Montana Homecoming

by Law, Kim

  He pulled his phone out when it rang a second time, a smile on his face, and picked up his step. Only, it wasn’t anyone from the house that was calling. It was Maggie.

  He stopped in the middle of the road. Had she changed her mind?

  Would she still marry him? Especially if he let her know that he would be moving back to Birch Bay?

  He tapped the button to answer the call, but as soon as he spoke, he knew she hadn’t called to tell him she’d changed her mind.

  “Cord.” She sounded frantic. “Something is wrong with the baby. I’m in labor, and the baby is coming too fast. My water broke right after I got home, but I wasn’t ready to do this yet, so I didn’t go to the hospital. I don’t want to deliver him only to find out that he didn’t make it, Cord.” Her whimper crushed his heart. “I can’t do this alone.”

  “Maggie.” He was already running for his truck. “You’re fine, baby. The baby is fine. Have you called an ambulance yet?”

  He could picture the tears streaming down her face. “Yes. But all the snow . . . They said they’d get here as fast as they could, but—”

  “I’m coming. I’m already on my way.” He pulled the truck out onto the road without bothering to look first. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. Focus on that, sweetheart. Focus on me coming to you.”

  “Okay,” she hiccupped through her tears. “But hurry, Cord. I need you to be here.”

  He tossed the phone onto the console between the front seats, leaving the call open but needing both hands to navigate the road. And he prayed like he’d never prayed before.

  If he didn’t get there in time, he might fail yet another person. And this time it would be Maggie he hurt. But he wouldn’t allow that to happen. He wouldn’t allow himself to even think like that.

  Because he would not fail the woman he loved.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  First babies weren’t supposed to be coming this fast.

  Maggie paced the length of her small living room, looking out the front windows yet again. There’d been no sign or sound of an ambulance yet, and Cord still hadn’t made it either. Someone had to get there soon, though, or she would be delivering this baby alone.

  She texted her brother. He was too far away to help, but she wanted him to know what was going on, and she asked him to let their parents know, too. Now she just had to wait and hope that nothing went wrong.

  The baby hadn’t moved for several hours—at least, she didn’t think so. She’d been so upset after leaving Cord earlier that she couldn’t say for certain, and then she’d cried so much once she’d gotten home that baby movements were the last things she’d had on her mind. And then her water had broken.

  Still . . . the baby not moving worried her. A lot. And she couldn’t help but think about her mother right before she’d gone to the doctor that last day.

  “You have to be okay,” she whispered to her baby, her hands roving over her tight belly.

  Tears marred her face as another contraction grabbed hold and bent her over. Groaning, she stooped, barely holding herself up with a hand to the arm of the couch, and she tried to focus on breathing. She tried to focus on anything other than the pain. But as the contraction continued, all she managed was more tears and a lot of sweat. She wanted Cord there. She shouldn’t have left last night.

  She should have gone to the hospital as soon as her water broke.

  If something happened to the baby, it would be her fault, and she would never forgive herself.

  The contraction started to ease up, and Maggie straightened slightly and sucked in several deep breaths. She was panting, and if it weren’t for the almost continual pains sweeping through, she suspected she’d be in the throes of a panic attack. But so far, the pain and the focus she was having to maintain had kept her from letting fear overtake her.

  She couldn’t stay upright any longer, so she headed for her bedroom before another contraction could begin. She’d unlocked the door earlier, and she’d let the dispatcher know the EMTs should come right in. She hadn’t told Cord the same, but she had a feeling he’d break the door down to get to her if needed.

  The thought had her replaying the night before. The man might have said he didn’t love her, but she’d begun to wonder if that was true. Erica had pointed out before that due to his mother screwing with his head, it might take a while for him to admit how much he cared. Was that all that was going on? Or had she read him wrong from the very start?

  Another wave of pain hit, and Cord left her mind. Instead, she screamed. She had to be getting close.

  “Maggie!”

  Cord’s voice penetrated before she saw him rushing into her room, and as she lay curled in on herself, every muscle in her body working to produce what nature made her capable of, she sent up a soft “thank you” that she wouldn’t be doing the rest of this alone.

  “I think I’m close,” she forced out. “The contractions are right on top of each other.”

  “Let’s get you out of your pants, and I’ll take a look.”

  He went into the same doctor mode she remembered from the night he’d found her on the side of the road, and the professional and focused voice eased her. She wasn’t alone in this. And the man she loved—and who just might love her—was going to make sure everything came out all right.

  Another pain hit, and as she worked through it, Cord got her pants off and put clean towels under her, and by the time that contraction eased off, he was stooped at the foot of her bed, his head visible between her knees. A look unlike any she’d ever seen shone back at her.

  “We’re about to have a baby, sweetheart.” If that wasn’t love looking at her, then she didn’t know what was. “He’s crowning, and you’re doing amazing.”

  She smiled. They were going to be amazing.

  “Are you ready to push?” he asked.

  “Is it time?”

  “As soon as the next one hits.” He nodded. “You’ve got this. You’re amazing. You’re incredible.”

