Page 67 of Betrayal

“Hunter—” She turned to him.

“It’s okay.I’ll keep Mrs.Quinn company.”

“Thanks.”Her lips clung to his briefly.

Everything Hunter could ever want was in that kiss.Now you’re in la-la land.Staring at her retreating back, frustration bit at him.It was a ties-that-bind kind of moment, and the ties that bound him to Nick Richardson would, in time, suffocate her.He couldn’t bear to let that happen.Hunter rubbed his hands over his face.When he looked around, Mary was watching him.

“Is there coffee in that waiting room?”he asked.

“And tea—herbal and black, chocolate, milk, and a selection of biscuits.Much better stocked than when I gave birth to the boys.We agreed you’d call me Mary at the exhibition tonight.Follow me.”

“Is Niall coming, Mary?”

“Liam wanted him to have tonight with Lucy.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

When Hunter held up two cups, she shook her head, so he made coffee for one.

“What do you think?”

“I think he and Lucy probably took less than fifteen minutes to make up.”Old-fashioned term, but Hunter didn’t know Mary Quinn well.

“I hope my boys devote longer than fifteen minutes to make-up sex.”

Her grin was mischievous.Like him, she thought there was a good chance they were still rolling around someone’s bed cementing their union.

“It’s a no-brainer.”Hunter’s call to Niall was picked up quickly.“RPA—maternity ward.The baby’s coming.”Hunter closed his phone.“Niall said ‘We’re on our way.’”

“I think you and I are going to get along well, young man.”

“Hey, aren’t I already your favourite person for finding the exhibition space?”

“There was a lot of helping Anna in that decision,” she said shrewdly.“This is about understanding and valuing family.”

Well damn!He’d been thinking of himself and Cas in the same situation.A guy wanted his brother to be part of the life-changing moments.

Niall and Lucy arrived a few minutes later, hands entangled.And that made four of them taking turns pacing the small space.Hunter wasn’t sure the pacing helped, but none of them could sit down for long.

“Isn’t she a bit early?”Niall finally threw himself onto a chair.“Kate shouldn’t have been working at the exhibition.”

“In my brief experience”—Hunter made eye contact with Niall—“you don’t score many brownie points by telling the Turner twins what they should do.”

“When did she go into labour?”Lucy flopped beside Niall and threaded her fingers with his, offering silent reassurance.

Hunter would welcome some silent reassurance from Anna about now.

“She was having a few contractions at the exhibition.They speeded up once we got home.Her waters broke about midnight,” Mary Quinn said matter-of-factly.“And, hey presto, I’m going to be a grandma.”

“How long have they been in there?”Niall asked.

“About twenty minutes longer than the last time you asked.”

I’m still here, Anna, still willing everything to go well.

Hunter tossed his thoughts into the ether and magically, as if she’d caught them, Anna appeared in the doorway.

“The midwife suggested I take five.”