by Sheila Kell
“How’s married life?” Jesse asked.
Kelly smiled and leaned closer to Trent. “It’s fabulous.”
Trent put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her briefly on the lips. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Jesse smiled but shook his head. “And you’re sure about this Montana thing?”
Grinning at Kelly, Trent answered his brother, “Yes, we are.”
They couldn’t get back there fast enough. But they wanted to settle this for Adrian. She wanted to be here.
“Kelly, make sure to take some video of Trent doing ranch work, especially after he’s ridden all day.”
She laughed. “I think I can do that.” The men had been all over him about his becoming a rancher, all stating they wanted to be present the first time he attempted to break a horse since he’d put that task off until necessary. That was an aspect of the business she didn’t look forward to him learning. But Mike said he’d learn everything to include mucking the stalls, which sucked, but he’d done it. A smile spread across her face. She’d definitely send back a picture of him mucking stalls.
“We’ll miss you here.” Jesse leaned around Trent to look at her. “Both of you.”
She’d miss her friends here also. Megan had been about as close as her sister had been growing up. “We’ll miss everyone also. You’re all welcome to come to the ranch.”
Nodding, Jesse leaned back against the SUV again. “I can’t say much for the others, but we might take you up on that. Kate and I think Jason and Reagan would love a few days there. After the fun Reagan had at the ranch after the wedding, that’s all I hear about.” It’d been great to see Jason riding a horse and enjoying himself at the ranch. Mollie and the other dogs and kittens had loved it when Reagan played with them.
Trent snorted. “I doubt Devon and Brad will want to come out for the horseback riding.”
She’d heard about how the two had been thrown while on a trail ride led by Les, and had sworn off horses. That explained why they’d avoided the animals when they’d come to visit for the wedding.
Jesse laughed. “Trying to get them back on horseback will be an epic chore.”
Learning more of Les and how Trent had suffered from survivor’s guilt, the more she liked the man.
The door opened and in the outer gate they witnessed Adrian with a younger version of him exit. Paul held the door open and gave Kelly a wave before closing it back. The two men walked through the outer area and went through the outer gate opened by a different guard.
Adrian approached them and went straight for Kelly. “I feel like I should hug you. You gave me my life back.”
With tears sliding down her face, she opened her arms and engulfed him in a hug. She didn’t care if it bothered Trent. She owed this man after almost crucifying him in the papers. Pulling back, she said, “A hug is good.” Wiping at her face, she continued, “This is my husband, Trent McKenzie.”
He stuck his hand out to greet Trent. “This is my son, Jeffrey.”
“And, this”—Kelly gestured to Jesse—”is Jesse Hamilton, head of HIS.”
“I’m pleased to meet you.” Adrian shook his hand and nodded. “Thank you for taking on my case and proving my innocence.”
Jesse smiled. “I think you’ve got Kelly and Trent to thank more than us, but we were glad to help.”
“I guess I’ve got a bill to settle with you.”
“Get squared away,” Jesse told him. “Then we’ll worry about it.”
Adrian turned to Kelly. “I did right getting you to help me.”
“I’m glad I could help.” She reached out and squeezed his hand. “And I’m sorry I was wrong about you in the beginning.”
Adrian shrugged. “It’s okay. Brightmore did a good job of setting me up.”
“Well, he’s behind bars now. We’ll see how much he likes it.” Doing something good warmed her soul. Correcting a wrong felt righteous, and pride infused her veins. Maybe she’d find a way to work cases such as this from the ranch.
She was writing a journalism instructional book, but she wanted to investigate. Maybe the local paper would take her on. Well, not local as they didn’t have a paper for their couple hundred residents. But, the next town over might. The larger her belly became, the less she enjoyed driving. Once Ashley was born, she’d have to leave her little girl at home while she worked. That idea didn’t appeal to her.
Special cases it was. She’d find them and work them as best she could because she wouldn’t give up helping others.
PANIC SEIZED HIM, grabbing his balls and squeezing so hard he thought he’d vomit. This was so much worse than he’d imagined. “Do something for her!” Trent screamed at the nurse. “She’s in pain.”
“Mr. McKenzie,” the woman said calmly, “Mrs. McKenzie is in labor. She’s going to hurt some. That’s natural. But don’t worry, we’ll give her an epidural, and she won’t be hurting any longer. It’ll be a piece of cake for her.”
She looked kindly at Kelly and smiled.
He tightened his hands into fists at his side. “She’s supposed to have a C-section tomorrow. This can’t be happening now.” He wanted to pull his hair out. The baby was upside down and backward, so she couldn’t have it naturally. Couldn’t. No way would he allow them to try something that could cost his wife or his daughter.
“I assure you, it is. Don’t worry. She’ll still have a C-section—”
A small portion of relief flowed through him Why the hell couldn’t they have said that earlier? Maybe they did and he missed it, but still, emphasis or some shit. But he couldn’t feel fully relieved, because she still had to have the surgery. He wouldn’t relax until both of them were safe.
“—but it’s happening now. We’re prepping her for surgery.”
