by Tina Leonard
“Did he? Give you what-for?”
Robert raised a brow. “He didn’t sound like he much cared what my opinion on the matter was, and that it was a foregone conclusion. As far as I’m concerned, we’ll probably hear wedding bells before those babies are born.”
Daisy put a hand over her stomach, feeling the babies shift and move inside. Sometimes it felt like they had an elaborate dance routine going on in there that only they understood. Every time she felt them move, she caught her breath with the wonder of it all.
Sometimes she couldn’t believe she was actually having triplets. For a girl who’d always wished her dreams would come true, this time they had. “Anyway, I don’t know where John was going. He was being very mysterious. But he’d gone to the creek, and I guess he was going to check on what’s left of the Haunted H.”
“Not much but twigs, I heard.” Robert scowled into his teacup. “Damn shame. But we’ll make it bigger next time.”
“You old softy.” Daisy grinned at her father, then jumped as the doorbell rang. “Who would be here at this hour?”
Barclay went to the door at a pace less formal than usual. Somewhere there had to be an unwritten code that the well-trained butler never hurried.
But Barclay just had. Daisy and her father waited.
Sheriff Dennis made his way into the kitchen, shaking his head at Barclay who offered him tea and gingerbread. Barclay made up a plate, anyway, and Dennis seemed hardly to realize Barclay had steered him into a chair and served him. Dennis picked up a fork absently. “Jane Chatham’s gone missing.”
“What?” Daisy glanced at her father. “She wasn’t at home with Ralph when the storm hit?”
“I guess she was down at The Wedding Diner. I’m not sure. That’s the last place Ralph said he knew she was. Doing inventory, he said.”
“But if your jail got hit, and it’s across the street from the diner,” Robert began.
Dennis sipped his tea, hardly noticing Barclay hovering at his elbow. “The diner didn’t get so much as a scratch.”
“That’s wonderful news!” Daisy felt a strange cramp hit her stomach, ignored it for the moment. Sipped some more tea, told herself it would pass.
“Anyway, she’s not in the diner. I checked. So I came here because, frankly, Robert, I’m going to need to borrow your security detail to help us search.”
“Fine. Barclay, give the boys a ring, will you? Have them come in to go with the sheriff.”
Daisy looked at Dennis, worried. “I’m sure everyone has tried her cell phone, but of course some phone service is still out.”
“That’s what’s making it tricky.” Dennis shrugged. “If Jane was supposed to be in the diner doing inventory, and the building didn’t get hit, I can’t imagine why she’s not there now.”
“I don’t know, but I’ll take my truck and help search, too,” Daisy said, and Dennis, her father and Barclay all said, “No!”
“Pardon me,” Barclay said. “It’s not like me to insert an opinion—”
“Never mind,” Robert said. “Daisy, sweetheart, you’re not leaving the house again. If I have to sit up all night playing chess and gin rummy with you to make sure you don’t leave again, that’s what I’ll do.”
The strange cramp slithered over her stomach again. Daisy put a hand on her tummy. “More hands on deck means we find her faster.”
“If I have the ranch crew, that’ll be enough.” Dennis stood. “Thanks, Robert.”
“No problem. Take what you need. The hitch, the hauler, whatever.”
“Just the manpower for now. Daisy, get your gang up, too. Tell ’em to meet me at the creek.”
“Why the creek? What’s going on at the creek all of a sudden?” She looked at Dennis. “I thought you said Jane was at the diner?” She felt another cramp. “John’s down at the creek now.”
“He is?” Dennis seemed stunned. “Why?”
“I have no idea. I didn’t want to leave him there, but he insisted.”
“Since when has someone insisted on something that you listened to?” Dennis demanded.
“I don’t know. Motherhood must be softening me up.”
“I’ll say.” Dennis whistled. “Or being a married woman has done it.”
“I’m not married yet.”
“Rumor on the grapevine is that it’ll happen before frost hits the pumpkins.” Dennis lifted his hat, and he disappeared down the hall. The front door opened, and they could hear the sounds of trucks revving up. She texted her gang to let them know the sheriff wanted them at the creek, then looked up to see her father smiling at her fondly.
“It does my heart good to see you so happy, Daisy girl.”
“Happy about what?”
“Motherhood. Becoming a wife. It’s what you always wanted more than anything.”
It was true, not that she would admit that to anyone, not even her father. She was crazy in love with John, absolutely head over heels for him.
“I wish I’d been better to my wife.” Robert sighed heavily, and Daisy started. Her father rarely talked about her mother, but Daisy remembered her mother as a soft, gentle, quiet soul. Very set apart from Robert, their marriage more formal than loving.
“Thing was, I got married early. We were young. I was full of hotheaded big plans for the world, everything I wanted to do. Put my marriage second. Last, really.” He shook his head. “Should have been first, damn it.”
“Oh, Dad.” Daisy reached over, patted his arm. “Don’t think about things like that.”
“I just want you to have everything you want. Everyone always said you were a wild child, that I should rein you in. But I knew what your heart was, and that you dreamed of a home, a husband, children and to belong in this small, opinionated town.” He laughed ruefully. “I wasn’t much help with any of those goals, but now they’re all within your reach. I think you’ve found the man for you.”
