Sensual Games (Novak Springs #3) (7 page)

Wes and Tori nodded their heads and started to walk down the stairs. Emma followed behind them. She hoped this Thanksgiving would prove to be one of the best ones they had. They hadn’t had a lot to celebrate before Ginnifer and Tori came into their lives. If Emma had one wish, she’d want to have the same happiness her brothers had found. Maybe one day she’d be as lucky as they were.

The aroma filling the room made Emma’s stomach growl. When she’d entered the kitchen earlier, she hadn’t truly appreciated the scents surrounding her. She couldn’t wait to dig into the food Mrs. Henly prepared for them. With Wes and Tori leading the way, they entered the kitchen to see their housekeeper pulling the turkey out of the double oven.

“Oh good. I’m glad to see you, Wes,” Mrs. Henly said as she slid the turkey onto the counter. “In a few minutes I’m going to require your manly self to come over here and carve this bird for us.” Mrs. Henly winked at Wes, and a pink blush filled his cheeks.

Emma covered a smile with her hand. Mrs. Henly was teasing her brother, and he couldn’t help being embarrassed by the elderly lady’s comments.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Wes is up to the task.” Emma grinned. “If not I can track down Dallas. He can show him how it’s done.”

“I think I can handle carving a turkey.” Wes damn near growled the words as he glared at Emma.

“I’m sure you can dear.” Tori patted him on the shoulder, reassuringly.

“Are you two trying to goad me?”

“Us?” Tori faked innocence, holding her left hand over her chest. “Why would we ever do such a thing?”

Mrs. Henly gasped. “Is that an engagement ring on your finger?” She rushed over to her side. “Let me have a look. Oh, it’s so pretty. I’m so happy for you both.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Henly,” Wes said.

“What’s all the commotion about?” Dallas said as he entered the kitchen.

“Oh, nothing too big.” Emma flipped her hand nonchalantly toward Wes and Tori. “Wes finally popped the question and Tori consented to put up with him for the rest of her life.”

“He did?” Ginnifer squealed and hobbled over to Tori’s side. “Let me see the ring.”

Nothing like a huge sparkler to get everyone’s attention—part of Emma was insanely jealous. Mostly though she was happy—they both deserved all the joy their love brought them.

“I’m so excited,” Ginny said staring down at the ring on her best friend’s finger. “Have you set a date yet?”

“Easy now, the man just proposed, Gin. Let them have some time to enjoy being engaged.” Dallas kissed the top of his wife’s head.

Ginnifer sighed. “I know. I can’t wait to officially say she’s my sister.” Ginnifer winked at Vitoria. “I’ve always known you were, now the whole world will too.”

“I love you too, Ginny.”

“Oh.” Ginny winced and held her belly.

“What’s wrong?” Dallas asked. “Is it the baby?”

“I think it’s one of those Braxton Hicks things the doctor said I’d be feeling. Was awfully sharp—ouch.” Ginnifer squeezed her eyes shut as another pain appeared to wrack her belly. “Wow, I didn’t think they’d hurt that much though.”

“Here, maybe you should sit,” Dallas said and pulled out a chair.

“You’re probably right. I don’t much feel like standing around anyway.”

Ginnifer waddled over to the chair and sat in a quick heap. She leaned back into the chair and hissed as she cradled her belly in her hands.

Dallas’s face paled as he watched Ginnifer. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” Ginnifer said. She shooed him away with her hands. “Go see if Mrs. Henly needs any help finishing dinner.”

“I’m not—”

“Go, Dallas, before I hurt you.” Ginnifer glared at him. “You’re smothering me.”

Dallas walked away but kept sneaking glances back at Ginnifer. When she caught him, she scrunched up her eyebrows and pursed her lips in displeasure. Dallas quickly turned away and offered to help Mrs. Henly. “Yeah, so do you need help?”

Mrs. Henly laughed. “You can start carving the turkey and leave your wife be for now. When she needs you she’ll let you know.”

Dallas picked up the carving knife and large fork. He stabbed the turkey and began to slice it in uneven pieces. Each slice was slid onto a plate in haphazard plops. Dallas only had eyes for Ginnifer. He didn’t seem to care if the turkey made it onto the plate.

Wes shook his head and laughed. “Dallas, let me finish carving. If we leave it up to you, there won’t be any meat left for us to eat.”

Dallas handed over the duty to Wes but roamed the room in restless energy. He paced back and forth, doing his best to not bother his wife.

