Rocky Mountain Haven (24 page)

Daniel laughed. “You two got something mixed up from what I remember in the text books.”

Jaxi turned to greet him, the edges of her smile tighter than usual. “Hey, you. Did I call you away from something important?”

He crossed the distance between them and wrapped her in a hug. “Nothing more important than this. Don’t you worry. I’m here for however long you need and whatever you need me for.”

The bulk of her belly pressed him, the pole got in the way, and for a second he wasn’t sure where and what he was supposed to touch or not touch. She ignored his discomfort and buried her face against his chest, close for a brief moment before releasing him. She lifted her chin, and he squeezed the fingers she’d slipped into his hand.

“Come on, Jaxi.” Beth moved past him to duck under Jaxi’s arm and urge her toward the door, the pole rolling along with them. “We can walk the hall for another lap before the doctor gets back to check you.”

Jaxi poked out her tongue. “Yes, ma’am. You’re a slave driver.”

“Of course I am. And since I’m supposed to distract you, I’d love you to tell me another story about the boys when they were growing up. Something embarrassing. Know any more?”

“How about the time Daniel got himself locked in the girls’ bathroom at school?”

Oh God. Having Jaxi as a sister-in-law was dangerous. She knew every story worth knowing, having been around for most of their lives. Of course, half the town had the same memories as well, so it wasn’t as if he had any deep, dark secrets to keep.

Beth blew him a kiss over her shoulder just before the women exited the room.

There was an extra chair in the corner, so Daniel dragged it over and sat in it backward. He rested his arms along the top rail and stared at Blake.

His brother’s eyes were closed.

Daniel snorted. “Glad you’re able to relax and take it easy at a time like this.”

“I’m feeling good enough to belt you into tomorrow if I want.”

“That’s nice. You up for watching your son or daughter arrive?”

“Oh, God.” Blake dragged himself upright, a tinge of green under his skin. “Daniel, this is killing me.”

“Jaxi seems to be doing well.”

“Yeah, except when I’m walking the hall with her, and she stops and does that weird breathing thing and her fingers dig into my arm so hard I know it’s got to hurt like the blazes. And suddenly there’s these white spots swirling in front of my eyes, and if you tell anyone I’m a wimp, I’ll never forgive you.”

He tried to wipe the smile from his face, he really did. “You’re going to have to threaten at least a half-dozen relatives to achieve silence on this one, one of them your wife. I don’t think you’ll have much luck there.”

Daniel offered his hand and Blake accepted it sheepishly, rising to his feet uneasily. “Thanks for the sympathy.”

He pushed Blake in the direction of the attached bathroom. “I feel for you. I do. Got to be nothing worse than having to watch someone you love hurting and not be able to do anything about it.”

“Damn right.” Blake splashed his face with water.

Daniel leaned on the wall and tried to remember the last time his brother had ever lost control like this. “But you’re going to stay and do whatever you need to, right?”

Blake stopped in the middle of patting his face dry and pulled the towel away to frown at Daniel. “Of course, I’m staying. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Only…” He took a big breath and spoke curtly. “If you notice me getting wobbly on my feet, poke me, hard. That should help.”

Permission to poke his brother. This got better and better. “No problem. I got you covered.”

The door swung open, and Blake hurried across the room to take over for Beth. He brushed a loose strand of hair off Jaxi’s face before kissing her tenderly.

Daniel got distracted by Beth making her way to his side. “What’s up?” he asked.

“She’s ‘feeling funny’ which is usually woman code for the next stage of the game. You ready?”

“I’ll be the one supporting Blake if needed.”

She planted a kiss on his cheek just before the room turned into a flurry of activity. The nurse arrived, then another, although not their cousin Tamara, and Jaxi reluctantly crawled on the bed. People checked her, the doctor slipped into the room. There was a lot more commotion and activity than Daniel expected. He watched everything with fascination until his big brother swayed on his feet.

Daniel rushed forward to sling an arm around him. “You okay?”

Blake’s face had gone totally white. “Yes. No.”

Jaxi slapped her husband on the arm and glared between panting breaths. “Blake Coleman, if you faint, I’ll never forgive you.”

