Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“Nah.” Henry joined them. The goat he previously held was happily running around the barn now. “Those two won’t mind. Shane will find his way. That boy can make a home out of almost anything, and Bay has his art. He can create anywhere. Those boys know what they want. Don’t break their hearts and yours because you think it’s too soon to know. I’m the one who knows that. I cost us months and months because I didn’t think I could change. I’d already changed. I changed the minute I met Nell. I became a different person, but I fought it because I thought I owed other people. You don’t, Brooke. Not Stef or the town. Not your brothers. Yes, they sacrificed for you. Pay it forward. Help out others because once they helped you.”
“Love your niece and your nephews,” Lucy advised. “Come home when you can and be with your family. That’s all your brothers are ever going to want. I think that’s why Rye is so touchy right now. You’ve been gone a long time.”
She loved her family so much. What if she could have the best of both worlds? A career and her men, new places to see and worlds to design, and the comfort of knowing she could always come back here. To her physical home, where the door was always open and she was always wanted.
She’d been so wrong this morning. She absolutely should have yelled at Bay because his hands were far more valuable than the joy she got from Mark taking a punch to the face. But she should have hugged him and been kinder.
She was going to have to make up for that, but somehow she thought it would all be okay.
Nell gasped and stepped back. “Oh, shit. Oh, no. I said shit. I don’t know why I said that. I don’t curse.”
Lucy’s eyes had gone wide. “Because your water broke.”
Oh, shit. Brooke did curse and often. She took a deep breath. “Hey, Noah. We’re about to have way more than baby goats in here. Nell’s in active labor.”
Henry had gone pale. “Oh, no. She’s been having the pains for a couple of hours now. We need to get her into town.”
Nell clutched her husband. “I’m not due for another two weeks.”
Noah put his bag down and started for the barn door. “You’re fine, Nell. It’s always an estimate, and you’re well within a safe time to deliver. I’m more worried because your last delivery was a c-section.”
“Caleb said I could try,” Nell informed him. “Poppy was late, and she was too big for me to deliver naturally. He said this one might be okay.”
“I want you in the clinic no matter what.” Henry’s hands were shaking slightly.
“I’ll grab some towels and I’ll bring my SUV around.” Noah moved to the door, opening it. “Someone call Caleb and let him know we’re coming in. Lucy, monitor her contractions, please.”
“On it.” Lucy pulled a notepad out of her pocket and wrote down the time.
“What can I do?” Despite the craziness of the situation, Brooke felt so much relief.
It was going to be okay. Bay would be back soon and she would apologize and they would take her to bed and they would talk all of this out.
And she would get to meet another Bliss baby. She bet this kid would be as calm and peaceful as her sister.
Nell let out a long groan. “Oh, that was a rough one.”
Henry frowned. “How many have been rough ones?”
She shrugged. “A couple. Maybe the last hour or so. But I didn’t want to stop the lesson. We only have babysitting for another few hours.”
Brooke pulled her phone and started to dial the number for the clinic. “Who has Poppy? I’ll call them, too.”
“Laura has her. She’s playing with Sierra this afternoon.” Nell hissed as she tried to straighten up. “They’re having a tea party.”
“I’ll call her after I talk to Caleb,” Brooke said.
“Let’s get outside and wait for Noah.” Lucy ran back and grabbed Nell’s purse.
“I can drive her,” Henry offered.
Lucy’s head shook. “Nope. You are going to sit in the back and hold her hand and help me keep track of her vitals. You shouldn’t be driving while she’s in labor. Let Noah handle it.”
Henry nodded.
“This is the Bliss Clinic. Are you shot?”
The town was going to miss Naomi so much. “No one is shot, Doc. Nell’s in labor. We’re on our way in.”
Nothing. The line went dead. She wasn’t sure if he’d heard her or not.
She glanced down at her phone, ready to try to reconnect the call. No bars. But they’d put a tower fairly close so the major parts of the ranch had cellular coverage. Shane had told her if he was out in the far reaches of the ranch, coverage could come in and out, but it should always be available here.