A Randall Hero

Judy Christenberry

MILLS & BOON

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Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter One

John Randall regretted the past few hours.

A trip to see an old college buddy appear in a rodeo had turned into a marathon when his friend lassoed him into a steak dinner and a few beers.

Every time John had tried to leave, his friend announced he had one more story to tell their companions about their college escapades.

Now he was finally on the road home—two hours late and a hundred miles from home. And the last seventy of them were on the two-lane road that led to Rawhide.

When he left the main road, he settled in for a relaxed drive. At ten o’clock he didn’t expect to run into much traffic. But about ten miles down the road, he rounded a curve and suddenly jammed on his brakes. A car was stopped in the lane, no lights on. No leeway existed on the narrow country road and John knew he’d have to risk running his truck onto the rocky, tree-lined shoulder or crash into the stopped car in front of him.

He twisted his steering wheel to the right…and prayed for the best.

His truck hit a boulder beside the road and his axle snapped when he landed on lower ground. He knew it before the truck had stopped moving. He spoke words his mother would have raised her eyebrows at, but he felt sure those words were justified.

He got out of his truck and climbed up to the road, angry now that someone had left their car on the road. Even if it had broken down, the least they could’ve done was push it to the side. He’d assumed no one was in the car, but when he knocked on the glass to be sure, a head popped up.

He thanked God he’d avoided the vehicle. “Can you roll down the window a little?”

The woman did so.

“Are you broken down?”

“Y-yes.”

“Then why didn’t you move your car off the road?”

“I—I can’t.”

His eyes followed her hand as she patted her stomach, and he realized she was pregnant.

Very pregnant.

“We’ve got to get you out of your car before another vehicle comes along and hits it.”

“I don’t think I can walk.”

“Come on, I’ll help you.”

“Where will I go?”

“To my truck for the moment. I’ll call for help after I get you safe and your car off the road.”

“You have a cell phone?”

“Yeah.” He tried to open her door. “Can you unlock your door?”

“Yes.”

He got her door open and helped her out. Then he half dragged and half helped her into his truck down below.

“Just stay put while I see what I can do about your car. Do you know what’s wrong with it?”

“I don’t know, but it started hissing and smoke started coming out of the hood.”

“Okay. I’ll see if I can push it on to the shoulder. I’ll be back in just a minute.” At least he would if he didn’t get run over on the pitch-dark road. Fortunately, he didn’t expect a lot of cars at that time of night.

Changing the gear to neutral, he pushed the car to the side of the road. There wasn’t that much space, but it would give anyone coming around the curve some room to maneuver.

He slid back down the gully to his truck and got in the front seat. “There, I got your car pushed to the side. Now let’s see if we can rouse some help.” He knew his insurance would pay for his truck, so he could be cheerful now that he’d calmed down.

Until he opened his phone.

He cursed several times and snapped his phone shut.

“What’s wrong?” she asked cautiously.

“I forgot to recharge my cell.”

“Do you have a charger with you?”

“No.”

“Wh-what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. At least I got your car out of the way so no one else will have to wreck their car.”

“Are you saying I caused your wreck?”

“You didn’t even have any lights on!”

“I had them on, but my battery died!”

“Look, it’s all right. My insurance will pay for it, but I can’t drive it. So we’ll just sit tight until someone comes along.”

“I’ve been here for a couple of hours and you were the first one to come along. Do…do you think someone else will—”

She grimaced and grabbed her stomach.

“Is something wrong?”

She lay back against the seat, breathing deeply. “No, I just need to…stay calm.”

“Just how far along are you?”

“About eight months.”

That brought John up short. He sure didn’t want to talk her into early labor. He agreed—calm was just what they needed.

“Look, we’ll probably see someone fairly soon. Until then, tell me what you’re doing on this road.”

“I’m just driving.”

“Toward what destination? There’s not much on this road except Rawhide.”

She jerked away from him.

“What did I say?”

“Nothing!”

“Okay, well, I’m from Rawhide, a small town that most of my family lives in. I’m John Randall. I run my family ranch about fifteen miles outside of town. But I have cousins all over town and on three other ranches in the area. We joke all the time because you can’t go anywhere without running into one of us.”

“Is it a nice town?”

“Absolutely. Both doctors, the sheriff, the only lawyer, the two accountants, all are kin to us. My sister is a jewelry designer. The drama teacher is kin to us, too. She used to be a movie star.”

“M-my brother is a deputy.”

John frowned. “In Rawhide?”

“Yes.”

“Who is he? I bet I know him.”

“I don’t think I should say.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not…not staying in town. I just needed to ask him s-something.”

“You couldn’t just call him?”

“I tried several times but—but he didn’t answer his phone.”

“Maybe he’s on vacation. No, that couldn’t be it. The only one on vacation is Harry and—-”

She jerked again.

He stared at her. “Your brother is Harry? Harry Gowan?”

“Please, I didn’t say that.”

“Harry is my brother-in-law.”

“Oh!”

“Stay calm. It’s all right. Harry would want me to help you. What’s wrong?”

Saying nothing, she shook her head and folded her arms over her protruding stomach, as if she were cold.

He took her by her shoulders. “Look, Harry is on—”

He broke off because she was wincing in pain. “Are you in labor?”

She shook her head.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“I—I have some bruises.”

He turned on the inside lights. “Take your coat off.”

“I don’t want to. It’s cold.”

“I think you need to.”

“You can’t see anything.”

“What do you mean?”

“He didn’t hit me where it could be seen.”

“He who?”

“M-my husband.”

“Are you saying your husband beat you?”

She nodded her head, her gaze lowered.

“Had he hit you before now?”

“Once,” she whispered. “I thought he wouldn’t do it again. He—he said he was sorry.”

“So what happened this time?”

“He—he decided he didn’t want the baby.” She sobbed, then, tears streaking down her cheeks.

