“Yep,” I say, dropping the gown and tying the top laces behind my head, which is radiating my embarrassment.

“Let me help you.” Korie steps up and ties the last two sets of strings before helping me into bed. Only then do I slip off my panties and add them to the pile with my other clothes.

“These are great,” Raven says, picking them up to examine them closer. “Sammi here’s a little freak-a-leak, and I’m here for it.”

I can’t even react to the fact that this woman is staring at my dirty underwear because another contraction has me gripping the metal bedrail.

“Raven, really?” Korie shakes her head in disgust. “Put the girl’s panties down.”

“Kinda tempted to sniff ’em,” the nut job announces, spinning them around on a finger. “I hear it’s the top crotch.”

“Oh my God!” I finally scream when I can speak. “Put my fucking panties away.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

We’re about midway through our set when Anika signals for a time out.

Rhett takes his cue and addresses the crowd. “All right, guys. We’re gonna take a brief intermission. Enjoy a little classic country from the jukebox, refill those drinks, and empty those bladders. We’ll be back in a jiff.”

The four of us rush off to meet Anika backstage to find out what’s going on. We don’t keep our phones with us on stage, so the girls know to call her should anything pressing arise. Naturally, we’re all a bit frazzled, because for Anika to pull us off stage, it must be something major.

“Just got a call from Raven—the kids are fine,” she rushes out when Nick gets a panicked look on his face. “But they’ve just admitted Sammi to Memorial.”

The rest of her words sound like they’re coming from underwater. My head goes foggy, and my knees nearly give out on me. The thought of anything happening to her or our baby is paralyzing.

Frank materializes behind me with a chair, grips me by the shoulders, and forces me to sit.

Then a glass of whiskey splashes me in the face, bringing me back from whatever dimension I just went off to. “Snap out of it, dumbass.” Aiden shakes his head. “You’re not supposed to pass out until you see the gore.”

“Sh…she’s okay?” My eyes fix on Annie as I lick the liquor from my lips. I don’t know why my mind instantly went to thinking the worst, but whatever that little blackout was caused me to miss most of what was said.

“Yes,” she says with a laugh. “She’s fine. Just getting ready to have a baby.”

“A baby…today?” I leap to my feet, hit with a sudden burst of adrenaline. “We’re having a baby!” My heart starts pumping double time.