LEAD ME ON by Julie Ortolon (find a book to read TXT) 📕

shown up in a rush, tires squealing, heart pumping, only to find her in the bathroom putting on makeup. She’d stopped to have a contraction, then proceeded to do her hair.

Before long, he had the room laughing at the story of Chloe’s birth.

“Your sister sounds like my best friend Marcy Baxter, Paige’s mother,” Ellen said, giving Scott another mild start. He knew that name, too. Marcy and his mother had been girlhood friends. They’d drifted apart when Marcy married a brash land developer after college and DeeDee married the heir to the LeRoche business empire and moved to New Orleans.

Ellen smiled at Paige. “Marcy was just as bad when you were born, refusing to go to the hospital until your father opened the suitcase she’d repacked three times already, and stuffed in yet another nightgown she’d bought the day before.”

As Ellen talked, Scott watched how her husband sat quietly beside her, nodding and smiling, a look of genuine affection in his eyes. Bobby stood behind Paige’s chair, his hand on her shoulder, completely absorbed in the tale about his wife’s birth. The scene struck Scott as oddly intimate, as if he were getting a glimpse into these people’s private lives, seeing them as they truly were. They were nothing like what he’d always imagined couples and families to be.

He tried to picture the same scene with his family, and couldn’t. For one thing, his sister had asked him not to call either of their parents until after it was over. Upon hearing the news, their mother had rushed to the hospital on a cloud of French perfume, complaining about the luncheon she was missing and criticizing Scott for not calling her sooner. She’d made some comment about babies looking like tiny old people, all toothless and bald, then swept out again claiming she was late for her manicure. At least she’d shown up. Their father had sent an extravagant but useless gift—most likely purchased by his for not being able to come in person. John had always been good at sending notes to express his deep regret. In fact, Scott often thought that was where he’d inherited his talent for writing fiction.

No, Scott couldn’t imagine this same scene with his family as the players. These people actually liked one another. It wasn’t an act for the outside world. It was real, and warm, and without warning it exposed a huge gaping hole inside him he hadn’t even known was there.

This was what was missing from his life. This was the void he’d tried to fill with his writing.

When he was lost in one of his stories, he didn’t have to examine his real life too closely. Yet sitting in this room, witnessing family and friends interacting with warmth and caring, he realized how empty his own life had always been and still was.

A strangled cry of effort and pain came from the other room, followed by one of the midwives telling Rory to push.

Ellen’s eyes widened and she glanced at her watch. “If they’re already telling her to push, it won’t be long now.”

Scott glanced at Allison, and found her deathly pale. He reached over and took her hand as Rory cried out again. Adrian stood abruptly to pace. “How do women go through this?”

No one answered or spoke as the sounds from the other room grew louder over the next several minutes: Chance’s encouraging voice, the commands of the mid-wives, and Rory’s straining cries as she struggled to push the child from her body.

Allison rocked back and forth as Adrian continued to pace. The room hummed with the combined focus of everyone there as they waited with breaths held.

Suddenly, a cheer rose from the other room, followed by the thin, reedy cry of a baby. Tension rushed out of Scott, making him light-headed. He glanced around at the smiles and tears. Ellen hugged her husband, crying and laughing. Turning to Allison, he expected to see the same relief.

Instead, she stood abruptly, clutched a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob, and rushed from the room.

“Alli!” Adrian shouted and ran after her. Shocked silence followed.

“Is she all right?” Ellen asked, wiping her cheeks.

“I don’t know.” Paige looked to Scott as if he should know the answer.

“I’ll, um, go see.” Scott stepped into the front room, but saw no sign of them, so he headed outside. Night had fallen, but the parking lot lights cast a soft, yellow glow over the area. He found them sitting on the curb at the end of the sidewalk, Allison with her face buried against her brother’s neck, Adrian holding her tightly and rocking.

As he approached, he heard Adrian speaking against Allison’s hair. “I’m so sorry. I should have known this would be too hard for you.”

“I thought I could handle it.”

Gravel crunched beneath Scott’s boots and Adrian looked up, then nodded for Scott to join them.

When he sat, Allison lifted her head, then ducked it back down to hide her tears.

“You okay?” Scott asked when neither of them spoke.

“Yes. No.” With a watery chuckle she swiped at her cheeks.

Not knowing what to say, Scott decided to let her brother handle it.

Adrian helped her dry her face. “Do you want me to take you home?”

“I can’t ask you to do that.” Alli sniffed. “I know you want to be with Rory and see the baby.”

“Can you handle going back inside?” Adrian asked.

She shook her head and glanced at Scott, misery and embarrassment swimming in her eyes.

“I’ll take you home,” he offered.

She nodded, and took his hand so he could help her stand.

Scott didn’t ask any questions on the way to the inn, and Allison was grateful. She felt too raw inside to speak. She just wanted to get home, climb into bed and escape into the oblivion of sleep.

When they reached the inn, he parked near the back door, so she wouldn’t have to walk through the main hall and chance running into guests.

“Allison? Is that you?” Betsy McMillan called from the