Hot Finish (Fast Track #3)(56)
Author: Erin McCarthy

“Suzanne’s pregnant?” That explained why Imogen was dancing around the subject of Ryder and Suzanne with him. She must not have Suz’s permission to tell anyone at this point. Talk about a hot mess. Jesus.

“Yep.” Ryder tried to take a sip, again unsuccessfully. “First time we did it and she was on the pill. Do I have super sperm or what?”

He wasn’t going to talk about Ryder’s sperm. “I guess that was a shocker.”

“Yeah, but I was happy, man, I was so happy. I mean, a baby.” He lifted his arm to indicate holding a baby. “That’s like just awesome. A baby with Suz, the only woman I’ve ever loved. And she hates me.”

Where the hell was a lifeline when you needed one? Ty glanced out the window, but there was no sign of Elec. “Did you tell her you love her? That you want to be with her?”

“Yes.” Ryder’s sullen answer slurred. “I even asked her to marry me.”

“She said no?”

“She told me to get out.”

“That sounds like an extreme reaction. How did you ask her?” Ty shot a nervous look at the limo driver, hoping he was far enough away that he wasn’t hearing this conversation.

“I said I guess we should cancel the divorce court date.”

Ty blinked. “That was your proposal? Dude. Look, I’m not exactly Mr. Romance. I mean, God only knows how I even managed to get Imogen to agree to marry me, but even I know when you propose to a woman you actually have to say, ‘I love you, will you marry me?’ ”

“Well, I meant that.”

“But did you say it?”

“I don’t know.” Ryder wedged his cup between his knees and flopped back against the seat. “I’m miserable, McCordle. I think I’m dying.” He hit his chest. “Right here. I’m dead.”

Oh, Lord. “Just close your eyes. It’s time to sleep.”

Elec opened the door and climbed in. “We’re all set. Limo’s coming back here for the other guys after it drops us off. How is he?” He gestured to Ryder.

“A mess.”

Elec eyed Ryder cautiously. “I hope he doesn’t throw up.”

Ryder was mumbling to himself incoherently, his eyes closed. Ty leaned over and grabbed the drink from between his knees and dumped it out in the parking lot. “You and me both.”

Evan popped his head into the open door. “I can’t believe you losers are leaving.”

“Yeah, well, someone has to take Captain Morgan here home.”

“Let this be a cautionary tale,” Evan said.

“Against rum? Yeah, I’ll agree with that.”

“Against women. Nothing but trouble.”

“Thanks for that, we’ll keep it in mind when we’re having sex every night and you’re not,” Elec said. “Catch you later.” He put his boot in his brother’s gut and shoved.

Evan stumbled back, laughing. “Be safe, brother.”

Elec yanked the door closed. “I don’t think we should leave Ryder alone at home. He can sleep on our couch. If he gets sick, Tamara will hear him. She has that freakish maternal ability to wake up when anyone has a fever or the potential to puke.”

“Sounds like a plan. I owe Tammy a big thank-you.” Ty sighed. “I think I’m too old for this bachelor party crap.”

“We’ll be planning yours soon enough.”

That was so not appealing, Ty was almost scared. “Let’s just go fishing and call it good.”

“Done.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

SUZANNE wanted to cram hot needles in her ears so she didn’t have to listen to Nikki’s high-pitched laugh anymore. Slumped over the table at the male revue Nikki had chosen for her bachelorette party, Suzanne glanced at her watch and wondered if she left if Nikki would even notice. With all that male muscle gyrating in front of her, Nikki was appropriately distracted.

Had she ever been that young? Suzanne watched Nikki leaping around, her bride sash shimmering in the disco lights, her fake veil slipping. While Suzanne had known how to have a good time, she’d never been as carefree as Nikki, that’s for sure. She’d always had a hard row to hoe, whereas Nikki had never faced a challenge in her life. So while it was understandable, it wasn’t any less annoying.

Why was it the pretty little blonde, born upper middle class with every single advantage in life except for brains, got to marry a man who loved her and be happy with even more money? Not that Suzanne wanted to be Nikki, she kind of liked not being a moron, but all the same, why was it that some women just seemed to come up golden time and time again when it came to relationships?

Suzanne sipped her Coke and reminded herself that she was just feeling exceptionally bitter at the moment and that it would pass. So Nikki got to be Cinderella . . . so what?

She didn’t want glass shoes anyway. Those suckers had to be hell to dance in.

“I’m not into these shows,” Tammy said.

“I don’t know.” Imogen pushed her glasses up as she closely studied the dancers. “I find it rather fascinating. People watching at its finest.”

“I can appreciate a good naked man chest myself, usually. But I feel like rat poop.” Suzanne forced herself to sit up straight. “I think I need to go home. Morning sickness is more like all-damn-day sickness.”

“I’m sorry, it will pass,” Tammy said. “And in a few days this wedding will be over and done with and you can relax.”

Hah. Relaxation was nowhere in Suzanne’s immediate future that she could tell. She was worried about money, about having another miscarriage, about her law school application. And Ryder. She worried an awful lot about Ryder and how they were going to raise a baby together when she was totally in love with him and couldn’t be with him.

“I can’t wait to see Nikki’s skinny butt going down that aisle,” Suzanne said. “I just might cry when it’s all said and done. And now, I’m going home.”

“If you’re leaving, I’m leaving, too,” Tammy said.

“Yeah, I’ll head out as well. I can only take so much visual stimulation before it becomes overwhelming.”

They gathered their purses and coats and headed toward the door, Suzanne waving to Nikki. Tammy was checking her phone, and when she looked up from it she frowned at Suzanne.

“Elec says Ryder is drinking a lot at the bachelor party. He’s worried about him.”