Dating the Cowboy Page 16

  Jethro gave her a flickering glance in the rearview mirror, noting the paleness of her skin and the way she huddled back into the seat. Maybe he should’ve left her behind. The last thing he needed was a wilting wallflower in a delivery room.

  *

  “You can come in now. Mrs. Watson is kicking up a fuss because you’re still out here instead of in there helping her.” The nurse gave Sadie a gentle push on the back and guided her to the delivery suite.

  She inched through the door and pulled up short. Layla lay on the birthing bed with her legs up in stirrups. Jethro stood behind her as she screamed through another contraction. Never had she heard such profanities from her boss. Was it too late to run away?

  “Don’t you even think about leaving me, Sadie.” Layla lay back, sucked in a breath, and glowered at her. “Get over here and tell me I look pretty, the hills are covered in early snow, anything to take my mind off this god-awful pain!”

  I can do this. I can. I will. I don’t think I can stand it. Premature labor doesn’t always end well. My worst nightmare come true!

  “Come up this end, Sadie, and stand with me. You can hold her hand from here.” Jethro’s soft voice amid the heavy breathing and cuss words cut through the chatter in her brain. She focused on his deep, warm eyes and, refusing to look down, shuffled past the doctor positioning himself between Layla’s legs.

  Jethro moved over to gather her in beside him. “That’s it. You’ll be fine. Just stand here with me and breathe. Cousin Evan here—” he nodded at the doctor “—has it all under control. Hold her hand and ignore the screaming and carrying on. If it helps her through the process, so be it.”

  Sadie took one of Layla’s hands and an instant death grip crushed her bones. This was worse than she’d imagined. The snippets she’d overheard from her parents discussing her baby brother’s premature birth described a serene experience, a lie she’d willingly bought into. He’d been born struggling to breathe, his lungs far too immature to cope on the outside world among a long list of health problems, and they could do nothing but cuddle him until his battle was over.

  Not once had her mother ever indicated the pain she’d gone through during or after the birth, when infection had set in. The following operation had meant Sadie would always be an only child. And she had no one to blame for the guilt she felt but herself.

  “You got this, Layla. With the next breath, I want you to push.” The doctor spoke from behind his mask, his eyes twinkling with anticipation. “Jethro, young lady, give her all the encouragement you can. We’re almost there.”

  The grip on her hand tightened and Sadie gritted her teeth to stop from crying out. Had her mother protested like this? During sex-ed classes, Sadie had preferred to imagine herself somewhere else, ignoring the short film on birth. What a wasted opportunity that’d been.

  “Good girl, Layla. I can see his head.” The doctor’s voice sounded far away and the whoosh of white noise echoed in Sadie’s ears.

  Jethro whispered, “You okay? You’ve gone kinda pale. Don’t go passing out on me now.” He spat out a curse word, and Sadie wondered if Layla was digging her fingernails into his hand as much as she was Sadie’s.

  Sadie breathed through her mouth, desperate to hang on to whatever sense of propriety she still had hold of. “I’m okay.” As long as this baby is okay.

  Another wail rendered the air sending a chill down Sadie’s back.

  “Okay then, push again, Layla. We’re here for you, aren’t we, Sadie?”

  Like I have a choice!

  “Keep going, he’s almost out. Come on, Momma, push!” The doctor reached down and guided the baby’s head out. “That’s it, almost there. You can relax now for a minute.” The nurse hurried forward, a warm blanket in her arms. “Here we are, Dr. Watson.” In a flurry of movement, a slippery newborn was handed over and whisked away.

  Silence screamed loud in the delivery suite. “He’s not making any noise.” Dread filled Sadie’s chest. “Why isn’t he making any noise?”

  Layla lifted herself up on her elbows. “Evan, what’s going on? Is my baby okay?”

  Sadie felt the walls closing in on her and she slumped against Jethro. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t.

  “Hey, it’s okay.” He held her in his arms, her face pressed against his chest. The smell of fresh hay mixed with male sweat and spicy deodorant wrapped around her, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from losing her grip on reality. The white noise threatened to take over and Sadie wanted to give in to the darkness grabbing at her mind. She clutched his shirt between her fingers, trying to push down the panic in her chest. How could Jethro remain so calm in a situation like this? He wasn’t a freaking doctor. He was a cowboy.

  “Nurse has him over there, cleaning him up for his momma, isn’t that right, Jethro?” the doctor said.

