“Yes,” she said. “I really do. Do you think we can do that? Before the babies are born, I mean. Unless you’d rather wait until after.”
“No, we don’t want to wait one second more than we have too, angel. How soon?”
“Well, I’d like to get a pretty dress,” she said, then glanced down. “It’ll have to be the size of a tent to cover Tweedledee and Tweedledum, but I know Meg’ll help.”
“Of course she will,” Dillon said. “Tell you what, we’ll speak with Jack tomorrow, see how fast we can put it together, and go from there.”
“All right,” Jenna said happily. She looked into Cole’s eyes, then Dillon’s, her voice lowering with a sultry note they recognized. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m feeling the need to be as close as possible to both of my men tonight.”
Cole’s and Dillon’s eyes flared with instant heat, understanding exactly what she wanted. “I think we can accommodate you, angel,” Dillon growled softly. He scooped her up and started for the bedroom, Cole right behind them.
Chapter 17
“Hello Dillon, Cole,” Flo said as they began unloading their cart onto the conveyor belt.
“Hey, Flo,” Dillon said. “You’re not as busy as we expected today.”
“Most folks do their Christmas dinner shopping a bit earlier than Christmas Eve,” Flo said. “Where’s your lovely wife?”
“Over at Senses visiting with Susie,” Cole replied, silently wondering if the thrill he got whenever he heard Jenna referred to as their wife would wear off. He sincerely hoped not.
“She’s getting real tired real fast again now that the babies have grown so much,” Dillon said. “But she insisted on coming into town to see Susie, Meg, Hank and Jack before Christmas.”
“She’s okay though, right?” Flo asked worriedly.
“Yeah, she’s doing real good and so are Max and Marli,” Dillon said. “Just tired is all.”
“That’s good,” Flo said, clearly relieved. Dillon and Cole exchanged smiles. They loved how loved Jenna was by the people of Sparx.
They chatted with Flo for a bit about her husbands and plans for the upcoming New Year’s Eve party that the town threw every year while bagging up their purchases, then wished her a Merry Christmas and left the store. They’d just finished loading the groceries into the Denali when both of their cell phones went off with a distinctive sound that caused them both to freeze for one long, heart-stopping moment.
They took off running up Main Street without even bothering to close the tailgate, leaping over the piles of snow lining the curbs from the snow plow. They were almost to Senses when they saw Hank and Jack burst through the door of the diner and start running across the street in their shirt sleeves despite the frigid temperature, forcing a couple of vehicles to screech to a stop in order to avoid hitting them. They sensed others racing toward them as well, and barely heard the siren at the fire station going off. Their focus was on getting to Jenna so nothing else penetrated.
They skidded to a stop and Dillon grabbed the doorknob and tried to turn it, but since it was lunchtime it was locked. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, fumbled for the right one and shoved it into the lock so hard he was in danger of snapping it off. A moment later he had the door unlocked and they ran inside only to stop in surprise at the sight before them.
Jenna, looking adorable in a candy pink t-shirt with Max and Marli printed on the front, stood over a prone figure dressed in black from head to toe, including a black ski mask. “You even think of getting up and I’ll fry your ass with this thing again,” she was saying angrily, holding a Taser in one hand, her finger on the trigger, and a baseball bat in the other. “I am completely fed up with your sneaky, sniveling, cowardly, yellow belly, chicken-shit attempts to kill me and my children, so you best stay right where you are or I’ll turn you into a crispy critter faster than you can ask what’s burning.”
“Hi angel,” Dillon said casually while fighting a grin. She looked up, startled. Then she smiled brightly.
“Hi hubbies,” she said, raising an amused chuckle from the men crowding in behind Cole and Dillon. A moment later she gasped suddenly and the color drained from her face.
Dillon and Cole rushed forward. Dillon took the Taser and Cole took the bat. “You okay baby?”
“Yeah,” she said, smiling faintly. “I think I need to sit down though.”
Cole handed the bat to Dillon, then picked her up and carried her back around the counter before putting her down on her stool just as Stephan ran in. “Where’s Susie?”
