“This wasn’t your fault, Jed.” Ozzy squeezed his shoulder. “If she’d been here, she couldn’t have stopped it any more than you could have.”
“All right, he landed about fifteen feet down on this weird outcropping.” Frankie brushed off her hands as she approached them. “The ground feels stable enough for us to get a line down to him, but he whacked his head pretty good and might not be able to secure it safely. He’ll need help.” She looked to Ozzy. “You up for it?”
“Yes.” Ozzy nodded, adrenaline surging.
“Great. Let’s go back to the truck and get you ready. Jed, I want you to keep Kenny talking, all right? But remember to stay at least two feet from the ledge. Looks like that heavy machine of yours might have begun to loosen the stability of the soil.”
“That sucker was out of control,” Jed muttered. “I’m going to have my mechanics take a look at it.”
“Good idea,” Frankie said with a nod. “Come on, Ozzy. Time for you to go for a ride.”
* * *
“ALL RIGHT, JO.” Dr. Miakoda’s soothing voice drifted over her. “Here we go.”
Jo took a deep breath and closed her eyes, willed her racing pulse to slow as the doctor squirted the cold gel on Jo’s rounded stomach. She had the oddest desire to squeeze someone’s hand or at least look to find a face of comfort beyond the friendly, understanding one that belonged to the ob-gyn she’d liked immediately. Only one face came to mind, though, but the image of Ozzy Lakeman standing at her side only made her blood pressure rise. What on earth was the matter with her? And where had all these nerves come from? It didn’t make sense.
The fact that Dr. Miakoda, Cheyenne, had insisted on an extensive conversation before she’d examined Jo should have put Jo at ease, but she hadn’t been able to push the thought of work aside. She didn’t like being away from the site, being away from her charges, her crew. Not that she didn’t trust them, because so far they’d given her no reason to be cautious, but that job was her responsibility now. She’d hammered that home to everyone involved. Being away and out of the loop, even for a few hours, did not set well with her at all.
Her previous doctor had been satisfactory, but he hadn’t exactly had much of a great bedside manner. In-and-out appointments. Test results, advice, vitamin prescriptions and move on. It hadn’t struck Jo as being cold since it more than suited her “get back to work as soon as possible” mentality.
That fast-moving efficiency was not, in any way, a part of Cheyenne’s small-town practice, located a block up from the light hustle and bustle of Monarch Lane. The office was even located in a small single-story cottage decorated in pretty pastels. The landscaped garden and collection of hanging baskets filled with various kinds of flowers along the front porch offered pops of color. One had to look pretty closely at the wooden sign attached to the porch post to identify this as a doctor’s office. Whatever the outside lacked in identification, walking into the waiting room lined with dozens of happy new-baby, new-family photos certainly got the point across. Would the kidlet’s picture join them?
Jo shivered. Kidlet. When had she started using Ozzy’s nickname for her baby?
“I keep telling myself I need to invent some kind of instant gel warmer,” Cheyenne said easily as she retrieved the ultrasound monitor. “Nancy, would you close the curtains a bit? We’re getting a glare on the screen.” She spoke to one of the two nurses who worked in the office. “Okay, Jo. I need you to relax.” Cheyenne rested a hand on Jo’s shoulder. “Just breathe. Nothing’s going to hurt, I promise.”
Jo released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Sorry. Nervous, I guess.”
“Not every day you get to meet your baby-to-be.” Cheyenne’s reassuring smile helped relieve the tension. Jo was grateful. “I know we discussed this, but if you’ve changed your mind about knowing the baby’s gender—”
“I haven’t.” Jo was adamant. It wasn’t practical, she knew. But there were so few real surprises in life. She wanted to experience at least one of them.
“Then we’ll just make sure everything is as it should be,” Cheyenne said.
“Works for me.”
