“Then all that banging in there is…”
Chloe, wearing the calm expression of one who was a self-proclaimed expert in such matters, wisely nodded.
Ginnie gave her a high five. “You’re bad.”
“Yep. And Cassie finding the man of her dreams is oh-so-good. Let’s give Kelsey and Evelyn the great news.”
“Oh—and they can call Tiffany.”
“And she can call Nurse Helen.”
“And she can call…”
Epilogue
“Daddy? Are we almost home?” Five-year-old Noelle had her nose to the Suburban’s rear window while her sister played an electronic Disney game.
“Just about, pumpkin.”
Cass was sound asleep, with her head and neck scrunched in what looked to Noah like a damned uncomfortable position.
He pressed his foot harder on the gas pedal.
They’d been spending a long weekend in Branson when Cass had told him she felt like she might be having contractions. Judging by his last experience with delivering babies, Noah had been all for driving her straight to the hospital nearest Silver Dollar City.
But, oh no, Cass being Cass, she wanted to have their son in Riverdale. She’d already had babies out of town once, she’d told him with a sassy wink. Never again.
And so, fool for love that he was, he’d bundled her and the whining girls into the truck and here they were, still a good thirty minutes from home, but so far so good.
“Noah?” Cass said a little while later, voice groggy from he hoped sleep and not pain.
“Yeah?”
“Did the girls spill juice in the back seat?”
“No.” On a straight stretch, he glanced her way. “Why?”
“My feet are—” She flew her hands to her mouth. “Oh no…not again?”
“What, sweetie? What?”
“My water broke.”
“Here? In the truck? You’ve got to be kidding.”
Flashing him a grin, she said, “Gotcha!”
“Grr.” He tightened his grip on the wheel. “Woman, you make me crazy.”
“Good,” she said with another wink.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. Lord only knows why.”
“Let’s see…Because I’m ravishing and gorgeous and can eat you under the table any day in a Tater Tot battle at Brenda’s…”
“All true.”
“And because I give good back rubs and—ouch.”
He rolled his eyes. “Oh please, you expect me to fall for that again?”
“No, really. This time I’m not joking.”
“You are such a bad fibber. I swear, once we get my son safely out of you, as the newly reelected law around these parts, I’m turning you over to Deputy Zane.”
“Ooh, big threat there,” she said, faking a show of concern. “He’s turned into such a teddy bear since marrying Heidi, it’s a wonder he arrests anyone.”
“Hey, you have to admit, he’s doing a great job with the high school crowd. He really relates.”
“True, and—ouch. Noah, I’m really not kidding. Something’s going on down there. Think maybe you should pull over?”
“What I think is that if these girls weren’t in the back, I’d pull over all right, and toss you over my knee for messing with me.”
“Mmm,” she teased. “You know how I like it rough.”
“You’re incorrigible, Mrs. Wheeler.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wheeler.”
“Give it to me straight, babe. You really hurting?”
She winced again. “Let’s put it this way—just in case, how about less chitchat and more driving?”
Determined never again to have this wonderful woman’s life, along with the life of one of their children quite literally in his hands, Noah gave the truck’s engine more gas, and his wife’s belly a gentle pat.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6912-8
BABIES AND BADGES
Copyright © 2004 by Laura Marie Altom.
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Babies And Badges (American Baby) Page 19
