Tied in Knots: A Tied Together Novella by Z.B. Heller Read Free Book Online Page B

she moved the mouse on her computer to check his schedule.
    “Yeah, we’re all waiting in Dr. Florence’s office. I can run up to Labor and Delivery to check where he’s at. Thanks, Kelise.”
    “No problem, Ryan. Make sure to tell me if it’s a boy or a girl; I need to get the right color yarn to start making little booties.”
    I gave her a little nod, and she waved as I left the office and headed to Labor and Delivery.
    I exited the elevator, expecting to simply ask one of the nurses if they knew where Brandon was, but I didn’t have to hunt anyone down. There he was in his scrubs, laughing with one of the male nurses. I knew most of the nurses in the maternity ward from years of attending department parties, but this wasn’t a face I recognized. He looked young, maybe in his twenties, with blond hair tucked behind his ears, and arm muscles that made his scrub top look like it was about to bust the seams. The man rested his hand on Brandon’s shoulder as they continued to laugh like hyenas.
    My annoyance transformed into bitter jealously. The evil, green-eyed monster reared its ugly head, and I felt hot all over. But my anger faded the longer I watched Brandon. The look on Brandon’s face, the wide grin I hadn’t seen in so long, struck me dumb. When was the last time we’d laughed that hard together? It was jarring to see the man I loved so much happily interacting with someone else when he should have been with me at our appointment. Was our life so easy to forget? Especially on such a monumental occasion as finding out the sex of our unborn baby? I walked up to them, my anger building all over. Mr. Surfer Dude blushed and looked toward his feet at something Brandon said. I coughed, and Brandon spun around.
    “Hey, Ry. What are you doing here? Surprise date?” Brandon leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek. My eyes didn’t leave Surfer Dude, who—I swear to God—smirked.
    “We have an appointment with Quinn,” I said through clenched teeth.
    “Oh, shit! It’s Wednesday.” He hit his forehead with his palm. “The days are starting to blur because I’ve been living at this damn hospital.”
    “But you make the long days fun, Dr. Ford,” Surfer Dude interjected. “See you later.” He walked away toward the nurses’ station.
    What. The. Fuck.
    Steve Buscemi: Take a lesson from your son, but kick this asshole in the balls instead of the shin. In fact, rearrange his whole face while you’re at it.
    Before I could pull any ninja moves, Brandon pulled my arm toward the elevator. “I’m so sorry, Ryan. These long hours and everything else have my brain going in hundred different places.” He pushed the elevator button to get back to the offices.
    “Is one on those stops in Surfer Boy’s pants?”
    “Excuse me?” His eyebrows furrowed.
    “Nothing.” I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at the elevator bank.
    “Listen, I’m sorry my mind mixed up the time and date of the appointment, but don’t take your frustrations toward me out on Sean. He’s a good guy.”
    “I bet he is,” I said sarcastically. I huffed and looked straight at the elevator doors. I knew I was acting like a child, but I was pissed.
    “I’m not doing this here—and not when we are about to see our baby.”
    “Good idea.” I didn’t think it was a good idea at all, but I really didn’t feel like fighting with Brandon in the hospital elevator.
    We were both silent on our way back to Dr. Florence’s office. We walked into the waiting room to find Quinn, Ray, and Ethan gone.
    “They were already called back, Dr. Ford,” the receptionist at the desk informed us.
    Brandon led the way toward the exam room, and he knocked on the ultrasound room door. A soft call came from inside, so we walked in. Quinn was already on the exam table, shirt pulled up to her bra line, exposing her baby bump.
    All my frustrations took a backseat as awe took over. That was my baby inside there. My genes, my DNA, and my love. I