Special Delivery. Laura Browning

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СКАЧАТЬ and make her comfortable. Can you find me a nightgown?”

      “Yeah.” Tyler went to the chest of drawers and pulled out an oversize T-shirt. “Here you go. It’s what she usually sleeps in.”

      Holly lay against the pillows, sweat beading her brow. She must be so tired, and he felt nearly helpless to change that.

      “Great, buddy. Now get me a warm washcloth and a clean towel so Holly can wash.” As soon as Tyler left the room, Jake stripped off his jacket. “Can you clean up, or do you need help?”

      Her gaze slid away from his. “I—I’m going to need some help.”

      Jake skimmed her cheek with his fingertips. “Now’s not the time to be embarrassed. You and I are gonna get to know each other a whole lot better in the next few hours. Doc says not to move you.”

      Holly’s eyes widened. “Have you done this before?”

      “No,” he admitted. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it now, but he couldn’t tell her.

      She smiled, weariness plain on her face. “Couldn’t you lie to make me feel better?”

      He stroked the hair off her face. “No. We need to be straight with each other about what’s going on. It’s the only way to get you, the baby, and Tyler through it too.” And me, his internal voice shouted.

      Holly nodded. Her expression relaxed somewhat. If she still didn’t quite trust him, she at least didn’t look petrified anymore.

      Tyler returned and handed them the cloths.

      “Thanks, man. Say, if you’ve got any coffee around here. I could use a pot.”

      “There’s some in the freezer,” Holly said. “You remember how to make it, Tyler?”

      “Yeah.”

      Jake grinned. “Then get to it while I help Holly.”

      As soon as Tyler left the room, Jake hefted her to her feet, supporting her with one arm while he helped her remove the damp nightgown with his other. He wiped her, patted her dry, and then slipped the clean shirt over her head.

      As much as he tried to be objective and impersonal about the whole process, his insides were in a knot. He’d never seen a pregnant woman’s body before and he marveled at all the changes. When he looked into her face, she blushed and looked away.

      “Don’t, Holly,” he blurted. “You’re beautiful.” Jake felt heat in his cheeks, but he refused to look away. She was pretty. She needed to know that.

      Her laugh was half sob. While she sat in the chair near the bed, Jake put additional towels over the mattress. He’d never seen a human baby born, but he had helped with cattle births on the farm when he was a kid and knew clean and easy weren’t necessarily part of the process. When he was done, he helped her onto the bed just as another contraction began. He sat next to her and held her hand. How the hell was he going to do this?

      “Doc said I should make you comfortable. Would you rather sit on the bed or move around a bit?”

      Holly’s eyes were so bright they almost glowed. “Sit for now. Have Tyler get the extra pillows out of his closet. I’m so tired. I guess the pains I’ve had since yesterday weren’t false labor like I thought.”

      “If you’ll be all right for a few minutes, I’m just gonna check on Tyler, and then I need to call Doc and the chief. I’ll bring those pillows, too.”

      Holly laid a hand on his arm, and he stopped to look at her.

      “Thanks, Jake. I know you didn’t expect this, but I can’t tell you how glad I am you’re here. I thought…”

      He squeezed her hand. “You thought you were going to have to do it by yourself.”

      She let out a relieved breath. “Yeah.”

      He grinned. “You’da done it, too.”

      * * * *

      The weather deteriorated as the night wore on. The tick, tick, tick of freezing rain continued to beat against the windows and onto the rusted tin roof. In a strange way, Holly found it soothing, like being cocooned inside the small house.

      Jake’s presence was more reassuring than she might have imagined. He sent Tyler out to his truck to bring in the emergency kit he kept in the backseat and then had her brother fill two of the collapsible five-gallon water containers he pulled from the kit. Tyler gave him a questioning look.

      “Why ya having me get all this water?”

      “In case the power goes out, buddy. If you lose power, you’ll lose the well pump—so no water. After you’ve filled the containers, fill the tub, too. I’m gonna call Chief Jones to let him know where I am and talk to Doc Owens.”

      He sat in the chair next to her bed to make his calls. Holly shifted position, rolling to her feet awkwardly. When Jake started to rise, she waved him back.

      “I’m okay. I just need to move around some.”

      While she walked around the room, she listened to Jake’s end of the conversation with Chief Jones. The weather situation was worsening. Jake pinched the bridge of his nose while he listened.

      “Look, I’m sorry to leave you in the lurch like this. I know it’s not our jurisdiction…”

      When he hung up a few minutes later, Holly said, “If being here is getting you in trouble…”

      He glared. “Don’t even finish that sentence. Ernie told me to stay right here. Sam and his deputies can cover until I get back.” He studied her belly. “You doing okay?”

      Holly nodded. “A little tired.” Another contraction started, so she held onto the bedpost and rode it out. She knew Jake was worried. She tried to smile. Then he surprised her by coming around to rub her shoulders and her back.

      “That help?”

      “Yes.” Another stronger contraction doubled her over. “I think I need to sit, and Jake?”

      “What?”

      “I think you should call Doc again. I feel like I need to push.”

      Jake helped her to bed, propped her with the pillows, and left the covers over her. This wasn’t how Holly had pictured the birth of her baby. This man was little more than a stranger, but as he moved around her with easy grace, his hair falling over his brow and his gaze flicking her way with concern, she realized if Doc Owens couldn’t be here, she was glad Jake was.

      He was on the phone with Doc. He listened for a few moments, huffed out a breath, and ran his fingers through his hair before he said, “Yeah, I’d already kind of figured that, Jen.” He paused an instant and then handed the phone to her. “Doc wants to talk to you. I’ve got to go scrub.”

      “Hi, Doc.”

      “You okay with this, Holly?”

      She СКАЧАТЬ