Try as she might, Jo couldn’t clear her head. She had at least three calls she needed to return once she got back to the trailer. One in particular she anticipated being a problem. She’d already gotten pushback from the supplier of the sustainable wood flooring they’d be using for the main building. Jed had suspended the original order due to the project being delayed as a result of the accident. The supplier had since then tacked on a surcharge to the delivery fee, and while it wasn’t a break-the-bank amount, it was large enough for Jo to assume he was trying to make a buck off their misfortune. If there was one thing Jo couldn’t stand, it was an opportunist.
“Jo.”
“Hmm?” She rested an arm behind her head. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“Just making sure.” Cheyenne shifted the scanner across her stomach. “Because it’s showtime.”
Jo stared at the screen, tried to make out the weird grayish squiggles and lines on the monitor. “I don’t... I can’t...” She frowned, narrowed her eyes and did her best. “Where—”
“Don’t look,” Cheyenne said softly. “Listen.”
It took Jo a moment to focus. As she did, a gentle womp womp womp echoed from the machine. Jo gasped, catching the blipping on the monitor pulsing in time with the sound. “Is that the heartbeat?”
“It sure is. Healthy and strong.” Cheyenne motioned Nancy over, murmured something to her. “Here’s the umbilical cord. Everything looks okay there. No twists and turns. We’ve got the hands and feet. And a baby who’s a bit shy.” Cheyenne chuckled. “Good thing you want to be surprised because they aren’t showing off.”
Jo laughed or thought she did. The sound came out more like a half sob as her vision blurred. “It’s really in there, isn’t it?” Seemed strange to call her baby it.
“You had doubts?”
“Well, I had some idea considering he or she likes to play kickball with my bladder.” She wiped her eyes. “They’re really okay?”
“Everything looks normal, Jo.” After a few more minutes, the scan ended and Cheyenne wiped a cloth across her stomach. “How about you head back into my office and I’ll join you in a minute.”
Jo nodded and pushed herself up, tugged her shirt over her still-cold belly. In the not so far distance, a siren blared. It was there and gone, fading into oblivion as she adjusted her top.
Her legs were a bit wobbly as she left the exam room. In the hallway, she stopped, braced a hand against the wall as her head went light. This was real. This was really happening.
She was going to be a mom. And in only a few months!
All this time, all these weeks, she’d understood the idea of being pregnant, but to see those tiny hands, to hear her baby’s heart beating...
Emotions flashed through her, as if she were on a speeding train and couldn’t see them long enough to grab hold. Excitement, fear, anxiety. Joy. There was so much to think about, so much to consider and dream of. And so much, so much, she thought, to regret.
Not on her part, but on Greg’s.
She’d misjudged the type of man she thought him to be. Whatever anger she might have felt was quickly couched by pity. To think the father of this child hadn’t taken more than a few seconds to comprehend its existence before he’d dismissed it and, along with it, her. She’d convinced herself she hadn’t been surprised, that being disappointed in someone she’d had faith in was a given part of life, but Greg hadn’t just walked away from Jo and their future together.
He’d walked away from their child. As difficult as betrayal was to accept for herself, she would never be able to comprehend it on behalf of her baby girl or boy. A child who had done nothing to deserve anything other than the absolute best Jo could give it. That best was clearly not Greg.
“Jo?” Cheyenne stood beside her, rested a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“Just having one of those ‘reality knocked me sideways’ moments.” She let Cheyenne guide her into the office. “I’ll be fine once I process.” She sat in the chair she’d occupied earlier and dragged her purse into her lap, automatically reaching for her cell, which she’d turned off.
“Before you leave, there are things I’d like to address.”
“Oh?” Phone in hand, Jo glanced up. The stoic expression on the doctor’s face had her putting her purse back on the floor. “Is something wrong?”
“Wrong is perhaps a strong word for it. I’m going to wait for your lab work to come back before I speculate, but to be safe, I want to get out ahead of a few points. That swelling in your feet to start with.”
She scrunched her toes in her too-tight shoes. “I thought swelling is normal.”
“It is. To a point. Your blood pressure is also a bit elevated, and you said you’ve been getting headaches. Taking into account your previous diagnosis—”
“The PCOS?”
