“I got you,” Ember said and handed him a Blackwings tumbler.
“You’re the best,” he said and took a large sip. “Hot! Hot!”
“It’s coffee, man,” Dash laughed.
“I always forget how efficient these things are.”
“I put a couple of ice cubes in mine so I can drink it right away,” Daphne said.
“That’s brilliant,” Ink replied.
“Shit! I need to call Badger and Macy,” I blurted.
“I already did. They’re meeting us at the launch pad,” Daphne said.
“I’d be lost without you,” I said.
“I don’t know about that, but you would certainly be an unorganized mess,” she teased.
It took me a few minutes to realize Dash was driving toward the back of the farm instead of toward the front gate. “Where are we going?”
“When I asked Shaker if he would fly us to the hospital when it was time, he moved his helicopter over here, so we didn’t have to drive to the clubhouse to leave,” Daphne explained.
“You’re the best,” I said.
“Get your own lines, Casanova,” Ink said and jabbed me with his elbow.
“Have your own baby.”
He gasped in mock offense. “Take it back before you jinx me with your wicked words.”
“Fine. I take it back,” I laughed.
“We’re here,” Ember announced.
“Holy shit,” I breathed. “I didn’t realize how much I was counting on that two-hour drive to get my shit together until just now.”
“Relax. You’ve got plenty of time. It usually takes a long time to have a baby, especially when it’s the first one,” Daphne said.
“It took me twelve hours to have Raven and ten to have Falcon,” Ember said.
“Yeah, but your mom had the twins in a couple of hours,” Dash added.
“That was completely different, and you know it,” she said and turned around to face me. “That was a special situation. She was in her late thirties, she’d already had three kids, and she was being held hostage when she went into labor.”
“I know. I was there when they rescued her,” I reminded her.
“Oh, that’s right. You and Ink were prospects.”
Badger opened the door and leaned down to look inside. “Are y’all coming or what?” he asked impatiently.
“Sorry. Dice is having a moment. We’re coming now,” Daphne said and got out of the car.
“Fine. I’m frazzled and freaking out,” I admitted. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
“There’s not as long as you do it in a timely fashion,” Badger said.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said to Ember and Dash as I got out of the SUV.