“Dallas, maybe we can go for a walk?” Emma suggested.

“I am walking,” he replied.

Emma rolled her eyes. “I meant in another room.”

“No,” he said firmly and resumed his pacing.

“Good grief, Dallas. Leave this room, or I’ll steal the carving knife from Wes and maim you,” Ginnifer demanded.

“Easy now. You like having him around most of the time,” Wes teased. “I’m sure you’d regret hurting him.”

“Maybe,” Ginnifer agreed. “I’m having trouble seeing why just now.”

“Wow and she’s not even in real labor yet.” Tori’s eyes widened in horror. “I don’t want to see how she treats you when she’s pushing that kid out.”

“Me—I want a front row seat to the show.” Wes grinned. “Ginny’s going to hit him where it hurts the most.”

“You really want to watch Ginny give birth?” Tori asked, baffled.

“Uh no, I’ll bow out before the final curtain call.”

Mrs. Henly shook her head at them all. “Sit, everyone. Dinner is ready. Everything is on the table except for the turkey—”she looked over at Wes,“—you can bring it over anytime now.”

Emma laughed at the chagrined look on Wes’s face as he walked over and set the plate full of carved turkey on the table. She followed the housekeeper’s directive and took her seat at the table. Mrs. Henly had outdone herself. Everything looked wonderful. They began to pass dishes around the table and fill their plates with all the yummy goodness.

“So Emma, how’s the job going?” Dallas asked. His face was still a shade lighter than normal, and he kept darting quick glances in Ginnifer’s general direction.

Emma didn’t think he really wanted to know how she was doing with the Starlings but decided to humor him. “It’s good.”

“No problems with Colt?” His gaze pinned on her, awaiting her response.

Hmm—so maybe her big brother could multitask. He did want to make sure everything was peachy keen with her. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

His fork, full of food, paused before entering his mouth. Dallas set it down on his plate and asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Emma gritted her teeth and ordered herself to calm down. “It means I don’t need anyone jumping in to save me. If I needed to be rescued, I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself.” Emma nodded at Ginnifer. “You have your own stuff to be concerned with.”

Beads of sweat had pooled on Ginnifer’s forehead. Her butterscotch-blonde hair was sticking to her neck. She hadn’t touched a bite of food she’d placed on her plate.

Dallas turned his full attention on her, and worry began to creep into his eyes again. “Gin, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, absolutely,” she replied. She picked up her fork and began to push her food around her plate. Ginnifer looked up to see Dallas still watching her. She put a small bite of turkey in her mouth and began to chew slowly. She gulped it down, and with a forced smile on her face, she nodded at Dallas. “See I’m fine.”

“So Tori, I think I may have found an apartment.” Emma attempted to change the subject and return focus back to her. “I’m going to look at it when I get back to Seattle. I’ll let you know if it’s a feasible option afterward.”

“Oh really? So when can I expect you to move out?”

“In a hurry to see me gone?” Emma grinned, cheekily. “Am I cramping your space too much? Can’t run around naked with Wes?”

“Yeah, you know us.” She smirked. “He likes to be all cave man and says, ‘Me: Wes. You: Tori. Run, I’ll catch you’.”

Emma’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Does he swing from the balcony on a rope and yell like Tarzan too?”

Without missing a beat, Tori replied, “Haven’t had a chance to get it installed yet. It’s on my to-do list.”

“Oh, do let me know once you have it—I’d like to test it out before Wes has a chance to rub his naked cooties all over it.” Emma stabbed some turkey with her fork and brought it up to her mouth.

“I’ll have you know I don’t have any actual cooties.” Wes rolled his eyes. “I made sure to get vaccinated for them in kindergarten when Lila Mooney accused me of spreading them around. Mom made sure to take me in right away when I came home with the horrible diagnosis.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? I’d have paid good money to witness that one.”

“I actually remember that,” Dallas interjected. “I remember your eyes being red with tears too. You were such a baby.”

“I was not.”

“You had actual cooties?” Tori tilted her head and studied Wes. “I’m not sure I can marry a man who can pass cooties on to me.”

“Too late,” Wes replied. With a goofy grin on his face, he looked her right in the eye. “You already agreed. Emma’s a witness, remember—it’s legally binding.”

“A verbal agreement can be easily dismissed with the right incentive.” Tori smirked and turned to Emma. “I am pretty good friends with said witness, and I’m sure I can convince her she heard wrong. Hard to enforce when the witness misinterpreted the agreement.”