“Polycystic ovarian syndrome can affect women in different ways. Some exhibit only a sample of the symptoms, but most do have a higher risk of miscarriage. We want to mitigate that possibility as thoroughly as we can. There’s also your age. Thirty-five doesn’t put you at high risk but you’re still up there.” She pulled a small stack of paper from her printer. “I’m more concerned about your blood pressure than anything. I’ve got a list of foods for you. What to eat, what to avoid. I’d like you to get at least an hour of walking in every day. Not exercise, not work, just walking, maybe on the beach, for a good chunk of time. From what you’ve told me, your job has a high level of stress.”
“I oversee thirty construction workers under a time crunch and a budget with severe limitations.” Jo tried to smile. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re a woman capable of doing whatever she puts her mind to. I am also certain we can find a way to bring your baby to term with you still being able to do your job. And that’s what we want. To get you to full-term.”
Jo sat back in her chair. If she was looking at an either-or proposition, there was no doubt which she’d choose, but if she didn’t have to... “You don’t sound entirely convinced. Will I have to stop working? To make sure the baby is safe?”
Cheyenne folded her hands on top of her desk. “Let’s get the lab results back in a couple of days and see what they say, all right? There’s no point in worrying before there’s something to worry about. In the meantime—” She stood up when a knock sounded on the door.
“Here you go.” Nancy handed over a small manila envelope.
“Thanks, Nancy.” Cheyenne passed the envelope to Jo. “And there you are. Your first bragging photo.” She walked around and sat on the edge of her desk. “I’ve got a yoga class Monday and Saturday mornings at the youth center followed by a meditation session. There’s a number of moms-to-be who attend, and I recommend you join us. Ten a.m.”
“I’ll take a look at my—” She stopped at Cheyenne’s look. “Right. Ten a.m. Youth center. I can make Monday work, but Saturday’ll be a toss-up.” Yoga? “I hope there’s an easy learning curve.”
“You’ll fit right in,” Cheyenne assured her. “I’ve adjusted your prenatal vitamin regimen. The drugstore in town should have everything on this list. I also want you drinking more water and keeping your feet up when you can. It’s not a sign of weakness,” Cheyenne added when Jo opened her mouth. “And for the record, a lot of the men on your crew are fathers. If any of them give you a bad time, you let me know. Their wives are my patients. If they need a refresher course on the important things in life, I can make that happen.”
“I appreciate that.” Jo forced a laugh. “But I don’t play that way. I’ll just remind them that they can’t birth a human being, let alone grow one.” It would be a learning experience for all of them. “I’ll make it work. Thank you.” She stood up. “For everything.”
“Great. I’ll call you with the lab results, and if all is well, I’ll see you in about three weeks. Now go find someone to share those pictures with. That’s half of the fun.”
Jo walked back to her truck, in a bit of a daze, but also on a bit of a cloud.
Her baby was healthy and so was she. She had a lot of reading and planning to do, and if the glance she’d taken at that recommended food list was any indication, she’d finally be visiting Duskywing Farm. While she’d kept her future schedule fluid, including her eventual move to Montana, this visit solidified her decision to stick around here, at least until after the baby was born. Cheyenne brought her some peace of mind and these days she needed that most of all. Just as she’d already stated, she would make this work, not just for herself, but for her child.
She slipped the truck into Drive, was about to pull out and paused. She sat back and pressed a hand against the odd pressure in the center of her chest. It took a few minutes to sort through the emotions, but joy and pride rose up.
Jo did want to share her good news.
And she knew just who to share it with.
She put her hands back on the wheel just as another siren blasted behind her. She took her foot off the gas and twisted in her seat as an ambulance shot down Monarch Lane and up the hill.
Dread pooled in her stomach. In the few days she’d been here, she’d only heard sirens from a distance, and not very often at that. Not to mention there was little up that hill save for Duskywing Farm and...
Jo swore, hit the gas and made a tight U-turn. A few seconds later she was on the ambulance’s tail, heading straight for the construction site.
