Page 78 of Caught By A Cowboy

“You ain’t giving me many options here, Baby Momma.” I look out the door onto the yard where a crowd has gathered.

“Just head out and ask for anyone who knows how to deliver a baby.” I send her father off before shuffling on my knees in front of her.

“Don’t worry, we got this.” I don’t feel like I got fuck all as I raise the skirt of her dress up.

“Jace, I need to push,” she warns me and when I hold up my hand for her to hold, she uses it as leverage and tucks her chin into her chest.

“Baby, I don’t think you should be doin’ that…Shit!” I see something bulging in her panties, and panic.

“Fuck, he really is coming.” I look up at her with wide eyes, not having a clue what to do.

“I need to get out of these panties,” she tells me, lifting her hips so I can tug at her waistband and drag them away.

“It really hurts, and I need to push. I can’t stop.” She starts to cry and not being able to see a way to make this better, drives me insane.

“Okay, okay, just bear with me.” I shrug out of my suit jacket and rest it under her ass, then loosen the stupid tie I’m wearing.

“I found someone.” I sigh with relief when Roger returns and when I look up and see Sheriff Hale, I haven’t got time to be irritated or disappointed. Right now, I’m a desperate fuckin’ man.

“You know how to deliver a baby?” I check, shifting out of her way and wrapping my arm around Maddison’s shoulder.

“I’m not trained but I’ve delivered one before. If I can do it on a subway, I can sure as hell do it here.” She rolls the sleeves of her dress up and crouches between Maddison’s legs.

“Wow, you’re almost there.” She smiles up at her calmly before looking back to Roger. “Is Lawrence West on his way?” she checks.

“Yeah, apparently, Jean called him back as soon as she realized what was happening.”

“That's good.” Hale nods as she places her hands on Maddison’s knees.

“Is there something wrong?” I ask.

“Not at all,” she assures me. “In my very limited experience, everything looks exactly how it should, but once the baby comes we have to cut the cord and deliver a placenta. Last time I did this, we had paramedics waiting at the next stop who handled it.”

“Okay.” I accept what she’s saying and take Maddison's hand.

“You heard her, you're almost there.” I watch her face screw up as she tenses her body and pushes again.

“That’s right, Madison, the whole head is out now, just take a breath.” Hale really sounds like she knows what she’s talking about and despite our differences, I can’t help feeling grateful that she’s here.

“Ya hear that? His head is here, you just gotta find a little more energy for the rest of him.” I slide the hair from her sticky forehead before I kiss her temple and when she starts to scream again, the grip she has on my other hand almost crushes my bones.

“That’s a good girl, keep pushing.” I use my free hand to rub her shoulders, trying to keep her motivated. When she flops her head back and sighs in relief, I look between her legs and see my son, right there in front of me. Wailing from the top of his lungs in Sheriff Hale's hands.

“Congratulations.” She looks up at me as she lifts him toward me, and I quickly shrug out of my shirt so I can wrap him up before I take him.

“Is he okay?” Maddison cries, and laughs, at the same time when I place him straight on her chest. I figure since she did all the hard work she should get to cuddle him first.

“He’s here.” I can’t stop looking at him. He’s so tiny and perfect, it takes my breath away.

“Well done, sweetheart, I’ll go tell your mother.” Roger kisses his daughter's cheek and looks at his grandson lovingly, before he rushes out the barn, while I wrap my arm around my wife and rest my hand on my little boy's chest so I can feel him breathing.

“Look what ya did.” I kiss her proudly.

“Whatwedid,” she corrects me, and seeing the huge beam on her face makes all the sacrifices I ever made to keep this town safe seem worth it.

“Thank you.” I look across to Hale and she smiles as she uses the back of her slimy hand to brush her hair off her forehead.

“My pleasure.” She takes a calming breath as she looks at Maddison and my son, and despite knowing that she came to this town to take me down, I’m nothing but grateful to her, right now. “Besides, it looked like you had it covered.”

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