Falling into Place - Forbidden Heart Series

31| Stir crazy

"If you tell me to sit down one more time, I'm going to call Karma and tell her to break-up with you."

Nate crossed his arms over his chest. His expression was all manly and bossy-pants. "I read that list, Danielle. You need to relax so your blood pressure doesn't spike again. Scared the hell out of all of us and --"

"It scared me, too!"

"-- we don't want to go through that again. So it down, girly, and I'll fix you something to eat."

We had a string contest. Both of us refusing to break eye contact. I knew he was right, but damn. That whole fainting scare was two weeks ago. Since them all my friends have been taking shifts babysitting me. Sometimes I liked it. Others, like now, made me want to scream.

It wasn't that I didn't love Nate like a brother. But he was being a very over-protective brother! Which was not needed. I. Was. Fine. And I was finally at thirty-two weeks. Impatience had me counting down the days until I could hold my little girl.

But that was a little ways away. For now. . .

"Fine!" I threw my hands up. "You win this round, Nate. I'll just take some fruit, I guess."

"Fruit? That's not a meal. Shouldn't you be eating, you know. . . more?"

"No. This far along the doctor said its better to have smaller meals. So just fruit is good for now."

Nate snapped his fingers and headed for the kitchen. "You got it."

Leaning back against the couch, I grabbed my phone and scrolled through Facebook and Instagram. I wasn't even really interested in social media. Not lately. I was just bored. I was so bored. I know that talking it easy was what I needed, but I was an active person.

Even while pregnant I would go for long walks and to the gym. I would just go out.

My phone buzzed in my hand.

My Man: Hey baby. How are you feeling? Nate talking good care of you?

I glanced at Nate in the kitchen. He was singing the theme to Space Jam while fixing my plate of fruit.

Yes he is. He's the over-protective brother I never wanted but grateful to have. I miss you.

My Man: I miss you, too, Dani. I won't be late tonight. Maybe we can take a night time swim to get you out of the house for a bit?

His offer had me smiling hard. Yes! I'm going to stir crazy in here. I need to get out.

My Man: It's a date. I love you. Gotta get back to work. Love you too.

I set the phone down and looked up to see Nate in front of me with a plate full of watermelon, cantaloupe, and pineapple. My mouth watered.

"Yummy. That looks so good, Nate. Thank you."

"I'm happy to be of service." he breathed, falling into the love seat across from me.

I grabbed my fork and plucked some watermelon off the plate. "Nate, I really appreciate you being here. It means a lot to me."

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Danielle, if it wasn't for Ryan, Jackson and their dad, Ayden and I would have probably never made it home. And if we didn't make it --" he squeezed his eyes shut at the memories before taking a shuttering breath. "If we didn't make it, it would have killed Lanie. And I wouldn't. . . I wouldn't have Karma."

Sitting back again, he shook his head. "God. Sometimes when I can't sleep at night, I'll just look down at her and think of the possibility of that being true. Of missing out on a life with her."