Page 97 of Extreme Romancing in Idaho

“What about your career? You’ve fought so hard for this.” He barely scraped by making a living on his music. This tour was their first big-ish break, playing covers for concerts nationwide.

Papa and Jared hadn’t always agreed. They used to get into epic fights once Jared finally told Papa he wouldn’t be taking over the farm or going to college.

Rifts once created were mended at the onset of Papa’s first battle with cancer. “I’ll have other tours, but I only have one dad.” He ruffled my hair like he used to, and I batted his hand away. “How’s he doing?”

“He’s in a lot of pain. On the days I can convince him to take his meds, he sleeps a lot.”

A knock sounded, and Remi shoved the door open. He wore leather gloves, and his hair was disheveled; he hadn’t even bothered to remove his muddy boots. “Angie.” His whisper was insistent. “Blake called and—”

He stopped midsentence, looking from Papa to me to Jared. I gestured toward the exit, and Jared followed me, closing the door behind him. It didn’t latch and rebounded open, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Energy buzzed around Remi, an urgency in how he looked at me. “They’re taking Lili to the hospital. She’s in labor.”

“Crap dammit.” I used Lili’s custom phrase and paced in front of Remi, trying to gain control of my breathing. “It’s too soon.” I couldn’t get the worst-case scenarios of the babies I’d lost born at thirty weeks. “Why wouldn’t Blake message me directly?” I patted my pockets in search of my phone. But I didn’t find it. “Maybe they’ll be able to administer a tocolytic to stop her labor.”

“He tried. When you didn’t answer, he called me. I hopped on the four-wheeler and came straight here.”

Jared stepped in between us, forcing his way into my visual field. “Wait. Lili’s having her babies! Uncle Jared can’t wait to meet them.”

He had no idea how dire this situation was. In our sparse conversations over the past year, I’d told him about Lili’s pregnancy. He’d been present at Blake and Lili’s wedding and been gone ever since. I didn’t think that qualified him to be considered an uncle, no matter what his brother-like relationship with Lili looked like in high school.

I should stay with Papa, as I didn’t want to miss his potential last moments in this life, but Lili needed me. Long ago, I promised her I’d be there for her babies when they were born. These babies would for sure be admitted to the NICU.

Their lungs weren’t ready yet.

I had to be there.

Mama came into the family room from the kitchen. “Go on. I’ll stay here with Tony. You make sure those boys are all good.” She must have read my inner conflict. Mama stepped forward and interlocked her elbow with Remi and glanced at Jared. “Remi, Jared, and I will take care of anything here. You have nothing to worry about. Your Papa should be fine until you get home, and we’ll call if anything changes.”

I gave her a trembling smile and darted upstairs into my room, throwing off my clothes, grabbing my scrubs, and yanking them on. I slipped on my white tennis shoes and sprinted down the stairs. Remi and Jared stood by the door, Jared with keys in his hands.

“I’m driving.” He opened the door and held out his hand, waiting for me to lead the way. “By the sounds of it, you haven’t been getting enough sleep. Remi and I both decided we wouldn’t let you get behind the wheel. Besides, Uncle Jared has to be there for his nephews.”

Apparently, they’d taken care of introductions. However, it wouldn’t be hard for Remi to identify my musician brother with all the pictures we have of him in the house.

“Fine.” I glared over my shoulder at Remi who stood in the illuminated doorway. I continued down the front steps to Jared’s beat-up, black 5.0 Mustang. “As long as Uncle Jared stops referring to himself in the third person.”

Fast food bags and soda cups spilled out of the door when I opened it. The interior light reflected off the McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and Wendy’s bags. An unmistakable scent of pot wafted into the air, now freed from his Mustang’s interior.

“Ugh. Jared, you’re a pig.” My gaze automatically went to the pigpen. Calling Jared a pig was an insult to them. “Promise me you’re not high.”

“Sorry, bruh. I live in my car, okay.” He shoved his foot on the accelerator before he closed his door. “And of course I’m sober, you ninny.” He started the ignition, the back tires spinning in the gravel as we shot out of the driveway.

Chapter 38

Remi

Iclosedthedoorand took the time to remove my boots. Before Blake called me in an absolute panic, I’d been working on a broken irrigation pipe that had flooded the road. Stars had covered the jet-black sky before I’d managed to fix the damage. My body was exhausted.

As the adrenaline from Blake’s call left me, a sick, shaky feeling replaced it.

“Have you eaten, Remi?” Nora asked from the family room by the kitchen. “Come get a warm slice of bread.”

Ever since Tony’s illness took a turn for the worse, Nora’s baking had increased. The freezer at the model home was stuffed full of loaves of bread, muffins, and cookies. Myles and I couldn’t keep up.

I made my way to Nora. She left the kitchen with a heavily buttered slice of homemade wheat bread. If I ever had to leave and Angie turned me down, I sure was going to miss this.

“I’m certain Angie will make sure those babies are okay. She’s very good at her job.” Nora patted my shoulder.

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