by Deanna Chase
“This looks really promising, Grayson,” Rhys said, peering at the spreadsheet. “Let’s go over terms.”
The two men spent the next ten minutes going over their contract and then another hour about the brewery’s expansion plans. By the time they emerged from the office, Grayson had completely forgotten about Kira and her antics. But as soon as they found their way back into the dining room, he spotted her sitting at the bar and trying to flirt with Clay. She had her hand on his arm, smiling prettily up at him the way she did when she wanted something from someone.
“It was a pleasure, Rhys. Thanks for taking time out of your evening to meet with me.”
Rhys chuckled and shook Grayson’s hand with both of his. “I should be the one thanking you. Clay and Lin are going to be really pleased by this development. You’ve done right by us.”
Pride filled Grayson, solidifying that he’d made the right choice when he left New York. He enjoyed working with the small breweries and wineries around the area, doing his part to help the family-run small businesses. “It’s just good business,” he said, smiling back at Rhys. “I know a good product when I taste it.”
“Good man.” Rhys thumped him on the back and disappeared back into the office.
Grayson steeled himself and went to save Clay.
“Katy,” Grayson said from right behind her. “Are you ready to go?”
She spun, and her eyes lit up when she spotted him. There’d been a time when he would’ve done anything to see that look on her face. Now he felt… indifferent. “Wait, we need to get dinner.”
“I’m not all that hungry. I had a late lunch,” he lied. “If you want a ride, I’m headed home.” It occurred to him he had no idea how she’d gotten to town, and he didn’t really care at that point. His head was aching, and he still needed to try to patch things up with Amelia.
“You’re no fun,” she said as she followed him out the door.
“Neither are you,” he muttered and climbed into his SUV, not bothering to open her door for her.
She let out an irritated huff and climbed in. “What is your problem? Is it really so awful to have dinner with your best friend?”
He glared at her. “What did you say to Amelia? And why in the hell did you seek her out at all?”
She jerked back and blinked at him in feigned surprise. He was willing to bet most people wouldn’t have realized she was acting, but he’d known her for a very long time, and the Kira that was in his SUV at that moment was not his Kira. This one was putting on an act, and he had no idea why. “I just happened to run into her at the café, so I said hi. What’s so wrong with that?”
“I don’t know. You tell me. She certainly didn’t seem too thrilled to learn that we had a date tonight.”
“Oh, for the love of the gods.” She threw up her hands. “I was just being friendly and mentioned that we were meeting for dinner tonight. Friends still have dinner, right? It’s not my fault she got jealous.”
Grayson side-eyed her. “You think she was jealous?”
She shrugged. “Probably.”
“You do realize we didn’t have plans for dinner, right?”
Kira rolled her eyes. “Do we have to go over this again?”
“Nope. But I would like to know what’s going on with you. Last night you seemed as if you wanted a place to hang out away from the spotlight. And now today, you were running around town and holding court at the brewery. As soon as those selfies hit social media, your whereabouts are going to go viral. Was it really too hard to lay low for twenty-four hours?”
“That’s not—” She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, staring out the window.
“That’s not what?” Grayson turned onto his street and a moment later, he pulled into the driveway. The house was dark; not even the porch light was on.
“Forget it.” She jumped out of the vehicle and stomped up to the front door where she produced a key and let herself in.
He followed her inside and raised an eyebrow, wondering where she’d found the key. He knew he had a spare but had no idea where he’d left it.
“There’s something wrong. Your dramatic mood shift from last night to today is too theatrical, even for you. I think you’d better just tell me what’s really going on,” Grayson said, already knowing he was going to regret his next words. “If it’s going to hit the press, it’s better if you tell me now. I might be able to mitigate the damage.”
“It’s nothing like that,” she said as she flopped down on the couch. “It has to do with my mother.”
Grayson sank into his chair and waited for the rest. She didn’t have the closest relationship with her parents, but they usually managed to get along okay. “What happened?”
