A Los Angeles Rendezvous by Pamela Yaye

Author:Pamela Yaye
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-09-12T12:37:57+00:00

Chapter 11

“Turn it off. I’ve seen enough.” Pushing away from the round table inside Max’s gourmet kitchen, Derek jumped to his feet. Pacing in front of the windows, he mumbled under his breath about being emotionally scarred and needing a shot of whiskey. His head bent, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his faded blue jeans, cursing the midwife who’d posted the natural childbirth video online. “I can’t watch anymore. It’s too disturbing.”

Max chuckled. “Man up, D. We haven’t even gotten to the good part yet. Wait until the baby’s head crowns. There’s nothing quite like it.”

Derek shivered, as if he was standing naked inside a skating rink, then pressed his eyes shut. “I don’t know why I let you guys talk me into watching that stupid video,” he complained. “How am I supposed to sleep tonight after seeing childbirth up close and personal?”

Trey scoffed. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. You’ve hooked up with more women than an NBA player, and you brag about it every time we play poker!”

“Yeah, well, that was before I reunited with Alexis. Now that I have my girl, I don’t need anyone else, and I don’t want to watch any more gruesome videos, so get rid of it.”

Max scoffed. “It’s a childbirth video, D, not a horror movie!”

“It might as well be,” Derek grumbled, leaning against the granite breakfast bar. “I wish I’d plugged my ears when the mother collapsed on the bed, screaming bloody murder. I’ll never get that sound out of my mind, and it’s all your fault, Max. Thanks a lot.”

“Quit whining. You haven’t seen nothing yet.” Max picked up his beer and tasted it.

“And I don’t plan to.” Derek stuck out his thumb and rattled off his list of duties when Alexis was admitted to the hospital. “I’m in charge of feeding Alexis ice chips, rubbing her back and taking pictures once the baby is born, and that’s it.”

“Come on, man. You have to cut the umbilical cord. It’s your duty as a father.”

“I... I—I don’t think I can,” Derek stammered, tugging at the collar of his tan lightweight sweater. “And I don’t want anything to do with the afterbirth, either. I overheard Alexis on the phone yesterday, and her great-grandmother advised her to take the placenta home and plant it in the backyard. Says it’s supposed to bring good luck.”

“Ah, hell, naw!” Trey scrunched up his nose. “That’s just nasty!”

Derek sighed. “Finally. Now you guys understand what I’m going through.”

“And it only gets worse from here,” Max said with a wry smile. His thoughts returned to that morning, and he reflected on the argument he’d had with Taylor after breakfast. Busy watching videos on her cell phone, she’d refused to clean her room, and when Max had threatened to ground her for a month, she’d stomped upstairs and slammed her bedroom door. “Like women, kids are ungrateful, impossible to please and never satisfied.”

“Speak for yourself. Kiara’s an angel,” Trey bragged with a broad, toothy smile.

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