A Marriage Made in Texas (The Brothers Kincaid) (3 page)

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

It dawned on him that this wasn’t the woman he remembered from five years ago. Then she’d been a little tentative, a little unsure of herself. Still reeling from her divorce. But in the five years since, she’d changed. Which shouldn’t surprise him. After all, he’d changed, too. A very strong, confident woman stood before him today. He had to admit she intrigued him as much as, or more than, the woman he remembered.

But he’d bet one thing hadn’t changed. Those lips would taste every bit as sweet now as they had at his brother’s wedding.

She must have seen the speculation in his gaze. Her smile turned saucy, and just a little bit wicked. Those slick, red lips pursed invitingly. Then she turned and sauntered from the room. He’d also make a bet she knew he watched her go. Man, when had she become so dangerous?

Her cell phone rang before she reached the door. After fishing it out of her purse, she glanced at it and then answered. “Cat?” She was silent a moment,
then said, “Well, hello to you, too.” She frowned as she listened, then handed the phone to Jay. “It’s Mark.”

He took it. “Mark, what’s up?”

“Cat’s in labor. Can you come over?”

“Are you sure? She’s five weeks early. Could be Braxton—”

Mark interrupted. “Her water broke. It’s for real. The contractions are coming real close together. She doesn’t think we have time to drive her to the hospital. And the ambulance is at least forty minutes away. Maybe more.”

“I’m on my way.”

G
AIL HAD NEVER SEEN
Jay at work. He’d always been on vacation when he visited, and no emergencies had ever come up. She found the transformation from teasing companion to compassionate physician fascinating. She just wished the transition hadn’t come about because her sister was in premature labor.

While she drove, she heard snatches of Jay’s end of the conversation, spoken calmly and soothingly. After a few questions, he gave Mark some detailed instructions, then said, “Probably a good thing Max is with Cat’s mother, but be sure to put up Buddy. You don’t need a parrot in the mix.” He chuckled and added, “Yeah, boil some water and we’ll be there in a couple of minutes.” He hung up and held up a hand before Gail could start firing questions.

“Cat is fine, but she’s definitely in labor. She thinks it’s coming too quickly for Mark to drive her to the hospital.”

“Isn’t this way too early?” Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel and she shot him a glance. “What if something goes wrong? What if…”

Jay placed a hand over one of hers and squeezed gently. “Dates aren’t always correct. She might not
be as early as she thinks. Besides, Cat and Mark are going to need you to stay calm.” He smiled and added, “Especially Mark. He sounded a little frantic.”

Gail drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. He was right, but she couldn’t quite get a grip on herself. And she knew why. “I don’t usually panic, but I have a friend who delivered her son six weeks early.” She glanced at Jay and tried to force a smile. “I know it doesn’t always happen, but her son has a lot of health problems they say are directly related to his prematurity.”

He hesitated a moment before he spoke. “I wish I could tell you otherwise, but as you obviously know, sometimes premature birth is a problem. Most of the time, though, especially this late in the pregnancy, the baby is fine. But that’s one reason we’ve called the ambulance. Just to be safe.”

“So you don’t think I’m overreacting?”

“No, but I think it would be more productive if you focused on the positive.”

Gail nodded. “You’re right. I’ll try.”

“Good. Can I use your cell phone to check on the ambulance?”

“Sure.”

They were a block away from Cat’s when he hung up, frowning.

“Problems?” Gail asked.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “No, nothing to worry about.”

She pulled up in front and put the car in park. “The ambulance isn’t coming, is it?”

He hesitated, then shook his head. “It’s going to be a while. But don’t worry. And I don’t think we need to tell Mark and Cat yet. It could still get here in time.”

Gail didn’t think he believed it, but she let it pass. Mark had left the door unlocked and Jay entered with Gail right behind him. A blast of profanity hit her ears, so loud she winced. It took her a minute to realize it was her sister’s parrot, Buddy, unhappy at being banished to his cage.

“Cover the cage, Gail,” Jay said, on his way to the bedroom. “I think we can do without Buddy’s input.”

She found the cloth cover and dropped it over the large cage, muffling the bird’s invectives. A moment later she found everyone in the bedroom. Clothes were scattered everywhere, and all of the bedclothes except the single sheet covering the bed were piled high in the middle of the floor. A suitcase stood open beside the closet, with all manner of things thrown in haphazardly and overflowing the top.

Her sister was standing in the middle of the room in a pretty, soft pink nightgown, with Mark and Jay beside her, doing their best to get her into the bed.

“I haven’t finished packing,” Cat said. “And besides, I need my Lamaze stuff. I have to have my focus object.”

Mark’s hair was standing straight up in dark, tortured spikes. His eyes were wild with fear and con
cern, and at the moment, Gail realized with a grin, frustration.

