Chapter 17

Sophia, Tia, and I are hanging out in Mom and Abuela"s living room when my phone rings. I reach for the phone on the coffee table, but Sophia grabs it from my hands and presses the green button. Donnie's sexy face appears, and he has a wide grin on his face when his eyes gaze toward Sophia. He"s spending the weekend camping in the Smokey Mountains with Ash and the rest of his teammates.

"Don, Don!" Sophia cries in happiness, looking back at me and pointing to the screen. "Don!"

"Yeah, I know baby," I coo and kiss her head. Sophia claps her hands and babbles.

"Hey little unicorn," Donnie says. "How are my girls?"

"We're good." I reposition Sophia on my lap and the phone to see him better.

Donnie leans closer to the screen and whispers, "And my boys?"

I smile. "They're good too."

"Hey, Shorty!" Ash sticks his face in the screen, but all I can see is his perfect white teeth and the scruff on his face.

"Hey, Ash," I say with a giggle, and Sophia giggles too, smacking the screen.

"Dude, what the hell?" Donnie snaps and pushes Ash out of the way. Ash comes back, but not as close this time. "Hey, how's my shortcake?" he exclaims. Sophia giggles again and claps her hands in response and keeps poking her finger at the screen. She grabs the phone and tries to yank it out of my grasp and covers the phone with her mouth.

"Okay, that's enough," Tia says, laughing as she takes Sophia from me. Sophia must not like that because she keeps turning her body in Tia's arms to see Donnie and Ash.

"Hey, sexy mamasita!" Ash hollers, and Tia looks over my shoulder down at him. "Hey, back." She grins, and Sophia smacks her in the face.

"What the—" Tia starts, and Mom and Abuela come into the room from the kitchen.

"Dinner's almost ready," Mom says. She turns to the phone and says hello to the boys.

"Go to the room." Abuela smacks my ass with a towel, and I walk away and into the guest room, leaving the door half open.

I turn the light on and sit on the bed, holding the phone awkwardly.

"I'll let you two love birds talk while I get shit faced," Ash says, but before I can protest, he's out of the room.

My shoulders slump. "Is he really?" I ask Donnie.

Donnie shakes his head. "Probably, but don't worry. I'll make sure he doesn"t overdo it." He pauses and stares at me, his eyes roaming my face. "Baby, you look a little pale. Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Donnie asks in a concerned tone.

"Yeah, I'm just really tired today."

Donnie gives me a bullshit look because that's what my answer is. I've been feeling like shit these last few days. My pregnancy symptoms have tripled, and my blood pressure was higher than normal. There are so many nights I can't even sleep. My head feels like a jackhammer is having its fun inside it, and my body aches like I have the flu. And I'm getting bigger, which is making it difficult to move around.

"Are you drinking that stuff I gave you?" he asks. Donnie bought me some electrolytes drinks, which have helped, but lately, I can barely keep anything down. To appease him, I smile. "I am."

"How's everyone settling in?" he asks, meaning my family.

"They're...adjusting," I reply.

Moving to a new state and leaving behind the life we knew was a big change for all of us. Milwaukee was our home, and it will take time for everyone to adjust.

Elisa"s job in Milwaukee made it possible for her to transfer to the Nashville office, ensuring that she remains eligible for tuition reimbursement for her social work degree.

The guys have already been enrolled and attending classes at the university, and I"m proud of them. Max and Gio are not only book smart but also tech-savvy. Seb is a problem solver who thrives in stressful situations, and Jo is determined and hardworking.

I have no doubt that they will make it work.

After a beat, he whispers, "I wish I were there."

"Me too," I say, rubbing my belly.

"Do you know what I would be doing to you right now?" he asks.

"What would you do?"

"Touch you. Kiss you," he says gruffly. "Make love to you until you fall asleep."

His Adam"s apple bobs as he swallows hard.

My stomach flips, and the tingling sensation between my legs is on high alert.

We both remain silent for a moment, looking at each other, before he breaks the silence.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" he asks, his tone quiet and almost shy.

"Yes," I tell him.

"Take your shirt off," he orders with a smirk.

"No! Are you crazy? We are not having phone sex." I whisper-hiss.

"Come on, babe. I want to see you." he pleads, giving me a sad puppy face.

"No," I say, standing my ground. "You"ll be home in one day. You can see me then."

He groans. "That"s too long." He stares intently at me and then says, "Come on, just one peek."

I laugh at his insistence and slant my head. "How about we compromise?" I ask.

"Compromise?" That piques his interest.

"Yes."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I send you a nude—"

His blue eyes sparkle with excitement.

"Above the waist only," I say, putting out the fire from his eyes.

"How is that a compromise?" he asks, leaning back with his arms across his chest. "And isn"t that the same thing if you were to show me right now?"

Damnit. He"s right.

"Fine," I sigh, rolling my eyes.

I take a deep breath and glance at the door, as if someone is going to barge in while I show my goods to my boyfriend via Skype.

"I"m waiting," he sings.

I scowl at him. "Keep it up, and you get nothing," I retort.

This time, he rolls his eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and pull my shirt over my head. Suddenly, his hotel room door flies open and a girl wearing a navy-blue bikini struts her ass into his room with one of Donnie's roommates.

What the hell?

Donnie looks over his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing, Payton?" he snaps at.

When she sees me, she leans in, her boobs almost popping out of her top, and her smile widens. "Hey Sadie!" She wiggles her way into the screen and her ass in Donnie's face. If I had the ability to reach into the screen and pull her out by her hair, I would.

"Oh, fuck, sorry man," his roommate slurs. "I thought this was my room." He stumbles and falls to the ground.

Donnie lowers the laptop and tells them to to get out. All I hear are muffled sounds and grunts, and I watch the screen hop around until it disconnects. Tia opens the door to the room I'm in and walks in, leaning against the doorframe.

I hang up the phone and toss it on the bed.

"I"m going to kill that bitch," I say as I lay back on the bed, rubbing my belly.

Tia chuckles and lays beside me. "I'll help you hide the body."

That makes me laugh right as my phone rings. Tia grabs it and shows me the name on the screen.

Donnie.

She looks at me with a concerned expression, but I'm too tired to deal with this right now. I feel a sudden urge to throw up, so I quickly get up from the bed and run to the bathroom. I lean over the toilet bowl, feeling the contents of my stomach churn and rise up my throat. I'm so sick of being sick all the damn time. It's taking too much energy out of me, leaving me drained and exhausted.

I hear Tia say, "She's not feeling good right now. I'll have her call you later." And she hangs up.

Tia walks into the bathroom and sits on the floor with me. She pulls my hair up in a bun and rubs my back.

"He wouldn"t do anything with her," she reassures me.

I nod. "I know that."

There's something about her that I don't trust.

Before I go to bed that night, my phone lights up.

Donnie: I'm sorry.

I respond to ease his worry.

Me: It's okay. But what was she doing there?

Donnie: I swear I didn't know she would be. I didn't realize she was invited to come along for the day.

When I don't respond right away, another text comes through.

Donnie: I miss you, and I wish you were here. Please don't be mad at me.

Me: I'm not mad at you. I miss you too. We'll talk tomorrow.

Donnie: Okay. I love you. Sweet dreams.

Me: Sweet dreams.

I shut my phone off and drift off to sleep.