  “You love me?” she asked, and his face softened into the most glorious smile.

  “I love you.” He hurried to her side and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I love you,” he repeated. And then another contraction hit. “It’s time, beautiful. You can do this. You’ve got this. Bring our beautiful baby boy into this world.”

  She pushed with everything she had, the fear from earlier completely erased, and as she felt their son leave her body and slip into his daddy’s hands, she heard her name being called yet again. The EMTs had arrived, but they were too late. Credit for this delivery would go to Dr. Wilde.

  * * *

  Several hours later, Cord still hadn’t left Maggie’s side. The EMTs had made it into the house in time to help deliver the afterbirth and tie off the cord, and then they’d loaded all of them up and set off for the hospital. Maggie had been amazing. And their little boy?

  Well, he wasn’t so little.

  Arriving at nine pounds and thirteen ounces, Cord could now see why Maggie had looked ready to deliver for quite a while.

  “Do you want to try putting him to your breast again?”

  Cord had held his son in his arms while Maggie had been dozing. She hadn’t gotten any additional sleep after leaving the house last night, so once all the excitement of the delivery had been over and she’d seen that their son was perfect—and his entire family, as well as her brother, had filed in to meet the newest addition—he’d convinced her to take a nap.

  “Please.” She held out her arms for the baby, her eyes still half-lidded, and as he leaned in to settle their son in her arms, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  She grinned up at him and puckered her lips, wanting more than a forehead kiss. “And I love you.”

  She settled their son at her breast, and as Cord hovered over her, he basked in the knowledge that he more assuredly did love this woman. He’d asked Gabe once how he’d known that it was love he’d felt for Erica,
and his brother had assured him that when it happened to him, he’d just know. Cord had scoffed at the idea of it ever happening, but he was a firm believer today. And Gabe had been right. He’d just known.

  In fact, he didn’t know how he hadn’t known before.

  “We’re going to have to settle on a first name for this guy.” Maggie spoke softly as she peered down at the baby. She stroked the backs of her fingers over his soft, dewy baby skin, and Cord saw firsthand what love looked like.

  “How about Max?” he suggested, and Maggie looked up.

  “You want to name him after your dad?”

  This was something he’d thought about a lot. They’d discussed a variety of names over the past weeks. Some which held certain meanings they wanted attributed to their son. Others that would represent distant family members on either side. And they’d also discussed naming him Max. They’d waffled several times among several different selections, and though Cord had been annoyed with his dad for going behind his back, he wouldn’t let that act define their relationship.

  What he’d come to understand in the last few hours was that as their son grew older, even into adulthood, Cord would also want to do anything and everything he could to help the boy make the right decisions. He’d like to think that he wouldn’t work in secret to set up opportunities which would be the most beneficial, but at the same time, he could say that such situations could arise. And if they did . . . well, the chance was there that he might just take it.

  He now understood that what his father had done, he’d done out of love. And he couldn’t fault the man for that. His dad had never set out to steer Cord in any direction that was purely for his own benefit. Cord understood that, too. Instead, his dad had only ever tried to be a good parent. Which was all Cord had ever wanted.

  “He is the first grandson, after all,” Cord pointed out. “After a long string of seven girls.”

  “True.” She turned her gaze back to the baby. “And Max is a good, strong name.”

  “It means ‘greatest.’”

  Her grin was soft. “I remember.” They’d talked about the meaning of the name when they’d first considered it. She looked back up at Cord. “And we do have the greatest son.”

  The baby had latched on to his mother’s breast, and the two of them made a picture Cord would never let himself forget. “There will never be one greater,” he agreed. “Unless you let me talk you into another later.”

  At his words, her eyes widened. “You already want another one?”

  He already wanted about four. “I have a couple of brothers ahead of me already. You don’t want me lagging behind, do you?”

  She chuckled at his joke, and love filled her eyes. As she dipped her head and rested her cheek against their son’s forehead, she kept her gaze trained on him. And he saw seriousness enter their depths. “So, you’re thinking of this as a permanent type thing?”

  His truck remained at her house, so he didn’t have the ring to offer her again. “It’s as permanent as you’ll let it be. I don’t want to rush you, Maggie, but I promise that if you’ll have me, I’ll never leave your side. I don’t know how I didn’t see it before, but you’re the love of my life, sweetheart. You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted to spend more than a few days with, and you’re the woman I now want to have a baseball team of kids with. I’ll be patient, though. I’ll be your friend, and I’ll be your lover. And when you’re ready for more, both of me”—he flicked a glance at the baby—“and from me, then you can let me know.” Her shot her a naughty grin. “I’m here to serve, baby.”

  Love shone back at him the same way he’d just watched her shower their son with. There were no doubts in her eyes. “Is your house in Billings large enough for a baseball team-sized family?”

  Surprise had his jaw dropping open. It hadn’t even occurred to him that he’d not mentioned his new plans. “We’re not going to be in Billings. Not unless you want to. I’ve decided to accept Hamm’s offer and buy his practice. If you’re good with that plan, then I’d love to spend the rest of my life right here with you, and with the rest of my family. I’m ready to come home.”

