Reunited in the Rockies

by Mindy Obenhaus

  She looked away then, continuing to the opposite side of the altar. What was done was done. There was no going back.

  After Piper took her place beside Kayla, guests stood at the sound of the wedding march. The smile on Lily’s face was one of pure joy as she moved up the aisle, her eyes fixed on Noah.

  Kayla couldn’t help sneaking a peek at the groom. The way he looked at Lily. Had Shane ever looked at Kayla that way?

  No. Yet she’d allowed herself to be fooled by his charm.

  Beyond Noah, she saw Jude looking at her. Why? Had her updo come undone? Or was...?

  Stupid. He would never daydream about marrying her. Nor should she entertain such notions either.

  Noah met Lily when she was still several feet away, took hold of her hand and escorted her before the pastor.

  “Honored guests,” the pastor began, “we are here today to witness the union of Noah Stephens and Lily Davis.”

  Tears pricked the backs of Kayla’s eyes as a lump formed in her throat. Lily was one of the sweetest people Kayla had ever known. And she so deserved to be loved and cherished. Noah was her happily-ever-after.

  As the ceremony continued, the nervousness Kayla had been feeling turned to downright nausea. She sucked in a couple of deep breaths through her nose, hoping to quell the feeling. And it seemed to work. Until she handed Lily Noah’s ring a short time later. Was it the heels that had her feeling so unsteady?

  By the time Noah and Lily made their way up the aisle as man and wife, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Even the applause of the guests sounded far away.

  When it was their turn to walk up the aisle, Jude moved toward her, but her feet refused to move. They felt as though they were weighted down.

  Jude stretched out his arm to take hold of her hand, his face contorting with concern. “Are you all right?”

  Why did he sound like he was in a tunnel?

  Suddenly, everything went black.

  * * *

  Worry flooded Jude’s veins as he eased Kayla to the floor amid the gasps of wedding guests. He’d known she was looking kind of funny, but he never expected she’d go down. If he had, he would have gotten her out of here. Fortunately, he’d been close enough to catch her.

  Kneeling beside her, he brushed the hair away from her face. Her skin was so pale.

  His father came alongside him, looking as bewildered as Jude felt. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know any more than you do, Dad.” He checked her pulse. Yes, she had one, but he couldn’t concentrate long enough to give anyone a number. Instead, he was busy battling the panic threatening to break down the door of his resolve. He was a police officer. He ought to be able to handle someone passing out.

  Problem was, he found himself caring way too much about this particular someone.

  “We need to elevate her feet.” Trent Lockridge, a family friend and doctor, stood behind Jude now. He removed his sports coat, rolled it up and placed it under Kayla’s feet.

  Jude quickly removed his jacket and handed it to his father, who did the same with his own coat before placing them with Trent’s.

  The doctor knelt opposite Jude. He checked Kayla’s pulse as Noah and Lily returned.

  Lily dropped beside her friend and smoothed a hand across her brow. “Kayla? Come on. Open your eyes, sweetie.” Her unwavering voice reminded Jude of his mother. Calm in the midst of a storm.

  Blakely Lockridge, Trent’s wife, handed a medical bag to her husband, then stepped away.

  Kayla moaned as the doctor pulled out his stethoscope. Rolled her head from one side to the other.

  Jude lowered his head, placing his mouth next to her ear. “Wake up, Kayla. Please.” He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze as though willing her to come around.

  The breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding whooshed from his lungs when her eyelids fluttered open. “Thank You, God.”

  At first, she appeared dazed, her gaze slowly taking in her surroundings. In no time, though, her eyes widened. She tried to sit up, but Jude, Trent and Lily stopped her.

  “Easy,” said the doctor.

  Slowly, she laid her head back. “What happened?”

  “You fainted,” said Jude.

  “What?” She put a hand over her face. “I’m so sorry, Lily.”

  “For what, sweetie?” She caressed her friend’s forehead.

  “I ruined your wedding.”

  Lily smiled. “No, you didn’t.”

  “Do you recall anything before you blacked out?” Trent continued to watch her.

  Kayla seemed to think for a moment. “I remember feeling kind of queasy.”

  Hands resting on his thighs, the doctor seemed to evaluate the situation. “Can you tell me what you’ve eaten today?”

  “I—I’m not sure. I had part of a cinnamon roll this morning, but I think that’s it.”

  Trent looked from Jude to Lily. “Coupled with the pregnancy and any nervousness, that’s likely the cause.” He returned his focus to Kayla. “We need to get you something to eat, young lady.”

  When Kayla sat up, Jude took hold of her hand, wrapped his other arm around her waist and helped her to her feet. She was shaking like a leaf.

  “Dad?” He looked at the man who’d remained close the entire time. Like Jude, he didn’t know, nor care, what was going on with the rest of the guests. “Could you bring me the UTV, please? I’m going to take Kayla up to the ranch house for a little while.”

  Without asking any questions, the old man nodded before disappearing through the tent’s open front.

  “The house?” Kayla pouted, trying to break free, but Jude refused to let her go. “I’m supposed to be here for Lily.”

