Page 63 of Reuniting with Lucy

He hadn’t been lying when he told her he was missing the grand opening because he had business in Wilmington. His plan to woo her wasn’t going to be cheap, and the trip was necessary to liquidate some of his company shares. His brother had offered to buy him out, but his dad wouldn’t hear of it, so they’d worked out a loan for part of it. Now, he was sitting on a small fortune. Well, next to a small fortune. On the passenger seat sat a cashier’s check for five million dollars and a ten-thousand-dollar diamond ring.

He came around a bend in the highway to a sea of brake lights. In a panic, he fiddled with the radio, trying to find a station that would tell him what had happened. After five excruciating minutes of dull commentary on the latest news, a chipper traffic reporter took over. “We’ve got a minor hiccup on Highway Seventeen. An overturned semi has three of four lanes blocked just south of Jacksonville. Looks like it’ll be awhile before they get it cleared, so if you’re headed that way, might want to figure out an alternate route. Back to you, Samantha.”

“Hiccup?” Jack yelled at the radio. “I don’t have time for that.” The milepost on his right showed he was two miles into the backup. Traffic crawled, and at this rate, it would take hours to get past it. After moving an inch in ten minutes, he became anxious. He’d already texted Kate to let her know he wouldn’t be able to meet with her before the doctor’s appointment, and they would have to switch to Plan B.

She’d responded in her matter-of-fact manner, telling him she’d handle it and not to worry. That was one relief. It bought him a little time, but not enough to sit through this backup.

While drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he noticed a frontage road moving along nicely. There was only a fifty-foot gap between the highway and the side road, but in that fifty feet was a guardrail. The next exit wasn’t for at least a mile. As he inched forward another half mile, he saw it—a break in the barrier. He glanced around and wondered what the penalty was for what he was about to do.

“Screw it,” he muttered, throwing the truck into four-wheel drive and driving on the shoulder to where the gap was. He turned right into the grass and gunned it. The tires spun, and he thought he might get stuck in the slick wet grass, but the four-wheel drive saved him, and he made it to the other side. Just in time to notice a deputy, who’d seen what he’d done, waiting for him.

It wasn’t like Jack could deny anything. He’d just have to suck up whatever was coming his way and keep moving. Surely, this wasn’t a jailable offense. That would really put a damper on his day.

“Hello, Officer,” Jack said politely. “Sorry about all that, but I’m on my way to my future wife’s OB appointment. We’re having a baby!”

The officer’s expression said he did not believe for one second that was the case. “Do you know how often I hear that excuse? Not very creative.”

“Well, I mean, she’s not in labor or anything,” Jack said. “She’s only two months along. I just mean I have to get to the appointment because that’s where I’m going to apologize and declare my love. I’ve been kind of an asshole, and…Oh, never mind. It’s a long story, and it doesn’t paint me in a very good light. I am in a real hurry though, so if you’re going to cite me, could we move on with it quickly?”

The officer chuckled. “That’s actually one Ihaven’theard before. License and registration?”

Jack handed over the documents and tapped his hand impatiently on his knee while he waited for the officer to do his thing. Finally, he returned to Jack’s window.

“Consider this a warning,” he said, returning Jack’s paperwork. “And keep in mind, you want to arrivesafely. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” Jack said. He put the truck in gear, preparing to get the heck out of there before the officer could change his mind. “I’ll drive safe. Promise.”

“Good luck, dude.”

Jack saluted as he pulled slowly onto the road. The GPS had already calculated the alternate route, and he arrived at the doctor’s office only five minutes late.

He popped a breath mint and smoothed his hair. Here went nothing. Only his whole life hinged on what was about to happen—no big deal.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Lucy went home after the grand opening to rest before her doctor’s appointment. She took a quick nap and woke feeling a little better. Lizzie was supposed to pick her up but called at the last minute to say she’d been delayed and would have to meet her there. Lucy grabbed a sleeve of Ritz crackers and a Sprite and headed to her car.

She choked down a few crackers and half the Sprite during the drive to the doctor’s office. Women in various stages of pregnancy littered the waiting room. Lucy knew not all of them were pregnant, but a few were unmistakably so. They looked ready to pop at any moment. Lucy rubbed her still-slim stomach and eagerly anticipated the day she was that big.

When they called her name, Lizzie still hadn’t arrived. Lucy let the receptionist know her sister was coming and asked her to bring Lizzie in when she got there.

Since the fainting scare, the doctor wanted Lucy to have a weekly ultrasound. At least for a month or so. The receptionist had parked her in an exam room, and while waiting for the nurse, she texted Lizzie. But the nurse came in before she got a reply.

“Lucy?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“There’s someone here to see you,” the nurse said. “Says he’s the father.”

Lucy sat abruptly, which made her stomach flip. She swallowed hard to keep from throwing up. “What?”

Jack pushed his way past the nurse and went to Lucy’s side. He picked up her hand. “Lucy, I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ve been an idiot. I want to do this with you.”

“Jack? What are you doing here? How’d you know I was here?” Lots of questions ran through her mind as it tried to catch up to what was happening. “Where’s Lizzie?”

“Lizzie’s not coming,” he said. “She told me about the appointment and set it up so I would come with you today instead of her.”

Lucy shook her head, still confused. “So, what? You’re in cahoots with Lizzie now? I can’t believe she didn’t say anything.”