  A lusty squall filled the room a few seconds later and Jethro patted her on the hair as though soothing a small child. “That’s right, Evan. See, nothing wrong with him. Just needed a little bit of help. Same as in the animal world.” He continued to stroke her hair as he spoke. “You’d be surprised if I told you how many calves or lambs I’ve had to help breathe. Why, it was only a few months back that our foal’s nostrils filled with birthing fluid. Poor wee thing struggled for a bit, but he’s all good now. I’ll show you him sometime if you care to come out and meet him.”

  Sadie breathed a shuddering sigh as the crying baby was handed to his mother. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lose it on you.”

  He eased her back into a chair. “Hey, stop beating yourself up. Not everyone’s good at this. Least not the first time. I’m on the ranch, so it’s kinda normal for me.” He wiped his finger under her eyes, and she felt the urge to lean in again. He was comforting, strong—she hadn’t been on the receiving end of this sort of kindness before. Her family was too busy trying to live with their failures and make their mark on the world to give into useless displays of affection.

  “Can I buy you a coffee? Debrief or whatever it is that people do after a major event?” He gave her a lopsided grin that made her stomach flutter.

  Sadie let out a shaky laugh. “Oh, I um… sure. Why not?” She touched Layla on the shoulder. “Okay if we leave you for a little bit?”

  “Thanks for being here, Sadie. You too, Jethro. I know it wasn’t planned, but you guys did great.” Tears filled her eyes. “I’m so grateful, and I know Tyson will be too.”

  “Oh, crap. I never got through to him. He didn’t pick up or answer my text.” Sadie pulled her cell phone from her pocket, checked the screen for a message.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he gets the message and this lady gets to her room okay. You two deserve a coffee for helping out.” Evan Watson shook Jethro’s hand. “Thanks. Very much appreciated, Jethro.” He turned to Sadie. “Thank you.”

  Jethro’s arm came around her shoulders, and with another glance at the baby to reassure that he was breathing fine, she let him guide her out of the birthing suite right into the face of Tyson Watson.

  “What the heck are you doing here with my wife, Jethro Hansen?”

  Sadie didn’t expect the fist that came flying and landed with a crunch against Jethro’s cheek, sending him to the ground.

  “Tyson. What the heck did you do that for?” Sadie crouched down next to the fallen cowboy and shot accusing glances at Layla’s husband.

  Jethro grabbed her hand, shushing her. “It’s normal between us.” He spit blood on his other hand and wiped it on his jeans.

  “I didn’t know he was here. Thought it was just you when I got the message. Is Layla all right? The baby?”

  Sadie handed Jethro a tissue and stood. “For your information, if it weren’t for Jethro bringing her in, Layla would’ve been in trouble. Premature births can go wrong.” And don’t I know it. “Luckily for everyone, your wife and son are both okay.”

  Tyson shifted his gaze between Sadie and Jethro, mumbled something she couldn’t hear, and pus
hed his way into the delivery suite.

  “Thanks.” Jethro reached for her hand, and Sadie helped him to his feet.

  “He’s such a fool. You did a great job in there, Jethro.”

  “Anyone would’ve done the same.” He prodded his cheek with a finger, wiped a bit of blood on his jeans.

  “No. Look at me. I’m her friend and look how hopeless I turned out to be.” She’d heard about the discord between the families and understood most of it centered on Tyson and Jethro. If anyone was going to cop an insult for failing to stand up when it counted, it should be her, not Jethro.

  “You did fine, honestly.”

  Sadie doubted it, but at least he made it so easy to forget her fear now it was all over.

  Find out what happens next…

  Buy now!

  More books by Ann B. Harrison

  The Watson Brothers series

  Book 1: Chance for Love

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  Book 2: The Sheriff’s Mail-Order Bride

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  Book 3: The Doctor’s Husband

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  Book 4: Her Favorite Cowboy

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  The Moore Sisters of Montana series

  Book 1: Christmas Glitter

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  Book 2: Valentine Kisses

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  Book 3: Doctor’s Orders

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  Book 4: Wedding Surprise

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  About the Author

  After moving to the lush green wine region of Australia’s Hunter Valley, Ann has the perfect surrounding to let her imagination to run wild. She alternates her time between writing western romances, women’s fiction romantic and playing in her garden.

  Two kinds of hero make Ann to a mass of nerves. The hot cowboy with a slow sexy drawl (she used to live out in the desert and enjoyed every minute) and a man in a kilt. (Imagine Jamie Fraser) She can’t wait to visit Scotland where she can get her fill of the tartan clad hotties for, um research purposes, of course.

  In the meantime, her dear husband puts up with her talking to her characters and getting lost in worlds only she can imagine as she battles to bring stories to the page for everyone to enjoy.

  Visit her website at AnnBHarrisonRomance.com.

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