Rinsing off quickly, she turned off the water and stepped out of the decadent shower. Quickly wrapping her hair up in a towel, she gathered another bath towel and dried herself off before wrapping it around her body and tucking the end of the soft material beneath her armpit.
Standing before the huge mirror above the triple sinks, she wiped away the condensation caused by the steamy shower and looked at her reflection. She couldn’t help but smile at the woman who looked back at her.
“Lainey Markham McKade, you look like one happily mated woman,” she said out loud.
Turning her head slightly, she tried to view the mating mark on the nape of her neck, wanting to see the proof of their blessed mating. Unable to get a good look, she opened the drawer in front of her and took out a small hand mirror, turned around, and raised the mirror to look at her neck through the reflection of the small mirror as it was displayed in the larger mirror.
Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as she tried to make sense of what she saw. Backing up so that her hips rested against the counter, she pressed backward and held the smaller mirror at a better angle to see her mating mark.
She had to hold onto the counter with a firm grip as she saw the proof of her mating mark with two tiny, golden links hanging from her rose gold link that was joined between the two larger golden links that represented Spence and Tim.
One word fell from her lips in a hushed whisper filled with awe, happiness, and fear.
“Twins.”
Chapter 28
Lainey rushed through the aisles at the local pharmacy, snatching the needed box off the shelf. She tucked the pregnancy test against her chest and headed toward the cashier. She kept her head down as she checked out, grateful that the elderly woman said nothing as she scanned her purchase and accepted her payment. Placing the box in a white, plastic bag, the woman handed Lainey her change and the bagged purchase.
“Have a nice day,” she said sweetly, smiling as a grandmother might to show her happiness for a favored grandchild.
Lainey couldn’t help but smile back. “Thank you. You, too,” she answered, taking the change and the bag from her.
Walking out of the pharmacy, she checked her watch and saw that she had at least an hour before Becca, Claire, and DelAnne would arrive at the diner. She wanted to take the pregnancy test in privacy and keep the results to herself if it showed that she was indeed pregnant. It wouldn’t be fair to Spence and Tim if anyone knew of her pregnancy before she told them.
Walking quickly down the street, she barely noticed anything around her. She was so intent on getting to the diner and taking the test. Her full bladder wasn’t helping her situation at all. Her heart was pounding with emotions that she didn’t have the ability to separate or analyze at that moment.
Strong hands reached out and gripped her shoulders, dragging her to a stop. She pushed out of the tight hold and turned around to face the person who dared to touch her in such a way. When she saw Jenkins Hughes standing before her, she couldn’t help but feel a moment of panic.
“Don’t ever put your hands on me again, Mr. Hughes,” she warned him.
“Still uppity, are you, girl?” he asked her, his voice dripping with hatred.
Lainey took a step backward. Just being this close to Tim’s father made anger surge through her. She remembered the hurtful words he used to yell at Tim. She remembered the many times Tim had been physically and emotionally abused by this man. She held nothing but contempt for him. She didn’t feel sorry for him or for the situation he had found himself in. The whole town knew that he had run his ranch poorly. It was only recently that Spence and Tim had let her know that he had come to them for financial help many times over the years, which frustrated her to no end. He had rebuffed the help that was offered to him to teach him how to be better at running his ranch. Instead, he had taken advantage of Tim’s caring nature and had insisted that Tim always help him out with the bills that he never seemed to be able to pay.
“I have nothing to say to you, Mr. Hughes,” she told him firmly.
“Oh, but I have something to say to you, Lainey,” he told her softly, his eyes taking on a distinctly menacing look.
Lainey waited silently. She knew she shouldn’t give him the time of day, but she thought it would be best for Tim not to antagonize his father. She didn’t want Tim to suffer for something that she might cause.
“I need you to tell Tim to give me three thousand dollars.”
“And why would I do that, Mr. Hughes?”
“Because you know as well as I do that Timothy will be very upset if something happens to his precious friends.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Not at all,” Jenkins answered, smiling.
“Good morning, Mrs. McKade,” a deep voice called from behind Jenkins Hughes.
Both Lainey and Jenkins Hughes turned to face the owner of the deep voice. The relief Lainey felt was immediate as she saw Sheriff Sturgess standing there, looking completely intimidating and in control in his uniform.
“Good morning, Sheriff Sturgess,” Lainey greeted him warmly. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“You, too, Mrs. McKade.”
“Mrs. McKade?” Hughes asked, surprised. “Since when?”
“That’s none of your business, Mr. Hughes,” Lainey told him stiffly.
“Are you on your way to your diner, Mrs. McKade?” the sheriff asked her, winking at her and smiling warmly before turning to face Jenkins Hughes with cold, serious eyes.
“Yes, I’m actually running a little late.”
“Well, you’d best be on your way then. Have a good day, Mrs. McKade.” He tipped his tan cowboy hat and nodded to her, stepping back and allowing her to pass by them both while successfully preventing Jenkins Hughes from following after her.
