“Scarlett? You’re scaring me.”
Trevor’s voice pulled me out of the quiet moment. Opening my eyes, I faced him with a forced smile.
“I’m okay. I think I was having an anxiety attack. At least, that’s what I always pictured an anxiety attack would be like.”
“Look at me,” he demanded.
“I am looking at you.”
He took my hands and squeezed them. “I want you to look at me, not through me. Look at me.”
Our eyes met. A calm sensation drifted over me like a cooling mist during a hot summer day. Other people walked by us. They stared like they were dying to know what in the world was going on.
“It’s okay, Trevor. I’m okay, I promise you. I just wasn’t ready for a crazy ex of yours to cause a scene in a restaurant.”
“She was not an ex. I’ve never dated anyone, Scarlett. Only you. She was a mistake, like all the others, but I can’t change my past. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you from her.”
I lifted my hand and placed it on the side of his cheek. “So much has happened to us this last year.”
He scoffed. “That’s the truth.”
“I’m not going to lie and say I can bury that jealous side of me that hates knowing you were with other women. No woman would ever be able to do that. It’s human nature. I can promise you, though, that nothing will ever change my love for you. Nothing.”
Closing his eyes, Trevor pressed his mouth in a tight line.
“We just got engaged. The last thing I want to talk about is what just happened in there with that vile woman.”
Sitting up, I placed his hand on the side of my stomach. The baby was going crazy, and I was sure Trevor would feel at least one kick, maybe two.
His brows lifted, then he smiled. “What is she doing?”
“Gummy Bear is pissed we walked out before dessert.”
This time Trevor tossed his head back and let out a hearty laugh. One that rumbled right through my body and straight to that lower part of my anatomy that ached for him.
When he stopped laughing, he stood and took my hand. “Come on. let’s get my girls some dessert.”
“You’re hell bent that this baby is a girl, aren’t you?”
“Yep. And I’ve accepted the fact that I’ll have to be on my toes twenty-four-seven around you two.”
With a shake of my head, I let Trevor lead us to the truck. With my silly moment of jealousy past, I let myself relax into the knowledge that life had never been so beautiful. The small little kick to the left of my stomach told me the baby agreed.
Lifting my cowboy hat off my head, I wiped at the sweat. It was the hottest day on record for March and the damn month had just begun.
Mitchell let out a groan and leaned against the truck. “Shit, I don’t remember it ever being this hot in March. Mother Nature is being a bitch.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, she is. At least a small front is moving through next week for the spring fling. It won’t be so terrible.”
“How is Harley liking the vet who came in to work while she’s out?” Wade asked Tripp, who was currently throwing bales of hay into the back of the ranch truck.
He stopped, took off his hat, and poured his bottle of water over his head. Standing back up, he answered Wade.
“She likes her. Plus, with Scarlett helping out, things have been running pretty smooth. Of course, Harley doesn’t want to hear that. She broke down crying yesterday and said she was sick of being at home and felt like a beached whale. I feel really bad for her.”
“I’m honestly surprised she’s made it this close to her due date!” Mitchell said.
“Yeah, so are we. Dr. Buten is saying we need to induce, and Harley is perfectly fine with that. With her due date in less than three weeks, she is more than ready to get those babies out.”
We all laughed.
I took a drink of water and looked at Tripp. “What do you think you’re having?”
He shrugged. “I don’t care, as long as they are both healthy, I’m good with anything.”
“Girls. I bet you’re having girls,” I declared.
A look of terror washed over his face. Steed slapped him on the back. “Girls wouldn’t be so bad.”
“One, maybe, but two?” Tripp said, a shake in his usually calm voice.
Cord rode up on Bullet and jumped off the damn horse before it even came to a stop.
“It’s about time you showed up to do some work, asshole!” Mitchell called out.
Cord headed straight to Tripp.
“You need to get home. Harley’s been trying to call you, and your phone is going straight to voicemail.”
Tripp pulled out his phone and cussed. “Fuck, it’s dead.”
