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I need this handled before Lacey has my kid in her belly.
I pull the Jeep into its regular parking spot and help the ladies out before covering it back up. I shovel the walkway before going in. I’ve avoided it long enough, and my hands are frozen.
“Here we started a fire. Come get warm. I’ll get you some hot chocolate.” Lacey hands me a towel to dry the snow that collected on my shoulders and hat.
I hang it up and shrug out of my coat.
“This is why I keep my country ass in New Orleans. I’m not built for this.” They laugh at my grumblings.
“Dinner will be done in an hour or so. Hope you like steak.” I raise an eyebrow at Makayla.
“Is she serious?” I ask cause, honestly, I’m a third-generation cattle rancher.
“Oh, duh. Sorry, of course, you aren’t a vegan or anything. I didn’t want to assume.” She turns back into the kitchen, and I stare at Lacey.
“Well, you could be.” I snort.
“I ate what was put on my plate, and I didn’t complain or mama would send my red ass to be without supper. But seriously. Did she think I wear this hat as a fashion statement?” I’m starting to think Makayla only cares about herself and her needs.
Everyone else is just background to her. She ignores them until they become relevant to her agenda.
“How are your family? They must be getting so excited.” I smile at her subject change and the mention of them being involved in this process.
“Mama wants to know when she can come help.” Lacey laughs.
“Let’s get the two pink lines before she buys plane tickets.” Yeah, like that’ll happen.
“She’ll ride her horse here before she ever takes a plane.” The wind outside picks up, and the lights flicker.
“Fuck, you got a generator?” Lacey nodes.
“Outback. Gas is in the garage. I think we’ll be okay with the fireplace, though. This house holds heat.” I try to relax, and we end up having a pleasant evening.
Dinner tasted great, and the cake Makayla served was spectacular.
It’s almost six pm when my phone finally rings. I answer and frown when it crackles in my ear.
“Hello?” All I get is more static, and I frown at the screen.
BOOM!
The lights go out, and we all jump up to find out where the loud noise came from. I rush to the front door and pull it open. About a foot of snow falls onto my feet, and I see a huge tree tangled in power lines on the road in front of the house.
The transformer is on fire and sparking against the snow. It sizzles and disappears into the snow bank it landed in. I push as much of the snow as I can back outside as I close the door and then turn to the ladies.
“Well, ladies, it doesn’t seem this storm is gonna stop. We could just try this the natural way.” I spread my arms open to indicate the puddle I’m standing in when Lacey gasps.
Then what I said registers.
Fuck.
Makayla looks from the snow to the bag, then at Lacey, and finally at me. She nods and grabs the bag with the sample cup from the clinic, throwing it in the trash.
“Alright. At least this way, I’ll actually be involved in the baby-making.”
Come again?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