He scooted across the seat and wrapped his arms around her. “He’s a fool!”

She buried her face against him and wept.

After a minute, she collected herself and, in spite of sniffles, said, “When he got up this morning and left for work at six, I grabbed what I could and went to the bank when it opened. I took all our money and I drove to Rawhide. At least I tried to drive to Rawhide. I hoped Harry could help me.”

“He’s out of town for about six weeks.”

“Oh.” She sniffed several times, trying to control herself.

“Look—I don’t even know your name. But I can promise you I’ll do what I can to help you. Remember I said the sheriff was kin to us?”

She nodded her head as it rested against his chest.

“Well, that means he’s kin to you, too. Harry is his favorite deputy. He’d help you even if Harry wasn’t part of the family.”

“How is Harry part of your family?”

“You didn’t know? Harry married my sister.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize—Then I can’t bother Harry.”

“Then what will you do?”

“Can my car be fixed?”

“Yeah, if Larry can get the parts. That could take a week. Then he’ll take about a week to fix it.”

“How do you know?”

“I’m guessing you knocked a hole in your radiator.”

“Oh.”

“Hey, you can stay at our house while they work on your car.”

“No.” That was all she said.

“What’s your name?” he asked, which seemed a silly question since he was holding her in his arms.

“Lucy.”

“Well, Lucy, take off your coat.”

“Why?” She pulled back and fear lit her eyes when she looked at him.

“I’m going to wrap us up in a comforter I have so we can stay warm until morning.”

She scanned the truck. “You have a comforter?”

“Sure. It’s not safe to drive around here without something to keep us warm.”

“Where is it?”

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

“I just want to see it first.”

He took his arms from around her and scooted across the front seat until he could reach in the back. He had to stretch to take hold of the comforter, and a bottle of Gatorade. He brought them to the front seat.

Her eyes widened when she saw the drink. “Um, I’m really thirsty.”

“I don’t have any cups, but I think we can both share it.” He took off the lid and offered her a drink. Then he took one himself.

“Now will you take off your coat?”

“Wouldn’t we be warmer if we kept our coats on?”

“No. Body heat will keep us warmer. Besides, it’s not going to get that cold tonight.”

He took off his coat and laid it aside. Then he waited for her to do the same. Once she did, he spread the comforter over both of them and drew her back into his arms.

“You’ve got to relax, Lucy,” he coaxed, feeling how rigid she was against him.

“I—I’m not sure I can.”

“Sure you can. I know, I’ll tell you stories about Harry. That should make you feel better.” He began telling her things Harry had done, particularly the humorous ones. Finally he felt her relax against his chest.

After a few minutes of her silence, he whispered her name.

All he heard in response was the deep, steady breathing of a woman who had fallen asleep. He breathed in her scent. It reminded him of a fragrant blue flower that grew on the mountainside in spring.

He eased her even closer to him and lay his head against the headrest. His last thought was how right she felt in his arms.

LUCY CAME AWAKE SUDDENLY. She was snugly warm in her sleeping rescuer’s arms, but, unfortunately, she needed to go to the bathroom. She tried to slide out from under the comforter, but he stirred.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

She was embarrassed to tell him, but she had no choice.

“Oh, okay, let’s put on our coats.”

“No! I mean, you don’t have to…I’ll be all right on my own.”

“Lucy, I’m not going to watch you. But you’ll need help getting down. I’ll help you and then I’ll walk around the truck so you’re out of sight.”

“All right.”

He put on his coat and handed her hers. Then he stepped over her and got out of the truck. She shivered as she followed him down.

“It’s really cold,” she said with chattering teeth.

“Yeah, so let’s hurry. You should be all right here. I’ll go around to the front of the truck.”

He stood there in the cold, staring out at the night, waiting for her to call him. When she finally did, he came around the truck and helped her back in. “Okay, let’s shed our coats and huddle up again.”

This time he didn’t have to urge her to get close or to relax. She went naturally back into his arms and he spread the comforter over both of them.

Gradually they both warmed up and she relaxed against his chest.

“John?”

“Yeah?” he asked, on the verge of falling asleep again.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For taking care of me.”

“No problem,” he told her. Together they’d managed very well, better than he would’ve done alone. He settled her more comfortably against his chest.

He checked his watch. It was almost two o’clock. They still had a good portion of the night to get through.

They both went back to sleep.

Just as dawn broke, they both awakened because of sudden moisture. John assumed Lucy had had an accident. Lucy, however, thought something else had happened.

“I think my water broke.”

“What?” he asked groggily.

“I think my water broke. That means I’ll be going into labor soon.”

His eyes flew open. “You’re what? But we can’t—I mean, how soon will you—How much time do we have?”

“I don’t know!” She sounded frightened.

He felt the same way, but he realized he had to be the calm one. “It’s all right. Daylight is breaking. Someone will come along soon enough.”

“Are—are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure, and if not, then we’ll manage.”

“Have you ever delivered a baby before?”

“Nope. But I’ve delivered calves and foals. It’s almost the same, I’m sure.”

“I’m sorry you—I mean, I’m sorry this is happening. I’m so embarrassed!”

“Don’t be, Lucy. Having a child is a natural thing.”

“You’re so comforting, John. I don’t think I would’ve made it if you hadn’t stopped.”

He considered how he’d stopped his truck and decided not to mention it again. Lucy couldn’t help what had happened and she’d had a pretty rough time of it.

Lucy grabbed his shirt and gasped.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I think I’m in labor now!”

“What did you feel?”

“A tightening along the bottom of my stomach.”

He cleared his throat. Calmly he said, “That sounds about right, but it will probably be a while before anything happens.”

He hoped to God he was right. He lifted his wrist so he could read his watch. It was ten until six.

When Lucy woke him again, he checked his watch. It was almost six-thirty. He felt sure that was good. A weak sun was providing a little more warmth, and he realized he’d need to get out of the truck to see if he could flag down a car so they could get help.

