Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Baby, I will deal with it. I need you to get to the hospital. I will meet you there. I promise you this is fine.” He moved back into the break room and held the phone out. “Kenz, tell your mother you’re fine.”
“I’m fine. But Daddy told us we had to share our snacks and Kala picked the candy bar, and I think she’s going to eat all of it,” Kenzie began. “And that is not fair, Mom.”
He put the phone back to his ear. “See, she’s fine.”
“Okay. My contractions are still eight minutes apart. I’ve got time, but if Chelsea hits traffic she could be thirty minutes out. I’m calling Faith. She’s in town so she’s nearby. If I call Faith, would you be okay with she and Ten driving me?”
Faith was a doctor, and he trusted her. Ten had been his friend for years. He would do what he needed to do. “All right. Text me when they’re on their way. I mean it, Charlie.”
“Okay. I’m calling now. I love you.” She hung up.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Erin Taggart walked into the break room, a couple of bags in her hand. “Is there a reason Kala and Seth are in the nursery? I don’t know that he should be eating chocolate in the crib. It’s getting messy.”
“She gave my half of the candy bar to Seth?” Kenzie started crying again. “That’s not fair! She doesn’t get any of my chips.”
“Why are you stuck in the vending machine?” Erin’s green eyes were wide as she looked back at Ian. “I brought some lunch because you were supposed to be working today. I need to write up the Grate investigation, and Theo’s got the kids for the day. I thought it would be quiet up here.”
“Yeah, well you thought wrong, sister. I’m calling in the damn fire department because I can’t get her out and Charlie’s in labor. I tried getting Theo on the line but his ass won’t answer,” Ian complained as he started to dial 911.
“Kenzie, let go of the chips,” Erin ordered.
What? “She’s not holding onto the chips. She’s stuck.”
Erin shook her head. “She’s totally holding onto the chips. Do you honestly believe this is the first time some dumbass got their arm stuck? I managed to ease Boomer’s out and his arm is thicker than Kenzie’s whole body. If she’s stuck, it’s because she won’t let go of the chips.”
For fuck’s sake. He stared at his daughter.
She started crying again. “I’m really hungry and Kala got the candy bar she wanted. And I didn’t even like the candy bar she picked and then she gave my half to Seth.”
Erin stepped in front of him, putting her hands on his shoulders and obviously trying not to laugh. “Go to Charlotte. I will handle the mob. I’ll call Theo and he’ll start the phone chain. Go. I can handle them.”
He let out a long breath. “Thank you, sister.”
He ran out the door even as Erin started in on a lecture about how life wasn’t always fair and that didn’t mean she had to give up an arm.
Kenzie was in good hands. All his kids were.
And it was time to welcome another one.
* * * *
Charlie felt the morning light on her face and kept her eyes closed, letting the warmth caress her skin. Her first full day with Travis Alexander Taggart. He’d been born at 10:14 p.m., giving his father plenty of time to get to the hospital and hold her hand the whole way. And late enough that they hadn’t had visitors yet. That would happen the minute visiting hours started, but for now, it was the three of them.
She opened her eyes and sure enough, there they were. Ian was sitting in a rocking chair next to her bed, his shirt off and Travis on his chest. A blanket covered them, but Travis’s little head was resting on his dad’s broad shoulder.
She loved this, loved seeing her husband with their babies. She could remember how dangerous he’d been in the beginning. He’d been a gorgeous lion who might eat her up, and she’d thought he was sexy as hell.
And somehow he was sexier now with a few more lines around his eyes, a little gray at his temples.
He was precious. This life they’d built was precious.
“Hey, you in pain, baby?” His eyes had come open, and a worried look crossed that face she loved. “I can call the nurse.”
She’d needed a stupid episiotomy because Travis was eight and a half pounds, with a big old head she’d barely managed to shove out of her hoohaw. “I’m fine.”
“You’re crying,” he countered and then nodded. “This is one of those times when you thank the universe for how easy I was to land, right?”
He made her smile. “Something like that, babe. How’s he doing?”