Orchard Valley Brides (15 page)

“I found something the other day. I'm sure Heather didn't mean for me to see it.”

“What was it?”

“A book. She had it tucked between the sofa cushions. It was one of those romance novels you women like so much. I tell you right now, it worries me.”

“Why?”

“Well, because I don't think it's a good idea for her to be filling her head with that sort of nonsense.” He muttered something else, but Sherry didn't catch it. Presumably he didn't think highly of romance.

“I'll discuss it with her if you want,” Sherry said. “Of course, I won't let her know you found the book.”

Cody stood. “I appreciate this, Miz…”

“Waterman. But please, call me Sherry.”

“Sherry,” he repeated. He held out his hand and she took it. Was it her imagination, or did he maintain contact a moment longer than necessary? Her gaze fell to their clasped hands, and he released her fingers as if he suddenly realized what he was doing. “It's been a pleasure.”

“Thank you. Do you want to bring Heather in to see me tomorrow afternoon, or would you rather I paid a visit to your ranch?”

“Could you? It'd be best if this conversation seems casual. If Heather ever found out I was talking to anyone about her, she'd be madder than a mule with a mouthful of bees.”

“I'll get directions from Mrs. Colson and be there shortly after lunch—say, one o'clock?”

“Great.”

Cody lingered at the door and appeared to be assessing her. “Are you thinking of sticking around Pepper?”

“I was hired last month. I wasn't scheduled to start work for another two weeks, but it seems I'm starting early.”

Sherry couldn't believe she'd said that. Until Cody Bailman had walked in the door, she'd been intent on demanding her two weeks. Now, she wasn't so sure.

“I'll see you tomorrow, then,” Cody said, grinning broadly.

“Tomorrow,” she agreed.

Still he stayed. “Might as well come by around lunchtime. The least I can do is feed you.”

With a slight nod of her head, she accepted his offhand invitation.

The phone on the desk rang, breaking the silence—and the spell that had apparently descended on both of them. Then the ring was cut off. Mrs. Colson must have picked it up.

As Cody was just about to leave, the receptionist burst through the door, a look of panic in her eyes. “That was Luke Johnson. Ellie's having labor pains, and he's scared to death he's gonna have to deliver that baby on his own. You'd better get over there quick as you can.”

“Where?” Sherry asked.

“Rattlesnake Ridge,” Cody said. “Come on.” He gripped her elbow. “I'll drive you. You'd never find it on your own.”

“R
attlesnake Ridge?” Sherry muttered under her breath as she hurried with Cody toward his pickup truck. He opened the passenger door and helped her inside. Although slender, Sherry wasn't the sort of female who generally required assistance, but her comparatively meager height—five foot five, as opposed to Cody's six-two—meant she needed help this time. The tires on his truck looked as if they belonged on a tanker trailer.

It was impossible to determine the color of the vehicle, and Sherry suspected it hadn't been washed since it'd been driven off the showroom floor. Maybe, she thought, the dirt helped the rust hold the thing together.

Once she situated herself inside the cab, Cody dashed around the front and leaped in. His door made a cranking sound when he opened and closed it. He shoved the key into the ignition and the engine roared to life. She immediately noticed all the papers clipped to the dash; it looked as if he stored most of his paperwork there. She couldn't suppress a smile at his fingertip filing system.

“I'll need some things from my car,” she told him. “It's parked over by the café.” Cody stopped on Main Street, directly in front of her PT Cruiser and answered her unasked question.

“It's the only car I didn't recognize,” he said as he opened the door and jumped down, then came around to give her a hand.

By the time Sherry was back in the pickup and fumbling with her seat belt, they were racing out of town.

Over the past few years Norah had written her long e-mails about life in Texas. One thing she'd said was that the men here were as unique as the trucks they drove. Sherry had been amused and intrigued enough to move here herself. She was beginning to understand what Norah had meant about the men.

“I wish I'd talked to Luke myself,” Cody said. He glanced at Sherry as if she was somehow to blame for his friend's discomfort. “That man's so crazy about Ellie he'd lose his head completely if anything ever happened to her.”

Sherry grinned. “Isn't that how a man
should
feel about his wife?”

Cody didn't answer right away. “Some men with some women, I suppose,” he said a moment later.

Not wanting to discuss what he'd said or what it might imply, Sherry changed the subject. “Are there really rattlesnakes out there on Rattlesnake Ridge?” she asked conversationally.

“In Texas we tend to call a spade a spade. We don't pretty up the truth, and the truth is there's rattlers on that ridge. You'll see it isn't named Buttercup Hill.”

“I see.” She swallowed hard. “Are snakes a problem around here?”

“You afraid of snakes?” His gaze left the road for a few seconds.

“Not particularly,” she said, trying to make her tone light. Norah hadn't said anything about snakes. “Tell me what you know about Ellie. Doc said she'd gone two weeks beyond her due date with the first pregnancy. Do you remember the baby's birth weight?”

Cody glanced at her again, his expression puzzled.