He looked at Cord, fear etched all over his face. Mitchell and I pushed off from the truck and headed over to Cord.
“What’s going on? Is Harley okay?” Tripp asked.
Cord smiled. “Dude, her water broke, and her folks are taking her to the hospital.”
We stood there stunned. Not one of us saying anything.
“I called Mom and Dad back up at the house. They’re making all the calls to family, but you need to get your ass going!”
Tripp smiled and then he started jumping like a five-year-old. I’d never seen my brother act that way before. He leaned over, his hands on his knees, taking one deep breath after another.
Steed walked up to him. “Tripp? You okay?”
He shook his head. “Holy shit. Oh my God. I’m about to be a father. To twins.” Glancing up at all of us, he shouted. “Twins! What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?”
Wade leaned over and whispered, “Talk about a delayed reaction!”
I chuckled.
Steed’s face stayed neutral, and I had to hand it to him because I was fighting to hold back a laugh and to crack a joke, and I knew everyone else was as well. “You’re going to get into the truck and let us take you to the hospital. This shit can wait.”
Jonathon pulled up in his truck and honked the horn. Waylynn rolled the window down and yelled out. “Woohoo! The babies are on their way! Come on, Tripp!”
Steed helped Tripp to Jonathon’s truck. Waylynn jumped out, a look of concern on her face.
“What’s wrong, Tripp?” she asked, motioning for him to get into the front seat. I glanced back and saw Liberty in her car seat. A wide smile formed on her face, and she waved at me. I opened the back door and leaned in.
“Hey there, beautiful. You have a kiss for Uncle Trevor?”
She giggled and puckered her lips. I gave her a quick kiss while Steed and Waylynn got Tripp into the front seat. Jonathon shot me a questioning look and I laughed. “I think it all just became real to him.”
“Ahh, I see!” Jonathon said, grinning. “Poor bastard.”
“I can hear you, assholes!” Tripp said.
“Tripp Parker, do not swear! Liberty is in the truck!” Waylynn stated with a slap to Tripp’s head. Liberty giggled along with me and Jonathon.
“Bye, sweet girl,” I said, giving my niece a peck on the cheek and moving so Waylynn could get in.
“Y’all be careful driving,” Steed said as he shut the front door and I shut the back.
“We’ll be right behind y’all,” Mitchell called out from behind.
I watched as Tripp dropped his head back against the seat while Jonathon drove off.
“Poor bastard. He’s in for a ride,” Steed said with an evil laugh.
Blowing out a breath, I turned to the rest of the gang. “Let’s finish this up quickly and then head on back up to the house.”
Wade, Mitchell, and Steed looked at me like I was insane.
“You want us to finish this while our brother heads to the hospital to have babies?” Mitchell asked.
I shrugged. “What? It will take us ten minutes tops and it’s done.”
Bobby McDaniel pulled up in one of the ranch trucks and jumped out, making his way toward us.
“Let the FNG do it
,” Wade said.
Bobby was a seventeen-year-old who had just started working for us on weekends.
“He can’t load all this hay by himself,” I said.
With a quick look around, Bobby’s brows pinched together. “What does FNG stand for?”
Wade chuckled and hit Bobby on the back. “Fucking New Guy, now come on and help us so we can get this finished.”
The way Bobby stood straighter and smiled made me chuckle. He seemed to like his new title.
Mitchell and Steed mumbled under their breath, but I ignored them. It would take us less than ten minutes to finish loading up this hay and then it would be done.
When the last hay bale was tossed onto the trailer, Steed wiped his forehead.
“There, finished. Now let’s head back to the house. I want to pick up Paxton before heading to the hospital.”
Mitchell walked past Steed, sniffed him and said, “Dude, take a shower. You fucking stink.”
Pushing Mitchell, Steed replied, “So do you, asshole.”
Mitchell pushed Steed again, and it quickly became a brawling match with the two of them rolling around on the ground.