Lainey rushed down the street toward her diner, smiling as she heard Sheriff Sturgess warning Mr. Hughes to take care with his words and actions. She unlocked the back door to the diner and slipped inside, locking it quickly behind her. Rushing to the bathroom, she pulled the box that held the pregnancy test out of the shopping bag.
Reading the directions quickly, she opened the plastic that held the test wand, setting it carefully on the sink so she could unsnap and unzip her jeans. She pushed them down and grabbed for the test wand, saying a quick prayer to the Great Spirit that the results would cause great happiness and not jealousy or stress for her mates.
Three minutes later, Lainey picked up the test wand that she had placed on the sink and looked at it. There was no doubt in its reading. It showed a positive result. The happiness that raced through her was equaled only by the fear that filled her.
She heard noises outside the bathroom and knew her sister and Claire had to be in the kitchen starting up the ovens and the grill. Taking the box the test came in, she ripped it up into small pieces, threw them into the plastic shopping bag along with the test wand, and shoved everything into her purse.
Opening the bathroom door, she stepped into the kitchen and smiled at the two women who were already busy preparing for the brunch crowd. She cringed inwardly as she saw Claire’s eyes widen as she had to be feeling the conflicting emotions rolling through her.
“Good morning,” she greeted them, smiling. “I think we’ve got enough supplies for today. Do either of you think we’ll need anything?”
“I would get some more milk, bacon, and orange juice, Lainey. You probably should get more eggs, too,” Becca suggested. “I heard the men from the construction company talking about coming in this morning for a hearty breakfast.
“You mean a second breakfast,” Claire told them, laughing.
“Right. A second breakfast,” Becca corrected herself.
“Okay, I’ll head out now and get everything,” Lainey told them.
She walked out through the front of the diner, waving to DelAnne as she was setting up the front counter. She didn’t think she was going to be able to make small talk today. She just hoped it was g
oing to be a busy enough day that all of them would be too caught up in their jobs to talk much.
She had a secret that she wasn’t ready to share with them. Spence and Tim should be told before anyone else. She felt a funny flutter in her stomach as her nerves reminded her that telling Spence and Tim was exactly what she was worried about.
* * * *
By the end of the work day, Lainey was a bundle of nerves. She helped clean up, made sure the diner was ready for the next day, and did her best to keep herself so busy that she was unable to spend much time talking with DelAnne, Claire, or Becca. She had to get out of there before any of them decided to confront her and ask why she was distancing herself from them the entire day. She needed to go home. She wanted to rest in her mates’ arms and not think about anything but how much she loved them. An ache had been in her chest all day as she thought about the babies she was carrying.
She had to force herself to push aside her worries so she could get through the day. She had just cashed out the register and was about to give the deposit to Becca to take care of when the front door of the diner opened and Gracie entered. She looked like something was upsetting her, and Lainey carefully rounded the counter to stand beside her.
“What’s wrong, Gracie?”
“I’m so sorry, Lainey,” Gracie said quickly. “Becca, Claire, DelAnne, all of you need to hear this.”
The four women stood near Gracie and waited. Claire reached out and held Gracie’s hand, doing her best to soothe her. It was only when Becca touched Gracie’s hand that Gracie was able to relax.
“Why are you so upset?” Becca whispered. “Please don’t be upset.”
“When we were talking in the barn about the little golden link that appears on a woman’s neck when she’s pregnant, I forgot to tell you that the same link appears on the father’s neck,” Gracie explained.
“It does?” Becca asked, surprised. “Well, that’s only fair. A father should have the gift of the link, too.”
“Yes, I agree,” Gracie said, relieved that the women weren’t upset with her unintentional omission. “I don’t know why none of us were ever told these things by our parents, but we need to tell each other so we’ll always know what to expect when a mating and a pregnancy occurs. You should also know that no one can see the links except the mother and father. Deuce, John, and Luke seem to think that it’s the way the Great Spirit keeps the parents’ secret so that they can enjoy the miracle privately until they’re willing to share their news.”
“That’s really nice,” DelAnne spoke up. “I think it’s sweet.”
“I hope none of you are upset with me,” Gracie told them softly. “Melanie, Jamie, and I didn’t do it on purpose. We want all of you to know everything that we know. I’m going to tell Madison and Amber as soon as I leave here. DelAnne, you should tell your sister Zoey, too. It’s important that we support and help each other.”
“Thank you, Gracie,” Becca said, squeezing Gracie’s hand and helping her to calm down. “Don’t worry about anything. Let the worries of the past rest, honey.”
Gracie nodded, rubbing her belly slowly as a calmness came over her. Knowing that she had given her friends the information that they needed, she was finally able to relax and let go of her panic.
“Okay, I’ll see you later. Will you be coming out to the ranch for dinner tomorrow night?”
Becca and Claire looked at each other, sharing a look of pain. Gracie saw the exchange and her heart went out to the two women.
“I won’t be there,” Becca told her. “Sorry.”
“I won’t be there either, Gracie,” Claire said softly. “I just can’t.”
Gracie nodded, reaching out and touching both women’s shoulders. “I understand.” She turned to look at Lainey and saw the fatigue on her face. “You look tired, Lainey. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m good,” Lainey said softly, trying very hard not to call attention to herself.