“If I'm going to be delivering this baby, any fact you can give me is helpful,” she said. “Is Ellie small and delicate?”

“I guess…”

Sherry could see that Cody wasn't going to provide much information. “What else can you tell me about her?”

“Well, she's real cute.”

“Young?”

“Mid-twenties. Luke wasn't interested in marriage until Ellie came to visit her grandparents a few years back. He took one look at her and he hasn't been the same since. I swear he walked around like a sick calf from the moment he met her.” Cody frowned before he continued, “Unfortunately, his condition hasn't improved. It's been a long while since I've seen a man as smitten as Luke.” He said this last part as if he had little patience with love or romance. “My bet is that Ellie's the calm one now.”

“Her first pregnancy was normal?”

“I think so. Don't know for sure.”

“Boy or girl?”

“Girl. Christina Lynn. Cute as a bug's ear, too.”

“Was she a big baby?”

“Not that I recall, but then I don't know much about that sort of thing.”

“How old is Christina Lynn?”

“She must be a year or so.” He paused. “Is that bad?”

“Why?” His question surprised her.

“Because you frowned.”

Sherry hadn't realized she had. “No, it's just that they didn't wait long before Ellie became pregnant again.”

“No, but if you want the truth, I don't think this one was planned any more than Christina Lynn was. Luke's besotted—that's the only word for it. Got his head in the clouds where Ellie's concerned.”

Sherry found that all rather endearing. She liked his terminology, too.
Smitten, besotted.
Here she was in her late twenties and no man had ever felt that way about her—nor she about any man. This was one of the reasons she'd decided to move out of Orchard Valley. If she stayed, she had the sinking feeling the rest of her life would have gone on just as it had been. She'd been content, but never excited. Busy, but bored. Liked, but not loved.

She'd lived her entire life in Orchard Valley, a small town where neighbors were friends and the sense of community was strong. It was one of the reasons Sherry had accepted the position in Pepper—another small town.

Norah had made the transition from Orchard Valley to Houston without difficulty, but Sherry wasn't sure she'd have done nearly as well. She didn't have a big-city mentality. But Norah's calls and e-mails about the Lone Star state had intrigued her, and if she was going to make a change, she couldn't see doing it by half measures. So she'd answered the agency's ad with a long letter and a detailed résumé. They phoned almost immediately, and she was hired so fast, without even a personal interview,
her head spun. She did learn from Dr. Colby Winston, Norah's brother-in-law, that her references had been checked and this eased her mind.

They'd been driving for about twenty minutes when Cody braked suddenly to turn off the main road and onto a rugged dirt-and-gravel one. Sherry pitched forward, and if not for the restraint of the seat belt, would have slammed against the dash.

“You all right?”

“Sure,” she said, a bit breathless. “How much farther?”

“Ten miles or so.”

Sherry groaned inwardly and forced a smile. Even if they'd been driving at normal speed, the road would have been a challenge. Her body jerked one way and another, and she had to grip the seat with both hands.

When at last Cody pulled into the ranch yard, the road smoothed out. He eased to a stop in front of a two-story white house, which to Sherry looked like a desert oasis, a welcoming refuge from the heat and barrenness. The windows were decorated with bright blue shutters, and brilliant red geraniums bloomed in the boxes out front. The wraparound porch was freshly painted. Sherry watched as the door swung open and a tall, rangy cowman barreled out and down the steps.

“What took you so long?” he hollered. “Ellie's in pain.”

Sherry was still fiddling with her seat belt when Cody opened the door for her. His hands fit snugly around her waist as he helped her down from the cab.

“Sherry, meet Luke,” Cody said.

“Where's Doc?” Luke demanded.

“Fishing,” Sherry explained, holding out her hand. “I'm Sherry Waterman and I—”

Luke's hand barely touched hers as his gaze moved accusingly to Cody, interrupting her introduction. “You brought some stranger out here for Ellie? Cody, this is my wife! You can't bring just anyone to—”

“I'm a midwife, as well as a physician assistant,” Sherry supplied. “I can do just about everything Dr. Lindsey does, including prescribe medication and deliver babies. Now, where's your wife?”

“Cody?” Luke looked at his friend uncertainly.

“Do you want to deliver Ellie's baby yourself?” Cody asked him.

Luke went visibly pale and shook his head mutely.

“That's what I thought.” Cody's hand cupped Sherry's elbow as he escorted her into the house. “You'll have to forgive Luke,” he whispered. “As I said earlier, he's been a bit…irrational ever since he met Ellie.”

The door led into the kitchen. A toddler was sitting in a high chair grinning happily and slamming a wooden spoon against the tray.

“Christina Lynn, I assume,” Sherry said.

The toddler's face broke into a wide smile. At least Luke's daughter seemed pleased to see her.

“Where's Ellie?” Sherry asked Luke.

“Upstairs. Hurry, please!” Luke strode swiftly toward the staircase.

Sherry followed, taking the stairs two at a time, Cody right behind her.