“Okay, Lucy, I’m going to get near the road so I can flag down a car. You’ll be all right here under the blanket. Okay?”

“I don’t want you to go.”

“How else will we get help?” He laughed slightly. “Believe me, I’d rather stay here with you.”

“Can’t you wait a little while?”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll wait until seven.”

“Thank you. I know I’m being too clingy, but—but you’re so comforting.”

“You’re not clingy. I just want to take care of you, Lucy. It’s important to get you to the hospital before anything happens.”

“First babies are supposed to take a long time.”

“Okay. We’ll just stay where we are for a little bit longer.”

To John’s surprise, he went to sleep again, as did Lucy. He awoke at eight o’clock, long after his normal time. Lucy was still sleeping against him. He smiled down at her. He guessed her labor wasn’t as imminent as it had sounded at six.

He tried to open the glove box without disturbing her, knowing he had several packets of peanut butter crackers in there. He was hungry. Of course he would save a packet for Lucy. Unfortunately, she woke up.

Her eyes flew open and she looked around frantically for a moment. Then she settled down as she realized where she was.

“Are you hungry?” he asked her. “I think I have a couple of packets of peanut butter crackers.”

“Where?”

“In the glove box. Can you reach them?”

“Yes.” She opened the glove box and found the packets. She handed them both to John.

“Don’t you want one?”

“I’ve heard that you shouldn’t eat if you’re in labor.”

“I don’t think that would hurt anything. Take a packet.”

“All right.”

They unwrapped the crackers and ate them slowly.

Lucy had only eaten one when she tensed again. “It’s another pain.”

“All right.” He checked his watch. It was eight-twenty.

“I’ll wait until you feel another one. Then I’ll go up on the road and try to flag someone down.”

“Okay.”

“Eat the rest of your crackers. You’ll need them.”

She ate slowly, trying to make them last.

John brought out the Gatorade again for them each to have a drink.

When the next pain came so soon, it surprised them both. John checked his watch again. It wasn’t eight-thirty yet. The pains were coming faster.

“Don’t go, John. Please.”

“I have to. We’ve got to get you to a hospital.”

“But you said we’d be all right.”

“We will be, if we have to deliver your baby here, but I’d prefer a hospital. Now, be strong. I’m going to cover you back up and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“You aren’t going to leave, are you? I mean, walk somewhere?”

“No. That would take too long.”

“Okay.”

He tucked her in and got out of the truck. After climbing up to the road, he paced back and forth in front of her car, hoping someone would come by.

He almost gave up and decided to go back down to his truck to see how Lucy was doing, but at the last minute, he heard a vehicle approaching.

Stepping farther out into the road, he waved his arms as the pickup came into sight.

“You break down?” the man asked, after lowering his window.

“Yeah, and I’ve got a woman in labor down there.”

“All right. I’m going as far as Rawhide. Will that help?”

“That’s where we need to go. I’ll just go bring her up.”

“Need some help?”

“No, I’ve got her.”

John slid back down to the truck and opened the passenger door. “Lucy, we’ve got a ride.”

She looked up at him and he saw the pain on her face. “Thank God. This baby wants to be born.”

Chapter Two

John scooped Lucy up in his arms, comforter and all.

“My coat!”

He grabbed it and laid it across her so she could keep it from falling. “Do you have suitcases?”

“Yes, in my trunk.”

“Get out your keys. I’ll stop and put them in his truck before we get in.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for me to get in and then put the suitcases in? He might drive off with them.”

“I’d rather he drive off with your suitcases than with you.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

He brought her out of the truck and struggled up to the road. Then he set her down for a minute to deal with her luggage. Next, he scooped Lucy up again and set her on the car seat, pushing her over so he could get in, too.

Before he shut the door, the driver took off, as if he were trying to leave John behind. Lucy shrieked and John used the door handle to hang on until he could get his footing inside the truck.

Then he sent the man a sharp look.

“Figured you was in a hurry, what with the baby comin’ and all.”

“Yeah.” Under his breath he added, “But not in that big of a hurry.”

After several minutes of seeing how the man drove, John wasn’t sure he’d improved their status any. The man was driving eighty miles an hour and taking up most of the road.

John hated to ask the question, but for Lucy’s sake, he needed to. “Do you happen to have a cell phone?”

“Sure do. Want to borrow it?”

“Yeah. I’ll be glad to pay you for your minutes.”

“Okay.”

John dialed the number for the clinic. “May I speak to Caro, please?”

“Dr. Randall is in with a patient.”

“Is Jon?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Look, go tell Caro I have a pregnant woman who thinks she’s going into labor and I need to talk to her.”

He didn’t have to wait long for Caroline to come to the phone. “Who is this?”

“It’s John. Sorry I forgot to tell the nurse that.”

“That’s all right. Your message sounded urgent.”

“Yeah. Lucy’s water broke about six. Her pains have been coming about ten minutes apart and she thinks she’s eight months pregnant.”

“Where are you?”

“A kind gentleman is giving us a ride. We should be there in about forty minutes.”

“Okay, you should arrive before she delivers, but you don’t have much time to spare. With the baby coming early we’ll need to get it oxygen right away.”

“Yes.”

“She can hear you?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me how you came across this woman?”

“No.”

“Is she from around here?”

“No.”

“Well, John, you’ve got my curiosity up. We’ll be waiting for both of you, and we’ll have an incubator ready, too.”

“Thanks, Caro.”

“No problem. Do you want me to call your parents?”

“Yeah, just tell them I’m all right. I’ll talk to them later.”

“All right. I will.”

When John handed the phone back to the driver, he looked at John. “That’ll be twenty dollars.”

John didn’t question the amount. He dug in his pocket for his wallet and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. He handed it over without argument.

“How are you doing?” he asked Lucy.

“I think my pains are coming faster.”

“Caro said we should have plenty of time to get you to the clinic. She’ll take care of everything.”