She saw the way all the women were watching her, and she felt as if she had a giant sign over her head with a fluorescent pink arrow pointing down on her with words that identified her as a pregnant woman. Taking a step away from them, she picked up her black sweater and shrugged into it quickly then grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder.
“Becca, would you mind locking up and dropping off the deposit? I need to get home. I guess I am pretty tired.”
“Sure, Lainey,” Becca whispered gently. “Go on home and rest.”
Lainey walked toward the diner door, pushing it open and rushing out to Spence’s truck. She could feel herself starting to shake, and she had to make a conscious effort to keep calm. She kept talking to herself, repeating the words “stay calm” over and over again. She had to be careful as she drove home. Her babies needed her to be in control.
* * * *
Lainey pulled her black sweater closer around her body as she sat on the lush grass with her legs drawn up against her chest, trapping her hands against her body. It was starting to get chilly, but she didn’t want to leave the west pasture just yet. It calmed her to be there. The soft breeze that stirred played gently against her face. She pulled her hair free of the elastic that held it in a ponytail at the crown of her head. Her tresses fell free to sway below her shoulders and down her back as the wind kissed her. Closing her eyes, she centered on the warmth that she felt on the palms of her hands as she tucked them beneath her shirt and covered her belly. She could feel her babies. She didn’t know how that was possible, but she could definitely sense their life forces.
The little bit of food she had eaten before heading home was rolling through her stomach, causing her a little bit of nausea. One more symptom of being pregnant. She closed her eyes and took deep, even breaths to try to calm herself. It didn’t help that her thoughts were causing her to be filled with worry. Opening her eyes, she looked out at the peaceful area where her wedding had taken place, hoping that the memories of that beautiful day would help her to relax.
Gracie’s words at the diner had sent her into a tailspin of emotions. She couldn’t get them out of her mind. Over and over she thought about the revelation that Gracie had made.
The father of the baby would have the same tiny, golden links on his neck.
For Gracie, Melanie, and Jamie, that was a wonderful thing that they probably loved discovering and sharing with their mates. But she knew she wouldn’t be so thrilled.
When she looked at Spence’s and Tim’s necks, she would have her answer. There would be no question as to which man had fathered the babies she was carrying.
Tears filled her eyes and silently spilled down her cheeks. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead on her knees and rocked gently as she pressed her hands tighter against her belly. She cried for the man who had fathered her babies, and she cried for the man who hadn’t.
Chapter 29
“Have you heard from Lainey, Becca?” Tim asked her, gripping his cell phone tighter against his ear.
“No, Tim. I haven’t seen or talked to her since she left the diner this afternoon,” Becca told him softly. “What’s going on?”
“I wish I knew,” Tim told her, frustration and worry filling him. “Did something happen at work today?”
“Not that I know of,” Becca said slowly. “She did look tired and she was very distracted. She didn’t talk much to any of us.”
“Hell, that doesn’t sound good,” Tim said, reaching up and ripping his cowboy hat from his head and throwing it down onto the kitchen table.
“No, it doesn’t. Is something going on, Tim?”
“Damned if I know, Becca.”
“Well, don’t worry. Lainey will be home soon. I know she will. She loves you and Spence, and she would never stay away from you.”
Tim closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. “I hope not,” he whispered, turning when the kitchen door opened, hoping it was their mate coming home to them.
“Are you talking to Lainey?” Spence asked as he walked in.
Spence shrugged, taking off his cowboy hat and placing it on the table next to Tim’s. He reached out and waited for Tim to hand him his phone. Drawing it to his ear, he reached out and touched Tim’s shoulder, squeezing it lightly.
“Becca, would you please call us if you hear from Lainey?” he asked her softly.
“I will, Spence,” Becca promised. “Don’t worry. She’ll be home soon.”
“Thanks, Becca.” He disconnected the call and handed Tim his phone. “I need our mate to come home, Tim.”
Tim nodded. “You and me both, Spence.”
The sound of a truck approaching the house, and the automatic garage door opening had both men walking quickly toward the door that connected the garage to the kitchen. Spence pulled it open, his heart pounding in his chest as he saw Lainey opening his truck door and stepping out of it.
“Lainey?” Tim called out to her, fighting to control his need to go to her and wrap her in his arms. Seeing the sadness on her face, he forced himself to hold back to wait to see what she needed from them.
“Hi,” she said quietly, walking toward them and stepping into their arms, leaning against their chests and hugging them tenderly. She smiled as both men kissed her cheeks, her heart breaking just a little more for the men that she loved.
“Are you okay, kitten?” Spence asked her gently, touching her hair and caressing it tenderly.
Lainey looked up at him, her eyes mirroring the worry and sadness she was feeling. “I need to talk to you both.”
They stepped back, allowing Lainey to walk by them. She dropped her purse onto the kitchen table and continued into the living room. She walked over to the large couch and sat on the middle cushion, smiling as her men knelt before her.
Claiming Lainey [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 34