Daniel laughed out loud. He couldn’t hold it in anymore.

A sharp jab in his side was enough to help him stifle his amusement, at least a little. Beth muttered, “You’re here to make sure he stays on his feet, not provide us with a laugh track.”

The nurse and doctor were in position, voices raised, not in anger but excitement. Daniel didn’t pay much attention to what they were saying, instead he alternated between watching the progress of the newest family member, and making sure Blake kept vertical.

The noises shifted from encouragement and hollering to the sturdy cry of a newborn, and a rush of something indescribable hit.

Blake shifted forward, and for one horrible second Daniel thought his brother had passed out. Thankfully, Blake was only moving into position to accept a squalling baby girl into his arms, the hugest grin pasted on his face.

“Well, damn. She’s beautiful.”

He leaned on the side of the bed, and Jaxi kissed him and their daughter before squeezing her eyes shut. “Oh boy, that was tough.”

“Get ready for round two,” the doctor warned. Blinking lights and monitors continued as he turned and spoke to the nurses. A flurry of activity followed even as Daniel choked to a stop, and Beth’s arms around his waist tightened in surprise.

“Round two?” Daniel gasped, confusion crowding in.

Blake turned and grinned, all traces of his squeamishness vanished. “You didn’t think I was freaking out over Jaxi having a baby, did you? She’s made me keep the twins a secret for the past four months, and I’ve been just about ready to burst.”

“You two are incredible.” Beth snuck past the action and kissed Jaxi’s cheek, wiping her forehead. “Only you, Jaxi.”

She smiled, more than a little tired. “Hey, a girl’s gotta have some fun. Figured the baby pool needed a kick in the teeth.”

It took awhile, but when things got moving, they went and did the last bit all over again, with an air of celebration as the second Coleman daughter arrived and proceeded to out-scream her sister.

Beth turned and hugged Daniel tight, hiding her tears from the room as the medical staff finished up all the things they needed to deal with. Daniel cradled her close, brushing her hair and soothing her the best he could without saying a word. It was a bit of heaven to have witnessed this miracle, and a shot of hell to know that he’d never experience the situation for himself.

The room finally quieted until just family remained. Jaxi met Daniel’s gaze, and she lifted one of the girls, the one swaddled tight in her arms. She raised a brow but didn’t say anything, and he wondered again how she figured things out without anyone telling her.

“Hey, you want a chance to hold the babies, or take off and let Jaxi and Blake have time to themselves?” Daniel wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Up to you. Don’t feel any need to rush.”

Beth’s smile was watery but real. “I’d love to hold them.”

They moved back to the bedside, and Jaxi handed over one bundle to Beth. She sat and stared at the little girl whose mouth was pulled into a perfect pucker.

Daniel turned toward Blake and laughed. His older brother looked shell-shocked and hopelessly in love at the same time. “You gonna let me have her for a few minutes?”

“What?” Blake peeled his gaze off the baby and shook himself alert. “Oh, right.”

He passed over the tiny bundle, stroking a finger over the newborn’s cheek before turning to Jaxi and hugging her, his mouth went close to her ear as they spoke quietly together.

Daniel carried his precious burden over to sit next to Beth. The warm bundle wiggled until he settled her tighter against him. “Shh. You’d better get used to being cuddled because there’s an awful lot of people who are going to want to love on you.”

To hold a newborn, sitting beside the woman he loved—Daniel sighed with happiness and regret. For the things he couldn’t change that were a part of his life, for the things he knew he could do something about. He turned from admiring the dark-haired beauty in his arms to make sure Beth was okay.

She was staring back. Her eyes were huge, tears hovering there. But it wasn’t pain or regret, but something rich and meaningful beyond his wildest dreams.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

He didn’t trust himself to speak. Just nodded. Reached out and draped an arm around her shoulders and pressed his lips to her forehead and kissed her.

Love had been born that day—and he didn’t begrudge his brother his good fortune one bit because there was too much love in his own heart. Daniel felt ready to burst with it.

It was time to let Beth know. To make sure she felt the same way about him. For them to be a family as well. Maybe not one by blood and birth, but one by choice. A choice that was as real as the babies resting in their arms.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“You got everything under control?” Daniel tapped Matt on the shoulder as he placed the steak platter beside him.