Jenna’s eyes widened. “By the back door.” Stephan took off just as Hank and Jack each grabbed an arm of the figure on the floor and pulled him to his feet.
“Let’s find out who the hell this is,” Dillon said coldly. He stepped forward, grabbed hold of the ski mask and yanked it off. They all stared in shock.
“Anna?” Meg said, stopping mid step on her way to Jenna’s side.
“What the hell,” Dillon said. “You’re the one who’s been trying to kill Jenna?”
“I was only trying to protect you,” Anna said. “That’s a mother’s most sacred duty.”
“Mother?” Dillon asked, dumbfounded.
Anna’s face went soft as she smiled at Dillon. “You boys just don’t understand how manipulative a woman like Jenna really is. You’re so young and innocent. But that’s okay because Momma knows, and Momma will take care of everything.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Dillon demanded.
Anna’s smile vanished in the face of Dillon’s anger. She looked over at Jenna accusingly. “This is all her fault. She looks so innocent and sweet but she’s a lying, cheating, backstabbing cunt who’s after your money, mark my words.”
“I don’t care how crazy you are, if I wasn’t a man, I’d knock your lights out for that,” Dillon growled.
“That’s an interesting thing to say,” Susie said, as she walked around Hank, Jack, and Anna, stopping beside Dillon with Stephan close behind her.
“Is it?” Dillon asked without taking his eyes off of Anna.
“Yeah ‘cause, as luck would have it, I’m not a man.” With that Susie doubled up her fist, drew back, and clocked Anna in the jaw with enough force to knock her back a few steps even with Hank and Jack holding onto her.
“Damn girl, good punch,” Meg said admiringly.
“Thanks, Meg,” Susie said, wincing as she shook her hand. “I just hope it hurt her worse than it hurt me.”
The sound of a clearing throat broke through the low chuckles and they all looked up to see Luke hiding a smile. “Sal, cuff her would you? Then get her in the cruiser and out of here. I don’t wanna deal with the mess of a street lynching if we can help it. The paperwork would take days.”
Anna’s eyes widened with sudden fear when she noticed the number of people crowding into the store, every one of them glaring at her. Sal cuffed her, then led her out through the crowd which parted silently.
“Anyone want to tell me what happened?” Luke asked.
“Someone rang the delivery buzzer,” Susie said. “Jenna and I both checked the security feed and saw our regular delivery guy at the back door, so I went to let him in. As soon as I unlocked the door someone shoved it really hard, knocking me off balance. I stumbled sideways and smacked the side of my head into the wall. After that all I remember are some pretty little stars.”
All eyes went to Jenna who was looking a little paler, though her breathing was normal and she didn’t look blue. “I switched the view to the internal camera and watched Susie on the screen here. When I saw a figure dressed in black knock her into the wall, I hit the emergency button a couple of times and grabbed the Taser. I couldn’t find the pepper spray right away, so I picked up Susie’s bat instead. The moment Anna was close enough I Tased her over the counter. Caught her right in the chest with it. She dropped like a stone. You know the rest.”
“Nah, you don’t know the rest, Luke,” Cole said with a grin.
“We came in and found Jenna standing over her with the Taser in one hand and a bat in the other, giving her a piece of her mind.”
“Is that right?” Luke asked, fighting to hide his smile. “What’d she say?”
“Well now,” Cole said slowly, his eyes squinted in thought, “I believe she said something about how she was fed up with…no, she was completely fed up with her sneaky, sniveling, cowardly, yellow belly, chicken shit attempts to kill her and her children, and then she threatened to turn her into a…what was that baby?”
Jenna was bright red now but she lifted her chin and said. “Crispy critter.” Once again low chuckles filled the shop, and not even Jenna could stop herself from smiling.
“Yeah, that was it,” Cole said, nodding. “She told her not to move or she’d turn her into a crispy critter faster than she could ask what’s burning.”
Jenna blushed even redder at the amused chuckles. “Well, I figured after everything she’s done to me, I had a right to say my piece.”
“No doubt about that, Sugar,” Meg said.
