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Back Sunset Beach Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. Epilogue
  71. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  72. About the Author
  73. Newsletter Sign-up

Drue leaned across the high polished wooden countertop. “I’m not some random stranger. Mrs. Campbell is my stepmother, and I’m really concerned about her and the baby. Look, you don’t have to say anything. Just nod yes or no. Is she okay?”

The clerk glanced around, then, pursing her lips, gave an almost imperceptible nod.

“Good,” Drue said. “Thanks.”

Brice rushed into the waiting room fifteen minutes later.

“Dad.” Drue jumped up.

“Where is she?” Brice asked. “How is she?”

“In with the doctor. They won’t tell me anything.”

She’d skimmed the pages of a year’s worth of Parents magazine and was starting to have strong opinions on co-sleeping, toilet training and caring for cracked nipples when the door to the back office finally opened an hour later and Brice emerged with Wendy on his arm.

“She’s fine,” Brice said, before Drue had a chance to ask. “The baby’s fine too.”

Wendy offered her a wan smile. “See? Crisis averted.”

“The doctor says it’s premature labor,” Brice said. “Not that unusual in a higher-risk pregnancy.”

“The baby’s heartbeat is strong, and he’s perfect,” Wendy added.

“So what happens now?” Drue asked, following them out into the hallway. “I mean, how do you stop a baby from coming?”

“Bed rest,” Brice said. “I’m taking her home now.”

“Do you want me to come too? I could, I don’t know, hang out or boil water or whatever.”

“No,” Wendy and Brice said in unison.

“But thanks,” Wendy said, softening. “I’m just going to go to bed and hibernate for a while.”

“And I’m going to stick around and watch her for the rest of the day,” Brice added. He threw his free arm around his daughter. “Come on now, close it up. Family hugs. Right?”

Wendy nodded and extended her arm to Drue with a questioning look. “Total family hugs,” Drue said, closing the circle.

41

Drue was too shaken to return to work after leaving the doctor’s office. She called Marianne and told her she intended to take the rest of the day off.

“How’s Wendy?” she asked. “Your dad said she’s not coming back to work for a while?”

“She and the baby seem to be fine,” Drue said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Drue’s cell phone pinged while she was stopped at a light on Central Avenue. The text was from Corey.

How about a swim tonight? Need to check on progress with your knee rehab.