Landon & Shay: Part Two (L&S Duet #2)(63)

“What the hell is a lightning bolt vagina?!” he yelled, turning his face away from Raine and shielding his eyes with the flowers.

“Something you shouldn’t be seeing!” she exclaimed.

“Okay, okay, I’m out, I’m out!” he replied, rushing out of the room.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the whole interaction as it unfolded. Landon scurried away like a cockroach in the light.

“Jesus Christ. The last thing a woman wants is someone she considers a brother to see her puss in boots,” Raine sighed, slamming her hand against her forehead. At least her humor was coming back.

“I honestly don’t know who that was worse for—you or him.”

“Did he have flowers?”

“I think he did.”

“I bet Hank called him to come check on me, the asshole.” She turned to look at me. “Do you think you can make sure he’s good and not scarred for life? I mean, I know my husband loves my downstairs, but it’s not for everyone.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re not trying to push Team Lay together?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Trust me, Shay. The only thing I’m trying to push right now is this asshole out of my vagina. I just want to make sure Landon’s good.”

“Okay, I can do that. Just make sure you don’t have the baby while I’m gone.”

The doctor looked up toward me and smiled. “Don’t worry. That baby isn’t coming too soon.”

Raine blew out a heavy breath. “Son of a bitch. When Hank gets here, I’m going to kill him for putting this thing inside of me.”

I leaned in and kissed Raine’s forehead. “Sweetie, maybe we shouldn’t talk about killing your husband in front of the doctor.”

“I’ve heard a lot worse things from wives before. Your friend is being quite tame,” the doctor expressed.

I had a feeling he was telling the truth, but before I could ask any more questions, I went to check and make sure Landon wasn’t scarred for life.





24





Landon





I saw Raine’s lightning bolt.

I didn’t even know what that meant, but it was messing with my head, because Raine was like a sister to me, and the last thing I’d ever wanted to see was my sister’s damn lightning bolt.

Hank rang me, knowing I was in town for a few more days, and asked me to go check in on Raine to make sure she was all right until he arrived back in town. Obviously, I came without question because when your family was in need of you, you showed up as soon as you could.

He gave me her room number and everything, but I didn’t expect to walk in on my friend’s legs opened wide as a doctor did some weird shit to her.

“You okay?” a voice asked me, making me look up from the roses in my hands.

Shay stood in front of me with a small smile against her lips. “Define okay,” I joked as I lay the flowers in the chair on my left, and Shay sat in the chair on my right.

She crossed her legs beside me and played with the collar of her shirt, as if she was debating putting it between her lips. An old nervous habit of hers that I missed.

“Is she doing all right?” I asked about Raine. “I know she’s probably freaking out because Hank isn’t here, but outside of that, is she okay?”

She dropped her hands to her lap and turned to face me. “Yeah, I think she’s coming around to being better than she was earlier. The baby is coming earlier than expected, but the doctors are taking really great care of Raine, which makes it less scary. Plus, so much time has passed that Raine’s anxiety has faded a bit. So, all in all, she’s okay. Her and Hank are just going to be parents a lot sooner than they thought.”

“It’s so wild to me that they are going to have a kid.”

“They are the dream couple,” she said. “I used to wish for their kind of love story.”

“Used to?”

“Yup. I’m not sure my life is cut out for that kind of true love, but I’m happy to know two people who did receive it.”

“What do you mean your life isn’t cut out for true love?”

She shrugged as she hugged her knees into her chest. “I don’t really believe in love. At least not for me. I feel as if Raine and Hank are a once in a lifetime kind of love story. That stuff doesn’t happen for most people.”

“But it could happen,” I argued.

“It’s highly unlikely, but it’s fine. At least I’m able to see that strong kind of love from a distance with Hank and Raine.”

I frowned. “You don’t believe in true love for yourself?”

“Oh no.” She shook her head. “I believe in love. It just doesn’t seem to believe in me.”

“Did you love your last boyfriend?”

She laughed. “Sam? Oh no. I know I tossed an iced latte into a woman’s face and all, but I don’t think any love was involved in that situation. I hardly knew him.”

“Well, who was the last person you loved?”

She grew somber, rested her chin against her tucked in knees, and tilted her head toward me. “Oh, come on Landon,” she whispered, her voice low and controlled. “I think we know the answer to that.”