Wade shook his head and walked around them while Cord and I broke up the fight.
As Wade walked past, he said, “I’ll never understand this family. Ever.”
Six hours later, the entire Parker family was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital. Scarlett had her head on my arm, sleeping peacefully. Paxton, Cord, Maebh, and Waylynn had gathered up the kids and taken them outside to the courtyard to play for a bit.
My eyes wandered over to Amelia. She sat with her hands resting on her belly as she stared at me.
“Why are you staring at me, Amelia?”
She smiled. “You look happy.”
I gave her a grin. “So do you.”
“I am! But I really wish y’all would just find out what you’re having. It’s killing me not to know!”
With a roll of my eyes, I glanced down to the beautiful woman next to me. Her brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail. Her cheeks were a beautiful pink, but not from make-up, it was just her natural glow. She’d always had it, but ever since she’d gotten pregnant, it seemed brighter. I couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her, so I did. I placed a soft kiss on her forehead and looked back at Amelia.
“She won’t budge. Says she wants to be surprised.”
Amelia let out a huff. “Just like Harley.”
Mom stood and stretched. “Leave the poor girl alone. If she wants to be surprised, let her be.”
Turning her attention to Amelia and Wade, my mother tilted her head and asked, “Have y’all picked out a name?”
I watched as Amelia turned to Wade. The way he smiled at my sister warmed my heart. You could see the love between them as clear as day.
Not taking her eyes off Wade, Amelia replied, “We thought John Michael. John for daddy, and Michael for Wade’s daddy.”
An ache filled my chest as I watched my best friend fight to hold back his emotions. I hated that his entire family was gone. Taken in a car accident because some asshole kid was texting and driving. I knew his two little sisters, Grace and Anna, would have loved Amelia. And his parents would have fallen in love with her the moment they met her.
My mother covered her mouth to hold back her own emotions as my father walked toward Amelia and Wade. They both stood, and my father pulled Amelia into his arms, then Wade.
“I’d be honored to share your daddy’s name.”
I looked away, the raw emotion causing an ache in the back of my throat as I fought to keep it together. Scarlett sat up, yawned, and saw the display in front of her.
“What’s going on?”
Attempting to speak, my voice cracked. Clearing it, I answered her. “Amelia just told my folks they’re naming the baby after dad and Wade’s dad. John Michael.”
Scarlett pulled in a soft breath. She turned to me. “How sweet is that! Oh my, that makes me want to cry.”
I nodded.
We watched the scene play out as everyone settled back in their seats. When I looked at Scarlett, she was chewing on her lip, lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about, baby?”
Her eyes were focused on Amelia and Corina. They were both talking about some knitting class that Corina wanted all the girls to take.
“Our baby. I think we should find out the sex.”
I nearly jumped out of my seat I was so happy. “Yes! I have been waiting for you to say that!”
“Did I hear you want to find out the sex of the baby?” my mother asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.
Scarlett nodded. “I think so!”
“Finally!” Amelia exclaimed, rushing over. She pulled Scarlett out of the chair and dragged her over to where she and Corina had been talking. I glanced over to Wade and we both smiled.
A weird feeling came over me. Happiness was spilling from everywhere. Now I knew how Scarlett had felt when she said she was waiting for the floor to drop out from underneath her.
I closed my eyes and said a quick prayer that everything was okay with Harley and the twins.
A voice cleared, drawing all of our attention to Dr. Buten and Tripp. They both wore wide smiles, which instantly put my fears at bay.
Dr. Buten spoke first. Gus and Maddie, Harley’s parents, and Mom and Dad, all stood the moment they saw Tripp. The four of them looked nervous as they waited to hear how Harley and the babies were.
“Harley and both babies are doing amazing. Harley did a great job delivering them both naturally. Dr. Buten had to help turn one of them around, but it all worked out amazing! They were about three minutes apart.”
