Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
The three of us chug our Cokes and then send the bottles sailing into the back of Liam’s truck. The shattering of glass is cathartic. I want to do it again, but guzzling soda isn’t the same as beer.
“We haven’t told anyone yet, but Peyton’s having trouble getting pregnant,” Noah says, taking me a bit off guard. He out another Coke, opens it, and takes a sip. He holds the bottle out and looks at what’s left. “We’ve gone through a ton of testing. I’ve got the swimmers. She has the eggs. But the damage from the car accident might be the issue. No one knows this, so please don’t repeat this, but she’s had two miscarriages already. I don’t know how to help her through them, the second was worse than the first. Both times, the doctor said she wasn’t very far along, but that doesn’t matter. She was pregnant and lost the baby. Twice.” Noah finishes his soda and throws it toward the truck. “I really need a beer.”
“I’m sorry, Noah,” Quinn says. “I can’t even imagine what it’s like to go through that. Just know that if and when it happens, I’ll be excited to be an uncle. Nola and I have discussed this and neither of us want kids right now though, although I really love all the practice we’re getting for when we do. She’s got nieces and nephews and every time we head to her parents, they remind us it’s okay to wait.” Quinn pauses. “Our parents don’t think so, but whatever. Nola’s sister is keeping her parents busy, and my parents have Evelyn and James, and now Oliver.”
“Well, shit,” I say. “You’re having all the sex.” I look at Quinn and his eyebrows waggle. I shake my head. “And you,” I don’t say anything to Noah because what can you say to someone who is going through what he is. “I had to jack off into a cup so I could freeze my sperm so that one day, if I want to have kids, my wife or whoever can use my sperm to create a baby in a Petrie dish.” I look at my bottle and say, “Yep, a beer is definitely needed. Fuck, I can’t wait to have one.”
“I had to jack off,” Noah says. “Before the first miscarriage, we went to a specialist because we’ve been trying since before the wedding, and Peyton wanted to make sure we’re doing our part. They sat me in a room with porn and a cup. It was the most awkward thing ever.”
“I got porn on an iPad in the hospital bathroom before surgery. And only thanks to Elle. Even though we’re not together, she wanted to make sure my future wife could have a baby.”
“Wow, Elle’s really changed since all of this,” Quinn says.
“I don’t give her enough credit,” I tell them. “It’s easy for me to put everything on her because of what happened before. I was wrong to push a wedding date when I knew how important it was for her dad to walk her down the aisle. I tried to take that away from her and it was wrong.” Now it’s my turn to finish my soda. I send the bottle flying.
“Fuuuuck, we have company,” Quinn says as a SUV pulls in.
“It’s my dad,” Noah says.
Liam gets out of the car and marches toward the tower. He’s a man on a mission. He stands below us and looks up. “What are you doing?”
“Therapy session,” Noah says.
“Are you guys drinking?” Liam asks.
“No, just soda.” Quinn holds up his bottle, but I doubt Liam can see it.
“I’m not so sure Ben should be up there.”
“He’s just living his best life,” Noah yells down. “And we’re not drinking.”
Liam looks over his shoulder and then back at us. “Your mothers are on their way here, looking for you. I suggest you get down to the ground before they get here. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of either of their wrath.”
“Shit, we better go.” Noah stands and lends me a hand. He goes down first, and then I follow. My feet are on the ground when another car pulls into the clearing. Both moms get out of the car and Quinn mutters under his breath.
“We’ll take care of this, just don’t listen as we play the ‘our friend has cancer’ card.”
“Use it and abuse it,” I tell him. “Anything to keep us from getting yelled at.”
Honestly, the guys shouldn’t get into trouble for including me in their afternoon plans. I’m happy they did, and we didn’t do anything my doctor wouldn’t approve of. The three of us make our way over to Liam, Josie, and Katelyn. Katelyn gives me a once over and then glares at Quinn.
“It was my idea,” I blurt out. “Everyone knows the water tower is the place you go when you have a problem. I needed to break some stuff and the guys volunteered to bring me. Everything’s good here.”