“Who is she?”

“She’s my cousin, one of the doctors in town.”

“Oh, so she knows about having babies.”

“Yep. She’s had a couple herself.”

“Who is her husband?”

“The sheriff.”

“You know the sheriff?” the old man asked, suddenly interested.

“Yes.”

“He’s the one I’m goin’ to see!”

“That’s good. I’ll show you where his office is.”

“Okay.”

Lucy gasped as another pain, more intense this time, seized her.

“Try to relax, Lucy. I know it’s hard, but we’ll be there soon.” He put his arm around her, still enveloped in the comforter. Her scent wafted to his nose and in his mind he was back in his truck spending the night with Lucy wrapped in his arms.

“You two live in Rawhide?”

John squeezed Lucy’s shoulder, forgetting about her pain until she grimaced again. “Yes, we do.”

“Nice place. I was gonna settle down there, but I didn’t. I heard about the sheriff, though. They say he does right by people.”

“Yes, he does.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna talk to him.”

“You got a problem with someone in Rawhide?” John asked.

“Yeah!”

“I know a lot of people in Rawhide. Maybe I know who you have a problem with.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I might.”

“Nope.”

John gave up the puzzle of the stranger. He didn’t really care about him as long as he got them to the hospital in time. And they didn’t have much time left. He felt Lucy trying to relax, but the pain came even harder than the last time. He checked his watch surreptitiously, noting the time was nine-twenty-nine. The last pain had been at nine-twenty-one. He didn’t say anything to Lucy. And he certainly didn’t want to urge the old man to drive faster.

But he hoped they got there soon.

When they passed the turn to his family ranch, he smiled. At this speed, they were five minutes away.

“Uh, you’d better slow down inside the city limits. You don’t want to meet the sheriff from the back of a squad car.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Can’t we just tell him we have an emergency?” Lucy asked.

“Good thinking, girl,” the driver said as he accelerated. “That’ll do it!”

They got pulled over two minutes later, just as they entered the town.

The deputy pulled behind them and approached the car. “Pardon me, sir, but did you know you were going eighty miles an—”

“Dave,” John interrupted him, leaning toward the driver’s window, “we’re trying to get to the hospital. She’s in labor.” He nodded toward Lucy.

The deputy sprang to action. “I’ll lead the way!”

John laughed under his breath. There was no traffic on Rawhide’s main road, but now the deputy was turning on his siren and motioning for them to follow him. It was a little ridiculous, but John didn’t suggest the driver slow down again.

He noticed Mike coming out of his office to find out what the siren was for. He’d come to the hospital to talk to his wife.

The squad car came to a halt beside the clinic and the old man pulled right in behind it.

“Thank you so much for helping us.” John started easing Lucy out of the truck.

“You aren’t going to pay for the gas?” the driver asked.

Lucy stared at the man, but John reached for his billfold again. “I guess that would be twenty dollars again, wouldn’t it?”

“Well, it might a’ been more, but I’ll let you slide, seein’ as you’re having a little one.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t forget my luggage,” Lucy reminded him.

Since two nurses were bringing a gurney down the slanted sidewalk and Lucy would be cared for, he reached in for the luggage. Then he followed Lucy and the nurses into the clinic.

“John?” Lucy called, holding her hand out to him. “Will you—will you mind going in with me? I—I’m scared.”

“Yeah, I’ll go in with you, Lucy.”

“Thank you so much.”

He grinned. “I guess that will be twenty dollars, right?”

She smiled back. “That man would’ve charged us for breathing if he could figure out how.”

“Probably. I was just glad I had enough twenties to last us. I think he would’ve thrown us out if I hadn’t.”

“He kept staring at my stomach, as if I were faking labor to get a ride.”

“You are having pains, aren’t you?” the nurse asked.

“Yes. The last one was—What time was it, John?”

“Nine-twenty-nine.”

“How far apart are they?” the nurse asked.

“About—Ohhh…Now!”

“But it’s only nine-thirty-five!” John said as he looked at his watch. He yelled out, “Caro! She’s down to six minutes apart and coming faster.”

A tall woman in a white medical coat came out of her office.

“Hello. I’m Dr. Randall. I haven’t met you, have I?”

“No. I—I’m Lucy.”

“Well, welcome to our little hospital. John said you were eight months along?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, my nurses are going to take you in this room, so I can do a quick examination.”

“John?” Lucy cried urgently.

“Caro, I think she’ll be more calm if I go with her.”

“Of course, John. If you stand by her head, you won’t be in the way and you won’t see anything.”

John did as Caroline suggested. Lucy clutched his hand as if it was a magic charm. He bent and added a kiss to her hand.

Caroline gave John a sharp look. But he didn’t say anything. Lucy was frightened and he wanted to reassure her as much as he could.

After a quick examination, Caroline stood up and told the nurse to bring in the sonogram machine. “Lucy, we’re going to look at your baby on our sonogram machine. That means I’ll need to put some jelly on your tummy.”

“John can stay, can’t he?”

“Certainly. We always let the father stay if he wants.”

John didn’t correct her assumption, nor did Lucy say anything.

Caroline raised her top for the ultrasound and the purple bruises on her stomach were obvious.

“Lucy, who beat you?” Caroline asked.

“M-my husband.”

“John? John did this?”

Caroline was shocked, and John hurried to reassure her. “No. No, I didn’t do this.”

“Then who?”

“My husband,” Lucy said again.

“Where is he?”

“Kansas City…I hope.”

“Was he trying to cause a miscarriage?”

“I think so.” Tears slid down her cheeks, and John bent down to reassure her.

“All right, let’s do the sonogram. I have to press down a little, but considering what you’ve withstood, I think you’ll be all right.” Caroline spread the jelly over Lucy’s stomach and then she pressed a roller on her stomach connected to the machine.

“Now you can see your baby. There’s so much natural insulation I think she’s survived and is doing fine.”

