Arlene James - Winning The Rancher's Heart

Pulling her small phone from the pocket of her jeans, she found her mom’s phone number and made the call.

* * *

“It’s getting nasty out there,” Kathryn remarked, closing the door behind the dogs, both of which shook themselves off before plopping down on the rug in front of the cookstove.

“Hope this doesn’t last too long,” Ryder commented, pulling on his sock.

Soaking his foot had made his toes throb like a big brass drum, but the ice packs had helped calm the throb. And the over-the-counter analgesic Tina had given him, coupled with the way Kathryn had taped two of the toes together, was taking the edge off what remained.

“Kathryn,” Tina said, “maybe you, Jake and Frankie should spend the night here.”

Kathryn nodded. As Ryder gingerly pushed his injured foot down into his boot, Tina made a sound that pretty well described how it felt to shove broken toes into a cowboy boot. When he looked over at her, though, he saw that she was grasping her belly, her face screwed up in pain.

“Tina!” Kathryn yelped, rushing to her side.

At the same time, Tyler cried, “Mom!”

Gasping harshly, Tina reached out and steadied herself by grabbing Kathryn’s shoulder. She seemed to catch her breath and straightened, only to cry out and double over again. Making a gargling sound, she started to sink. Ryder jumped up and caught her, sweeping her into his arms as she groaned.

“Call the doctor!” he barked, carrying Tina toward the bedroom she shared with Wyatt. Thankfully, the bedroom was on the ground floor and just down the hall from the kitchen. Behind him, Tyler and Frankie slid off their chairs. “Stay where you are, boys!” he ordered.

“The n-number’s on my phone,” Tina managed, clutching his neck with one arm and digging for her phone with the other hand.

Kathryn caught up with them and took the phone as Ryder lowered Tina onto the big bed. Tina curled onto her side, gasping again. Before Ryder could straighten, she grabbed him by the shirtsleeve.

“Get Wyatt.”

“Right away.”

He hurried for the door while Kathryn made the phone call. Tina moaned again; it was a strangled, frightened sound. Looking back in concern, Ryder strode into the hall—and straight into Jeri Bogman.

“Oh!”

He quickly stepped around her, his hands steadying her by the shoulders. “I’ve got to find Wyatt.”

“Something wrong?”

He glanced back into the bedroom before quickly ushering her away from the door, toward the kitchen. “Tina could be in labor,” he said in a low, tense voice.

“Oh, no. Can I do anything?”

“Keep an eye on the boys,” he said, leaving her at the kitchen table as he rushed for his coat. As he yanked open the door, he heard Jeri urging the boys to return to the table. Ryder hurried outside, throwing on his coat and praying silently as he went.

Thankfully, the new carport covered the steps, so they were dry and clear. The ground, however, was already slick with ice, which continued to fall in angry, wet splatters. Nevertheless, he ran, his injured foot screaming with every step. Slipping and flailing his arms to maintain balance, he got to the barn and went in through the small door, calling for his brother.

“Wyatt! Wyatt!” He heard the distant bang of a plank door.

“Ryder?”

He got as far as the middle section of the barn before Wyatt appeared out of the gloom.

“What’s wrong?”

“Tina’s in pain. Kathryn’s calling the doctor.”

Wyatt took off at a dead run.

“Watch the ice!” Ryder yelled, going after him.

Ryder caught up with Wyatt as he grabbed the edge of the barn’s door to keep his feet from going out from under him. He mentally reminded himself to come out later, when the onslaught had stopped, and sprinkle rock salt on the ground around the house and barn. For now, Ryder focused on following Wyatt across the yard as quickly as he could possibly manage in the horrible conditions. He didn’t want to think about trying to drive Tina to the hospital in Ardmore. As he followed his brother to the house, he resumed his fervent prayers.

Please, God. Please don’t let them lose their babies. I’ve given Wyatt enough heartache already. Please don’t let them lose their babies.

The next hour passed at a crawl, with Wyatt and Tina closed in the bedroom and Kathryn going in and out. The boys caught the gloomy atmosphere. Their snacks abandoned, they looked around with wide, worried eyes. Finally, Jeri interceded.

“Say, why don’t you guys show me your room? Bet we can find something to do there.”

“My room,” Tyler clarified.

“I got a room!” Frankie insisted. “I got two.” He held up two fingers in case Jeri didn’t understand, adding, “With puppies.”

“You just nap in the room here,” Tyler argued. “You live in your room in town.”

Jeri lifted her eyebrows at Ryder as she urged the boys toward the stairs. “Let’s go upstairs anyway.”

Ryder thought that she was good with kids, but the greater part of his mind was centered on Tina and Wyatt. Minutes crept by. At last Ryder heard a vehicle pull into the carport. Rushing to the door, he recognized the truck and the couple getting out of it. Wes Billings was a local rancher, and his wife, Alice Shorter Billings, was the local doctor. Ryder closed his eyes and whispered a prayer of gratitude as the pair hurried toward the steps.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Ryder told them.

“Tina’s OB called me,” Alice said. “I came as soon as I could.”

“Thank you so much.”

He stepped back to let them enter then led the way to the bedroom. After tapping on the door, he opened it.

“Wes and Dr. Alice are here.”

Wyatt rose from the chair beside the bed and came to greet them. Wes carried her medical bag into the room, smiled at Wyatt and Tina, left the bag on the chair Wyatt had just vacated, and backed out again, pulling the door closed behind him. Suddenly, Jeri was at Ryder’s elbow.

“We heard a vehicle arrive. Frankie says it’s the doctor.”

“My wife,” Wes supplied. “She’s in with Tina now.”

Ryder quickly made introductions. “Uh, our guest, Jeri Bogman. And Wes Billings.”

Wes shook Jeri’s hand then lifted an eyebrow at Ryder.

“I’m the official house-call barista,” he said. “How about a cup of coffee?”

“It’s already made,” Ryder muttered, fighting the impulse to stand by the bedroom door and listen in case he was needed.

Wes’s next words pulled him away.

“Coffee and prayer,” Wes said. “Being married to a doctor, I’ve learned to specialize in both.”

“That sounds good to me,” Jeri said, lifting a hand to Ryder’s shoulder.

That small hand comforted him in a way he couldn’t describe. Coffee and prayer with Jeri beside him sounded good.

In fact, they sounded essential.

He turned, giving her the best smile he could muster, and led the way back into the kitchen.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.