“Michael, this isn’t… I mean, you don’t need to introduce me as if it’s forever.”
“Treat it as fun,” he told her. “Nothing more. Megan’s told them what’s happening. They all know what’s between us is not a real marriage.”
Did they? That wasn’t the way they greeted her. Jenny was met with warmth and welcome, and she grew quieter and quieter as the evening proceeded. And more worried. So many things were being assumed, even by Michael.
“You’re tired,” Michael said in concern at about eleven, and she nodded. Her back was hurting, with low stabbing pains, but Michael was more animated than she’d ever seen him. This was obviously an important night for Megan, to have all her family here, and Michael was having fun, too. She wouldn’t spoil it.
“I can sleep tomorrow,” she said.
“We can go home if you want.”
“Soon. Not yet.”
“It’s raining cats and dogs outside now,” Garrett said, coming up to them with Megan on his arm. “I’d wait until it eases before going anywhere. There’ll be roads flooded all over. Jenny, can I have this dance?”
“Who me, dance?” She managed a smile. “I need a partner with a pit instead of a stomach, to fit my big bump.”
“I’ll be your pit,” Michael said, elbowing Garrett out of the way. He smiled into her tired eyes. “One slow dance and then we’ll go home. One dance-just for us.”
“Michael…” Garrett made to object, but Michael shook his head.
“Sorry, Garrett,” Michael drawled, and drew his wife into his arms. “The lady’s taken.”
“HE LOVES HER,” Megan said in satisfaction as Michael led Jenny out to the dance floor. “Finally. After all these years he’s fallen for a woman who has a heart.”
“I just hope to hell she can learn to love him, too,” Garrett said slowly, watching his brother take Jenny and lead into the first few steps. “She’s had bad times in the past. There’s a sadness in her eyes.”
“Yes.” Megan’s brow creased thoughtfully. “She looks…”
And then she paused.
Because so had Jenny. She stopped dead on the dance floor, and her eyes flew wide in agonized surprise.
“Jenny!”
Michael’s exclamation of concern drowned out the sound of the soft piano as Jenny stumbled. His strong hands, already entwined around her waist, caught her as she sagged downward. “Jen?”
“Michael, I…”
“What is it?”
She gasped. Her knees had given way beneath her, and she would have sunk to the floor if he wasn’t holding her.
“Take-take me home, Michael,” she managed to say. “Or the hospital. Please. Oh, Michael, I think the baby’s coming.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE BABY definitely was coming. The pain in her back was a rolling, crippling cramp that enveloped every inch of her being. Michael could feel the spasms run through her body as he held her. She clung to him as if she was drowning, and the couples around them stopped dancing and stared in concern. Michael knelt with her as she doubled over, and his face was tight with panic.
“Jenny, love…”
“Hey, Jenny, what’s happening?” Michael glanced up as someone called from across the room, and his shoulders sagged in relief as he saw who it was. Abby. Of course. Abby, Megan’s daughter, was Maitland Maternity’s chief obstetrician. So many of the hospital staff were family. If Jenny was in labor, she had half the staff of Maitland Maternity right here.
Abby had left her husband and was crossing swiftly to stoop beside the pair on the floor. “Hey, Jenny, let’s not panic here,” she said, kneeling. “Is this your first contraction?”
“I don’t-I don’t think so,” Jenny whispered. The pain had eased, leaving her room to think. “Maybe not. I mean, I thought contractions were like stomach cramps, but I’ve been having back pains all afternoon and they’ve been getting worse. This one…it was the same but different. Much worse, and it sort of slammed around the front.”
“That sounds like a contraction to me,” Abby said cheerfully. “And a good one. How far apart would these back pains be?” She took Jenny’s wrist between her fingers, found the pulse and flicked a glance at her watch.
“Um, two minutes maybe.”
“Two minutes! Wow! That’s terrific!” Abby’s voice oozed confidence and reassurance. “If that’s true, then you’ll have danced your way through most of the first stage of labor.” She grinned. “Okay, everyone, let’s clear a path. Michael, we’ll carry Jenny to a bedroom to give us a bit of privacy. We seem to be about to have a baby.” She glanced at her husband. “Kyle, you want to call for an ambulance, honey? I don’t want to risk a back-seat delivery here.”
But Kyle was looking through the French windows to the gardens. The unseasonably warm evening had disappeared completely. Rain was lashing against the glass in torrents, and while he watched, lightning flashed. Thunder followed about a millisecond later.
“The storm’s right overhead,” Kyle said, and looked around the room, assessing. Counting heads. “It’s a storm and a half. There’ll be flash flooding, and the roads will be unsafe.” He nodded as he took stock of who was present. “You know, given the guest list here, staying put might be the wisest option.”
“Hey, we’re going to the hospital,” Michael said, startled. He hadn’t taken his eyes from Jenny’s white face, and his hands were gripping his wife hard. In turn, she was clinging to him as if fearful of being swept away.
“There are no problems, are there, Abby?” Kyle asked smoothly. He wasn’t a CEO for nothing. Sensible decisions were what he was paid for.
“Nope.” Abby shook her head. “I’ll need to examine Jenny to be sure, but it seems a nice normal labor. A healthy boy being born at term to a healthy mom.”
“This baby is not being born at term,” Jenny said through gritted teeth. “He’s not due till next week.”
“You want to tell him that?” Abby grinned again, and then paused in concern as she saw another contraction hit. She glanced again at her watch. “Remember your breathing, Jenny. Just breathe through it. That’s less than a minute apart. Lord, we’re moving right along here.” She glanced up, searching for Megan in the sea of concerned family faces. “Mom, can we have a bed?”
“And hot water and towels and whatever else you need. Of course, dear. Oh, Jenny.” Megan knelt, too-half the world, it seemed, was gathered in Megan’s drawing room watching Jenny’s contractions. Megan waited until this one passed, then smiled reassuringly into Jenny’s fearful face.
“Aunt Megan, I’m so sorry.” It was all she could manage.
“Nonsense, child,” Megan said firmly. “Anna said we should have a party finale. We were planning fireworks until we were washed out, but a baby…what a magical end to an evening!”
“We haven’t got the facilities,” Michael snapped. Damn, they were being frivolous, and this was his Jenny. He wanted a brightly lit hospital room and every piece of chrome equipment known to man, along with incubators and anesthetics and intravenous drips and…
“Hey, Mike.” Kyle’s hand was on his shoulder, giving him strength. “We have Abby, who’s the best obstetrician in Austin, bar none. Our car is set up like a mobile labor room-what Abby doesn’t have in the trunk hasn’t been invented. Ford Carrington’s right here behind me, and don’t tell me you’re doubting his pediatric credentials. Katie’s with him, and she has midwife qualifications as well as her pediatric training. If there are any problems, we’ll call an ambulance and risk the storm. So…pick up your wife and take her where Megan shows you. We’re all with you every inch of the way.”
And then Kyle smiled at Jenny’s white face. “Mrs. Lord, welcome to Maitland Maternity Clinic-the Megan Maitland Annex.”