“It’s a girl?” Lucy asked, holding her breath.

“Yes. I think you may be a little further along than eight months. I think your baby is going to come about two weeks early. She might even be six pounds.”

“Is that good?”

“It means you can take her home after a couple of days.”

Lucy closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks.

John knew the problem immediately. He bent down to whisper to her, “Don’t cry, Lucy. You can come home with me. I’ll be holding your hand all the way. Okay? We’ll give your baby a home. It will be all right.”

John’s words didn’t give her the reassurance she needed. Sobs ripped out of her as she lost control.

“Lucy, what’s wrong?” Caroline asked.

She just shook her head. John put his arms around her and brought her face to his chest, turning her toward him. “It’s all right. We’re going to take care of you, both of you.”

“I can’t s-stay, John. He’ll find me,” she said between sobs.

“Are you talking about the man who beat you up—your husband?” Caroline asked, her voice turning hard.

“I need to go away!” Lucy sniffed and then gasped as another pain hit her.

“Honey, right now you have to have a baby. You can deal with the other things afterward.” John held her close.

Caroline ordered the nurse to bring Lucy into the delivery room then turned to John.

“We’re going to change her into a hospital gown. If she doesn’t mind, you can go in.”

“Maybe I’d better step outside until they get you changed, Lucy, but I won’t go anywhere, I promise.”

“You’ll come right back?” Lucy asked, her hand still clinging to him.

“Yes, I promise.”

“We’ll call you, John,” the nurse told him.

He moved out into the hall, and Caroline was waiting for him. She didn’t look too pleased. “What is going on here?”

He lowered his eyes. “I don’t think she wants me to tell you.”

“Well, you’re going to have to explain to your parents. They think they’re here to see the birth of your child.”

His head shot up. “Why would they think that?”

“Because you’ve brought a lady to town who’s pregnant and you’re going into the examination room with her, just like a husband.”

“No, that’s not it. I can’t—”

“John, she wants you back in there with her,” the nurse said.

He turned back to Caro. “Tell them I’ll be out to talk to them later. Okay?”

“Whatever you say. How’s she doing, Wendy?”

“The pains are coming faster, Doctor.”

John interrupted the nurse’s report. “I’m going back in with her, Caro. I’ll stay at her head and just try to keep her calm.”

“All right, John. I’ll go talk to your parents.”

“It’s not what they’re thinking. She’s…almost family.”

“Yeah, right!” Caroline said as she headed out to the waiting area.

John wanted to go to his parents, but he’d promised Lucy he’d be there for her. He’d explain to them later. He entered the delivery room to find Lucy still sobbing. Immediately taking her hand, John kissed it and stroked it, then put his arm around her.

With his deep voice, he talked to Lucy, calming her as he had earlier. “Hey, Lucy, we made it to the hospital. That’s a good thing, don’t you think? Now you can be sure your baby will get good care. That beats a comforter in a pickup truck, doesn’t it?”

“I’m so glad you’re here, John,” Lucy said, her voice weaker as she tried to bear the pain.

“I’m glad, too. You’re going to be fine.”

The nurse entered then. “All right, Lucy, I’m going to give you a shot that should relieve some of the pain. Just hold still.”

“She’ll be all right?” John asked, looking for reassurance.

“Yes, she’ll be fine. We just like to make it a little easier.” She gave the injection then she said, “Okay, Lucy, just draw a deep breath. You’ll find it’s more bearable now.”

John lost track of time as he stood by Lucy, watching her suffer for the sake of her child. He hadn’t had firsthand experience of a child being born and had no idea what a woman went through to give birth. To think that Lucy’s husband had tried to provoke a miscarriage just broke John’s heart.

When Caro came in, called by the nurse, John knew it was time. He wanted to let Lucy rest, to take a well-deserved break, but he knew she had more work ahead of her.

Several pushes later Lucy let out a gutteral groan and gave birth to her daughter. When Caro held Lucy’s baby in her arms and they all heard that fierce cry, John could feel tears in his eyes.

“You did it, Lucy!” he said, bending down to envelop her in a hug. “You did it!”

Lucy looked relieved. “Can I see her?”

“Yes, as soon as the nurses clean her up,” Caro replied. “She’s got all her fingers and toes and looks like she’s healthy. After you see her, I’ll do an examination.”

“Thank you so much, Doctor. I’m so happy.”

John realized he shared Lucy’s happiness. Because she was Harry’s sister, of course. That was the only reason…wasn’t it?

When he considered that he had to face his parents, he realized he needed to be able to reveal Lucy’s identity. He knew his mother would take Lucy under her wing like a mother hen, if she knew. And he had to be able to put Lucy there. Once they were alone, he’d talk to her about revealing her identity.

The nurses brought Lucy’s baby back into the room. Caroline took the baby in her arms and carried her to Lucy. “Here’s your little girl, Lucy.”

Lucy held her baby in her arms, glowing at the tiny creature.

“John, look!”

“She’s a beauty, sweetheart.”

As Lucy began to fade a little from the exhilaration, John reached out and took the baby from her. As he felt the warmth of the baby, the little life, he stared in amazement.

Caroline took the baby from him. “I need to examine her now, John. I think Lucy is going to sleep. A well-deserved rest, I might add.”

He nodded. “I’ll stay with her until she falls sleep.”

“All right, but don’t forget your parents are waiting for an explanation.”

“No, I won’t.”

Once Lucy was back in a room, John waited until the nurse had left before he broached the subject of her identity. “Lucy, I need to explain to my parents about you being Harry’s sister. You understand that, don’t you?”

She nodded, as if resigned. Then reality struck and Lucy’s features crumpled. John knew she’d come face-to-face with the reality of not having a home for her baby.

“Lucy, Mom will take you in, you and the baby. I live with my parents, so I’ll be there, too.”

