A Fallow Heart (Tommy Creek #2)(37)

“Yeah, huh. So let’s beat feet to the hospital already.” Em waved frantically toward the exit.

“I’ll drive,” Bran announced, slurring as he tripped after his wife.

“Good,” she started, but pulled up short when she glanced at him and took in his glassy-eyed grin. “Oh my God. You’re drunk!”

He hiccupped. “No, no. Well, okay. Maybe a little.”

Em swung around to pin Cooper with an accusing frown. “How much beer did you let him have?”

“Why are you looking at me?” Coop sent her an incredulous blink.

“Because Dex knows my husband can’t handle his liquor!” Emma exploded. “How the hell is he supposed to drive us to the hospital if he’s drunk?”

Coop shook his head. “I don’t know. Why can’t you drive?”

“Because…” She flushed. “I want to sit in the back with Dex and Lexi. You know, to help her breathe. And stuff.”

He refrained from mentioning the woman probably knew how to breathe all on her own.

“Oh, dear Lord.” Jo Ellen sighed out her impatience and took control of the situation. “I’ll drive. We can come back later for my car. You two sit with Alexa.” After pointing to Dex and Em, she shifted a leery glance at the drunk. “And Branson can ride shotgun.”

Bran grinned. “Cool. I get shotgun.”

Coop gazed in awe as she gathered up her group like a hen tucking her chicks in around her. What was even more astounding was how they all followed her instruction without question or argument. Honestly, was it any wonder why he was so utterly fascinated by her?

He could envision her at her job, hosting parties, so eloquently and gracefully standing in the center of the room on a raised platform, pointing and assigning tasks with such ease her underlings actually felt honored to attend her. He felt honored simply standing in the same room as her, watching her in all her soft-spoken, yet authoritative glory

They’d nearly made it to the door when he remembered one small detail. “Wait!” he called, hurrying after them. When Jo Ellen paused and turned back to send him a questioning glance, he faltered a step, uncomfortable with her gaze on him, able to see any flaw he might project.

“Yes?” she asked calmly and patiently enough, though he could detect the impatience in her gaze.

He fumbled. “Uh, actually…I didn’t know if you were aware, but they built a new hospital about four years ago. It’s on the other side of town now.”

Jo Ellen’s lips parted as her cheeks paled. “No, I wasn’t aware.”

Behind her, Em muttered, “Shit. How’re we supposed to find a new hospital in the dark?”

With a sigh, Coop pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. “Just give me a minute to pay my tab. Then you can follow my truck and I’ll lead you straight there.”

Jo Ellen shifted in her fancy leather shoes, looking briefly undecided, before she smiled tightly. “That would be so kind of you, Cooper. Thank you.”





Chapter Eleven


Cooper settled himself on one side of the waiting room and eyed the three people sitting across from him. Eyes bloodshot, Bran sipped from a Styrofoam cup of coffee, attempting to sober up. Emma Leigh pressed a cell phone to her ear as she explained to her parents what was going on, while Jo Ellen phoned Dexter’s family to announce the impending early arrival.

It had been about two hours since they’d last seen Dexter and Alexa disappear into the ER. No one had been out to apprise them of any updates.

Leaning back in his uncomfortable chair, Coop stretched his legs out and rested his head against the wall. He tried not to remember the last time he’d been inside the same hospital as Jo Ellen, but it was the only thing he could think about. There’d been an unborn baby’s life involved then too. He could only hope Dex and Lexi’s kid had a more successful outcome than Jo Ellen’s.

God, he still felt like hell about that night.



* *



“You really don’t have to stay, Cooper.” Jerking at the voice near his elbow, eighteen-year-old Coop lifted his gaze to find Jo Ellen’s mother sitting beside him.

He expected both her parents to hate him right now. He’d just spent the last few hours trying to convince them he’d impregnated their daughter…so they’d let him marry her. But only a sad compassion lingered in Tara Rose Rawlings’s liquid grey eyes. She had the same nose and mouth as Jo Ellen. They shared the same shape of the jaw as well. Seeing so much of her, his hands began to quiver a little harder than they’d already been trembling.

Why hadn’t the doctor come out to tell them how she was doing yet?

With a fierce shake of his head, he huddled more deeply into the waiting room chair. “I’m fine.”

Tara Rose lingered next to him, studying him with her quiet watchful gaze. He refused to make eye contact again; he didn’t want her to see all the fear inside him. Despite how he’d offered for Jo Ellen’s hand out of a noble intentions, the truth remained, he wanted her…he wanted her any way he could get her. But if she lost the baby, there’d be no need for him to marry her.

His body shuddered with guilt since a part of him wanted the baby to live for his own selfish reasons.

“Thank you,” Tara Rose murmured, making him jolt in surprise.