Chapter 6
Kipp
Bunny loudly hisses prompting me to frantically fold forward in panic. “ You okay?! ” My sitting on the arm of couch position threatens to completely change. “ Baby driver okay?! ”
“Like the movie?” Garcia questions from the kitchen table where he’s sitting across from Nolan. “You’re gonna name your baby, baby?”
“No,” my boyfriend and I grump in unison.
“And we’re not gonna name it after someone in The Fast and Furious franchise either,” Bunny gripes on a small glare in my direction.
“Less no,” I playfully poke back. “Brian, Dominic, and Diesel are all still on the table.”
“I like Dominic,” Garcia needlessly informs.
And now that’s off the table.
He’s not the father.
He doesn’t get a fucking say.
It’s bad enough I already hear the words “godfather” and “uncle” booming in my brain like someone pushed fucking bass boost.
Bunny winces a second time, returning my full attention to where she’s stretched out on our couch. “What’s wrong?! What do you need?! Another pillow?! Another blanket?! A mint?!”
“You were not exaggerating,” Val snickers under her breath at the same time she stops spreading thick goop on Bunny’s bruised stomach. “He really is a hoverboard.”
An unexpected idea about tweaking and racing those like cars leads to me tossing a mirthful glimpse over at Nolan who immediately grunts, “ No. ”
“But-”
“My ass is too old and too unstable for that shit.” He begins to lift his coffee mug to his lips. “I have enough fuckin’ problems trying to balance your ass and hers in the shower without tippin’ the fuck over.”
“Too old for shower sex, Ace?” Garcia helplessly teases.
“Too uncoordinated for small spaces.”
“Wrong on both accounts,” devilishness grows in my grin, “ Sir. ”
Hunger undeniably makes itself seen in his stare prior to him wolfishly licking his lips and indulging in a sip of whatever’s left in his cup. “Grab me another?”
I prepare to object over the need to stay at Bunny’s side when she unhappily sighs, “ FortheloveofFerrari , pleasseeee go to the kitchen.” Her eyes briefly shut. “Please, give Val some space to do her damn job.”
The job she’s doing off the clock.
Off the record.
With her own weird, portable tools.
Doc’s basically got an emergency toolkit for checking out pregnant women.
I think it’s weird.
And kinda cool.
And definitely fucking handy, especially when going to a real doc or hospital isn’t in our best interest at this very moment.
Not that she’s not a real doc.
She is.
She obviously fucking is.
She’s just not… technically on the doc clock right now.
“She’s fine at the moment, Kipp,” Val sweetly reassures, summoning my stare. “The hisses and winces were just about the cool gel hitting her skin.”
“ Cool gel? ” the woman carrying our child severely chomps upon opening her eyes. “That shit would’ve had Olaf reaching for a warm towel.”
“Didn’t he sit in front of a fireplace?” questions our medical professional while unwinding the cord to her ultrasound tool.
Bunny poorly hides her smirk. “Point?”
“That for a snowman he makes shitty judgments?” her brother interjects into the conversation.
“ See .” Doc kicks a chin in his direction. “He gets it.”
“And I’m gonna get my boyfriend some more coffee,” I announce maneuvering out of the living room to the kitchen area.
“And Garcia,” Nolan firmly states, “is gonna tell us what he knows about our situation.”
Of course not what he actually knows.
Which is what we told him shortly after he arrived, long before his sister had.
Post picking up the minor evidence of our paths crossing with McAdams’, we filled up Nolan’s truck, towed my car home, and preceded to properly scrub ourselves of any and all filth related to the situation.
I mean like deep detailing.
Hair.
Balls.
Armpits.
Fingers.
Fingernails.
It was our girl’s continuous wincing and face scrunching that convinced us waiting to get her checked out by a doc was not an option.
Thankfully, she’s friends with one.
And thankfully that same one is not only aware of the situation but also related to our lawyer.
Is there some strange attorney, sibling privilege fine print in the legal manual that prevents her from being able to turn us into the red and blues?
Not that I think she would.
Just…wondering is all.
