“I feel so bloated,” London confessed. “The good news is my hair is super-thick and my nails are growing like crazy and hard as diamonds. I think it’s the prenatal vitamins. The only bad thing is the heartburn. No one told me about it!”
“That’s right. I had heartburn,” Cassie said. “I’d forgotten about that.”
“Did I hear heartburn?” Sydney said as she came in the room. “I had it something awful with Drew. Not as bad with Harper. And I never found a thing that helped get rid of it.” She hugged London. “Come on back to the kitchen. It’s still half an hour before guests will start arriving.”
Sydney led London out of the living room. Keely and Cassie looked at one another and muffled their giggles. Suddenly, they heard a loud “Crikey!”
Hurrying into the kitchen, Keely saw London hugging Catherine and then stepping away to do the same to Melanie.
“I can’t believe you flew all this way. For my baby shower.”
Catherine stroked London’s arm. “I can’t imagine not flying over for it, sweetheart.”
“Same here,” Melanie said. “I told Ken I wasn’t going to miss it for the world.”
“Let’s sit,” Sydney suggested and the women gathered around the kitchen table.
“When did you get here?” London asked.
“Keely picked us up at the airport this morning,” Melanie explained. “Catherine and I coordinated so that we’d be on the same flight. We even sat together and traded magazines back and forth the entire time. When we weren’t trying to sleep.”
“How are the twins?” London asked. “I miss seeing them.”
“Divine. We’re only fifteen minutes from the studio, living in a small, picturesque village. They’re going to a nursery school three days a week and loving it. London is only half an hour away so we take jaunts into the city when we can.”
“Is Ken recognized a lot?” Cassie asked.
“It’s a bit like LA or New York. I think he does get recognized and a few people snap a photo but, for the most part, he’s left alone. Our hamlet has welcomed us with open arms. It’s going to be hard to leave when he finishes the final film in the series.”
“But you are coming back?” London asked. “You’ve got to. I live here!”
“Of course. We want to raise our kids in the states. Around our friends and theirs. I like the place we’re renting, though. It would make a fantastic getaway.”
“You should consider buying it,” Sydney advised. “You could vacation there some and rent it out the rest of the time. Who knows? Maybe Dash and I could be your first renters. Can you imagine Herc in London? He would love it.”
Keely laughed. “Herc would try out a British accent. I’ve heard him mimicking words London says when he’s been around.”
They visited until the doorbell sounded.
“Ah, the guests are arriving,” Cassie said. “Let’s get this party started.”
Within the next quarter-hour, over a dozen women showed up. London had Keely sit next to her and record each gift and who brought it. She’d begged them not to play any silly Yank party games and the three hostesses had been all too ready to agree to her request.
“Time for the reveal,” Sydney said. “Would you like to do the honors, London?”
Only Keely knew the Monroes were having a girl. Knox was like her older brother and she and London had grown to be close friends. Keely stood and helped London rise. Sydney handed over a cake server and London sliced into the square cake with pastel green and yellow buttercream frosting. She slid the server under a piece and held it up for all to see. The cake had pink food coloring that was visible for all gathered. A collective gasp erupted and then everyone began congratulating London on the girl she carried.
Catherine came to stand with London. “Did you see all of that, David? You’ll have a granddaughter soon.” She held the phone up. “Say hello everyone.”
After the group did, Catherine handed her phone to her stepdaughter. “Go have a chat with your father, love. I’ll cut up the cake and be sure everyone has a piece.”
London thanked her and exited the room while Sydney helped distribute cake and Cassie poured wine. Keely served punch to the non-day drinkers in the group.
An hour later, goodbyes were said. Knox arrived, grinning from ear to ear as London accused him of being in on the entire scheme.
“I admit it. Happily,” he said. “Catherine and Melanie are staying with us a couple of days so that should make up for my part in the secret.”
London kissed him soundly.
As Sydney showed guests out the door, Knox came to her and gripped her elbow, pulling her aside. “Keely, you might want to head over to Mac’s place He’s had a little accident and had to go to the ER.”
She gasped. “What happened?”
“He’s all right. Nothing horrible, but he’s got a goose egg on his forehead. Some wild drive beaned him. A doctor out on the course—a plastics man, no less—took a look at him and only sent him to the hospital as a precaution. They ran tests. There’s no concussion. No cerebral hemorrhage or skull fracture.”
“Skull fracture!” she hissed.
“None. The ball hit him high on his forehead so his vision is fine. He’ll just have a mother of a headache and a big knot that will turn every shade of the rainbow. Actually, he’s got both of those now. Rhett’s driving him home. Breck and Dash are following in Mac’s truck so he’ll have that.”
Keely’s heart slammed so hard against her ribs she thought she might be sick.
“Text Rhett to take him to my place,” she suggested. “He’s going to need some TLC.”
He smoothed her hair. “Will do. I’ll let Sydney know, too. She’s probably going to need to change the call sheet tomorrow. I don’t think any amount of makeup can hide the knot on Mac’s head. Go. We can get this cleaned up without you.”
Keely located her purse and rushed out the door.
CHAPTER 14
Keely pulled into her drive, happy no one tailed her home. She’d seen a few paparazzi outside the DeLaurias’ house and knew they’d taken pictures of guests arriving at the baby shower and were hanging around to get shots of those leaving that they’d missed going inside earlier. Her head told her Mac was fine. Knox had reassured her of that and he wouldn’t have lied to her. The tests run on Mac showed no problems and he’d been discharged. If there’d been a problem, they would have kept him for observation. Still, her heart had raced the entire way home. She’d kept herself from speeding simply because she didn’t want to get pulled over and waste time being issued a ticket.
Rhett’s car and Mac’s truck were already in the driveway. Hurrying inside, she found Rhett, Dash, and Breck waiting for her.
“Where’s Mac?” she asked, her voice shaky.
“I had him go lie down and rest,” Rhett said. “Under protest, I might add.”
“He’s really fine, Keely,” Breck said, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a squeeze. “It’s a decent-sized lump. The doctor didn’t think Mac had a concussion but you should wake him every couple of hours and ask him the basics. His name. Yours. Who the president is.”