One Night with a Cowboy - Sara Richardson Page 0,3

having any kind of contractions right now. Not for a few more months…

“I don’t need the clinic.” Jane stood and pushed him away. “It’s probably just Braxton—” She gasped again, and that was it. Enough messing around. Wes scooped her up into his arms and ran her to his truck in the parking lot. As carefully as possible he got her settled in the passenger’s seat and sprinted to the driver’s side. “Call your doctor.”

“I’m sure everything’s fine,” Jane said as he slid behind the wheel, but she was still breathing hard.

“We can’t take any chances.” Not with his niece or nephew. He shoved the keys into the ignition and gunned the engine. “Call your doc. We’ll get everything checked out to be safe.” It was either that or he was taking her to the closest emergency room.

“Fine,” Jane grumbled, but at least she took out her phone.

While he sped out of the parking lot and turned onto the main road, his sister explained the situation to the doctor.

“Okay. Sure. Sounds good. We can be there in about forty-five minutes.” She hung up and pocketed the phone. “We have to go to her clinic in Steamboat. She’ll meet us there.”

“Got it.” Wes made a quick left and maneuvered through town as fast as he dared, given the number of people out and about for the town’s annual Gold Rush Days. The weeklong festival was only just getting started with the rodeo kickoff, but the crowds had already come.

“Oh no.” Jane’s hands flew to her stomach again. She seemed to fold in on herself, her lips twisting with pain. “What’s happening?” She raised her head and peeked over at him. The fear in her eyes locked up his chest.

“I don’t know, but everything will be okay.” Panic gripped him by the throat. She couldn’t lose this baby. Their family had already lost too much. Images from his dad’s funeral flashed in front of him—the way he’d sat frozen in his chair during the graveside service, that final moment when the casket had been lowered into a hole in the ground. The back-bending grief came again, as heavy as it had been then.

He wouldn’t let his family endure another loss. Everything had to be okay. He took the exit to get on the highway that led out of town and increased his pressure on the gas pedal. Screw forty-five minutes. He’d have her there in twenty. “Maybe we should keep track of how far apart the contractions are.” Wasn’t that what you were supposed to do when someone was in labor?

“I can’t be in labor.” Jane raised her voice. “I can’t be! It’s too early! I’m only thirty weeks. The baby’s not big enough!”

“Okay. Shh. Everything’s fine.” He rested his hand on her shoulder but also glanced at the clock to note the time. “Maybe we should call Toby.”

“No.” Jane swung her head and shot down the idea with a glare. “He’s already worried enough. It has to be Braxton Hicks. It has to be.”

Growing up with one tough mother and sister, Wes knew when to argue and when to keep his mouth shut. He flicked on the radio, but the music didn’t take the edge off the adrenaline coursing through him. Nothing could happen to his sister. Or the baby. That was all there was to it. He had to make sure nothing bad happened to them.

“Ow. Ow, ow, ow, ow.” Jane’s whole body tensed again, flooding Wes with a sense of helplessness. He glanced at the clock. Only five minutes had passed since the last round of pain.

“It’s okay,” he murmured while his sister gasped and whimpered. “You’re okay.”

The rest of the drive went the same—with Jane writhing in pain every five to eight minutes while he tried to comfort her. Finally, Wes swung the truck into the empty parking lot outside the clinic. He ripped the keys out of the ignition and raced to the passenger’s side to help Jane out. Thankfully the waiting room wasn’t busy. The receptionist took one look at his sister and beckoned them both back. “I’ll get the doctor,” she said, leading them into a small room before hurrying off.

“I think I’m fine now.” Jane sat on the exam table while Wes paced.

He glanced at his watch. “The last one was ten minutes ago.” Not enough time to declare everything was fine, in his estimation.

Within a few more seconds, the door opened, and the doctor rushed in. “Jane.” She greeted his sister with a