Chapter 694
Gwen's POV
It was just a Tuesday.
I had a folder with my test results, a bottle of water in my bag, and the practical certainty that if I kept everything organized, the rest would fall into place.
Nick appeared in the bedroom doorway with the car keys in his hand and the look of a man who'd already rehearsed the route three times in his head.
"Thirty minutes," he said, checking his watch.
"If we leave now, we'll get there early." I nodded like that made us invincible.I was ready.
Black knit dress that didn't press against my stomach and didn't scream pregnant.Comfortable sneakers.Hair pulled back.
Minimal makeup so no one would ask if I was okay.
The garage was exactly the same.Apparently, I wasn't.Because I saw the car and...stopped.
It wasn't a decision.It wasn't even a thought.It was like someone pulled a handbrake inside me.
"Gwen?" Nick said my name carefully.
I blinked.The feeling was ridiculous.I just...couldn't move forward.
"Sorry," I said automatically.
I got into the passenger seat first and was suddenly overtaken by something urgent and practical.
Seatbelt.
Click.
Unclick.
Click again.
Adjust.
Adjust more.
The strap felt too rough against my shoulder.
The diagonal didn't sit right, even though it was exactly where it had always been.
Nick got in on the driver's side.
He saw me, but he didn't comment.
He started the car, pulled out slowly, and before turning the first comer, he touched my hand once.
Light.
A quiet. I'm here.
normal.Normal traffic.Normal people heading
Bikes.
Motorcycles.
Tourists wandering.
wanted normal to
- an impatient motorcycle behind us - I jumped.Not
eyes flicking to
I tried to laugh, but it
We kept going.
and I saw it like a
already slowing.Nick was
I was preventing disaster.He eased the car to a halt, calm as if it were just another
he said, no judgment in his
stopping." I
know." But my
sped past
of air and grabbed the seatbelt handle, my grip
world had collapsed into
I tried.
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six.
articles
didn't fit what was
that had nothing to do with the road, My
climbed up my
me," Nick asked, and I managed to turn my
I opened my mouth to give him a
I didn't have one.
and the
front of us.Not
the sound of the brakes lit up
I said, no attempt at charm
to the side,
OVER NOW!" I
own voice
Nick didn't snap back.
the hazard lights and, with almost surgical precision, eased into a side street and
turning off
opened the door before he'd
my face, but it wasn't
can across the sidewalk and threw up
I braced myself against the metal, shaking, my
was beside me in seconds, like his body
hair back with
at my
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