Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
No way.
Teri refused to think of anything happening to that little angel.
She went with Anna to Cole’s room. He was hooked up to machines and so much equipment. In the bassinet, he looked so small. In the crib back home, he’d started to look so big.
Damn.
This couldn’t be happening. She held Anna’s hand, refusing to let it go.
“I heard you’re thinking of moving out,” Teri said.
“I know you didn’t want to have a kid.”
“Don’t move out,” she said, turning to look at Anna. “I love having you both there. You make it a home.”
“You’re sure? I know he wakes up in the middle of the night. I don’t always hear him, but I just know you’ve helped him.”
“I love helping, Anna.”
“You hate babies.”
Teri licked her lips and shook her head. “Between us, I don’t hate babies. I love them.” She tried not to share any personal information about her own wants and desires, but Anna needed a distraction. “I… There was a time I wished I could have a football team of babies.”
“A football team?”
Teri nodded. “Crazy, huh? One seems like a handful. I’ve always wanted a big family. The whole deal.”
“You’re acting like you can’t have that,” Anna said.
“Do you really think there’s a guy out there who would want me?” Teri asked. She held her hand up. “You don’t have to make excuses for me.”
“You mean because you party?” Anna asked.
“I’m a club whore. No one in their right mind would want someone like me.” Teri shrugged. “We all make wrong decisions.”
“You’re wrong,” Anna said. “Any man who got you should count his blessings. I … the man I was with, he was … he was my boss. Much older than me, and my first. I was in love with him, and I thought he loved me, but look how that turned out. He tossed me on my ass the moment I told him I was pregnant. Said I was a good fuck but he was only after bagging a virgin. At least he … pays for Cole. You know? At least there is that. Men are assholes, Teri. We all make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a happy ending because of it.” Anna smiled. “Look at me, I’ve got baggage with mine. Who in their right mind would want me with a kid from another man?”
Teri squeezed her hand. “The man who deserves you.”
Anna sighed. “I’m not looking for love or anything like that. I just want my son to get well.”
Teri looked back to Cole. “Have you called his dad?”
“I called him. I don’t know if he’ll come.”
They had never talked about who the dad was. She got the sense Anna felt real pain when it came to the dad. If he was her first love, Teri understood that.
“Who is it?” Teri asked.
Anna sighed. “He works for the state. He has a couple of older kids and was going through a divorce when I worked in his office on a temp job. His name is David.”
Teri frowned. She had a bad feeling. If it was the David she knew of, then his son was the one responsible for causing Ryan some shit.
“The guys at the club said they were going to be stopping by. I’m just going to go and check on them,” Teri said. She had also left Damon at the main reception.
“They didn’t have to come.”
“I know but … you’re family, Anna.”
“I’m no one.”
Teri smiled. “You were picked by Kitty. She is a club member. If she gives you the family patch, then you’re family.”
She left the room and headed down the long corridor. The sterile smell of the hospital overtook the greasy scent that clung to her clothing.
Entering the main reception, she saw a lot of the club had arrived. Kitty, Caleb, James, Cora, Damon, Suzie, and Beauty was also there, along with a few others.
She went to Damon straight away. “We may have a problem,” she said.
“What is it?”
“How is the baby?” Cora asked, coming forward.
“So far, he seems stable.”
“What problem?” Damon asked.
“How can he be stable if there is a problem?” Cora asked.
There was a time Cora was nice to her. They were friends, but since she found out what happened with Dane, Cora had taken away that friendship. She claimed she hadn’t, but they hadn’t been the same since. Speaking of Dane, Teri noticed him in the waiting room as well, and yet he’d never even met Anna as far as she knew.
“It’s who Cole’s dad is,” Teri said. “Anna called him.”
“Is this another dad you fucked?” Cora said.
The pain and guilt shot right through Teri. Always the same. She was never going to live it down.
“For fuck’s sake. James, shut your fucking bitch up,” Damon said.
Teri tensed up as Damon stood in front of her, facing off with his prez.