She’d feel better when John returned, that was for sure. “I can’t imagine where Jane is. I talked to Cosette earlier and I thought everything was fine.”
Barclay hovered at her elbow. “I notice you keep rubbing your stomach, Miss Daisy. Are you feeling well? I could make you some warm milk—”
“I’m fine. I think I’ll go to bed. Thank you, Barclay.” Maybe if she went to her room, Barclay and her father would retire. There was no point in keeping them up just because she was worried about John. And Jane. And everything. Even the idea of a wedding was gnawing on her mind. The sheriff had said there’d be a wedding before frost was on the pumpkins, but that wasn’t possible. She rubbed her stomach as she walked upstairs slowly. Each stair seemed to take longer than the last, with more effort needed, effort that seemed to drain her.
And then, just as she reached the landing, Daisy realized she was going to faint. She grabbed on to the balustrade and pulled herself up over the final stair, letting herself gently sink onto the floor safely before she gave in to the blackness.
Chapter Ten
“High-risk pregnancies are not uncommon with triplets,” Dr. Costa said. “But you’re young and healthy, so fortunately, I think there’s a good chance you can carry the babies longer.”
She’d been taken into Austin by ambulance. She was embarrassed for taking up all the manpower and resources when help was needed in Bridesmaids Creek. On the other hand, it’d been so scary when she’d realized she was blacking out and falling that she was glad she was here and getting medical assistance.
“What happened?” she asked, her voice sounding weak even to her. John glanced at her, concerned, her hand held tightly in his.
“Three babies are a lot on your system, basically. We’re running tests to find out more, but I suspect low blood sugar, maybe some anemia.”
“I’ve always been extremely healthy,” Daisy protested
. “And I’d been eating gingerbread and drinking tea. I don’t think I could have had low blood sugar, Dr. Costa, I really don’t.”
“We’ll see. It’s just my initial guess. Now that we have you stabilized, we’ll just let you lie here and rest for a while.”
“How long?”
“Maybe a week.” He didn’t glance up from his chart. “We’re going to run tests on the babies, as well, to make certain there isn’t anything wrong with the pregnancy—”
She felt the blood turn cold in her face and arms. Hopefully there was nothing wrong with her precious babies.
“Did anyone find Jane?”
“I did.” John rubbed her hand. “Don’t worry about anything. BC’s still going to be there when you get back. Right now, you just need to rest.”
Daisy felt herself getting sleepy against her will. “Where’d you find her?”
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
Her eyes snapped open. “That’s why you went to the creek, wasn’t it?” she asked groggily. “You were looking for Jane.”
“Go to sleep, babe.”
“But we never made love,” she said, whispering because it was so extremely difficult to speak. “I wanted to make love to you.”
“Shh, babe,” he whispered. “Everything’s going to be fine.”
She closed her eyes, letting her cowboy soothe her, wishing she could stay awake and tell him how much he meant to her. How sorry she was that she’d made him chase her like crazy for so long. She’d known all along that John adored her, and foolishly, she’d ignored what he was offering.
Like her father, she completely understood what it meant to have regrets.
Sam walked in looking concerned, his arms full of a big white teddy bear. “No worries, the cavalry has arrived.”
“Cavalry?” John raised a brow.
“Indeed.” Sam kissed Daisy on the cheek, shook John’s hand. “When I heard Daisy would be laid up for a while, I knew you needed my presence.”
“How so?” John asked.
Sam set the bear down and grinned. “Because I’ve never let a brother down yet. And while you weren’t looking, I became ordained to perform weddings. Ordained via the internet, but that suffices here in Texas.” He seemed really happy to report his new standing. “It’s the least I can do, considering that I once offered to marry Daisy myself. And if I don’t do it, you’re going to end up with children and no wife, John.”
“Daisy and I will get married soon enough,” John said, but he sounded hesitant.
He glanced toward her, as did Sam.
“Don’t look at me. I can’t even think about a wedding right now.” Daisy was adamant.
“Hmm.” John seemed to consider Sam’s words. “You have given me the slip once before.”
“Yes, but—”
“Actually, if you think about it, she’s given you the slip several times.” Sam flung himself in a chair, delighted to be stoking trouble. “Let’s see, first there was—”
“Never mind. Let me see this license of yours.” John waited for him to produce it. “I’m assuming that if you’re here, it’s because you think your services are required.”
Daisy felt like she’d been tossed into a whirlwind. “Hang on a minute. There’s too much going on to even think about a wedding!”
“What’s going on?” John asked, and she thought he sounded a bit wary.
“Well, Bridesmaids Creek for one.” Daisy swallowed. “How could we even think about getting married when Jane is missing—”
“I found her and took her home last night,” John reminded her.
“Okay, but the jail is gone and the Haunted H, too. And there’s damage to a lot of homes. It seems selfish to get married when our friends are suffering,” Daisy said, floundering. How could she explain that she didn’t want to get married while she was bed bound? Was that vain? She wanted what the other brides in Bridesmaids Creek had gotten: the full hometown wedding with family and friends.
