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Ted turned toward him, and all four of his dogs started streaking toward Luke and Hannah. A moment later, Ted broke into a run too. He arrived out of breath, but able to ask, “What happened?’
“She went into labor,” Luke said his voice right on the edge of panic.
“We’re taking her to his truck,” Slate said, holding up his phone. “The ambulance is on the way.” He put the phone back to his ear in time to hear the woman say, “Six minutes away, sir.”
“They’re only six minutes away, Luke,” he called up to his friend. He looked at Ted. “Call and text everyone. We just found her out in the field like that. Ursula was having a fit.”
Slate had no idea what he’d do if he were in Luke’s boots. Probably pick up his wife and get her to the hospital too. He loved Jill with his whole soul, especially after watching her go through childbirth.
She’d given him a daughter of his own, and Slate hadn’t known how wide his heart could expand. He did now, as he felt more love for his wife and his baby girl every single day.
Jill’s labor had been normal, with her first contraction almost like a gas pain, she’d said. He’d still taken her to the hospital, where they’d sent her home. Two weeks of that until her contractions became severe enough to have the baby.
They’d named her Savannah Sabrina after her mother, who had been the first to hold the baby after Jill and Slate.
Jill was already talking about having another baby, and Slate would do whatever she wanted, because he now knew his heart could simply grow bigger with each addition to his life.
That feeling manifested itself again as he took in Hannah’s face. He loved her too, albeit on a non-romantic scale. She’d been a good friend to Jill and Slate, and she was always willing to babysit or help out with whatever they needed.
She’d been mothering everyone on the ranch for years, and Slate had no doubt she’d be an excellent mother to this baby.
“Nate and Ginger are on the way,” Ted said. “Jill and Emma are coming in from the festival site. Sabrina and Harold are here. Basically, everyone’s on their way.”
Luke groaned and said, “Teddy, I need help.”
Ted dashed forward to help Luke open the door, and together, they got Hannah into the back seat of his truck. Luke turned around, his eyes as wide as beach balls. He had blood on his shirt, and he looked like he might fall down too.
“Move over, Ursula,” Ted said, and he stepped right in front of Luke and grabbed onto him. Slate crowded in close too, his own desperation growing and growing
“It’s going to be fine,” Ted said. “The ambulance is almost here, and she’s breathing. She’s just passed out. It’s going to be okay.”
“Should we try to wake her up?” Slate asked, both the emergency operator and his friends.
“If you want to,” the operator said. “Don’t shake her.”
More footsteps came running, and Nate arrived, glancing around at everyone.
“They said we can try to wake her,” Slate said. “But don’t shake her.”
Luke turned toward Nate and the two exchanged a nod. Nate went around to the other side of the truck and opened the door on that side. Luke turned back to his wife, and said, “Hannah, baby. Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?”
“Come on, now, Hannah,” Nate drawled. “You’re going to have your baby today, and you won’t want to miss seein’ him for the first time.”
Luke said something else, but Slate was distracted by Ginger’s arrival as well as the operator saying, “Two minutes, sir.”
“Two minutes,” he parroted.
Ginger straightened and got in the front seat of the truck. “Hannah,” she said. “It’s Ginger. Remember how you helped me stay calm when I went into labor? Guess who was right there to help you today? Ursula. Can you wake up and tell her what a good job she did?”
Ursula barked, and Slate flinched away from the volume of it.
“How is she?” Dallas asked, stepping next to Slate. “Jess is freaking out,” he added quietly. “She’s on her way in right now, but she’s at least ten minutes out.”
The wail of a siren filled the air, but right below that came a groan.
Hannah’s groan.
* * *