She stared at her hands that were clasped in her lap. “She doesn’t—”
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” started playing on Grayson’s phone, cutting her off. It was Amelia’s ringtone, and he immediately put his finger up, indicating he had to take the call. “Amelia?” he said into the phone. “Thanks for—”
“Levi is taking me to the healer,” she blurted. “Something’s wrong with the baby.”
Grayson’s blood ran cold, and his hands started to shake. “What is it?”
“I don’t know. I have some back pain and some bleeding.” Her voice trembled, and he knew that she was crying.
“I’ll be right there. It’s going to be fine, I promise,” he said, not having any idea if that was true. “Hang in there, okay? I’m on my way.” Grayson grabbed his jacket and keys, and right before he ran out the door, he glanced back at Kira. “It’s the baby. I have to go.”
Shock registered on her face as she nodded and whispered, “Go. They need you.”
He swallowed hard and left Kira and her explanation behind as he raced to the healers’ office on Main Street.
Chapter 15
Amelia was on the verge of hysterics by the time Levi pulled to a stop in front of the healers’ office.
Gerry Whipple strode out of the office, her expression stern as she pulled the car door open. Her husband, Martin, followed her with a wheelchair.
“How are things now, Amelia?” she asked as she gently helped Amelia from the truck.
“I’m scared,” she said, holding her belly as she winced at the movement. “Is my baby going to be all right?”
“First we’re going to take a look, and then we’ll do everything we can to ensure you and the baby are safe. Now, sit in that chair and let Martin wheel you in. I’ll only be a minute.”
Amelia did as she was told, wishing with all her heart that Grayson was already there. She needed him, needed someone to hold her hand through this.
“It’s going to be all right,” Levi said from her other side. “She’s strong.”
She quickly glanced up at him, not realizing that he’d gotten out of the truck. His words brought her some relief. When Levi said things like that, they weren’t just words meant to make her feel better. He really could sense those things with his spirit magic.
It was by pure chance that he’d been up at Silas’s that evening. Silas had already taken off to work on his next project. Levi had only been at his house to pick up some supplies he needed for Cappy, who was staying with Levi while Silas was out of town. He’d happened to be headed back to town when he’d spotted her clutching her back and fumbling to get into her car. Once he realized what the problem was, he’d insisted on driving her. Amelia was relieved and grateful.
Levi took her hand in his and walked into the clinic with her and Martin Whipple.
“Thank you,” she said to the teenager. “I don’t know how I would’ve made it without you.”
“There’s no need to worry about that,” he said. “I’m just glad I was there to help.”
“Hold that door open for me, Levi,” Martin said when they got to one of the exam rooms.
Levi did as he was told and then hovered in the doorway as Martin wheeled Amelia to the exam table. “Do you want me to
stay?” His face was a bit pale as he ran a hand over his head nervously.
Amelia wanted to say yes because she didn’t want to be alone, but the reality was she needed to get undressed, and there was no way Levi could stay for the exam. She shook her head. “It’s okay, Levi. Thank you again.”
“I’ll be just outside,” he said and then disappeared.
Gerry appeared and strode into the room the moment Levi left. She had short gray hair and was wearing an apron over her long skirt and peasant blouse instead of a white physician’s coat. “I’ve got it from here, Martin.”
Her husband nodded and quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.
“All right, now, tell me what’s wrong,” Gerry said, opening the file she had in her hands.
“There’s some light bleeding, and my lower back aches so much it’s hard to stand up straight,” Amelia said.
“How light and for how long have you had the bleeding?”
“It started today after I got home from work. My backache started earlier today, and then I slipped on the porch stairs when I was going to get my mail. That’s when everything went to hell. I could hardly even move, but I hobbled inside. Then there was bleeding and I…” She trailed off. “Is my baby going to be okay?”
“I’m going to do everything I can,” Gerry said. “Tell me about your back hurting earlier. Did anything happen?”