I already admitted I don’t know much legal shit.
And the legal shit I do know?
Mostly car, title, and warranty related.
Street racing laws a bit too.
Texas has gotten obnoxiously strict about the shit.
Felony charges are a bit of overkill if you ask me.
I smoothly slide my boyfriend’s cup into my grasp while he openly helps himself to a palmful of my sweats covered ass causing me to beam brightly.
“ You ,” Garcia points to Nolan as I relocate to make another cup of coffee, “got a call from an untraceable number for a tow but ran out of gas before you could make it there, which is why you ,” his voice direction shifts indicating he’s now looking at me despite my back being to him at the machine, “and Bunny left the festival when you did to provide him with assistance. Unfortunately, loose gravel ended up hitting your window, ultimately causing it to shatter, further requiring Ace to abandon the potential tow to return his partners safely back home. Hopefully, the small fender bender you all encountered with that farm truck – who insisted no paperwork be filed for fear of being fired – around the break of dawn – which had restricted his visibility abilities – only left you with minor injuries.”
Believable.
Almost too believable.
Like slap a Thundercat statue to the hood of a custom Hyundai, tell them you bought a Jag, and peel off without letting anyone get a decent look level of believable.
Most people won’t know what sounds or other specs to be looking for to call your bluff.
I’m not most people.
Good thing those that have to buy his crock of bullshit are.
I load up a new pod for a fresh brew while Garcia continues, “And I also know you three got copious amounts of gasoline on your clothing – after all that shit can get pretty slippery when you’re not at the pump – which is why you’ll be giving a thorough cleaning to the truck today and why we’ve taken hazardous waste precaution steps to secure the clothing until Val can drop them off along with some other medical gear that needs proper disposal. ”
“My next stop after reassuring your baby daddies are also alright,” informs the doc to our woman who looks much more relaxed without me directly at her side.
Am I really that smothering?
I thought I was just being protective!
You know like tossing a tarp over your vehicle to guard it from light hail damage.
“We’re fine,” Nolan grunts around the time I add two scoops of sugar to his mug.
“Definitely,” I echo.
“Neither of you are doctors, so your overly masculine, rub some dirt on it opinions are null and void,” Val insists prior to holding up the monitor for Bunny to see whatever’s on the tiny screen. “And baby bunny seems to be doing okay.”
“Baby rabbits are called kits or kittens,” Garcia offhandedly educates, the statement being the last heard as we zone in on her.
“Everything looks good,” Val announces, wand still moving. “This is a normal size. Typical shape.” She makes another adjustment. “No signs of bleeding or anything of concern.”
“ Thankfuck, ” leaves Nolan pushing me to return to delivering his beverage.
“I still want you to come in for an official check at the end of the month. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, other than the new bruises,” the doc lowers her tool, “you have hadn’t any other causes for concern, right?”
“Just really horny and having to pee a fucking ridiculous amount.”
“Normal too.” She poorly hides her snickers while cleaning off her tool. “Those are just hormone changes-”
“Which we approve of,” Nolan insists during my crossing over.
“-and uterus expansion.”
“Isn’t there a more charming way to phrase that?” ponders Garcia in tandem with my arrival. “Female organ maturation?”
“That just sounds like fancy old lady pussy,” my boyfriend grunts on a tug of me into his lap.
The entire room cackles, yet he indulges in a sip of his dark roast.
Something tells me that new coffee machine and travel “DILF” mug I settled on are going to be a big hit for Christmas.
“And again,” Val mirthfully sighs, “you were not exaggerating. Nolan really does have a way with words.”
“How much shit are you talkin’ about us, Rabbit?” Our boyfriend cautiously inquires, arm curling around my waist.
Bunny sassily smirks and accepts the wet wipe to clean her stomach. “Depends on how much time she has, Mutt.”
“Now that we’re on the concept of time,” Garcia easily segues, sending our stares back to him, “perhaps it would be wise to not pick up any more tow jobs for what’s left of the pre-holiday season?
Maybe…just…stick around the shop for a bit?