“Well I have it on good authority the witness will not be so easily influenced.” Wes nodded toward Emma. “She said she wants another sister, and as you said she likes you. Only way to make that happen is for you to marry me. You’ll have to take your chances with the possibility of cooties being in your near future.” He grinned evilly. “Besides I think it’s safe to say it’s too late to prevent you from being contaminated.”

“Hmm, I suppose you do make a valid point,” Vitoria agreed. “I might as well keep you then.”

“As if you could ever get rid of me.” Wes laughed.

Emma adored each one of them. She wouldn’t trade them for anything. She looked at the seat next to her—Ginnifer winced in pain again. She knew her sister-in-law wanted to downplay her pain because she thought they were the wrong kind of contractions to take her to the hospital. Emma feared Ginnifer was wrong and they’d be delivering a baby at Novak Springs tonight. Dallas wouldn’t make it through long enough to see their baby born. He was getting paler and paler as he covertly watched her. If someone didn’t step in soon and make her acknowledge them as real pains, they’d have real trouble on their hands.

“Ginny, do you have something you want to share?” Emma asked.

“No, I’m good.” She nodded her head in small quick jerks. “I don’t have any cooties. No need to worry on my end.”

“Good to know, but that wasn’t what I was referring to.”

“Oh?”

Emma pointed to Ginnifer’s chair. A liquid began to pool and drip down the front and rear legs of her seat. If she had to guess, she’d assume Ginnifer’s water broke.

“Oh good God, how’d I not notice that?”

“Notice what?” Dallas asked and jumped out of his seat.

“I think I need you to drive me to the hospital.”

Dallas, if possible, paled three shades lighter than he already was. “Now?”

“Oh yeah,” she agreed. Ginnifer panted heavily as another pain shot through her. “My water broke.”

Dallas scooped his wife up out of the chair and carried her out the door. Emma laughed and went to follow them…in her own car—Dallas was bound to be driving like a mad man. She saw his car peel out of the driveway as she entered the living room. Ginnifer’s overnight bag still sat next to the front door. Looks like she’d be taking that with her as well. Her brother lost his head with worry over his wife and child. Emma didn’t mind. She looked forward to being the doting aunt. Like Wes mentioned earlier—it was going to be an entertaining show.

“You two coming to the hospital?” she turned and asked Wes and Tori, who’d followed her out of the kitchen.

“Yup, come on I’ll drive,” Wes said.

Emma decided to let him. She was still pretty tired, and driving didn’t appeal to her. They all tromped out to Wes’s vehicle and piled in. Emma sat in the back seat and put Ginnifer’s overnight bag next to her. Soon they’d have a new Novak to add to their clan. She couldn’t wait to meet her new little niece or nephew.

The lights glared bright against the white walls of the hospital as they entered the building. They walked up to the reception area and asked where they could go to await the birth of Ginnifer and Dallas’s baby.

They followed the directions they were given at guest services until they located a waiting area outside the maternity ward. They wouldn’t be admitted into the area until someone allowed them inside. The security of the newborns were a priority—as they should be.

“What do you think I should do with Ginny’s bag?” Emma asked.

Tori shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe go ask someone at the nurse’s station?”

Emma nodded her head and strolled over to the nurse’s station. “Hi, my sister-in-law was brought in a little while ago. My brother scooped her up and headed here before anyone could stop him.” She paused and held up the bag. “He forgot to grab this. Any way we can get it to them?”

The nurse chuckled. “Not the first husband to leave the bag behind. What’s their names? I can call one of the nurses to have them come up and retrieve it.”

“Dallas and Ginnifer Novak.”

The nurse picked up the phone and pressed a few numbers on it. “Hey, this is Patty over in receiving. I have a,” she paused and looked up at Emma, “I’m sorry what is your name dear?”

“Emma,” she replied.

“Emma Novak?” she raised her eyebrow, questioning.

“Yes.” Emma nodded.

“Ms. Emma Novak is out here with Ginnifer Novak’s overnight bag.” She chuckled, assumingly from what the person on the other end said. “Yeah, another one ran out the door without the all-important supply bag.”

She was quiet for a few moments. “All right, I’ll let her know.”

“Someone will be out here to get it from you. If you want to take a seat in the waiting room she’ll be out here to get it as soon as she can.”

Emma nodded her head and walked away. She found Wes and Tori already seated in the waiting area. “Someone will come out to retrieve it soon. We’ll probably be waiting a while.”