CHAPTER NINE
THE CALM, SMOOTH-RUNNING construction site she’d managed the past few days was now overrun by emergency vehicles and tense, worried workers. Jo pulled her truck into a spot at the edge of the site, left her bag behind and dropped out of the vehicle to hurry to the crowd that had gathered near the outline of trees leading to the cliffs.
She spotted Jed standing a good head above most of the rest of her crew, giving orders to Kyle, who went off to the trailer, and then to a group of others who began roping off the just-poured cement foundation.
“Jed?” Jo glanced to the fire truck as she approached her foreman, who was already on his way to her. “What’s going on? Is someone hurt?” What had she missed? What precaution hadn’t she taken? “Fill me in.”
“Freak accident,” Jed told her and stuck two fingers in his mouth. His shrill whistle had Jo wincing, but a second later, Jed caught a hard hat and immediately passed it to her. “Brakes went out on the excavator. Kenny tried to get out of its path and didn’t quite make it. He’s okay.” He rushed on at Jo’s gasp. “But he’s caught on a ledge about fifteen or twenty feet down. Frankie’s assessed the situation and we have Bill and Pax keeping him talking. They’re going to go down and get him.”
“Who’s going to go down where?” Even as she asked, she shifted her attention to the fire truck, where Ozzy was being strapped into a harness by a tall redhead. There was a rolled-up rope and a stack of carabiners on the ground, along with a hip pack that was soon locked around Ozzy’s waist. “Kenny went over the cliff? Jed—”
“I know.” His face went hard as granite. “Believe me, I’m right there with you. One of those freak accidents we couldn’t have seen coming.”
One freak accident she might have understood, but this made two.
“We’ll figure out what went wrong once Kenny’s back on safe ground. Give me a second.” She walked toward the truck. “Ozzy?” She didn’t like the uneasy sensation circling through her as he harnessed up and double-checked the knots on the ropes.
“Hey, Jo.” He barely gave her a glance. “Jed fill you in?”
“As much as he could.” In other circumstances she’d consider this sight inspiring, if not a bit thrilling
. “Jo Bertoletti.” She looked to the redhead.
“Frankie Bet...darn it. Salazar.” She winced. “Why can’t I get used to that?” She gave Jo an absent smile. “I’m going to make use of a few of your team if that’s okay with you? I’ll need them watching the line.”
“Whatever you need,” Jo assured her. “How is Kenny?”
Frankie glanced at Ozzy.
“The truth, please,” Jo insisted.
“He’s conscious,” Frankie said. “That’s all I can say for certain right now.”
“Twenty feet max. Quick up and down.” Ozzy hitched a last hook onto his belt. “Nothing to it.”
He was about to go dangling off the side of a cliff and there was nothing to it? Jo swallowed the sourness in her throat. “You know what you’re doing. But be careful,” she added, trying to sound confident.
He hefted the rope Frankie handed to him and slung it over one shoulder. When she moved to follow him, Ozzy stopped. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“That’s my guy down there. He’s my responsibility.”
“Not at the moment he’s not,” Ozzy said, holding up a hand when Frankie opened her mouth. “You stay here.”
“Excuse me?” She blinked. She had not just heard him order her to stay put.
“We don’t know what kind of damage the vehicle’s done to the cliff edge. You shouldn’t be out there. It’s not safe.”
“You’ve had two of my guys talking over the ledge at him since before I got here. If it’s safe for them—”
“They’re well away from the ledge. It’s not safe for you.” He moved in front of her and pointed at her stomach. “There’s nothing you can do except be a distraction. We need to focus on getting Kenny safe, not keeping an eye on you.”
Jo balked, heat rising in her cheeks. “Since when do you—”
“Okay, whatever this is? Stop.” Frankie stepped between them, a somewhat befuddled look on her face as she glanced over her shoulder at Ozzy. “Argue about this later when it’s over, please. Besides—” she pointed toward the sound of a car plowing up the road “—you’re about to have your hands full.”
Building a Surprise Family Page 13