No. No. No. His mind fought to reconcile this was happening now. Would he have still been this way tomorrow when it had been planned? Maybe, but this happening a day early scared the hell out of him. They weren’t ready. She wasn’t supposed to be in labor.
“You need to put on the protective outerwear, Mr. McKenzie. I’ll take her into another room to have the epidural administered. Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.”
Let her leave his side? He’d promised to be by her side the entire way. He couldn’t leave her.
“It’s okay, Trent,” Kelly said weakly. “I’ll be fine. Get changed and you can come meet me.”
Leaning down, he gave her a light, lingering kiss on the lips. Pulling back only slightly, he breathed in her cherry scent. God he loved that on her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Mr. McKenzie, we need to get her moving.”
Realizing he was the one holding up things and prolonging her pain, he kissed her on the forehead and told her he loved her once more, before begrudgingly watching as they wheeled her from the room.
He dressed in the protective outerwear in what had to be record time. But the wait for them to come get him seemed extremely long although it could’ve been as simple as a few minutes. Yet, it could’ve been an hour for all he could tell. His anxiety level peaked because it just took too long for him to be near Kelly again.
When he arrived in the room where she got that monster shot in her back that was supposed to numb her from the waist down, his wife had transformed from the woman screaming in agony to a mild, relaxed mother about to give birth as if it was nothing more than a typical shopping trip.
Thank the fuck for that damn shot.
He hadn’t looked forward to seeing her writhe and cry out with each contraction. In the future, she was getting one of these damn shots as soon as they arrived at the hospital. Anything to prevent the woman he loved from being in pain.
“Come here, Trent,” she said softly, extending a hand toward him.
Eagerly, he strode to her bedside and clasped her hand. He gently wiped at hair that had matted to her forehead when she’d been sweating through the pains. “How’re you feeling?”
Kelly ch
uckled. “It hasn’t taken full effect and I feel small contractions, but nothing I can’t handle.”
“I wish I could take this pain from you. I wish you never had to suffer through it.”
“Oh, Trent,” she said lovingly, “if I didn’t, we wouldn’t have any children. Once you hold Ashley in your arms, tell me it wasn’t worth it. The pain is temporary. Besides, I wouldn’t give it up for the world.”
He figured they’d have more to say about the subject when she wanted to get pregnant again. He’d leave it for now since she was relaxed.
They chatted about the ranch and the family they knew had overfilled the waiting room. The Hamiltons had flown in, en masse, and he figured it had to do with the problem of how Ashley rested and Kelly having a C-section. From his side of the family, Blake was the only one missing and they figured he didn’t want to intrude on something so personal.
When the nurse came to collect them, Kelly had no pain, and relief surged through Trent. Now, he had to get her through the operation. Who the fuck wanted to be awake while they cut you? He just didn’t understand that part. Or even the partner watching it.
In the operating room, he stood near her head, with a fear so great it screamed through him that he wanted to snatch her away to safety. So much could go wrong.
Trent was asked to step away from her for a moment. As the surgeons began their job, he looked down at his wife to support her. He also didn’t wish to see what was happening. Sure they’d put up a screen that started below her breasts and wrapped around somewhat. But, he was tall enough, he could see over it. He fought to keep his eyes averted.
When Kelly didn’t flinch as the first incision was made, he relaxed, but only a little. They allowed him back close to her, and he stroked the part of her face not covered by an oxygen mask and rubbed her head to soothe her. Hell, it was to soothe him just as much.
Looking up, he watched the doctors and their faces. When he saw what could be considered worry on the obstetrician Dr. McGill, he moved to Kelly’s side and slid a hand into hers that had been tied down to keep her from moving it and disrupting IVs and shit.
“She definitely didn’t want to turn,” Dr. McGill said.
That snapped his gaze to what was happening with his wife. He froze, transfixed and ready to pass out. His heart pounded at the sight of the insides of his wife that weren’t all inside her. Terror gripped him. Could they fix this? Had Ashley’s position done damage to Kelly that couldn’t be repaired? He took a deep breath to try to calm himself although that didn’t help much. This was too much to take in.
“There she is.” Dr. McGill pulled a yucky mass out of his wife’s stomach that couldn’t be the baby. Yet, her legs kicked. She didn’t make a sound and that ratcheted up his pulse. Was she okay? Why wasn’t his baby crying?
Two nurses, or some position dressed in scrubs, took Ashley off to the side and began to clean her body and her mouth and it wasn’t long before a hearty scream raced around the room.
Relief like he’d never known took over his body. His fear evaporated. Now they just had to put Kelly back together.
“Mr. McKenzie, it’s time for you to leave,” the nurse who’d escorted them to the room said.
“But—”
“She’ll be fine. This is routine, but you don’t need to be here for this. Why don’t you go out to the waiting room and tell everyone about your baby girl?” she suggested.
He nodded, not really sure what to do. He stared at the baby and then his wife. His vision blurred as he fought tears of happiness and relief. A deep love for her seeped into every bone, every muscle, every pore. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I love you,” he whispered.
Although he couldn’t be sure what she said under the oxygen mask, he’d bet it was that she loved him also.
