Page 58 of Derecho

“Nah.” Jessie looked over her shoulder at me. “You saved yourself a lot of anxiety. But you should definitely read the front part about labor, because what a wild ride that is. And just be prepared for everything you plan for to go right out the window.”

“I don’t know.” Birdie smiled. “I think it all worked out perfectly. It was fun delivering Beckett on the ranch. We could do it again if we needed to. Right, Lainey?”

“Absolutely not. I’m heading to the hospital.” By myself. Shit, the thought made my heart hurt. Not that I would have been better off if Greg was there, but the way Lachlan held me the other night…that felt nice.

There was absolutely no way I’d ask him to go all the way to the hospital with me. I knew what that would cost him. And he’d try, I was sure of it…

“Well, I’d say that was a successful trip.” Violet smiled as she put the SUV into reverse. “What do you guys think?”

“Yeah,” Hayes sighed, “I think I met my wife.”

“What?” Birdie coughed.

“You are absolutely ridiculous.” Jessie laughed from the front seat. “You know nothing about that woman.”

I was so lost.

“What woman?”

“Had-ley,” Jessie said in a singsong voice, batting her lashes back at Hayes. “Honestly, Hayes. She wasn’t flirting with you. She’s just good at customer service.”

“She laughed at my joke, Jess. The same joke Dad told Ma on their first date. And she fits the pattern.”

“The pattern?” I asked.

“For the guys in the family. Jessie’s the only girl, so she’s an outlier and doesn’t count.”

“You’re an ass.” Jessie sighed.

Hayes continued, completely unfazed by his sister. “Daniel met Dolly. Colt has always loved Calliope⁠—”

Violet gasped. “Do NOT use that name again, Hayes. He loves me, and I’ve been Violet for a really long time.”

“Yeah, but that wasn’t your name when he fell in love with you. So I’m still right. It’s always been Beau and Birdie. And now Lachlan and Lainey, too.”

“What?!” I choked on my saliva, Birdie tapping on my back as Jessie handed back a bottle of water. “Your brother…it’s not…we’re not…he’s just helping me get back on my feet.”

Hayes stared at me, stone faced. “Right. Just so you know, no one in this car or on the ranch believes that except for you and Lach. And just like your sister and my other dumbass brother, you’ll both eventually realize I’m right. Anyway…I just met a beautiful woman named Hadley…and the convention stands.”

“God, I feel so bad for her already,” Jessie snorted as downtown Silver Springs disappeared from view.

But from the dreamy look on Hayes’s face as we passed the first pasture on our way back to the ranch, and the warm feeling in my own chest at the thought of getting home to Lach, I had a feeling he was onto something.

Lachlan

“We’re back!” Birdie announced as she walked into the house. Violet and Jessie filed in behind her, and then—finally—Lainey came in. She was carrying a small white box, smiling as her eyes found me.

“Perfect timing.” Beau wrapped his arm around Birdie, pulling her into his side.

“Where’s our berry girl?” Birdie asked.

“Down for her nap. Dad’s upstairs with her and Connor,” I answered. “They were great big helpers today.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Hawk and Beckett?” Jessie asked.

“He took Beckett back to your place about twenty minutes ago.”