Landon & Shay: Part Two (L&S Duet #2)(62)

Raine grew somber, something that didn’t happen often. “I do, but it’s not really my place to say.”

I laughed. “Come on, Raine. You can’t keep a secret if your life depended on it.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m a regular blabbering Amy, but this is different, Shay. If you hear the reasons why, then they need to come from Landon’s mouth.”

I lowered my head, somewhat confused by her words. “Were the reasons good?”

She nodded. “Yes. I know you probably resent him a lot, too, but I’m telling you, Shay. Landon has gone through a lot of wars throughout the years, but he’s done a lot of work to better himself. If you let him back into your life, even if it is just to bang him, please don’t hold his past mistakes against him. Or shit that you read in the tabloids. If you want to know who he is today, then ask him straight out. That’s where the truth is.”

I took in her comments, unsure how to even react to them.

“Besides,” she shrugged, “I’ve always been a fan of Team Lay since high school.”

“Team Lay?”

“You know, Team Lay. It’s when you put the names Landon and Shay together.” She poked her tongue in her cheek. “Which actually makes sense why you want to bang him. Your names together is Lay. You were meant to bang one another.”

“Oh gosh, shush.”

“I’m just saying, Shay. It’s your destiny.” She cringed once more as she sat her hands on her stomach, and she closed her eyes really tight. “We might have to put off on the tea for a while.”

“Why is that?”

“Um, because I’m pretty sure my water just broke.”





“It’s too soon, it’s too soon,” Raine cried as we drove to the hospital. I was shooting down the roads, trying my best to not fly through any stop signs or red lights. One of my hands was on the steering wheel while the other was gripped tightly in Raine’s hand as she sat in full blown panic mode.

“Don’t worry, Raine. Everything’s okay. Everything’s going to be fine. We’re good, we’re okay. You’re okay. The baby’s okay,” I repeatedly said, hoping to God I wasn’t lying to my friend. The truth was, I was nervous for her. She was thirty-four weeks pregnant and was still supposed to have weeks before her water broke.

“Hank’s not answering. I’ve called so many times, and he’s not answering,” she sobbed, holding her hands against her stomach. “And he’s hours away on a job. How am I supposed to do this, Shay? He’s so far away and what if something goes wrong before he gets here? What if—”

Tears streamed down her face as worry filled her up inside. I wanted to wrap her into my arms and take away her anxiety, but I knew I couldn’t do that. Truthfully the only people who could were the doctors and Hank. My main mission was to get her to that hospital before anything could go worse.

The moment we made it to the hospital, Raine was rushed into a room, and she requested that I keep trying to call Hank. I sat in the lobby dialing his number repeatedly, hoping that he’d answer or at least listen to one of the hundreds of voice messages I’d left him.

When he finally did answer, he told me he was on his way back home, trying to get there as soon as possible.

The doctors came out to tell me that they were going to help Raine get into labor.

“Isn’t it too early?” I asked them, nerves rocketing through my system.

“It is earlier than we’d like, but with her being thirty-four weeks, there should be less complications than if she were delivering earlier. Our biggest concern is that the baby will be at risk for an infection, but she is requesting you in her room to be by her side if that’s possible.”

“Of course.”

I headed back to my friend’s hospital room, and was by her side as soon as possible, holding her hand.

“Did you hear from Hank?” she asked, tears still sitting in the back of her eyes.

“Yes. He’s on his way back now. It will be a few hours, but he’s going to try to get back as soon as he can.”

“They are going to induce me,” she said, wiping her hands over her eyes. “I’m so scared, Shay.”

“I know, honey, but trust me, these doctors know what they’re doing. This is going to all work out, and before you know it, you’re going to have a beautiful baby in your hands to hold. Everything is okay,” I soothed her, feeling more confident about saying those words after hearing the doctor reassure me that Raine was in good hands. Plus, I sent out a text message to my mother, Eleanor, and Mima to say a few prayers for Raine, too. I figured a few extra prayers could never hurt.

After the doctors started the process of inducing Raine, things moved a lot slower than I would’ve thought. Hours passed of me holding Raine’s hands, and luckily the passing time made it easier for my friend to breathe through her anxiety.

As the doctor was checking Raine’s cervix, the hospital door opened, and in walked a person with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

“Holy shit!” he shouted, seeing Raine’s legs spread wide open.

Raine glanced to the door and proceeded to flip out. “Oh my gosh, Landon! What the hell are you doing here?! Don’t you fucking dare look at my lightning bolt vagina!” she shouted.