Apollo chuckled and held open the door. I moved past him and down the hall to the entryway. “Do I even want to know why?”
“I don’t like his name. I don’t want to tell people my kid was delivered by a guy with the last name Slang.”
“Oh, Lord,” Apollo chuckled. “I’m gonna tell you right now, I can’t even remember the names of the doctors who delivered Beau and Grace.”
“Poole and Chain.”
“Jesus Christ, woman,” Apollo jumped. “Where the hell did you come from?”
Greer laughed and stepped out of the side hallway that led to the indoor pool. “I was coming to get some towels from the laundry room. Gwen pushed Gambler and then Meg cheered for Gwen.”
“Uh, what?” Apollo asked. “I don’t understand how that means you need more towels.”
“Then Meg thought it would be funny if she pushed King in with his clothes on, but that backfired when he was able to grab her and pull her with him.” Greer giggled. “I literally just have to sit back and watch the show unfold when I hang out with the ol’ ladies. There really is never a dull moment.”
“Why weren’t any of them wearing their swimming suits if you guys were at the pool?” I asked.
Greer shrugged. “I really don’t know. I’m not going to question it.”
I stepped to the side and let Greer past. She jogged ahead and gave a shout to Royal when she passed the entryway. “Your baby doctor is here, Marco.”
I briskly walked to the entryway and was surprised to see Royal standing there with a worried look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. I gathered her in my arms and pressed a kiss to her lips.
Some of the worry slipped from her face, and she looked up at me. “Nothing. It just hit me that I’m going to have a baby.”
Apollo smothered a laugh.
“You’ve been pregnant for nine months, mio amore. How is it just now hitting you?”
She laid her hands on her stomach. “I guess it just feels real now. We’re meeting with the doctor who is going to deliver our baby.” She gulped. “Any day now.”
“When is you due date?” That should have been something I asked sooner. I was still getting used to this whole “concerned dad” gig. Maybe by the time the kid was ten, I would have some grasp on it.
She counted on her fingers and grimaced. “Uh, seven days from now?”
“Holy shit,” Apollo chuckled. “You could have the kid right now.”
I laid a hand on Royal’s stomach. “Try to keep him in there a little longer, mio amore.”
“Not like she can cross her legs or something.” Apollo moved to the front door and pulled it open. “I’m not a doctor though,” he mumbled under his breath.
Murphy stood on the other side of the door with who I assumed was Dr. Slang.
Royal laced her fingers through mine and gripped my hand. “I don’t like him,” she whispered.
I glanced down at her. “Any reason why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It doesn’t feel like he’s the one.”
“Apollo,” I called.
Apollo turned and looked at me. “Yeah.”
“We’re done. Let us know when the next doctor arrives.”
Apollo nodded and didn’t question me. I had said I didn’t like the guy from his name, and now Royal said she didn’t like him after one glance. I tugged on her hand and pulled her toward the kitchen.