Matt shrugged. “It’s not rocket science. I have done this before, you know.”

His brother turned his back on the noise and celebrating coming from the yard, suddenly intent on scrubbing the racks of the barbecue to shiny clean. Daniel sighed then headed back to the house for the rest of the utensils.

Since Helen had taken off, Matt had been—well, not moping, but not the enthusiastic man Daniel was used to seeing. He’d tried digging to find out what exactly had happened, but Joel and Matt both refused to say anything except Helen was gone for good.

He didn’t need more details than the hurt he saw in Matt’s eyes. Helen would find a damn cold reception if she ever showed her face around Rocky again.

In the meantime, there were plenty of other things to distract him. Joel and Jesse were back from another semester of school, living in the basement rooms at his mom and dad’s. He and Matt had moved out. The Six Pack Ranch had invested in a couple of trailers to use for extra living quarters—it was one thing to have the room available in the big house but Matt had insisted, and Daniel had to agree, they were too old to be under their ma and dad’s roof anymore. And since none of them were rushing to push Beth and the boys out…

He swung to admire them. The kids ran in circles, screaming in wild delight as Jesse chased them with a super-powered water pistol. Joel filled water balloons to provide retaliation ammunition, and everywhere there was laughter and smiles. Blake carried one of the baby girls in a sling on his chest. Jaxi wore the other as the two of them sat and chatted quietly with the folks and Beth, all of them waiting for the meat to be done. Everywhere he looked he saw family.

Even Travis had made himself available for the annual family May Victoria Day picnic, although he looked a touch uncomfortable with the sudden increase in small people attending the party.

He snuck up to Daniel’s side. “I got your rides ready for you, if you’re still determined to do this.”

Daniel smacked him on the shoulder. “Idiot.”

Travis grinned. “Hey. Serious? I’m happy for you.”

They stood for a minute, Daniel looking his younger brother over. “I’ve been pretty lucky, haven’t I?”

“Like you’ve got horseshoes up your ass.”

A laugh burst out. “There you go. Now you just need to get yourself kicked and you too can be so fortunate.”

Travis shook his head. “No rush. I’m happy getting things settled around here with you taking over the shop. I certainly don’t need any rug rats tying me up or tying me down.”

“Your loss. But first I have to get her to actually agree to anything.”

“You don’t move very fast, do you?”

Daniel gave him the finger. They finished getting everything together for the meal, bringing out the food from the kitchen, hauling out drinks. Chaos of the best sort reigned for the next hour as dinner passed, the outdoor seating filled with squirming boys and family.

He snuck away as soon as he spotted dessert being served. He’d arranged for Beth to join him while the kids were distracted. It was a damn good thing Travis had already saddled their horses—it was scary how much his hands shook. Daniel patted Thunder and Ruffles, and considered his options again, coming to the same conclusion. Even if he felt like a total chickenshit, it was time.

He led the horses outside, tying the reins to the railing, ready to fetch Beth from the festivities. When he turned, she was already halfway down the path, a straw hat in her hand and pretty new boots on her feet.

“Damn, maybe you want to be a cowgirl instead of a teacher. You look mighty fine.”

“You sweet talker.” She kissed him so thoroughly he had to adjust himself before leading her around the gate.

“You’ve made this ride far more painful than it should be.”

“Me? Little innocent me?” Beth batted her lashes.

“Innocent. Bah.” He paused. “You sure you’re good riding?”

She nodded. “I’ve been doing my exercises, and I have been out with Marion a few times. As long as we’re not doing anything fancy, my leg can take it.”

He helped her mount before swinging himself up and leading them into the field. They followed the course of the creek to where it joined the river, the waters high with spring runoff. Laughter surrounded them as she told him the latest stories about her students, the final exam nerves hitting hard as the school year wound down. Their ride was easy and peaceful, and felt oh-so-right to be together.

“You happy to be teaching again next year?”

“Very. I like the school, and the kids on the whole were great. I think a couple more years will work fine. I don’t know that I want to be teaching when Lance hits my grade, but there’s enough time to worry about that later.”