Race the Storm

Chapter 29

Willa was starting to show. She looked into the mirror at the truck stop bathroom, her eyebrows knitting together. It wasn't much, but somehow, in the week since she and Jax had started dating, she had started actually showing. It was easy enough to hide in a shirt that was a size bigger than was normal, but eventually she would need to get new clothes. And honestly, she probably needed to get checked out at a doctor's office or something, just to make sure the baby was okay. But how were they supposed to do that and stay off the radar?

Sighing, she headed out of the bathroom and into the chips aisle. Maybe it wasn't actually the baby. Maybe it was a snack baby. She was always craving something these days, usually salty stuff.

She wandered down the aisle, looking at all the good stuff they had. Truck stops, she had rediscovered, were really the best when you were hungry. There was usually somewhere to order food, but if you wanted something fast, there were lots of options.

Grabbing a couple bags of chips, a package of jerky, and something that said healthy on the wrapper, she headed to find Jax. It didn't take her long because judging by the mildly relieved look on his face, he had been looking for her too.

"Why didn't you tell me I was getting fat?" Willa complained as they walked up to the counter, mostly just to get a reaction out of him.

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Jax froze for a second and then frowned down at Willa. Oh God. The ultimate test. He'd been warned about this. What to say? She wasn't fat though, she was pregnant, and that's all he could think of in that second. "You aren't."

"I am," she said, "And I'm fine with it!" Okay good. He was too. She looked more beautiful every day as far as he could tell. He was pretty sure no matter how she looked he was on the fast track to being a goner when it came to Willa Richardson anyway.

"Yeah, dude, I'm with you," said the guy in front of them, "Play it smart." Huh?

"Butt out of our conversation," Willa said with a bright, dangerous smile. Uh oh. He knew that look. What had she called it? Wicked Willa.

Not good.

Although Willa was also right.

"Hey, I was just helping your man out here," the guy said, frowning at her as he shifted his beer on to the counter to let the cashier ring it up.

"Thank you, but I think we're just fine," Jax said, shifting slightly so he was a little more between this random dude and Willa. His protective instincts, which seemed to only get worse the more Willa started to show, told him that it would be a good idea to make sure this guy wouldn't have a chance to touch Willa.

The guy snorted. "Yeah, you think you're fine. Then they turn on you the moment you say something wrong."

Willa started to surge forward, but Jax wrapped his arms around her as she tried to pass by him, carefully placing one above and one below her belly.

"As I said, I'm fine," Jax said. "And I'm going to ask you to stop insulting my wife." He didn't know where that came from–their cover had been as boyfriend and girlfriend until now–but something about their baby starting to show must've made him want to hold a bigger claim on her.

And maybe it had also come out in hopes it'd be more effective with this asshole.

The man rolled his eyes and laughed. "I'm not insulting her. I'm not even talking to her."

"Which is insulting when I'm standing right here," she snapped, nearly stamping on Jax's foot.

"Mmm, yeah," he said, shrugging, "And I'm not sure what you think you're going to do, bucking up at me."