When Sherry reached the hallway, Luke led the way into the master bedroom. Ellie was braced against the headboard, her eyes closed, her teeth gnawing on her lower lip. Her hand massaged her swollen abdomen as she breathed deeply in and out.

Luke fell to his knees and took her free hand, kissing her knuckles fervently. “They're here. There's nothing to worry about now.”

Ellie acknowledged Sherry's and Cody's presence with an absent nod. Sherry waited until the contraction had ebbed before she asked, “How far apart are they?”

“Five minutes,” Ellie said. “They started hard, right after my water broke.”

“How long ago was that?”

“An hour or so.”

“I'd better check you, then.” Sherry set down her bag at the foot of the bed and removed a pair of surgical gloves.

“Cody?” Once again Luke pleaded for his friend's advice.

“Cody,” Ellie said, “kindly keep my big oaf of a husband entertained for a while.” She motioned toward the door. “Make him tend to Christina Lynn—she shouldn't be left alone. Whatever you do, keep him out of this room.”

“But, Ellie, you need me!” Luke protested.

“Not right now I don't, honey. Cody, please do as I say and keep Luke out of here.”

Cody virtually pushed Luke out of the room. After the pair had left, Ellie looked at Sherry. “Whoever you are, welcome. I'm delighted to see another woman.”

Sherry smiled. “Sherry Waterman. I'm new to Pepper. Doc was so excited by my arrival that he took off fishing. He said you weren't due for another couple of weeks.”

“I'm not, but then we miscalculated with Christina Lynn, too.”

“I'll wash my hands and be right back.” By the time Sherry returned, Ellie was in the middle of another con
traction. She waited until Ellie had relaxed, then adjusted her pillows to make her as comfortable as possible.

“How am I doing?” Ellie asked after the pain receded. Her brow was covered with a thin sheen of perspiration. She licked her dry lips.

“You're doing just great,” Sherry murmured, wiping Ellie's face with a wet rag.

“How much longer will it take?”

“A while,” Sherry said gently. “Maybe several hours.”

Ellie's shoulders sagged. “I was afraid of that.”

Twenty minutes later, Cody appeared after knocking lightly on the bedroom door. “How's everything going up here?”

“Fine,” Sherry told him. “Ellie's an excellent patient.”

“I wish I could say the same for Luke. Is there anything I can get you?”

“Pillows and a C.D. player.” At his frown, she explained, “Soothing music will help Ellie relax during the contractions. I have C.D.s with me.”

Cody nodded and smiled at Ellie. “Don't worry about Christina Lynn. She's in her crib and sound asleep. I phoned the ranch, and our housekeeper's staying with Heather, so everything's taken care of at my end.”

“Whatever you do, make sure Luke stays out of here,” Ellie said. “You'd think I was the only woman who ever had labor pains. He was a wreck when Christina Lynn was born. Doc Lindsey had to spend more time with him than with me.”

“I'll keep him in line,” Cody said, ducking out of the room.

Sherry remembered more than one birth where the father required full-time attention. It always touched her
to see that men could be so greatly affected by the birth of their children.

A couple of minutes later, Cody brought a small C.D. player and two plump pillows. Sherry arranged the pillows behind Ellie, then put in a C.D. of soft piano music.

“That's nice,” Ellie said, panting.

Sherry held her hand through a powerful contraction.

“Talk to me,” Ellie requested before the next one gripped her body.

Sherry described her introduction to the good people of Pepper. She told her about meeting Mayor Bowie and Doc Lindsey and Billy Bob. Ellie laughed, then as the pain came again, she rolled onto her side and Sherry massaged the tightness from the small of her back, all the while giving encouragement.

“I'm a transplant myself.” Ellie spoke when she could. “I was a college senior when I came here to visit my grandparents. They've lived in Pepper for as long as I can remember. I only intended to stay a few days, but then I met Luke. I swear he was the most pigheaded, most ill-behaved man I'd ever known. I told myself I didn't want anything to do with him. To be truthful, I had kind of a crush on Cody Bailman back then.”

“Obviously your opinion of Luke changed.”

“My sweet Luke. You've never seen anyone tougher on the outside and so gentle on the inside. I'll never forget the afternoon he proposed. I'd decided to drive home to Dallas—good grief, I'd spent two weeks longer than I'd originally intended. Luke didn't want me to leave, but I really didn't have any choice. I had a job waiting for me and was signed up for classes in the fall. Grandma sent me off with enough food to last a month.”

Sherry chuckled and waited for Ellie to breathe her way through the next contraction.

“I was five miles out of town when I saw this man on a horse galloping after me as if catching me was a matter of life or death. It was Luke.” She shook her head, remembering. “When I pulled over to the side of the road, he jumped off his horse, removed his gloves, then fell to one knee and proposed. I knew then and there I wasn't ever going to find a man who'd love me as much as Luke Johnson. Suddenly nothing mattered without him, not anymore. I know my parents were disappointed that I didn't finish college, but I'm happy and that's what counts.”