“I can’t stay there, John. I’m afraid he’ll come find me. He—he’s threatened me before about leaving him. He told me he’d come after me if I left him.”

“Honey, we won’t let him hurt you or the baby. I promise.”

“But I don’t want to bring trouble to either you or Harry. It doesn’t seem fair.”

“We won’t worry about that, Lucy. Your husband is a coward. Only a coward would attack a pregnant woman, any woman, much less his own.”

“I want to file for divorce as soon as I can. But I don’t feel I can bring trouble down on you. Please don’t ask me to—”

“Honey, I’m telling you, you can’t deny your baby a home. That’s what I’m telling you.”

Caroline came into Lucy’s room, a little bundle in her arms. “Lucy, your baby is as healthy as can be. And she weighs six pounds, one ounce. She’ll be able to go home with you.”

John took Lucy’s hand and held it in his own. “Lucy, you need to tell Caro who you are,” he said, hoping to force Lucy to reveal her identity.

“No, John!” Lucy protested.

“You know you need to. I’m going to have to tell my parents, too.”

Ignoring him, Lucy held out her arms for her baby. “Can I hold her?”

Caroline handed the tiny infant to her mother. “I need to know her name, Lucy.”

“Oh, I want to name her after my grandmother. Emma.”

“That’s a lovely name. Now, what’s her last name?”

Keeping her head down, Lucy said, “Horton.”

“All right. Do you have a middle name?”

“I think Lynn. Emma Lynn Horton.”

“That’s lovely.”

John wasn’t satisfied. “Tell her, Lucy!

“No!”

“You must. For Emma’s sake.”

Caroline remained silent, but he could feel her eyes on him.

“You must,” John prompted Lucy again. “Tell her why I said you were family.”

Finally, Lucy raised her head and looked at Caroline. “I’m Harry Gowan’s sister.”

Chapter Three

“You’re Harry’s sister?” Caro seemed pleasantly surprised. “How did you come to know John?”

“I didn’t know him till yesterday. But he’s been so very kind to me. I’ll never be able to thank him adequately.” She looked at John, gratitude in her eyes. “I was alone and scared and he made me feel safe. He even convinced me he could deliver my baby.”

Caroline stared at John. “Oh, really?”

“I was just trying to reassure her. I’m not challenging your skills, Caroline. You know that. But we were both stranded on the road last night, and all we could hope for was a car to stop by so we could get a ride into town.”

“But I don’t understand how you got together. Did you—”

“I’ll tell you later. I think Lucy should get some sleep.”

“All right,” Caroline agreed. She knew Lucy was exhausted. “Let me take the baby. I’ll put her in a bassinet.”

“Thank you,” Lucy said.

As Caro exited with Emma, John told her, “I’ll stay with Lucy until she falls asleep. Then I’ll go talk to my parents.”

“Are you going to leave then, John?” Lucy asked.

He heard the fear in her voice, and he said, “No, I won’t leave you, Lucy. My parents are waiting here. I’ll just visit them for a little bit while you sleep.”

“I know I’m being a baby about you staying. I promise I’ll get stronger, but right now I can’t quite be brave.”

“You don’t have to. I’m here.” He took her hand in his and insisted she go to sleep. After several minutes, he slipped his hand away and waited to see if she would wake up. When she didn’t, he left the room. In the hallway, he found a nurse. “I’m going to the waiting room to talk to my parents. Let me know if she wakes up.”

“Okay. Do you want to take the baby to show them?”

“Can I do that?”

“Caro said you could.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

John figured his parents would like to see the baby. His mother would be excited about the tiny infant, and his father’s protective urge would be aroused.

Besides, he liked holding Emma.

When he reached the waiting room, he saw his parents sitting quietly. He stepped into the room, holding Emma, and his parents jumped to their feet. He couldn’t help the proud smile he wore. “I want to introduce you to Emma,” he said, pulling the blanket back a little.

“Oh! Let me hold her,” Camille Randall said.

He immediately handed the baby to her. He and his father crowded around. It was amazing to him that his parents didn’t demand an explanation. But he would give them one anyway. “I’m not the father.”

Griff Randall looked at him sharply. “Then who is?”

“A man named Cecil. The important person of the two who created this baby is the mother.”

“Who is she?”

“She’s Harry’s sister.”

“What?” Camille said. She appeared stunned.

“I said she’s Harry’s sister.”

“But how did you know her?” his father asked.

John replayed the past twelve hours for his parents. “She’s scared and doesn’t know what to do. Her husband beat her, hoping to provoke a miscarriage.”

Horrified, his parents stared at the infant in Camille’s arms.

“Oh, no!” Camille said, holding the baby closer.

“We’ll protect her and her child, of course,” Griff said.

John realized how wonderful his parents were. He felt sure they would’ve said the same thing if Lucy wasn’t Harry’s sister, but he was glad there was a family connection.

“I know I’m supposed to be running the ranch, Dad, but could you fill in for a day or two? Lucy feels alone right now. I can give her some assurance that she and her baby are safe.”

“I’m sure Harry would appreciate that, John,” Griff said. “I can take care of the ranch for a few days.”

“Thanks, Dad. And, Mom, I told Lucy she and the baby could come to the ranch at least until Harry got back.”

“Well, of course they can. She can take your sister’s old room and the baby can go in the one next door. It’ll be perfect. I’ll get started fixing it up this afternoon.”

“Don’t go to extremes, Mom. I don’t think Emma will know the difference and Lucy will just be grateful to be safe.”

“No, I won’t. I bet she hasn’t gotten any baby things for Emma. She likely wouldn’t since she was on the run. I can make those arrangements, too.”

“All right, but don’t overwhelm her. She’s not used to a family like ours.”

“Oh, no, just the necessities for this little darling.” Camille looked down at the baby sleeping in her arms. “She’s almost like my own grandbaby. What about Lucy’s parents?”

“Harry told me they got divorced a long time ago. Lucy didn’t mention either of them.”