  “Oh, sweetie, you will be,” said Lily.

  Jude snugged Kayla closer. “I just want you to have a few minutes to recover without everyone looking at you.”

  “I know you’re right, but—” Tears welled in her eyes.

  Trying to keep things light, he said, “If you cry, you’re going to ruin your makeup.”

  She tilted her head back, blinking. “Yeah, and Lily paid big bucks for it.”

  “The makeup?” He looked from Lily to Kayla.

  “She hired a professional.”

  Lily shrugged. “A special day deserves special treatment.” She reached for her friend’s hand. “Right now, though, I want you to do as Jude says. Take a little time-out. Eat something. And then come back here when you’re ready. Okay?”

  Kayla nodded, albeit reluctantly.

  Dad appeared outside the tent just then. He hopped out of the still-running utility vehicle to rejoin them. “It’s all yours, son.” He turned his attention to Kayla. “We’ll take care of things out here. You concentrate on yourself and that baby.”

  Her smile was a tremulous one. “Yes, sir.”

  Jude helped her into the utility vehicle, then drove the short distance to the house, welcoming both the fresh air and momentary reprieve from the chaos. He shoved a hand through his hair. Thank God she was all right. And he prayed the baby was, too.

  When they reached the house, Jude again assisted her, up the steps, through the mudroom and into the kitchen. At least she seemed a little steadier.

  Once she settled into a chair at the table, he took a quick inventory of available foods. “What are you hungry for?” He opened the refrigerator and peered inside.

  “That’s the problem, I’m not hungry.”

  Still holding on to the door, he eyed her over his shoulder. “What would be good for the baby, then?”

  Her pretty lips pressed together.

  Closing the door, he moved to stand beside her, crossing his arms over his chest for maximum effect as he looked down at her. “You heard the doctor. Even if you’re not hungry, that little one growing inside of you probably
is. What do you think he or she might like?”

  Her expression relaxed then, the corners of her mouth tilting slightly upward.

  “We’ve got sandwich makings, cookies, some lasagna from last night—”

  “How about a glass of milk?”

  At least it had protein. And babies spent their first few months eating—make that drinking—nothing but milk, so that oughta do.

  “I can do that.” He grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it before joining her at the table.

  She took a sip. “It’s not like I was purposely starving myself. I was just busy, that’s all.” One shoulder lifted. “And I kind of forgot to eat.”

  Leaning forward in one of the wooden chairs, he rested his forearms on his thighs and clasped his hands. “I understand. But when you’re eating for two, you can’t afford to do that.”

  “Guess I learned that the hard way.” She rubbed her belly. “Sorry, little one.” Glancing at Jude, she said, “Actually, I’ve been looking forward to that filet mignon they’re serving tonight. And the cake, of course.”

  “Well, as soon as you’re feeling better, we’ll head back out there so you can get some real food.”

  “And cake?” The teasing lilt of her brow told him she was feeling better.

  “And cake.”

  After another swig of milk, she slumped against the back of the chair. “Thank you for fixing the arbor.”

  “It looked pretty good up there, didn’t it?”

  “I think it was the star of the show.” She fingered the rim of her glass. “Second only to Lily and Noah.”

  Funny, he was thinking the same thing about Kayla. While she was always beautiful, this softer side of her was... Wow! Between the hair, the dress and the makeup, she was the prettiest thing he’d ever laid eyes on.

  As he continued to watch her, her smile suddenly disappeared. She set a hand to her belly.

  “Kayla? What is it?” He moved beside her. “Are you okay?” Had her passing out done something to the baby?

  Her expression morphed into one of surprise. “Yeah. It’s—” She faced him, her chestnut eyes suddenly alight with something he’d never seen before. “I think I just felt the baby move.” She placed her other hand beside the first, her smile growing wide. “There it is again.”

  Watching her, he couldn’t help smiling, too. “He or she must have liked the milk.”

  “This is amazing.” She reached for his hand and pressed it against her protruding belly. “Do you feel it?”

  He hesitated at first, wanting to pull away, but not wanting to hurt her feelings. Then he felt it. The slightest kick beneath his fingers.

  His own eyes widened. “You might have a punter in there.”

  She set her hand next to his. “Or a soccer player.”

  Looking into Kayla’s eyes, with both of their hands resting over her growing child, he wasn’t sure he’d ever experienced a more precious or intimate moment in his life. He silently thanked God for allowing him to share this incredible experience with her, the gift of life. And as he watched her, one thing became perfectly clear.

  He would do everything in his power to protect Kayla and her baby.

  Chapter Nine

  Kayla stepped onto the front porch of Granger House Inn the next morning, feeling more than a little embarrassed about all that had transpired last night. As if fainting wasn’t bad enough, she’d practically forced Jude to feel her baby move. Why would he care? It wasn’t his child. Yet that hadn’t stopped her from grabbing his hand and pressing it against her stomach, no matter how reluctant he’d been.

  She shook her head. How stupid could she be?