“For them to come get the bag?” Tori asked. “That’s crazy.”

Emma laughed. “No, I’m sorry I should have been clearer. I meant for the baby to be born.”

“Ohhhh,” Tori said. “Yeah, that’s to be expected.” She scrunched up her nose. “You know I’m happy for them, but I’m glad it’s not me. I’m not ready to be a mother.”

“You don’t want kids?” Wes asked.

“Maybe, someday—but kids scare the hell out of me. Whenever Viv brings Gabe in I don’t know what to do with him.”

Wes raised an eyebrow. “So what you’re saying is you’ll have the kids but you expect me to take care of them?”

Tori tilted her head and appeared to consider what he suggested. “Never thought of it in those terms, but yeah, that works for me.”

“Seriously?” Wes asked, baffled.

Tori laughed so hard her face turned a brilliant shade of red. “Oh God, you should see the look on your face. That’s priceless.” Tori wiped the moisture forming at the corners of her eyes away with her finger. “Babe, if I have a child do you seriously think I’d be able to sit back and give someone else complete control over him or her?”

“No, not really…”

“There you go. I’m too much of a control freak,” Tori paused. “Which is why they scare me. You lose a lot of control when you have kids. They do whatever they want, and you have to sit back and pray they make it through it all unscathed. Being a parent is the scariest job on the planet. I’m not prepared to handle that right now.”

“Well, as long as you’re willing to give it a try sometime down the road, I’m okay with waiting.” Wes nodded his head. “Though no matter what, I’m happy to be able to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Awe you say the sweetest things.”

Wes and Tori were starting to make her sick. Emma was getting tired of watching them moon all over each other. She needed a break. An image of Colt flashed through her mind. It could’ve been them sitting in the hospital waiting for Ginny and Dallas’s baby to be born. Emma never thought they’d ever break up. Now she couldn’t see how they could ever find their way back to each other.

“Someone in here has a bag for the Novaks?”

Emma looked up to see a woman in blue scrubs and sensible shoes standing in the entrance of the waiting area. Her white-blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun on top of her head. She looked a little frazzled as her sea-green eyes scanned the room.

“Yes, we do.” Emma jumped up to walk the bag over to her. “Here it is.”

“Lila?” Wes asked.

“Hey Wes,” she replied, shock filling her eyes as they landed on him.

“You work here?”

“Ah yeah, I’m an OB nurse.”

“Wait.” Tori held up her hand. “Cooties Lila?”

“What?” Lila asked.

Wes laughed. “Kindergarten—you accused me of having cooties.”

Lila’s lips formed a small smile. “I’d forgotten about that. How on earth did that come up in conversation?”

Wes sighed. “My baby sister here suggested I had cooties earlier. I had to admit I’d already been vaccinated so no worries…you know how siblings are.” He raised both his hands up and shrugged.

“I didn’t make the connection earlier. When they said Novak, it didn’t occur to me it was your family.” Lila nodded her head. “Do you want to go back there to see how they’re doing? I can only bring one of you at a time.”

“Oh, please let me go,” Tori begged.

“Are you family?” Lila asked. “I can only bring family back right now.”

“Ginny’s my family,” Tori said.

Wes nodded. “Plus she’s going to be my wife, so she’s as close to family as you’re going to get.”

“You’re getting married?” Lila laughed. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Yeah, Tori’s tamed me. What can I say?”

“Pfft. As if anyone could ever tame you.” Tori snickered.

Wes rubbed his chest and smirked. “You do have a point, princess.”

“All right,” Lila began and paused to look at Vitoria. “Tori, is it?”

“Yes, I’m Vitoria Miene.” She got up and held her hand out to Lila.

Lila looked down at her hand and grabbed it with her own. They shook hands. “I’m Lila Mooney.”

“Nice to meet the woman who made sure my man got cured of cooties.” Tori shuddered. “That could have been a catastrophe.”

Lila laughed. “I think I’m going to like you.”

“Good. I could use a few more friends. Take me to Ginny. I’m positive Dallas is messing up, and she needs me.”

“Okay follow me,” Lila instructed.

Tori turned around and blew Wes a kiss. “Be good while I’m gone. I’ll let you know when the baby’s born.”

Wes raised his hands and formed a cradle behind his head and leaned back into them. “Trust me, princess. I’m always good.”

“Don’t I know it.” Tori giggled and followed Lila out the door.