“I don’t know if you remember, but a couple days ago, I tried to pick up a log and hurt my back. Levi actually helped with the spasm and everything was fine… until today. I’m not sure if it’s related. My back hurts, but I’m worried about the bleeding. I’m terrified I hurt the baby.” Her voice cracked on the word baby.
“Okay, let’s not panic yet. First, we need to get you undressed so I can do the exam. Then we’ll go from there.” Gerry patted Amelia’s knee and then squeezed her hand as tears spilled down Amelia’s cheeks.
“Up on your feet. Let’s get this gown on you.” Gerry carefully and tenderly helped Amelia into the gown before guiding her back onto the table. “Just relax. I’ve got you from here, okay?”
“Okay,” Amelia said, holding her abdomen and sniffling through her tears. What had she been thinking? She knew the deck was slick. Why wasn’t she being more careful during this pregnancy? She’d heard that some bleeding could be normal. But not when someone slipped on slick steps. Right? Her mind was filled with all the worst possible scenarios, and she kept glancing at the door, wondering why Grayson wasn’t there yet. All she wanted was to see his face and for the healer to tell her everything would be fine.
“I’m going to run my fingers over your back to get an assessment of what’s going on there. If anything hurts, let me know,” the healer said.
Amelia nodded. “Right now it’s just a dull ache.”
“Okay. That’s good.” She opened the back of the gown and tenderly probed at Amelia’s spine. When Gerry got to her lower back and pressed gingerly on the right side, Amelia sucked in a sharp breath. “That hurts, right?” Gerry said.
“Yes. When you pressed on it, I got a sharp pain down my leg.”
“Okay. That’s good to know.” She repeated the procedure on the other side, but this time it felt no different than the persistent dull ache. “It looks like the pain in your back is due to irritating your sciatic nerve. There are a number of things you can do to alleviate the pain, such as stretches, massage, and alternating heat and ice packs. Normally, I could give you a potion that would help, but there’s nothing strong enough that will touch the sciatica that’s safe for pregnancies. The other remedies won’t do much other than make you sleepy.” She gave Amelia a sympathetic smile. “Looks like you’re going to have to let it heal without a witch’s brew.”
“That’s it?” Amelia asked, a little irritated. “Stretches, massage, and ice packs?” She could’ve gotten that advice off the internet. Her irritation turned to fear when she added, “What about the bleeding? What if I hurt my baby?”
“That’s not likely,” Gerry said soothingly. “But we’re going to do an exam, and then I’ll do an ultrasound to check on your little one. Go ahead and lie back and just relax.”
Relax. Why did healers always say that right when they were getting ready to stick their instruments up your hoo-ha? As if anyone could relax under those circumstances. Besides, she wouldn’t be calm until she knew her little one was healthy.
The healer did her thing, poking Amelia with a cold instrument and making indiscernible noises. By the time she was done, Amelia was so nervous she was shaking.
“Oh, honey. Are you cold? I can get Martin to adjust the heat.”
Amelia shook her head. “No. Just anxious.”
Gerry nodded. “I see. Well, you really can relax. Everything looks okay. The bleeding isn’t that much, and I’m going to guess it was a result of overextending yourself a bit when you irritated that nerve. We’re going to do that ultrasound now, but I really don’t think there is anything to worry about.”
“Okay.” Amelia closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Nothing to worry about. She kept repeating the mantra in her mind as Gerry got the ultrasound machine going. It wasn’t long before she heard the strong pulse of a heartbeat on the monitor. It was only then that Amelia felt all the tension drain from her body and let the tears fall unchecked. The fear and adrenaline had done a number on her, and now she was crashing.
There was a knock on the door, followed by Martin poking his head in. “There’s a Grayson Riley here. Says he’s the daddy. Do you want me to let him in?”
“Yes,” Amelia said immediately.
