Elizabeth Callahan, why am I holding a pregnancy test?”
“Umm …” Ro mumbled.
Graham read the label on the bottle out loud. “Prenatal vitamins.” He turned and stared at Ro and then met Zach’s gaze over her shoulder. “You know about this?”
“One of them knocked you up?” Erica asked.
“No! I mean, I don’t know. Nothing’s for sure. The last test was negative. Beau is just being overly cautious.”
“You were going to leave and not say anything about the fact that you could be carrying our baby?” Graham demanded.
Ty, sensing something was wrong, closed the main gate.
An uneasy silence settled over the inhabitants of the truck. Graham figured they were all waiting for Rowan to speak. He sure as hell was. Her dad broke the silence first.
“This changes things.”
“Fucking changes everything,” Zach said. “I can’t ... I don’t even ... Why didn’t you tell us?”
“There’s nothing to tell!”
“Yet,” Zach challenged.
“When will you know for sure?” Graham asked.
“I don’t know, another few days. Maybe a week?”
Rick put the truck in reverse and then proceeded to make a three-point turn and started driving back in the direction of the walls.
“What are you doing?”
“Rowan, your mother almost died giving birth to both of you girls. There’s no way I’m taking you away from the only doctor we have available if you’re pregnant.”
