Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)(110)

As the afternoon dragged out, and the contractions not any closer together, Jack gave Brie a heads-up when he saw her. “I have a feeling I might need some child-care assistance at the house,” he said. “If Paige needs Mel during the night, can you and Mike come out to my place, stay with the kids, so I can stay here with Christopher? When Mel’s working at Doc’s, I like to be close by.”

“Sure. How’s Paige doing?”

“Early labor. She’s been trying to rest to save her strength, but I think Preacher’s driving her crazy,” Jack said.

“Aw, he’s excited.”

“Excited doesn’t touch it.”

Jack was jotting all this down in a letter for Rick, between serving drinks and meals to his customers. He thought he was turning out a very humorous running commentary on Preacher’s nerves, Paige’s slow progress and growing annoyance with her husband. The dinner hour came and Preacher, who had never held frequent or long conversations with patrons, told everyone who came in that her pains were down to eight minutes apart.

Mel arrived, carrying Emma and holding David’s pudgy little hand as he toddled in the door. He spied Jack and said, “Da!”

When Jack saw her, his eyes grew warm. It hadn’t changed for him since the first day she’d walked into his bar. She was so damn beautiful, so sexy, even with a baby on her shoulder and a toddler in hand. And though she was still complaining about her figure since Emma was born, the jeans she was wearing sure didn’t look any larger to him—those jeans just set him on fire. He was pretty sure that when she was old and gray, he still wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her.

He walked around the bar and crouched for David. He put out his hands. “Come on, cowboy. Come to Dad.”

Mel let go of the hand and watched as Davie literally flew into his father’s arms. She laughed at his eagerness, his clumsiness, and her eyes glowed as he fell into his father’s arms. “So,” she said, “I heard someone’s trying to have a baby around here.”

“I hope you were able to get a little nap,” he said.

“I slept for a couple of hours. It was nice. Can you hang on to him so I can just look in on Paige?” she asked.

“Sure. Take your time.”

When Mel got to their quarters, she found Paige pacing back and forth. “How’s it going?” she asked.

“I’m trying to walk them down to five minutes,” she reported. “But I’m not moving very fast. It was like this with Christopher. A long early labor, all in my back.”

“That’s the way some women like to do it,” Mel said. “Are you uncomfortable?”

“Nah, not really. I can walk and talk through them. If they’re no different after dinner, I’m going to bed early and see if I can get a little sleep, but with John asking me every five minutes how I’m doing, that could be hard.”

She smiled. “Please, clear soup for dinner. Nothing heavy. Just on the off chance you get sick during delivery. That happens to some women during transition.”

“I had John make up some broth and Jell-O.”

“Good idea. May the Force be with you.” Mel laughed.

Sensing it could be a middle-of-the-night event, Mel got her children and herself settled early. At about ten o’clock she roused briefly as she felt her husband slip in beside her. She instinctively turned into his waiting arms, cuddling up against him. He slipped his big hand under the T-shirt she wore and she said, “You have to let me sleep. You know Preacher is going to get me up soon.”

“I’ll let you sleep,” he said, kissing her brow, pulling her close.

“Did you happen to get an update as you were closing the bar?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “We’re still at eight minutes. And Preacher is growing weak from the strain.”

She laughed in spite of herself. “God, this is going to be a fun one,” she said. “Now snuggle me close and put me to sleep.”

The call came at midnight. When she heard the phone ring, she rolled over and moaned. “I knew she was going to do this. Some women just aren’t happy unless they labor all night.” Jack lifted the phone and passed it to her. “Evening, Paige.”

“I’m sorry, Mel,” she said. “I’m at five to seven minutes now.”

“How do you feel?”

“Pretty good, but they’re getting nice and strong, lasting a minute.”

“Hmm. It sounds like I might have time to nurse Emma while I wait for Mike and Brie to come.”

“Sure,” Paige said. “I’ll meet you across the street in a half hour. How’s that?”

“It’s a date. If anything changes, call me. I can always rush and get there in ten minutes.”

They were in motion, the midwife and her partner. While she headed for the nursery, Jack called his sister and put fresh linens on the bed so the babysitters could crawl in and sleep. No reason for them to sit up all night. And while no one expected Jack to be up all night, it was his routine to be awake and available when Mel was delivering at Doc’s house. About thirty minutes later, they pulled up to the bar. They kissed goodbye and Mel went to Doc’s while Jack went into the bar, which was lit up like a church.

Preacher was pacing. “What took you so long?” he asked.