“I had no idea it was Anna, though. I thought it was a man.”
“We all did,” Luke said. “You did real good Jenna.”
“Thanks Luke,” she said, beaming.
Dillon started around the counter when he spotted Jag standing nearby. He went over and shook the man’s hand, then pulled him in for a brief hug. “Thank you, Jag, so much,” he said. “Without your security, I’m afraid this would have been a much different story.”
“My pleasure,” Jag said. “I can’t take credit for the Taser though. That was Jenna’s idea. She said she was sick and tired of not being able to fight back.”
“Is that right?” Dillon asked, arching a brow at his wife. “I don’t recall anyone sharing that little bit of information with us.”
“She asked me to keep under my hat,” Jag said, then shrugged. “I’ve got enough sense to know better than to argue with a pregnant woman, Dillon.” He looked over at Jenna with a grin. “You did real good, Jenna. Couldn’t have done better myself.”
Jenna smiled, then gasped softly as her face paled a shade more. An expression of intense concentration came over her features. “Jenna?” Cole asked as everyone watched worriedly.
She didn’t answer for a long moment. Then she seemed to relax and looked up at Cole, then over to Dillon. “I wasn’t sure at first, but I am now. Looks like you two are gonna be Daddies today.” Cole and Dillon went white and the rather large crowd filling the shop went silent. She rolled her eyes. “Come on guys, it’s only two weeks early.”
“I guess we got so used to worrying about you having them babies too soon that we forgot they actually had to come out eventually,” Meg said with a grin. More laughter filled the shop, then Dillon and Cole sprang into motion.
“Jag, can you find someone to go up to Flo’s and get our vehicle?” Dillon asked while Cole pulled his cell out and started dialing.
“You got it,” Jag said, holding his hand out for the keys. Dillon tossed them over, then went behind the counter where Jenna sat on the stool while Cole spoke with Doc on the phone. He picked up Jenna’s coat and helped her on with it.
“I’m sorry, angel, but your bag is at home and I don’t think we have time to go get it.”
“That’s all right,” Jenna said. “We’ll make do.”
“Make do about what?” Cole asked as he hung up the phone. Dillon explained.
“That’s easy, I’ll call Peter,” Cole said. “He’ll wanna be at the hospital anyway.”
“Meg, you okay?” Jenna asked worriedly, suddenly noticing the older woman had gone pale.
“I’m fine, Sugar,” Meg assured her. “It’s just…wow…I’m gonna be a grandma.” Another chuckle rose from the crowd, but there were more than a few teary eyes. Meg’s face split in a wide grin as she leaned close and kissed Jenna on the cheek. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Meg,” Jenna said, hugging her tightly.
“Peter’ll get Jenna’s bag from the house, then meet us at the hospital,” Cole said. “I didn’t tell him about Anna. No need to get him all riled up.”
“Good,” Dillon said. “What did Doc say?”
“Get to the hospital, but don’t rush, there’s plenty of time. And to call him if Jenna starts having trouble.”
“Would someone call an ambulance please?” Luke asked, holding his cell phone to his ear.
“Ambulance?” Dillon asked, frowning.
“Yeah, Alex Rich is unconscious out back in the alley,” he explained briefly before turning around to continue talking into his phone.
“I got this,” Stephan said, starting to reach for his cell.
“Susie?” Jenna asked, then paused, looking at her friend with concern. “You need to go to the hospital.”
“I’ll come along after I close up,” Susie said. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t miss this.”
“No, I mean, you need to go,” Jenna said. “The whole side of your face is turning purple.”
“I’m fine,” Susie said. “It’s just a bruise. I’ve had worse.”
Dillon, Cole, Stephan, Jag, Hank, Jack, and all the other men scowled at that. Susie rolled her eyes. “I’ll be along soon.”
“No, Susie, you can’t drive,” Dillon said. “You’ve just had a hard knock on the head.”
Susie couldn’t argue with that. Dillon looked up at Stephan who stood close behind Susie. The two men locked gazes for a long moment, then Dillon nodded once. “I’m entrusting her care to you, Stephan. Keep an eye on her.”
