Page 28 of Cold as Hell

“But the fact that it happens proves I’m right that it’s hard to tell the difference between stomach cramps and contractions. I—”

Another one hits. This one lasts long enough that I have to grit my teeth through it.

“Those seem a little too regular to be digestive cramps, Butler,” Dalton says when it passes.

“Fuck.”

Dalton laughs under his breath. “Well, at least we’re both remaining calm about this. Despite the fact there is a raging storm outside. I just hope we’re not in shock and are going to freak out in five minutes.”

“You’re in shock. I’m in denial. Whole different land.” I put both hands on the seat and push myself to standing. “Damn it. I don’t know what this is. I really might just need to use the—”

Another one hits, hard enough to almost double me over.

Dalton catches me. “I think the shock is fading, Butler. Panic imminent.”

“They could be Braxton-Hicks contractions.”

“Which you have had, and we know all the signs of, including that they don’t come closer than five minutes apart.”

The fact that I forgot that shows I’mdeepin that land of denial.

“Tell me I can at least call your sister,” he says.

I nod. “This is one case where she won’t give me shit for waking her up.”

Dalton goes for the sat phone on the mantel as I stretch. I’m really not panicking, which is good. Yes, there’s a storm, but even if this is labor, it feels normal. No sudden stabs of pain. Just those strong cramps a few minutes apart.

If Quinn/Riley/Avery is coming early, it’ll be okay. They’ll be far enough along. We’re prepared. Everything is fine.

I keep repeating that mantra until Dalton curses. Then my whole body convulses, proving I’m not as calm as I’m pretending.

“Phone won’t connect,” he says. “Damn storm. Are you okay if I run over— No, April has everything there. I should take you— Snowstorm.Fuck.”

He lifts his hands to run through his hair. I catch his arms and pull them down.

“I’m fine, Eric. Even if this is true labor, I really do feel fine. Yes, April has everything she needs there, so that’s where we should go. It’s five hundred feet.”

“In a snowstorm.”

I tilt my head to listen. “The storm actually seems to have died down.”

His lips tighten, as if I’m being difficult, but he doesn’t argue. It really has gone quiet.

“Get dressed and go out,” I say. “If it’s bad, we’ll rethink this. Otherwise, the sled is right there.”

I catch his hands again and squeeze.

“I feel fine. If this is it…” I look up at him. “We’ll be okay. Nothing is wrong. Just a potential early arrival. Okay?”

He nods, and I nudge him toward the front to get on his outerwear.

CHAPTER NINE

The blizzard has not abated completely. It’s just no longer gale-force winds and whiteout conditions. We got a dumping—at least a foot. Snow still whips around on a bitter wind, but we can see where we’re going, and we’re fine.

We’re fine.

That’s what I keep telling myself the whole way there, with Dalton running while Storm lopes beside the sled, glancing over as if picking up on the vibes I’m giving, the ones that say I’mnotfine.