“For God’s sake, Cat, who cares about a stupid focus object?” He patted her arm, tried to pull her toward the bed. “Just get into bed, sweetheart. Please?” he added desperately.

“I need something to focus on,” Cat insisted.

Since Mark looked ready to strangle either himself or his wife, Gail stepped into the fray. “I’ll get it, Cat. Let Mark and Jay help you into bed, okay? Where do you want me to put it?”

Cat started to speak, then doubled over in pain. “Bad…one,” she said, panting.

“That’s it,” Mark said, scooping her up and taking the few steps to the big bed. “Come on, honey, breathe.” He laid her down gently, then turned to his brother. “Do something! For God’s sake, don’t just stand there!”

“Calm down,” Jay said mildly. “Have you been timing the contractions?”

Mark rolled his eyes, but looked at his watch. “Three minutes.”

Jay frowned. “Looks like this is going to be a quick one. I’d better wash up. Did you find my bag, Mark?”

“Yeah. I put it in the bathroom,” Mark said.

“Good. I’ll be right back.” Jay glanced at Gail and jerked his head toward the bathroom.

After placing Cat’s focus object—a Play-Doh bird Max had made—on the dresser, and speaking a word of encouragement to Cat, Gail followed him.

He turned on the taps and began lathering the soap. “Unless the ambulance gets here soon—and the possibility of that is between slim and none—she’s going to deliver here.”

“Oh, man, she’s having another one!” Mark said from the other room. “Two minutes this time. Hurry up!”

“Coming,” Jay called. To Gail he said, “I need your help, because Mark is going to be busy with Cat. You okay with that?”

“I’ve had two babies and was with them when Max was born. I think I can handle it.”

“Great. I knew you could.” He flashed her a brilliant smile and reached for a towel, before pulling on a pair of thin latex gloves that lay on the counter beside his medical bag. “Let’s go deliver a baby.”

I
T WASN’T QUITE THAT SMOOTH
and easy, but almost. Gail brought the sterilized water, multiple towels, and the scissors into the room and settled down to do what she could to help. Mark got behind Cat and held her, soothing her, telling her to breathe, and laughing when she cursed him and said he wasn’t coming near her ever again.

Watching them together, Gail’s eyes stung. So different from her experience. Barry hadn’t showed up at the hospital until long after she delivered both girls. What would it be like to have children with a man who actually loved you? Why had she ever imagined Barry cared about her?

She shook off her melancholy thoughts. This was
her sister’s day. Sadness and regrets had no place here. She smiled as Cat alternately yelled at Mark and then apologized.

“The pains are coming awfully quickly,” she murmured to Jay.

He nodded, his expression calm and unemotional. “You’re dilated to ten centimeters. It won’t be long now.”

“Can I push?” she gasped out.

“Next contraction,” he promised. “This baby’s in a hurry to be born.” He looked at his brother. “Did you tell me you don’t know the sex?”

“Cat wouldn’t let them tell us. She wanted it to be a surprise.”

“I’m betting a boy, six pounds, two ounces.” Jay glanced up at Gail. “What do you say?”

“I think it’s a little girl.”

“We’re going to know real soon. The head is crowning. Mark, do you want to catch the baby? There’s another set of gloves in the bathroom. Can you get them for him, Gail?”

Mark leaned down and murmured something to Cat. When Gail returned with the gloves, she switched places with Mark. She patted Cat’s arm, then held her hand, wincing when Cat bore down. “Almost there.”

“Can’t—” she panted. “Hurts.”

“I know.” She squeezed her hand. “You’ll have her soon. Just a little more time.”

“The head’s coming out,” Mark said reverently.
“Look at all that hair. This is amazing. Unbelievable.”

“Yeah, it is. You didn’t catch Max?” Jay asked him.

“No, Cat had a death grip on me, so we figured the doctor should do it.”

Gail had never thought Mark and Jay looked much alike, with Jay being so fair and Mark so dark. But just now, with identical expressions of happiness, the resemblance was remarkable.

“Come on, Cat, you can do it,” she said, as Cat bore down again. Then she heard a cry, thin at first, but rapidly turning loud and indignant. Relief swept her.

“What is it?” Cat asked, trying to sit up.

Mark put the child in the waiting towel Jay held out. “It’s a girl.” Jay handed the baby back, and cuddling her, Mark smiled at his wife. “A beautiful little girl with her mother’s eyes.”

“She may even go six pounds,” Jay said. “She looks great, Cat. You did great.”

Mark laid the baby on Cat’s stomach, then leaned over to kiss Cat long and lovingly. Gail swallowed, blinking back tears of happiness.

“What are you going to name her?” Jay asked after a moment.