“I will, Dillon, don’t worry,” Stephan said.
“Your vehicle is here,” Jag said. “Right out front.”
“Okay, angel, let’s do this thing.” Dillon said.
“Grab my purse, would you?”
“I got it,” Meg said, picking it up from the shelf where she always kept it and handing it to Dillon. “We’ll follow you to the hospital.”
“Oh,” Jenna said with obvious disappointment. “Meg, will you ride with us, please?”
“Of course I will, Sugar,” Meg said, pleased.
“We’ll follow,” Hank said, then he and Jack left quickly to get their truck.
Jenna gasped again and all eyes went to her. Her face took on that same look of concentration as she focused on breathing through the contraction. When she blew out long and slow and opened her eyes, Cole nodded. “You did real good, baby. Time to go.” He picked her up and the crowd parted as he carried her out of the shop with Dillon and Meg at his heels.
***
The road to Bizzby was mostly cleared of snow, but it was covered in ice, forcing Dillon to drive more slowly than he wanted to and nearly doubling the time it took to get there. By the time they arrived Jenna’s contractions were seven minutes apart, and she was fighting not to scream through each one. Her face was white and though she was doing a good job controlling her breathing, she was shivering with cold even though the heater was blasting, and she was blue around the mouth.
Cole had already called to update Doc so by the time they pulled up in front of the hospital there was a gurney already waiting. After that everything was a bit of a blur. Cole and Dillon helped her out of her clothes and into a gown, then Meg held her hand while Nancy put her on a heart monitor and a fetal monitor.
A couple of minutes later Doc was there, his presence helping everyone to relax a little. He examined Jenna, took a moment to study the monitors, and nodded to Nancy who hurried out of the room.
“All right Jenna, you’ve done a real good job so far, but your heart isn’t taking the strain very well, just as we expected, and the babies are showing signs of distress too. The sooner we can get you into the OR the better.” Nancy came back into the room, a little breathless.
“Everything’s ready, Doc,” she said.
“Thank you,” Doc said, then turned to Cole and Dillion. “Nancy will help you get suited up and bring you in.”
Doc left and Meg leaned down to kiss
Jenna on the cheek. “Everything’s gonna be just fine Sugar,” she said. “I’m gonna go find the waiting room. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Jenna said, then watched Meg leave the room just as a several people dressed in hospital garb entered to take Jenna away.
“We’ll see you in a few minutes, angel,” Dillon said, bending down to kiss her.
“Okay, hurry please,” she whispered.
“We will,” Cole promised, kissing her quickly just before they wheeled her out of the room.
With Nancy’s help they were both soon wearing paper caps over their hair, paper booties over their shoes and medical gowns covering their clothing. They were surprised when Nancy told them that Doc had already begun the procedure, which worried them.
“It’s all right,” Nancy said, seeing their concern. “Doc just wanted her to have as few contractions as possible and they were coming on fast. You’ll want to avoid looking past the curtain below Jenna’s chest.” They nodded and she opened the door and gestured them in.
A sudden mental image of what Doc was doing to Jenna filled Cole’s mind and he had to swallow several times against a sudden wave of nausea. As a lifelong rancher he’d seen his share of blood, births, and other, far more graphic sights. But this was Jenna. And that made it a whole different situation. His face broke out in a cold sweat and he wondered if perhaps he should have gone to the waiting room with Meg.
“Come on, Cole,” Dillon said quietly, “Jenna needs us.” Cole looked at Dillon and saw that his brother didn’t look much better than he felt. He nodded and they hurried to Jenna, very careful not to look beyond the curtain.
They each took one side of the table and smiled down at her. “How you doing, angel?” Dillon asked, taking one of her cold hands between his to warm it while Cole did the same with the other hand, careful not to touch the IV lines taped to the back of her hand. “You okay?”
“Yes, just anxious,” she replied, her voice trembling. “Thank you for being here, both of you.”
“You don’t need to thank us, Jenna,” Cole said. “We wouldn’t miss being here for anything in the world.”
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