The door opened wider and Grayson rushed in, his face white and etched with fear. “Are they okay?” he asked Gerry. “Amelia and the baby?” His gaze locked on Amelia’s, and before Gerry gave an answer, he rushed to her side, grabbing one of her hands with both of his. “Are you all right?”
“I think so,” Amelia said, the tears streaming faster now that Grayson was there.
His brow furrowed and panic flashed in his eyes, no doubt from her uncontrollable crying.
“Amelia and the baby are perfectly fine, Mr. Riley,” Gerry said kindly. “It appears Amelia tweaked her back and overextended herself a little. Lifting too much weight or irritating the area can sometimes cause bleeding. I’m going to send her home with strict instructions that she stay off her feet for at least the next week. If the bleeding gets any worse or doesn’t stop by tomorrow, call me. I’ll give you my private number.” She shifted her focus to Amelia. “So stay off your feet, don’t do anything strenuous, watch the bleeding, and absolutely no sex until we’re sure you’re in the clear. Understand?”
Amelia nodded and felt her cheeks flush red. She didn’t know why she was so embarrassed that the healer had brought up sex. Grayson was the father after all. It made sense for her to assume they were still together in that way.
“Understood,” Grayson said. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her.”
“I’m sure you will,” Healer Gerry said. “Hot cocoa and cake wouldn’t hurt either,” she said with a wink.
Amelia, who was sitting up and holding the front of her gown to her chest, laughed. “Is that a prescription for the remainder of my pregnancy?”
“Yes. Need that in writing?” she asked.
Amelia nodded and grinned at Grayson as he rolled his eyes. But he smiled at her, showing that he was a good sport.
“You can get dressed now,” Gerry said. “Do you need help or is daddy here going to do that?”
“I’ll help,” Grayson said before Amelia could answer.
“Good. I actually am going to prescribe some prenatal herbs specifically to help with the bleeding, and I’ll give you a tip sheet on what kind of stretches to do. Take your time getting dressed, and when you’re ready, I’ll have this stuff for you at the front desk.”
“Thank you, Healer Whipple,” Grayson said, shaking her hand. “We appreciate your help so much.”
Amelia nodded, still unab
le to control the few tears spilling down her cheeks. She wiped at them and said, “He’s right. Thank you for getting me in so soon.”
“Any time. This is what I’m here for.” She slipped out of the exam room and closed the door softly behind her.
“Oh, my gods.” Amelia covered her face with her hands. “I am such an idiot.”
“No you aren’t.” Grayson sat on the exam table next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “You slipped and tweaked your back. It happens to everyone.”
“But I was just going about my life as if I’m not pregnant. I was even still working at the station. What if there’d been a fire? Was I just going to go try to put it out and ignore the fact that I have this child inside of me?”
“I doubt that. Pretty sure your bosses would’ve ordered you to stay back from the flames while you worked on communications or whatever logistics you badasses need when fighting fires.”
She let out a laugh that turned into a hiccup and then concentrated on breathing until she had herself under control. “I don’t think I qualify as a badass at the moment.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. Now stand up and let me get you dressed so that I can take you home.”
She did as he asked and felt her heart flutter at his tender touch. He was so careful with her it nearly made her cry again.
“You still doing all right?” he asked as he buttoned her jeans for her.
“Yeah. Just shaken up.”
“I bet.” He kissed her temple, finished dressing her, and then even tied her shoes. “Okay, Mama. You look ready.”
She shrugged into her jacket, but before she moved to the door, she flung her arms around him. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Why wouldn’t I have come?” he asked, bewildered.
She glanced up at him, her lips turned into a frown. “Well, I heard you were on a date. I—”
“Amelia,” he said earnestly. “I absolutely was not on a date. As for Kira, like I told your voicemail, she showed up here unannounced. I had no idea she’d come here. But she is my oldest friend and was in a certain amount of distress, so I couldn’t kick her out, no matter how much my gut was telling me to.”