With no other choice, he left the room and disposed of his outerwear. God he wanted to go back in there and hold her hand while they sewed her back up.
His relief at their making it through the birth okay—because he believed the final step was routine and he wouldn’t worry—turned into excitement and joy. Funny how that wasn’t the first feeling he had when Ashley had been born. Every man must fear for the mother of his child during that process and be relieved they made it through okay. He couldn’t believe it any other way. The excitement and joy came after everything sank in.
He was a father. The enormity of that statement slammed into his chest, and worry whether he could be a good one tried to grab hold. He fought it back. He was a father. Saying it the second time eased into his heart. “I’m a father,” he said aloud. A grin split his face,
Opening the door to the waiting room, he thought his smile might break his face it was so large.
“I have a loud baby girl,” he shouted to the room’s occupants.
Amidst a chorus of cheers, clapping, sounds of congratulations being shouted, everyone seemed to want to personally congratulate him at once. Instead, he sought out one person.
Going to Kelly’s mother, he knelt on one knee and took her hands. “She’s going to be okay.”.
Mrs. Williams wiped the tears from her face and nodded. “Good.” A smile replaced the worried look. “I have another granddaughter.”
“And she’s beautiful.” Trent released her hands and stood. Nodding at Kelly’s father, he moved to the side where his family sat and stood since there wasn’t enough room for everyone.
“Trent, you look,” Kate said and paused. “—ridiculously happy.”
“I saw inside her.” He shuddered. “No one should see that.”
Several people laughed at this, and Jesse slapped him on the back. “Brother, you’ll survive this. Congrats on the baby.”
AJ came up beside him. “Congrats, bro.”
“They still have to sew up her. What if something goes wrong?” He didn’t understand why this worry crept back in when he’d resolved it was routine. If only he could be there for her. That’d make it better.
“Dude, chill,” AJ said. “That’s the easiest part. Now, do you have a horse already for her?”
Horse? Had he lost his fucking mind? Ashley couldn’t ride a horse. She’d be too small.
“Yeah,” Matt said, “I hear they start riding when they’re babies on a ranch.”
“She probably should be a toddler first. Don’t you think?” Kate asked.
AJ shook his head and laughed. “No, that’s when they start breaking horses.”
They were trying to keep his mind off what was happening since his mind had switched back to a bit of fear for the unknown of what was happening with his wife.
“I’ll have to come up here and teach Ashley the good places to hide like he did with Reagan when she was younger,” Jesse promised.
Surprisingly, a chuckle erupted from his chest, and he knew they’d won. His attention was properly diverted. He had shown a four-year-old Reagan the places they’d learned to hide while growing up. Sliding in certain cubbyholes made great hide and seek locations. Apparently, they also made great hide from Mommy and Daddy locations. “You will not.” Trent figured the ranch hands would do enough of that. They’d taken to Kelly like she’d been a part of the family forever. The baby was part of the package, and they asked about her every day.
“I can’t wait until she’s ready for boys.” AJ laughed.
Trent growled. “There will be no boys before she’s thirty.”
Laughter rang out, and he felt it deep in his bones. And so the ribbing went until the nurse returned and called for him. “She’s being moved to recovery if you’re ready to join her.”
Blood rushed through his veins, and his pulse skyrocketed as he shot up from his seat. “I’m ready.” He would sit in recovery with her until all was well. No matter how long it took for his wife to feel as normal as she could again. Hell, she’d had her stomach opened up and all but turned inside out, he wasn’t sure how normal she’d feel after that.
“We’ll sneak off to the nursery and see Ashley, but we’l
l be here when you need us,” Jesse told him.
He’d been alone so long, and now he had this amazing family. When he’d needed them most, they’d been by his side as they’d promised. Add in their spouses, and it made for a huge group of people to love and care for with all he had in his heart.
And he knew the size of the family would grow because according to Kelly, when the Hamilton wives had spoken, they’d decided they needed to concentrate their efforts to get Matt and Brad married. Considering how his other siblings had ended up with their spouses, Trent had a feeling that a couple of dangerous adventures would have to occur first.
Hamilton Investigation & Security
HIS Series, Book Six
Blake & Elizabeth
In the loving memory of Amber Lauren Belle Howe
7-11-88 to 7-4-98
Her mother’s “Angel Bunny”
This labor of love was developed with my newsletter subscribers in mind. While I wanted to tell Blake’s story, I knew you’d want to still have a touch of the family that we’ve come to love. As with all my works, I did not write in a vacuum, and there are people I want to acknowledge for their roles in making this happen.
It was the best day ever when Hot Tree Editing took me on as a client. Becky Johnson and staff do an incredible job of making me take things to the next level and present my best work for you as readers. In this story, I think we’ve put together something you’ll enjoy.
As always, I called upon my mom who expects to read my work—minus the sex scenes—to give me her feedback on a story. I’m beginning to think she’s just addicted to all things Hamilton.
Finally, my love pours out to my older sister, Dawn Stanton Tohill, who lost her youngest daughter at an early age to Diamond Blackfan Anemia. When searching for a cause for Blake’s love interest to raise awareness, I couldn’t think of a better one. Dawn is a true champion.