“Actually it’s not selfish at all. It’s being very considerate,” Sam said, throwing in his two cents like the trickster he was. “After all, you need to be married for the sake of the babies, I should think. And there’s so much turmoil in town that your marrying out of town, sort of like an elopement, in fact, exactly like an elopement, would keep everyone from feeling compelled to drop everything and do their wedding duties.”
“That’s true...” Daisy saw the good sense in what Sam was saying. It was a guaranteed fact that as soon as everyone heard that there was going to be a wedding, everyone would cease everything they were doing to help her out. Weddings weren’t done small in Bridesmaids Creek.
It was something she’d always wanted, though. The big wedding for Daisy Donovan, once the town’s bad girl, making good, finally. Acceptance was a dream very near to her heart.
“How legal is this stupid internet ordination you’ve gotten?” John sounded like he was almost growling, probably not pleased that Sam was ramrodding this new twist.
Yet Sam’s plan had a lot of merit—this time.
“Oh, it’s all very legal,” he said cheerfully. “I worked real hard to obtain my certification, because I figured you two might mess around long enough that you might need some kind of emergency bell-ringing.”
“That’s just not really funny.” John definitely sounded like he was growling now. Daisy glanced at him, surprised.
“Why do you act like you want to gnaw his head off?” she asked the man who suddenly didn’t sound very much as if he wanted to become a husband.
“Never mind.” John shrugged. “It’s up to Daisy.”
She stared at him. “That’s it? It’s up to me?”
He shrugged again. “Of course. As Sam said, you’ve left me at the altar before. And I recall telling you that you’d have to ask me to marry you, since you’ve been notably reluctant to race to the altar with me.”
Drat. She’d forgotten that he’d wanted a clear green light from her this time.
Daisy swallowed, suddenly aware that she’d been expecting John to make all the sacrifices in their relationship. “Here’s the thing. I don’t really want to get married like this, John.”
“Like what?” His brown eyes hooded a bit, the muscles of his broad chest stiffening with tension, preparing himself for bad news.
“In the hospital, for starters. By Sam, no offense,” she said quickly to Sam. “But not with an internet-earned diploma of some kind.” She looked at her maybe-soon-to-be husband. “You know very well we have no reason to expect that it’s valid.”
“It is,” Sam said.
“Excuse me,” Daisy said quickly, “but I have some experience with men with an agenda. My father for starters, my gang for further illustration of my point. And you’re definitely a typical guy who likes to move people around like puzzle pieces. You’ve been doing it since you came to Bridesmaids Creek.”
“Hey!” Sam yelped. “I resemble that remark!”
“Yes, you do.” Daisy frowned at him. “What I’ve noticed is that you manipulate people into doing what you want them to do—”
“I help them,” Sam emphasized. “The spirit is pure.”
“And what you usually want someone to do is get married,” Daisy went on, “yet I notice you never, ever date anyone yourself. Why is that?”
“Yeah, Sam, why is that?” John laughed. “Daisy’s made several good points.”
Sam sighed, pulled the big white bear into his lap. “Is it wrong for a fellow to want his friends to be happy? The same friends that came here looking for brides? Looking for love?”
“I’ll let you officiate a ceremony for us, Sam, when you’ve gone out on a real date. So you better make it snappy. These babies may not be content to stay put until the end of time. Which is exactly how
long I suspect you were planning on going without dating a living, breathing woman.”
Sam shook his head. “Greatness can’t be rushed.”
“Neither can mediocrity. Laziness.” Daisy settled back against the pillow.
“You’ve figured me out, then. When it comes to love, I’m lazy. I admit it. Relationships are too damn much work. And I don’t think I’m cut out for henpeckery.”
Daisy laughed. “I don’t henpeck John.”
“Yeah.” Sam glowered at his buddy. “But only because you respect a man who can shoot the head off a nail. Who’s going to respect me?”
“Handsome Sam?” John grinned. “Everyone respects Handsome Sam.”
“No, they don’t.” His face was woebegone. “If they respected me, they wouldn’t be talking about my looks. They’d be talking about my deeds.”
“That’s the most pathetic, pitiful bit of sorry-for-myself I’ve ever heard,” Daisy said. “You’re trying to make me feel bad about not letting you use your piece of paper that’s so new the ink is still wet on it to officiate our ceremony.”
“Yeah, I am. Is it working?” Sam peered at her.
“No. I’m not getting married here. I’m not getting married in a hurry, by a man who printed a fake license from his computer so he could claim he was certified to get John and me to say we do!”
“Damn shame, that.” Sam leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes. “Then again, I’ll take a nap and let you lovebirds talk it over. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of backchat to be said over the matter.”
“There’s not going to be any backchat!” Daisy wished she could get out of the bed and go home where she didn’t feel so powerless. Here she was connected to tubes and monitors. She’d been rushed here without her typical clothes, didn’t even have a hairbrush. John had done his best to pack for her, but what man knew what a woman needed in her overnight bag? Barclay had tried to help, apparently, but John had waved him off in his great hurry to follow the ambulance to Austin.
She’d been charmed by John’s desire to take care of her himself. She smiled as Sam began to snore lightly. “It’s him, not you.”