Turning to Tripp, Dr. Buten motioned for him speak. I watched as tears rolled down my older brother’s face and I couldn’t help but feel a frog in my throat as I tried to keep my own emotions back. Everyone stood. Scarlett was back at my side, her hand curled in mine as we waited.
“I’m happy to say that Rose Adelita Parker was born at 7:01 and Maximiliano Tripp Parker was born at 7:04. A girl and boy. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
The entire waiting room erupted in cheers. Scarlett looked up at me and I raised a brow. “I told you. Girl first. It’s that Parker sperm.”
She laughed and reached up on her toes to give me a kiss before making her way to Tripp.
I hadn’t noticed the rest of the gang come back with the kids, but Chloe was letting Tripp know that Rose could have all of her clothes after Liberty and Merit wore them.
Tripp bent down and hugged her. “Thank you, Chloe. I know Rose will love anything she gets from her cousins.”
“Oh, dear,” my mother said with a slight chuckle. “Six grandbabies down, two more to go!”
My father wrapped my mother up in his arms and kissed her. I could see the happiness practically dripping off of the two of them.
“Can you imagine what Christmas is going to be like in the next few years?” Steed said with a laugh.
I couldn’t help but catch the way Mitchell looked at Corina. I’d seen that look before. Plenty of times. When he caught me looking at them, I gave him a questioning stare. He gave me a quick wink, then a nod, and reached for Tripp’s hand to shake it.
“Holy shit,” I whispered.
“What?” Scarlett asked. Leaning down, I placed my mouth to her ear. “Corina’s pregnant.”
Scarlett gasped.
“Don’t say anything. I totally just guessed it and Mitchell confirmed.”
Glancing between me and Mitchell, she gave an incredulous look.
“How did you guess it and he confirmed it when y’all are standing ten feet apart and haven’t even spoken?”
With a wink, I replied, “Baby, the Parker men have more than one talent.”
She rolled her eyes and made her way to Chloe where she quickly got pulled into a conversation about how Chloe was going to bring Patches up to date as soon as she got back to the ranch.
“I’m going t
o head back in with Harley,” Tripp said. “If y’all will give us just a bit more time with the babies, then we can start letting folks in to visit.”
“The grandparents are first,” Gus called out.
My father pointed to Gus. “Yes, what he said.”
Patches.
Holding up my bouquet, I stared at the half-eaten flowers and wanted to cry.
“It’s okay. We can fix this,” Waylynn said. “Look, here comes Maebh now.”
The moment I saw Maebh I relaxed. We had become close since last fall, and by now she felt more like a sister to me than anything. The fact that she pushed her own wedding out a few weeks into July so that Trevor, me, and the baby could be there, meant the world to me.
“Look! See, it’s even more beautiful than the other one. That arse of a goat couldn’t pull one over on us today!” Maebh declared as she held the flower up in victory.
When she set the bouquet down, she glanced out the window. I followed her gaze. Trevor, Cord, and Wade were all chasing Patches in the yard. He had already tried to get into the backyard and Melanie had nearly had a fit.
Maebh laughed. “Look at those eejits. All they have to do is give the beast food.”
Waylynn let out a sigh. “I’m going to need to get…what’s the word for drunk again, Maebh?”
“Langered.”
“I’m going to need to do that after this week. Between the spring fling yesterday, the wedding today, and the dinner tonight, I’m knackered.”
“Very well done!” Maebh exclaimed as Waylynn smiled.
With a giggle, I went to stand and stopped. A strange feeling I’d never felt before rolled over my stomach. A contraction, maybe? Harley and Amelia had told me about the Braxton Hicks contractions. I hadn’t had any yet, so maybe that was what it had been.
“Are you well, Scarlett?” Maebh asked.
Nodding, I smiled. “I think I might have had a Braxton Hicks contraction.”
“Well, take it easy and sit down. You don’t need to head over to the pasture for another thirty minutes.”
The sound of Trevor yelling outside made me look again. Chewing on my lip, I watched as Wade did an impressive dive and grabbed Patches.
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