The Firefighter's Twins. Heidi McCahan

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СКАЧАТЬ “But I—”

      “I’m sorry. Truly, I am. Feel free to walk through and see if this might be a good fit. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.” She scooped up the iPad and walkie-talkie, and then she jogged toward her golf cart parked beside the barn, her cowboy boots clicking against the cobblestones.

      “Nat, where are you? Her water broke.” Shelby, the college student supervising the birthday party, had more than enough experience to manage a crisis, but this was uncharted territory. Not even Rex, their most seasoned employee, could deliver a human in a corn maze.

      “Call an ambulance.” Natalie slid behind the wheel. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

      “Copy that. Please hurry.” Shelby’s panicked voice crackled through the speaker.

      She set the iPad and the walkie-talkie on the cushioned seat next to her, put the cart in gear and stomped on the pedal. While she careened down the gravel path, her mind raced. Several of the off-duty firefighters from the station down the road were attending a birthday party at the farm today. Surely they were qualified to handle emergency childbirth.

      “Oh, dear Lord, please don’t let her give birth in front of a bunch of three-year-olds. Make a way for the ambulance to get through the crowd.” Her prayers were like that these days—flung up in tense moments, desperate submissions shot heavenward, while her plans unraveled like a loose thread. God heard her, but He hadn’t responded like she’d anticipated. Still she longed for a sign, a clear indication it was time to chase her dreams. Would she ever get a chance to focus exclusively on wedding planning, instead of dealing with the relentless flood of issues facing Glenview Farms?

      She’d thrown herself into managing the farm and launching Magnolia Lane, desperate for an avenue to both channel her grief and help her forget about Spencer. His sudden death on duty at the fire department two years ago had leveled her. And cured her of any desire to ever date another firefighter. Her work might’ve saved her, but it also meant Mama and Daddy depended on her to keep things running. Especially now that Daddy’s health was declining.

      A bead of sweat trickled down Natalie’s spine as she steered the cart around a group of guests snapping selfies by the old tobacco barn, their faces flushed from the heat. For the third Saturday in September, summer hadn’t shown any interest in giving up and making way for fall.

      Near the entrance to the corn maze, a very pregnant woman clutched her lower back and paced in a small circle. Shelby hovered near her elbow, a cell phone to her ear, while a crowd of onlookers gathered around. Natalie stopped the cart and hopped out, side-stepping identical twin boys fighting over a pinwheel. They couldn’t have been more than two, judging by the pacifiers wedged securely in their mouths.

      “Shelby, I’m here. What can I do?” Natalie joined them, wincing as the pregnant woman stopped pacing and squeezed her eyes shut.

      “I—I don’t know.” Shelby’s voice wobbled, and she cast a furtive glance toward the woman. “This is Maria. She’s expecting her second baby any minute now. I’m staying on the line with the dispatcher until the ambulance gets here.”

      “Perfect. I’ll redirect the kids to the inflatables. Maybe if they’re bouncing, the siren won’t scare them.” She whirled around and walked straight into a firm, defined chest clad in a navy University of Virginia T-shirt. Her gaze traveled up to an angular jaw, tan skin and moss green eyes staring down from beneath the brim of a well-loved ball cap. A warm hand on her bare forearm steadied her.

      “Ma’am? Is there anything I can do to help?”

      His deep voice made her insides dip and swerve. She moistened her dry-as-sandpaper mouth. “Are you a doctor?”

      “No. A firefighter. My kids are guests at the birthday party.” He cut his gaze toward the expectant mother. “Do you have a place where she can lie down?”

      “Lie down? I was hoping the ambulance would—”

      “Oh, my—” Maria’s voice trailed off, and Natalie sneaked a peek over her shoulder. Maria grimaced, her fingers splayed across her protruding abdomen.

      The man let go of Natalie’s arm and stepped away, pressing his thumb and index finger to his lips. He released a shrill whistle that stopped all conversation. “Hey, folks. Let me have your attention, please.”

      The wail of a siren grew louder, but all eyes remained fixed on him.

      “Wait,” Natalie hissed. “What are you doing?”

      “Taking charge.”

      “But I’m—”

      “Trent, line the children up behind your daughter and head over to the inflatables so we can get this ambulance in here. Hamilton, you’re in charge of finding Maria’s husband and daughter. Start at the restrooms.”

      “Got it.” Cell phone in hand, Hamilton jogged away.

      “One, two, three, eyes on me.” Trent Walker, Natalie’s friend and another local firefighter, held his hand high in the air. “Anyone who wants to go to the bounce house, line up behind Ella.”

      The children maneuvered into a disjointed line behind Trent’s daughter. She wore a princess dress and tiara, clearly enjoying her role as the birthday girl. Even the boys tussling over the pinwheel obeyed, bringing up the rear as adults and children moved across the grass toward the inflatables.

      “Wow.” Shelby’s eyes widened. “Impressive.”

      Natalie was speechless.

      Shay turned his attention back to Maria. “I’m Shay Campbell. I work for the fire department. Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?”

      “Another girl.” Maria gasped, swiping her forearm across her glistening brow.

      “Wonderful. When’s your due date?”

      “Yesterday.” Pain rippled across her features. “My first one didn’t come this fast.”

      “Hang on. We’re going to help you.” Shay looked from Maria to Natalie. “Bring the golf cart closer. We’ve got to move her.”

      “Move her where?”

      He pointed toward the parking lot. “We’ll meet the ambulance at the gate.”

      She turned around, looking past the rows and rows of cars in the field to the access gate at the far end of their property. A figure wearing Glenview’s signature yellow T-shirt maneuvered the heavy metal bar out of the way, and an ambulance eased through, siren howling as the red lights flashed. Glenview’s staff was following emergency protocol—just like they’d rehearsed half a dozen times.

      “Ma’am?” Shay prompted. “I think we’d better act quickly.”

      She pivoted back toward him. “Are you sure moving her is the best idea? We’ve trained our staff to guide the ambulance right—”

      Ignoring her question, he brushed past her, guiding Maria toward the golf cart. Sweat dampened the back of his snug-fitting T-shirt as he helped her onto the second seat. Natalie’s eyes swept from the expanse of his shoulders to his gray cargo shorts and muscular legs. Most of the firefighters attending СКАЧАТЬ