Buggy List: A Sweet Southern Romantic Comedy: Schooled On Love, #3

By Kaci Lane

With a marriage this strong, nothing could come between them . . . except maybe a baby.

 

Raven has big goals for herself, and having a baby falls far down on her to-do list. It plunged even further in her priorities after watching her sister give birth.

 

Unfortunately, her husband, Doug, is more than ready to start a family. They're well-traveled with steady careers and a new home. The single thing he thinks is missing from their perfect life is an offspring.

 

When Doug shares his opinion, Raven panics and thinks of everything she wants to accomplish before she is tied down to a baby. Doug is quick to call her out for wasting time and laughs at some of her so-called life goals. That's when Raven comes up with a plan.

 

Her Buggy List.

 

What better way to spend the summer break from teaching than to knock out all the things she's always wanted to do? And maybe it will buy her some time to warm up to the idea of becoming a mom.

 

But showing her Buggy List more love than Doug causes problems . . .

 

Add to that Raven realizing her incompetence with babies—thanks to her newborn nephew. Plus, the stress of her best friend's upcoming wedding.

 

And she'd give anything to just have her life go back to normal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kaci Lane
• Release date: Feb 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201244255

Book preview

Chapter One

Raven spotted a bright orange-and-pink pillow across the aisle. Yes, she was here to help her sister, Kristin, shop for her new home. But Raven still hadn’t put the finishing touches on her own home’s decor. She smiled, admiring all of the throw pillows and imagining how she could distribute them throughout her home.

What do you think of this for the bedroom curtains?

Raven nodded. Uh-huh.

Raven, you have to look at them to have an opinion.

Ignoring her older sister, Raven crossed the aisle and grabbed the pillow that held her attention. This is perfect for our back patio. Doug might not even fuss about the pink if I put it outside.

Raven.

Hold your horses, preggo. Raven tucked the pillow under her arm and marched toward Kristin, who had squatted down near the curtains.

Kristin lifted an arm when Raven reached her side. Assuming she wanted to look at the pillow, Raven shoved it toward her. Instead of taking it, Kristin looked up, pain written all over her face.

Please, help me up.

Raven swallowed, the blood rushing from her own face at the sight of Kristin’s. She dropped the pillow, then reached with both hands, pulling her sister to her feet. Kristin’s knees buckled.

Are you going to faint?

Kristin’s head wavered. A few seconds later, her jeans started darkening around the crotch, and it continued down her inner thighs. Raven curled her lips and wrinkled her nose. Taking a step back, she kicked the pillow a few feet away. She couldn’t have it soaked in urine, in case she decided to buy it.

Ewww. I know you have to pee like forty-seven times an hour, but you just went at the last store.

Kristen’s jeans weren’t the only thing wet. Puddles formed in her round, blue eyes, and it didn’t take long for those saucers to spill. I’m not peeing, Raven. My water broke!

Raven slapped her forehead and ran her hand through her blond hair. I’m so sorry, Kristin, I assumed—

Get me to the hospital. Kristin reached for Raven’s shoulder and held tightly as she shuffled forward. Raven steadied her with one hand and reached for her phone with the other.

I’ll call Conner.

Let’s go, Kristin said, then doubled over and clutched her stomach.

Are you okay? Raven wrapped an arm around Kristin’s shoulder and snatched the pillow off the ground. She slowed as they neared the checkout area, stepping away from Kristin toward the counter.

Kristin tugged Raven’s arm, eyeliner and disgust all over her face. Drop the pillow, now.

Raven shuddered. She hadn’t heard her sister’s demon voice since the time she’d raided her closet and worn a new dress before her. Yes, ma’am. She dropped the pillow and picked up her pace, stopping twice when Kristin groaned.

Once they made it to the parking lot, Raven called her brother-in-law. After relating recent events in ten words or less, she hung up the phone. Her mouth twisted. He’s on the golf course with his dad, but he’s leaving now.

Kristin’s expression fell. And while Raven tried to put on a brave face for her sister, she was equally scared, if not more so, about not getting Kristin to the hospital in time.

When they reached Raven’s SUV, Kristin leaned against the hood and clenched her teeth. Raven opened the passenger door. Remembering Kristin’s wet pants, she began spreading as many napkins as she could find across the seat. Kristin pushed her out of the way and sat down in a huff, sending most of the napkins to the floorboard. Raven cringed, made her way to the driver’s side, then slid inside.

Get over it, Raven. You have leather seeeeeeeeeee! Kristin’s voice lifted a few octaves as her words morphed into a screech. Raven offered her a sympathetic glance before stomping on the gas pedal.

She made it onto the highway, then drummed her fingers impatiently as the light in front of them changed to red. She gassed it when the light turned green, and flew through a yellow light at the next intersection. Please, no more lights, she said, but then her shoulders tensed as a new set of lights flashed behind her. This time, the lights were blue.

Seriously? Raven rolled her eyes and veered off the road.

Kristin placed both hands on her stomach and sighed.

Don’t worry, sis. If we get a ticket, I’ll pay for it.

Kristin’s head shot up, her eyes glaring through Raven.

Raven clenched her teeth, a little frightened by this tiny woman with a big belly and even bigger threats.

She looked in the rearview mirror. An older, heavyset man in uniform was approaching. Raven rolled down her window and took a deep breath, preparing to plea. A protruding belly stepped into her peripheral view. Raven’s eyes followed it up to the man’s voice.

Ma’am, do you know why I pulled you over?

I went a little too fast through a caution light? Raven smiled and batted her eyes.

You mean a little too fast through a red light. It changed when you drove under it.

Raven batted her eyes again and shifted her body toward the cop, noting the name on his uniform. Officer Jim, is it?

Officer Jim laughed and removed his dark sunglasses. Look, I know a woman like you isn’t into a fat, old man like me. So, you can cut the bull right now.

Kristin yelped from the passenger seat, dropping her head between her knees. Ahhhh!

Not her too? Officer Jim shook his head.

No, sir. My sister is in labor. That’s why I was driving so fast.

Well, why didn’t you say so in the first place? Follow me.

Raven unbuckled her seat belt and moved to open her door, prepared to follow him back to his patrol car.

No, darlin’. To the hospital.

Oh, right . . . I knew that.

Officer Jim shook his head again and hurried back to his car.

When Raven veered her SUV back onto the road—this time with a police escort—Kristin raised her head from between her knees and grinned.

Doug wiped sweat from his brow as he rounded a corner of the front yard. Mowing grass was one of his favorite tasks at the new house, because it meant they actually had grass.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, interrupting his perfect aura. He ignored it at first, but after a couple of vibrations, something prompted him to answer. He shut off the lawnmower and removed his earbuds, expecting little more than a telemarketer. Instead, it was the hospital.

Doug’s eyes widened as the nurse on the other end told him that his sister-in-law had gone into labor and his wife had fainted in the process. Both women were fine, she said, but Raven was in no condition to drive home. He hung up and rushed inside to grab his wallet and lock up the house before hopping in his truck and leaving. Old gym clothes soaked in sweat and covered in grass clippings didn’t make for