“Then we’ll be this little girl’s grandparents, at least for a little while.”

“Let me hold her a minute,” Griff said, reaching for the pink bundle. He peeled back the blanket to get a good look at her. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

“Yeah,” John agreed. “Caro says if she holds her own, she can go home with Lucy.”

“How much did she weigh?” Camille asked.

“Six pounds one ounce.”

“Oh, yes, she’ll need to grow a little.” She cooed at the baby, “Listen, little Emma, you drink all your milk so you’ll weigh a little more. Then you can come home with your mommy.”

“You think she heard you, Mom?”

“You never know, John. Babies understand a lot more than we might think.”

“Okay, I’d better take her back to her mother, in case Lucy wakes up and thinks her baby is missing. I’m not sure when I’ll be home, Dad. Thanks for taking over for me.”

“No problem. We’ll call it family leave.”

John was smiling as he carried Emma back to her bassinet. She stretched in his arms, as if she was trying to grow. “Not too fast, Emma. You need to be a baby for a little longer. That way you can have lots of cuddling.”

When he reached the room, Lucy was asleep and he settled Emma in her own small bed to sleep alongside her mother.

When he came out of Lucy’s room, Caroline caught him. “Mike wants to talk to you. He said he could come here if that would help.”

“Yeah, it would. Shall I call him?”

“I’ll let him know.”

“Okay, I’ll be in the waiting room.”

After letting Lucy’s nurse know where he’d be, he settled on one of the sofas in the waiting room, glad his parents had gone home. At least now they knew he hadn’t brought a woman pregnant with his child to the hospital as a surprise. But he almost wished Lucy was his woman. She seemed so gentle and caring and…lost. He felt a need to be responsible for her.

Mike walked into the waiting room. He must’ve driven down to get there this fast.

“Did that old man talk to you?”

Mike came to an abrupt halt. “Did you have something to do with that?”

“He’s the one who brought us to town.”

“I didn’t know that. But I wanted to talk to you about the woman you brought in.”

“Didn’t Caro tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“Who she is. She’s Harry’s sister.”

Mike stared at him blankly. “You’re kidding.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Did you ask her for proof?”

“No, I didn’t. I’m not a lawman.”

“Damn it, John, you can’t just take her word for it.”

“Do you know her married name? I don’t. Well, I do now, but I didn’t then.”

“Maybe her driver’s license has her maiden name on it. A lot of women do that, for some reason.”

“Do you want me to go get her purse? I know where it is. I’ll be back in a minute.” John felt kind of bad about getting Lucy’s wallet while she was sleeping, but Mike had to see the proof.

When he came out, Caroline was talking with her husband.

“Why didn’t you tell me she’d been beaten, John?”

“Hell, you wouldn’t even believe who she is without proof. I figured we should prove her identity to you before we discussed what she’d been through.”

“Caro just told me about her bruises.”

“Yeah, and I took her by the shoulders and she winced. She said she was bruised there, too. When I told her to take off her coat so I could see, she said he didn’t hit her where other people could see.”

“Sounds like a pro.”

“She said he only hit her one other time, and he apologized and told her it wouldn’t happen again.”

“Did she say why he beat her this time?”

“She said he didn’t want the baby…and then she broke down in sobs.”

“Poor thing,” Caroline said. “Being pregnant is hard enough when both of you want the baby. When one of you doesn’t, it’s nearly unbearable. To have him try to destroy her baby is inhuman.”

Mike Davis put his arm around his wife. They’d been thrilled with both their children, but Mike knew she felt a lot of sympathy toward women who suffered at the hands of their husbands.

“What’s she going to do?” Caroline asked.

“I talked to Mom and Dad and they’re willing to welcome her to our house. Mom was planning what she would do to make them happy.”

“And she agreed to do that?”

“I haven’t actually talked to her about it. She thinks she should go away where her husband won’t find her. But she doesn’t know where to go. That’s why she was calling Harry. But he didn’t answer.”

“No, he’s on vacation, but I think he’d want us to help her. We could take her if you can’t,” Mike said.

John grinned. “Mom would never forgive me if she got away.”

“You do realize her husband might come after her.”

“Yeah. If he does, we’ll call you, Mike, but Dad and I will be ready.”

“Good. The MO of these kind of men is to keep hitting their wives. They don’t stop at two beatings. I’m glad she got out.”

“Me, too.”

“When you talk to Harry, tell him we’ve got the situation covered.”

“I will, Mike. He’ll know he can rely on both of us. And Mom is so excited. She’s looking forward to having a baby in the house again.”

“Are you going to stay available until she settles down? She seems to need reassurance for a while,” Caroline said.

“Yeah, I’m going to stay here until she’s okay with everything. I may stay until she can leave. Dad has offered to handle any problems with the ranch until I bring her and the baby home.”

“I just want to warn you, John, that her emotions will be all over the place. It happens after childbirth.” Caroline studied him and John dropped his gaze.

“I’m just offering protection, like Harry would want me to do.”

Mike clapped him on his back. “All right, we’ve got everything squared away for now. When she’s doing better, we’ll ask her if she’ll file charges.”

When he left, John went back to Lucy’s room, wondering if either of the ladies he was in charge of would be awake. A nurse was changing Emma’s diaper and he asked if the baby had woken up.

“Yes, we had the intercom on so she wouldn’t wake up her mother. She’s going to take a bottle.”

“Can I feed it to her?”

“Sure. You’ll have to coax her to eat but usually babies catch on pretty quickly. I’ll wait and see if she does.”

“Great.” He slid his hand beneath the baby and lifted her against his chest. “Hey, little girl, you get a bottle so you can grow. Will you be a good girl and eat it all?”

With blue eyes like her mother the baby stared at him as if he were saying something important.

The nurse handed John the bottle and he tried to insert the nipple in Emma’s mouth. After a moment, he succeeded. When she chewed down on the nipple, she realized she would get a reward.