Emma sat in a seat next to Wes. “Do you think everything is okay?”

“Of course. If it wasn’t Lila wouldn’t have allowed Tori to go back with her.”

“I suppose so.” Emma bit her lip. “I can’t help but worry.”

“Why don’t we focus on something else,” Wes suggested.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.” Wes snapped his fingers. “I know, let’s play a game.”

“A game?” Emma waved her hand around the room. “I’m open to suggestions. Show me a game, and I’ll play it with you.”

“We don’t need an actual game to play one.” Wes rolled his eyes.

“Oh,” Emma raised an eyebrow, “do explain.”

“I know, let’s play twenty questions.”

Emma didn’t think that was such a good idea. There were some questions she didn’t want to answer. Especially when they might make her admit some things she wasn’t ready to face.

“I don’t know about that.” Emma frowned. “I’d hate to get into an argument with you when we’re about to welcome a new addition to the family.”

“You’re afraid I’ll ask you about Colt.”

Of course she was. She knew Wes. He’d latch onto the one subject she kept trying to avoid. Colt was off limits. Emma couldn’t—wouldn’t discuss him. The problem was she couldn’t very well admit that much to her brother. He’d take it as a hint to prod into her and dig deep into the sinkhole she was trying to avoid.

“I was thinking more along the lines that you wouldn’t want me to ask you what Lila actually meant to you,” Emma covered. “Seems like you two had more of a history than kindergarten cooties.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Gotcha. “Really? I’ll have to ask her when she comes out again.”

“Lila and I are only friends.”

“Now, you mean,” Emma probed.

“Always.” Wes crossed his chest. “Scouts honor.”

Emma snorted. “You were never a scout.”

“Oh yeah.” He grinned. “I guess you have a point. Doesn’t mean I didn’t learn from one. Just happened to be a girl scout.”

Emma was amused. Her brother was entertaining as hell. They sat back and bickered back and forth for what seemed like forever. He’d lop something off, and she’d toss it aside as nothing. It gave them something to keep their mind from what was going on behind closed doors. Soon, very soon, they’d know if they had a new niece or a nephew. No matter what, Emma wanted everything to go well.

Tori rushed into the waiting room, her face filled with excitement. “It’s a girl,” she exclaimed.

Emma looked up into Tori’s excited face. “It is?”

“Oh yeah, and boy can that girl scream. She has a good set of lungs on her.”

“Like her mama I imagine,” Wes drawled.

Tori glared. “That’s my best friend and your sister-in-law you’re besmirching with your devil’s tongue.”

Wes laughed. “Easy princess. I’ll back off.”

“Can we see her?” Emma asked. “How are her mama and daddy doing?”

“Probably in a little while. Ginnifer is doing great. Dallas was touch and go for a little while there. That man’s a mess for his two girls. They made me leave.” Tori scrunched up her nose. “Here, I snapped a quick picture of her with my phone before they kicked me out.”

They crowded around Tori and stared at the scrunched up red face of their new niece. Emma thought she was absolutely wonderful and couldn’t wait to hold her in her arms. She loved babies and couldn’t wait to have some of her own—if she was ever lucky enough to find love again with a good man. Babies were so precious, and she wanted one.

“Have they named her yet?” Emma asked. “I don’t recall them mentioning any names.”

“They have,” Tori said. “This bundle of preciousness is Montana Noelle Novak.”

“Oh how perfect,” Emma said.

“I agree,” Tori replied. “Though it’s a mouthful. I told them I’m going to call her Ana.”

“That’s perfect for a nickname. I’ll call her that too.”

“Ana it is,” Wes agreed.

Emma sat and thought about her new niece. It naturally led her to thoughts of Colt and what they could have had. If he hadn’t messed up would this possibly be them? Could she be a mother by now? Of course not—they wouldn’t have rushed into being parents yet—they would have wanted to enjoy it being the two of them for a little while first. They were too young and had lots of time yet. They’d probably be just now getting married and enjoying a honeymoon. Emma sighed as misery filled her heart. There was no going back. She and Colt were over. Even if Melody had somehow set him up to fall and essentially broken them apart. They couldn’t go back—Colt moved on. He had Alison now, and Emma…was alone.

She had other things to focus on. Miss Montana Noelle for one. She’d fill her heart to the brim loving her new little niece. If she was meant to find love again, she would. She’d be fine without Colt. Emma truly hoped he was happy with Alison.