Page 20 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“Damn, Teddy knows the baby’s name and I don’t?” Now he might even be a little jealous.

He must have had some kind of look on his face because she burst out laughing. “I said he was on the list, not that he already knew the name, silly.”

Was it bad that he instantly felt better? He heaved a sigh. It was obvious that this woman would always be a step ahead of him. “Well, little Elwood would want me to befirston the list.” He patted her hand. which was still on her belly. “Isn’t that right, Elwood?”

“Oh my Lord, do you spend all your time looking up the most horrible boy’s names ever?”

He laughed. “What? Elwood’s a fine name.”

She shook her head and grinned at Shannon.

Her aunt shrugged. “Don’t look at me, I don’t want to be responsible for naming that boy.”

He chuckled. “Smart woman.”

***

Colt patted Taylor’sforehead with a cool cloth. The past four hours had been hard on her. Her contractions were only thirty seconds apart, and she was in terrible pain. He and Shannon each held a hand, and his fingers had gone numb from the grip Taylor had on them.

She convulsed with a new pain, groaning loudly, and he said, “Come on, sweetheart, breathe for me.”

She sucked in a deep breath and, several moments later, let it out slowly. Then she breathed in again, doing her best to control the flow of air through the agony of the long contraction. He ran the cloth over her forehead again. “That’s it, baby, that’s it.”

“You’re doing a wonderful job, Taylor,” Shannon said in a voice filled with worry. Watching Taylor in such pain had taken the stuffing out of her.

Melinda walked into the room. “Taylor, I’m going to check you again. We’ll see if you’re dilated to a ten yet.”

A few minutes later, she stepped back from the bed as she stripped off her exam gloves. “I have good news.” She smiled at everyone. “You’re a nice big ten. I’ll notify Dr. Mansfield, and we’ll see if we can get started pushing.” She strode quickly from the room.

“Oh, thank God,” Taylor said with a ragged breath.

“That sureisgood news. You’re exhausted. It’s time you got to meet Elwood,” he said with a smile.

Taylor rolled her eyes. “You never give up, do you?”

“Well, if you’d tell me his name...”

She shrugged. “I put you on the list, but you’re down at the very end.”

He cracked up. “You’re terrible, you know that?”

“I believe I’ve been told that a time or two,” she said with a tired grin.

He gave her the cup of ice chips, and she took several into her mouth. She had an IV going, but the beeper had begun sounding, signaling that the bag needed to be changed. He called the nurses’ station and told them.

A few minutes later, Melinda bustled in carrying a bag of IV fluid. She was followed by Dr. Mansfield.

She said, “I hear we’re ready to have a baby this evening.”

A new contraction started, and Taylor groaned, “Yes!”

The doctor pulled out the stirrups at the foot of the bed. “Now, scoot down here for me, Taylor, and put your feet in these stirrups.”

Colt moved up next to Taylor’s head as the doctor pulled back the sheet from her legs.

She glanced at Colt. The fear was back in her eyes.

He placed a kiss on her forehead and whispered, “I’m right here, honey, don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay.” He clasped her hand firmly and brushed her hair back from her pale face.

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