The Reluctant Rancher (26 page)

“
About ten minutes apart?
”
He looked at her for confirmation.
 
She nodded her head without speaking.

“
What!
”
The three men shouted together
which drew
the other partygoer’s attention.
Jennifer just grinned and gave Mary an encouraging smile.

Luke shook his head in admonishment.
 
“
Why didn’t you tell me?
”

Mary hung her head
and
avoid
ed
the look of censure in her husband’s eyes.
 
“
I didn’t want to worry anyone.
”

Luke helped her to her feet.
 
”
You mean to tell me you’ve been in labor for the past several hours and didn’t think I needed to know?
”
His tone of voice promised they'd discuss this later.

“
Actually, I’ve been in labor at least eight hours,
”
she said, tossing her hair defiantly.

“Why
, you little minx,
”
he growled, his
expression a mixture of fear and exasperation.

“
I hate to break this up folks,
”
Logan
broke into their teasing banter.
“
B
ut we do need to get the mother-to-be to the hospital.
”

Once there, nurses whisked Mary away
and left
Luke pacing the waiting room with his grandfather.
 
As they prepared her for delivery, Mary remembered that night not so long ago when she lay alone in the narrow hospital bed, dreading moving away from Fiddler Creek.
 
It seemed like a lifetime ago.
Now Luke stood by her side, his love clearly written across his rugged features.

“
She’s ready now, Mr. Tanner.
”
 
When t
hey pressed a pair of green surgical scrubs into his hands
, h
e looked as though they’d handed him a snake
. “Luke.”

“
I’m here,
”
he hastened to reassure her.

Another contraction hit
.

“
Breathe, sweetheart, breathe.
”
 
His face contorted as if
 
he
 
shared
 
her pain.

Mary grimaced as the pain eased.
 
“
That’s easy for you to say, mister.
”

Luke smoothed the hair from her eyes.
 
“
I’d trade places with you in a minute, lady.
 
And you know it.
”

“
I know.
”

And she did.
 
No shadows lingered in her eyes.
 
During the last year they had forged a solid, lasting bond she knew would only grow stronger with time.
 
And love.
 
Always love.
 
The love they had for each other and now the love for their baby.
 
He had made her life complete.
 
But before she could tell him that, a
nother
nurse walked in.

“
We have to get you to delivery, Mary.
 
Come along, Mr. Tanner, you don’t want to miss the big event.
”

“
No, I don’t,
”
Luke grinned foolishly, his heart in his eyes for the entire world to see.
 
“
I’ve missed too much already.
”

One hour and fifteen minutes later, Luke introduced the newest member of his family, Joshua Adam
Tanner
, to his great-grandfather.