They both looked at the baby, and then at Jay. “Miranda,” Cat said softly. “After your sister.”

S
HE SHOULD BE HAPPY
, Gail thought as hung up the phone after a final call to family. Her new niece was
beautiful and healthy, her sister was fine, everything had worked out wonderfully. So why did she want nothing more than to have a good, hard cry?

Emotions. She pressed her hands to her eyes and willed herself not to cry. Fear, excitement, relief had all cascaded through her. Naturally, now the crisis had passed she felt a little let down. But hell, that wasn’t the problem and she knew it.

She wanted what Cat had. A faithful, loving husband, her children, a career she loved. And while Gail did have two out of the three, she’d never had anything resembling a faithful loving husband. A man who wanted to share his life with her, a man she could depend on.

Jay walked into the bedroom. “Are you going to the hospital right away?”

Gail shook her head. “I want to clean house for them first. I’m meeting the rest of the family there later. You go on, I’ll see you there.”

“Let me help you. There’s no reason for you to do it alone.”

Her smile grew more strained. “I work faster by myself. You go on. Really.”

“Is something wrong?” Concerned, he looked at her closely. “You look upset.”

“Of course nothing’s wrong. My sister just had a beautiful baby. Everything’s p-p-perfect,” she said, a sob choking on the last word. Horrified, she turned around. Unfortunately, now she stared into the mirror. She closed her eyes and prayed he’d go away.

No such luck. His hand dropped to her shoulder.
“Hey.” He squeezed it reassuringly. “Cat’s doing great. The baby’s going to be all right. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

She gave a strangled laugh and opened her eyes. If he knew what she was really thinking he’d think she was terrible. Tears welled, threatening to spill as she shook her head. “I know,” she managed to whisper.

“Come here.” Ignoring her protests, he turned her around and held her firmly in his arms, his hand going to her head to place it against his shoulder. “Go ahead. I’ve been cried on before.”

“I’m not crying,” she said after a moment, the words muffled by his shoulder. In fact, the desire to cry had left her the minute he took her in his arms. A frisson of sexual tension crept up her spine, as she remembered the last time he’d held her in his arms. And that time, he hadn’t been offering comfort.

Relax,
she told herself. You’re overreacting to a friendly hug. No big deal. “I’m okay.” She raised her head to look at him.

He searched her eyes, then smiled. “Yeah, you sure are.”

Tension hummed between them. Both of them knew he wasn’t referring to her emotions. “You can let me go now.” No, she hadn’t imagined it. The glint in his eyes told her comfort wasn’t all he offered.

“I could.” But he didn’t let her loose. He drew her closer.

Mesmerized, she watched his eyes darken to jade, his mouth come closer to hers. Could almost taste the kiss as his warm breath washed over her lips. Her
legs wobbled, her breasts tingled. And then, thank God, she remembered. She slapped a hand on his chest. “Don’t even think about it, buster.”

He blinked and looked confused. “Don’t think about kissing you? Why?”

She pulled away and crossed her arms over her chest. It infuriated her that a part of her desperately wanted to forget her pride and kiss him anyway. Her spine straightened. Pacing away a few steps, she turned back and nailed him with a hostile glare. “Gee, I don’t know, Jay. Maybe because the last time you kissed me I ended the evening feeling like the biggest loser on the planet.”

For a minute, he just looked at her.

Pleased, she saw that she had truly left him speechless. “What, no easy answer?”

He blew out a breath and shook his head. “Well, shit. I had a feeling you were ticked at me about that.”

She gave a humorless laugh. “Brilliant deduction. Yes, Jay, you could say I’m still ticked.” And humiliated.

“Gail, let me explain.” Man, talk about having murder in her eyes. He’d screwed this up, big time. “Why don’t we sit down.”

“There’s nowhere to sit in here,” she said, indicating the messy bed and the chair piled high with clothes. “So go ahead. And while you’re at it, explain how I managed to totally misread the situation. Did you or did you not come on to me from the first time I met you?”

There was no way to answer that except the truth. “Yes.”

“Wasn’t the entire weekend of Mark and Cat’s wedding a prelude to getting me into bed?” When he tried to speak, she held up her hand. “Because if all that flirting and kissing and dancing and romancing wasn’t intended to get me into bed, then I’m stupider than I thought.”

“I did want to take you to bed.” Still did, especially now as she vibrated with emotion. What would it be like if desire had caused that passion, rather than anger?

“Thanks for clearing that up. It makes perfect sense then, that you’d go home with me and then turn me down flat when I asked you to stay. I couldn’t figure out what had happened. What I’d done wrong.”

Her words made him wince. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” He hadn’t been at his smoothest that night, obviously. “I didn’t want you to…I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Why would you have hurt me? Are you that clumsy?”