Stud Muffin (Donner Bakery #2) - Jiffy Kate Page 0,56
sweetie,” I tell her as calmly as possible, “I really don’t think that’s up to you. I’ll go call Cole and the hospital to let them know you’re on your way.”
A throat clears next to me. “Girls, is everything okay? I don’t want to be pushy, but everyone is waiting for your private conversation to end so Anna can finish opening her presents.” The Lord really is listening… He knows I needed my mama.
“Mama, her water broke… the shower is officially over.”
Thankfully, her alarmed expression morphs to one of calmness before she turns and begins addressing everyone. “Ladies, I’m afraid Anna will have to open her remaining gifts later. It appears as though Baby Cassidy will be joining us soon, so if you’ll please excuse us, we need to get to the hospital.”
A mild hysteria hits as the women jump into action, squealing in excitement and offering to help, just as Anna has her next contraction.
“Son of a bitch, that hurt!” Every eye in the room flies to Anna, bringing the room to an absolute halt. Anna doesn’t show any signs of embarrassment as she continues. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. You know this hurts… why didn’t any of you warn me about this?” Her question is followed up by an anguished cry and Anna Cassidy has officially lost all decorum.
Anna’s mother takes over by escorting her daughter outside to her car while I call Cole and tell him to meet us at the hospital. After the shock of Anna’s outburst wears off, the guests begin cleaning up the room and packing the gifts for me to take.
As I’m loading up the last gift bag into the truck, I see Mindy waddle out of the church and notice Asher’s truck parked in the front. When he hops out to help her in, I stand there, watching. I’m waiting for the longing to kick in… sadness, desire… but nothing.
When he looks my way, I give him a smile… not a friendly one or an I-miss-you smile, but a knowing smile. One that says I know… and you don’t win, because congratulations, Asher, you’re stuck with her for at least the next eighteen years.
I can see his jaw muscles tense before he gives me a fake smile and an awkward nod of his head as he rounds the truck and climbs inside. When they drive away, I swear I feel Mindy’s glare until they’ve turned out on the main highway.
On my way to the hospital, I think about calling Cage and letting him know Anna is in labor and I won’t be by for our Sunday kickboxing session, but I don’t have his phone number. So instead, I call the Pink Pony and leave a message for him with Floyd.
“There you are!” Cole says as he rounds the corner of the tiny hospital waiting room. “I thought you deserted me.” The look on his face is pure panic. His skin is a little pale, and there’s a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. He’s a mess.
“Are you okay?” Normally, Cole is the calm one, always having every situation under control.
“Uh, yeah. Anna’s a little, uh . . . How do I put this?” He paces back and forth as he rests his hands on his gun belt. “Well, she’s already threatened to kill me twice, and my balls have been threatened repeatedly. She’s so scary,” he whispers.
“It’s gonna be alright,” I tell him, putting an arm around his shoulder and pulling him into a two-person huddle. We’ve always been a team and that doesn’t stop today. “Here’s the game plan. You and I will take shifts. It’s gonna take a team effort, but I think we’ll make it, if we stick together.”
“Sounds good,” he agrees, looking relieved I’m not abandoning him in his time of need. “Thanks for being here.”
Unfortunately for us... and Anna, she labors long and hard for the remainder of the day, but between me and Cole, all she has to do is ask and it’s hers—water, ice chips, cold rags, her bible, a hand to hold, someone to yell at. The grandmas-to-be left to go to Anna and Cole’s house and wash all of the new baby clothes and make sure the nursery is ready for the baby.
Cowards.
Around midnight, Anna finally makes it to ten centimeters, and the doctor comes in to clear the room so she can start pushing. As I’m making my way out the door, Anna yells at me to come back.