Suddenly, John didn’t have any more trouble. Little Emma greedily sucked the bottle dry.

The nurse, who had waited to see how John would do, told him to burp Emma on his shoulder. He put the baby on his shoulder and patted her back as the nurse instructed.

When he did, Emma let out a most unladylike burp. He stared down at her. “Was that you, Emma? My, you did that well.”

The nurse laughed. “That happens with some babies. She did just fine. Now put her back in her bassinet and she’ll go to sleep.”

“She will?”

The nurse nodded.

He gently laid the baby back in her bed. She squirmed and wiggled several times and then went to sleep.

“You did a good job,” the nurse said.

“Thanks.”

After she left, he eased down in the soft chair beside the bed and leaned his head back, suddenly tired. It was more comfortable than the truck last night. But now he didn’t get to hold Lucy.

LUCY STRUGGLED TO WAKE UP. It seemed there was something she should do, but she couldn’t remember what. She put her hand on her stomach to make sure the baby was okay.

Her eyes popped open. Her womb didn’t feel as though her baby was there. She sat up, breathing hard. What had happened?

Then she remembered she’d had the baby, her little girl, and everything was all right.

She saw the baby sleeping in a little bassinet. She leaned back in her bed. Then she looked to the right and saw John asleep in the chair beside her bed.

He’d stayed.

He’d promised he would. But she didn’t know if he’d keep his word. Now she knew he had. She rested against her pillow, studying him. He was a handsome man. But more important than that, he’d taken care of her, protected her and given her hope that she might be safe. She knew that that wasn’t true, but for a short time he’d given her something she desperately needed.

What should she do now? She knew she shouldn’t stay in one place for long. Cecil could find her. And he knew where Harry lived.

John had said Harry wouldn’t return for six weeks, which meant she was on her own. As much as she had relied on John, she couldn’t any longer.

She decided her first chore was to get up and go to the bathroom. Sitting on the side of her bed, she gathered her courage and put her feet to the floor. When she stood, she almost fell, grabbing the side of the bed.

“This is harder than it looked,” she muttered to herself. It wasn’t that far to her initial goal. Forcing herself to move, she tottered to the bathroom, grabbing anything to give herself balance. The return trip wasn’t much better. She collapsed on the bed, relieved as she settled back on the pillows. Recovery was important, she knew, but she wanted to rest a bit before she tried to get up again.

“Lucy? Are you all right?” John asked, surprising her.

“Yes, I just made the trip to the bathroom. But I didn’t intend to wake you up.”

“I was just napping, waiting for you to wake up. I fed Emma a bottle earlier. She did a good job.”

“I hope I get to feed her the next one. I haven’t done that yet.”

“You will, Lucy. I took her to show to my parents, also. They fell in love with little Emma.”

“That’s very nice of them.”

“Mom has it all arranged. She’s giving you my sister’s old room and there’s a little room next door for Emma.”

“No! No, John, I can’t move in with your family. It would be too dangerous. M-My husband may come after me.”

“I know that, Lucy. My dad and I will protect you, and Mike—the sheriff—came down to the hospital to assure you of his protection, too. You’ll be safe with us.”

“I can’t do that, John. You’ve given me so much support when I needed it, but I can’t continue to rely on you.”

“What do you think you’re going to do? Go back on the road? Your car won’t work without a new radiator, and Emma is too little to be out on the road. You can’t recover that quickly, either.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do, but…I couldn’t live with myself if I brought trouble on your head.”

“You don’t know the trouble you’ll cause if you take Emma away from my mother.” John grinned at her. “She’s been wanting a grandbaby so badly. They thought I’d hidden my girlfriend’s pregnancy until today.”

“Oh, no! John, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to cause you so much trouble.”

“Lucy,” he said, standing and moving to the bed so he could touch her. “Calm down. Mom and Dad weren’t upset. Well, they might have been upset for keeping such a thing secret, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t welcome my baby or her mother, if that were true.”

“But surely they were disappointed in you.”

“No, they’re not that way. And they’re happy to welcome you and Emma into the family. Like I said, Mom’s rearranging so you’ll be welcome.”

“John, I can’t stay here. I think my husband will come after me. I don’t want you to suffer because you took pity on me.”

“You’re not thinking clearly. You can’t run all your life. That would be terrible for Emma. Stand and fight now, where you’ve got support. It’s the only way.”

“I’m not sure.”

“It’s what Harry would tell you. He’ll be back in six weeks. Don’t run away before he returns, Lucy. Surely you can stay that long.”

The nurse walked in then with two lunch trays and put them on Lucy’s table. “Here’s your tray, too, John.”

“Thanks, Heidi,” John said.

Lucy looked at him after the nurse went back out. “Why do you get a tray? I mean, I think it’s great but I’ve never been in a hospital like this one.”

“Yeah, I told you everyone’s great in Rawhide.” He lifted the cover and took a sniff. “Mmm, we’re eating well today. Fried chicken from the café.”

“You mean a café provides the meals?”

“That’s right. Eat all your food so you can gain some weight. You need to get stronger.”

“I will. It’s so nice to have someone make my meals. If I were home, I wouldn’t get any food unless I prepared it.”

“Don’t worry. Mom will take good care of you.”

“No! I’ll cook and clean for her. If I go there, I can do things to make life easier for her.”

John smiled at Lucy. “Whatever you can get her to let you do is fine, Lucy, but your first job is to take care of Emma. And share her a little with my mom and dad.”

“Of course, if they want to see her,” Lucy said, sounding unsure of that.

John sighed. “Weren’t you listening to me, Lucy? They’re so excited to have a baby in the house. It’s going to be just fine.”

Lucy still worried.

“Eat your dinner before it gets cold,” John said, handing her a chicken leg.

She took his advice, knowing she needed to get her strength back. But, she wondered, when the time came, could she stay and fight?

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