Do inventory? Or simply take a mini vacation like McAdams did. ”
His announcement launches my brows curiously into the air.
“According to Zero ,” he slyly informs a second layer of information, “McAdams planned a camping trip for the holiday.” Garcia casually drums his fingers against the side of his cup.
“Based on his ‘ browser history ’, he’s been looking up remote hike trails and areas all across the state for the last couple of weeks.
Plus, his ‘ social media accounts ’, claim he’s quite excited to enjoy a solo week of solitude in the wilderness to get in touch with nature and himself.
” This time cleverness glosses over his gaze.
“I hope he chooses to make wise choices out in the woods – unescorted. Wild animals can be quite unpredictable and dangerous.”
Nolan offers him an impressed nod followed by the lifting and tipping of his mug. “I’ll drink that.”
“Did you know we have mountain lions here in Texas?” Garcia lets the corner of his lip deceptively curl upward. “And that they often prefer to attack their prey from behind which can result in tumbling off cliffs or down steep hills?”
“Like the proper term for baby bunnies, that sounds like Zero information,” teases his sister as she opens her medical bag to retrieve other materials.
“I swear that guy is just one walking, talking, computing Animal Planet documentary.” Bunny puts down Nolan’s old sweatshirt that’s become hers and sits up for the next part of her treatment.
“ Anddddddd I honestly think he jerks it to old episodes of The Crocodile Hunter .”
“Not a Zero fan?” investigates our girl after slowly rotating her wrist for bandaging.
“I didn’t say that,” she swiftly retorts. “He’s sweet. And strangely brilliant. And has a banging hot bod-” undeniable grumbles escape from her brother prompting her to snicker, “but he’s spoken for even if he’s not spoken for. ”
“Sounds familiar,” Nolan chortles, fingers teasingly brushing against my crotch.
Huh.
Is everyone saying what I think they’re saying?!
Is that why they keep insisting that there’s really nothing to worry about when it comes to Garcia?!
Does he already have his own model on a different lot?!
“Can we…please just…” Garcia uncomfortably clears his throat, “ focus on why we’re here?”
“Making sure baby babs is okay-”
“ It’s not a girl ,” my boyfriend and I call out together.
“ Ignore them .” Bunny briefly shoots a glare in our direction. “They do that.”
“And making sure your wrist isn’t broken,” she gently begins to wrap the territory, “which from what I can see, it isn’t.
You have noticeable swelling – that will need to be iced on and off – but because you have mobility – even though there’s discomfort – it’s unlikely that it’s broken.
However, I suggest getting it x-rayed by the end of the week if the swelling hasn’t gone down.
And in the meantime, you will need to provide it with significant rest for proper healing. ”
“Only foot jobs from now until Christmas,” my lap partner declares during another sip of coffee. “Understood, Doc.”
Bunny immediately flashes him her middle finger from the other hand.
“Don’t worry,” Val less than quietly states. “I’ll pretend my head thermometer doesn’t work and shove one up his ass instead.”
“Yes, please,” sings our woman.
“ Fuck no, ” he grumbles.
“Safety inspections are quite natural, Mutt,” Bunny says with a snarky smirk.
“For cars.”
“And for people,” our girl proclaims on a wink.
“How long until it’s safe to spank her?” Nolan lightheartedly asks Garcia’s sister.
“McAdams did not acquire a radio or sat phone,” Garcia resumes speaking, “or any other viable means of communication that you need when you’re planning on having contact with the outside world that deep into the woods; however, I imagine his mother isn’t going to take his lack of connection very well given the response she had the last time he took an impromptu vacation without her. ”
My boyfriend tilts his head in question.
“Per Zero’s report, she chartered a private jet to Spike Village twenty-two minutes after we had confirmed reports that the fake McAdams was in Florida headed home.”
“ Fuckme, ” escapes the man behind me on a low whisper.
“Yeah…” Garcia releases an almost defeated sigh as he lifts his own cup of coffee. “ Mrs. McAdams does not like having her precious son out of her sight for long.” One single sip is taken. “Let’s just hope she doesn’t come searching for him before Christmas… ”