  * * *

  Nothing in the world could make Maggie happier than what she had right now. A baby she adored, a man she loved and who loved her back. But to hear him say that he wanted to come home. That he wanted to embrace the family that was there waiting for him . . . well, her heart was about to explode.

  “Yes,” she said, and at his raised brow she elaborated. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Yes, we can have more kids. Only, can I please have a minute to recover from this one? And yes, I want to live right here in Birch Bay. Forever.”

  Cord lowered to the bed, and he wrapped his arms around both her and the baby. “You’re my entire world, Maggie Crowder. I don’t want to do life without you.”

  “Ditto.” She smiled, then she tilted her face up and pressed a soft kiss to her fiancé’s mouth. “And now,” she whispered against his lips. “Don’t you think we should officially introduce baby Max to the rest of his family?”

  Cord grinned. Everyone had come to the hospital shortly after they’d arrived earlier, and though she’d assured them it would be okay for them to return home to finish enjoying Christmas morning, they’d convinced her there wasn’t any other place they wanted to be. They’d all promised to stick around until she and Cord decided on the baby’s name, and since that had been done, there was no reason to wait. She was ready to get her new family back in there.

  As Cord stepped out into the hall to go invite them back in, Maggie did an obligatory straighten of her hair and hospital gown and lifted Max to her shoulder. She’d never get enough of squeezing his tiny body.

  Mason was the first one who came back in, and at the sight of his sister, pride filled his eyes. “You did good.” He’d told her that before, but she liked hearing it again.

  He leaned in and kissed her cheek, and then all of Cord’s family filed into the room. Even the four new babies. The place was packed, but they made it work. Cord came to stand at her right, one hand reached down to take hers, and Mason stood at her other side, his hand resting on her shoulder. But when she looked up at Cord to see if he was ready to make the announcement, she saw a quick shake of his head.

  “Why not?” she whispered.

  Mason’s hand patted her on the shoulder, as if to get her attention, and when she looked back over, she saw that the hospital room door was opening again. And coming through it this time were her mother and father. And then the tears that had been so much a part of her last nine months reappeared once more.

  “Mom,” she sniffled. “Dad.”

  “We’re sorry we’re late,” her dad told her. “Your mom wanted to stop by the gift shop on the way up.” He held her mother’s hand tight in his, but her mom didn’t look as if she needed the support. Instead, Maggie witnessed nothing but love and amazement coming from the other woman as her mother’s gaze latched on to baby Max.

  She stared at the baby for a moment before shifting her eyes over to Maggie, and then it was pride Maggie saw. “You’re going to be an amazing mother.”

  More tears fell, both from her and her mother, and once the two of them had settled down, Maggie looked up at Cord again. He squeezed her hand. “We have a couple of announcements to make,” he said to the group, and Maggie understood that he also intended to share their engagement.

  “Three announcements,” she corrected. She wanted them to know that he was coming home.

  He nodded. “Three. First”—he motioned to Maggie and the baby—“I’d like you all to meet Maxwell Cord Wilde.”

  The women in the group pressed their hands to their mouths, and Max teared up. “You’re naming him after me?”

  “He’s got to carry on the Wilde name, Dad. Who else would we name him after?”

  His dad nodded, as if at a loss for any more words, and Maggie made the second announcement. “Second,” she said. She looked up at Cord. “I’ve agreed to marry this am
azing man.”

  Arsula’s and Erica’s eyes glistened.

  “And third,” Cord continued. Maggie noticed that he didn’t quite look at his dad at this point, and she squeezed his hand tighter. She was so proud of him for not letting anything his father might have done impact what she and he could have together. “Doctor Hamm is retiring, and I’m going to make him an offer to buy his practice. I’ll be moving home to stay.”

  Shock echoed through the room, and Maggie kept an eye on Max. Max seemed as dumbfounded as the rest of them. He hadn’t known that Doctor Hamm was retiring.

  “Cord,” she whispered, and when he glanced down, she nodded toward his dad.

  “I had no idea that Hamm was retiring,” Max murmured. “He’s been around forever.” He looked at Gloria. “Did you know this?”

  Gloria agreed that she’d not heard about it either, and as Cord brought his gaze back to Maggie’s, they shared a moment that was both a learning experience and a feeling of relief. Cord had jumped the gun about his dad instead of talking to the man directly. But thank goodness he could let that lingering feeling of manipulation go and now just focus on what he did have in front of him. And that was everyone and everything represented in that small room with them right now.

  Epilogue

  Five months later . . .

  The day was perfect for a wedding. Cord stood at the open loft door of the barn, overlooking his family’s land, as well as his siblings and their spouses, their kids, his father and Gloria, and all of Jaden and Arsula’s wedding party and guests. The only people he hadn’t recently laid eyes on were Maggie and their son. They were around somewhere, though. She’d walked down the aisle for her friend earlier, dressed in a strapless, short summer dress and cowboy boots, while he’d been on daddy duty. And ever since the reception had started, she’d been flitting in and out of the crowd, having the time of her life.