  The cool morning air sent a shiver through her as she continued down the wooden steps. Oddly enough, though, Jude had stayed by her side the rest of the night. And the way he held her in his arms as they danced... It had been a long time since she’d felt so safe.

  Something she couldn’t let happen again. Since Shane’s death, her goal had been to rediscover her self-confidence. And while she might have stumbled last week while she and Jude were building the arbor, she had to keep moving forward. Because never again would she allow herself to fall under the control of someone else.

  Jude’s not Shane.

  No, he was not. She puffed out a laugh, remembering the way he’d called her out during one of her meltdowns. Even asking her what had happened to her confidence. Which meant she had to guard herself all the more or risk losing her heart. Especially now that she was on her way to the ranch.

  Drawing in a bolstering breath, she climbed into her truck. Aside from general cleanup, the event team was due back at ten to break everything down. So, whether she wanted to or not, she pulled out of Carly’s drive just before nine thirty.

  North of town, she glimpsed the winding waters of the Uncompahgre River to her left. Now that the wedding was over, it was time for her to find a new norm. To begin her new life. Something that could start with making plans to move into the house Lily had reserved for her. Livie’s House, she’d called it.

  Since Lily and Noah had decided to take a more practical approach to their honeymoon and were returning to Denver to start the process of emptying her house, they’d be bringing back some of Kayla’s stuff. Which meant she might be able to move in as soon as this weekend, assuming that worked for Andrew and Carly.

  Kayla could also start checking into permits. Every county had its own set of regulations, she just needed to find out what the requirements were in Ouray and go from there.

  She also needed to set up an appointment with an obstetrician.

  Hmm. Seemed she had more to do than she thought. She’d best start a list when she returned to the bed-and-breakfast.

  Pulling up the drive at the ranch, she noticed that the big white box truck from the rental company was already there and the tent had disappeared. She glanced at the clock on her dash. No, she wasn’t late.

  Jude met her at the front of the deck as she got out of her truck. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to help clean up.” She eyed the truck at the back of the house. “They’re early.”

  “Got here about an hour ago.” His dark gaze never left her. “How are you feeling?”

  “Much better.” Uneasy under his scrutiny, she walked in the direction of the workers. “They weren’t supposed to be here until ten.”

  “They probably wanted to get it out of the way so they could enjoy their Sunday.” He matched her steps, gravel crunching beneath their booted feet as he continued to study her. “I hope you ate something this morning.”

  “As a matter of fact—”

  “And I mean more than just a bite.”

  “Actually—” slowing, she sent him a perturbed look “—I took full advantage of Carly’s breakfast spread. I had eggs, sausage, muffins and fruit.”

  His slow smile had her quickly looking away. “Good.”

  She stopped at the far end of the shop and scanned the open pasture, noting only the workers from the rental company. “Where is everyone?”

  “Dad and Hillary took Colton and Piper to Sunday school. And I’m assuming Daniel went on to church, too.”

  “How did the kids do last night?” Clint was keeping Lily’s children while she and Noah were in Denver.

  “They were fine. Though it’ll be interesting to see how the old man does when he has to get them off to school tomorrow. That particular job always belonged to Mama.”

  Sorrow leached into Kayla’s heart. “I’m sorry about Mona. She was one of the most kindhearted yet strongest women I ever knew. I know how much you all loved her.”

  “Yeah, made things kinda rough.” He rocked back on the heels of his well-worn cowboy boots. “We’ve adjusted, though. Dad’s got Hillary.”

  “I like her. She seems very nice.”

  He nodded. �
�She’s good for Dad. Keeps him on his toes.”

  Kayla buried her hands in the pockets of her overalls, welcoming the sun’s warmth on her back. “Looks like it’s just you and me for cleanup detail then, huh?” Something she hadn’t anticipated.

  “Nope. We took care of everything earlier, before the truck arrived. Not that there was that much.” He pointed toward the workers. “These guys will get the rest.”

  So, while she was killing time stuffing her face, Jude and his family were doing the job she should have been doing. “Why didn’t you let me know you were doing the cleanup first?” She couldn’t help the annoyance in her voice as she faced him. “I could have come earlier.”

  “I know.” He shrugged. “But I figured you needed the rest.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “For your information, I don’t appreciate being coddled. My doctor says I can continue doing the same things I did before.”

  “I believe you. However, when was the last time you passed out? You could at least give yourself a day to recover.”

  “I’m fine, Jude.” Her exasperation wasn’t nearly as heartfelt as she wanted it to be. “I don’t need you telling me what I can and cannot do.”

  “Sue me for caring.” For a second she thought she’d hurt his feelings. Then he said, “I do have a suggestion, though.”

  “And what might that be?”

  Turning, he eyed the men loading the truck. “Winter will be here before we know it.” He looked at her now. “Since this is such a pretty day, I thought it might be worth a drive up Last Dollar Road. We could check out the fall color. Catch some views of Mount Wilson and Dallas Divide.”

  “They might even have snow by now.” Oops. Seemed the unwanted excitement that bubbled inside of her at the thought of spending time in the mountains refused to be contained. “Or not.” She toed at the ground.

  “You were probably right the first time.”