Chapter Two

T aking out a gunman with a dented can of a popular side dish hadn’t been the way Dr. Thomas Reynolds planned to start this snowy Monday morning but wouldn’t be the first time he faced a fool with a firearm.

Whoever screamed about the weapon gave Reynolds a solid warning as soon as he walked in the back door. Otherwise this situation might be very different right now.

And whoever the negotiator was, she was brilliant. And familiar. Repeating the words innocent and baby probably kept them all alive.

“Is everyone okay?” Without waiting for a response, Reynolds picked up the gun, removed the bullet in the chamber before pocketed the bullet and gun. He then tossed the magazine in a basket of protein bars. Lying still, the grubby man appeared to be unconscious.

Is that part of the ceiling in his hair? Reynolds conducted a quick assessment. “Strong pulse. Airway patent. He’s alive.”

“That’s unfortunate,” a woman scoffed.

“Dude, you took him out with a can of pork and beans!” Ben’s blue eyes were wide with amazement. “It had a perfect curve on it and everything.”

“Guess those baseball skills still help. Everyone okay?” Finally, Reynolds took note of the three other people. Ben the clerk he met numerous times, a young woman holding her phone up, and… her. His heart lodged in his throat.

There weren’t enough adjectives in the English dictionary to describe her beauty. Dark hair cascaded about her perfect, makeup-free face as questions floated through the intensity of her green eyes.

The impact of her presence slammed into his brain harder than that discount can he had just thrown. “Susan?”

“What?” As she put her arm out to shield the girl standing next to her, the corner of his mouth twitched at her protective nature. A quality her siblings mentioned more than once.

Reynolds cautiously removed his cap. “Susan. It’s me. Reynolds.”

A smile of recognition spread across her face. “Yes, you’re—”

“Hot guy!” The young woman’s eyes widened.

“The calendar! Remember, Susan?” Ben excitedly pointed to the one on the wall. “You asked about him. Here he is!”

Dammit, Ben. Although great at his job, the kid had the social awareness of a turtle. “Yes, here I am.”

“As am I.” Susan chewed on her bottom lip.

“I thought you weren’t due for another few days.”

Her eyes sparkled at his comment. “Yes, I told you that, but my Albuquerque assignment ended early. Surprise.”

After texting and talking for months, he spent countless hours debating their perfect, official introduction. None of his scenarios included him standing near that damned fundraising calendar, where he looked arrogant as hell while bare-chested, oiled up, and standing in front of a helicopter.

On the upside, the project did exceed fundraising goals.

“That photo of you is amazing.” Still holding her phone up, the girl next rocked sideways, cupping her belly as she slowly blew out through her mouth and inhaled through her nose.

Uh-oh. “Thank you? Are you in labor?”

“I’m between contractions presently. Susan’s been a lifesaver. Literally.”

“Yes, she is.” How did she keep her cool facing that guy?

“She’s amazing. Gonna make a great mom one day.” The comment appeared to pink Susan’s cheeks.

“I have no doubt.”

“She’s single, you know.” The girl gave him a wink.

Never looking toward his beefcake picture, Susan nodded. “It’s good to meet you in person finally, Reynolds.”

“Same.” He extended his hand, hoping to appear confident, but the moment the warmth of her touch hit his palm, Reynolds’s intelligent words stuck to his tongue like peanut butter. “Your… your… siblings told me… um… about you.”

“Don’t believe any of it.” Her smile reached her eyes.

“Not even the good stuff?” Not that he ever brought up the subject of Susan with his colleagues, aka her brothers and sister. As far as Reynolds knew, Susan had yet to mention their long-term communications, and he certainly wasn’t going to unilaterally offer the information before her arrival.

“Depends on what the good stuff is.” Her cheeks flushed a deeper pink as if her mind sat south of her belly button.

And she liked it.

The drink machines hummed as the clunk of the snack wheel rotated while they appeared to be stuck in each other’s tractor beams. For the love of everything, don’t be an idiot.

“This meet-cute is all great rom-com material and shit.” The girl grimaced while she pointed at Reynolds. “That calendar doesn’t do you justice. In real life, you look like Loki from his TV series. You have great hair by the way.”

Without taking her eyes off him, Susan agreed.

“That’s quite a compliment.” Being compared to the god of mischief happened frequently, and the way Susan took him in, he wondered how mischievous she’d like him to be. Get your shit together, man!

She turned to Susan. “You remind me of… who is it, Ben?”

He prairie-dogged his head from behind aisle three. “The TV Wonder Woman.”

“Lynda Carter?” Susan ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m humbled.”

During their get-to-know-each-other time, Susan’s knowledge of superheroes, sci-fi, movie quotes, and fantasy pop culture impressed him. And she did resemble the classic Wonder Woman. If she has a golden lasso, I’m a goner. “I can see it.”

The young woman rested her hands on her thighs, her phone still firmly in her grip. “And… as much as… I’d love… to talk about… what… an amazing power couple… you two… will be… I… need… this… badass nurse… right now.”

Susan gasped. “I’m so sorry, Bernie. Phased out there. Not enough coffee this morning.”

“You say that, Susan, but you… seem to… phase out when… that… dude… or his calendar… is in front of you.”

The moment Susan pulled away, Reynolds realized they’d been shaking hands that entire time. Strong work, Rey. Now she knows you’re a creepy, hand-hogging weirdo.

Bernie clenched her fists. “Holy shit! I wanna push! Push so hard! ”

Instantly, Susan’s demeanor easily morphed into caregiver mode. She removed the phone from Bernie’s hand and placed it on the counter. “Can you stand for a few more minutes, sweetie?”

“Lean on me, kid.” Reynolds held his arms out, and Bernie stepped into his protection as that catchy, annoying “Happy” song played somewhere overhead.

Reynolds tucked his phone in his hoodie pocket and placed his coat on the candy display. Next to it was a monitor with a view of the back door.

Reynolds motioned as Bernie snatched up her phone, holding it with a white-knuckle grip. “That’s how you saw me.”

“It was risky, but I knew you’d be a game changer, Dr. June.” Bernie gave a thumbs-up before pounding the counter with her fist. “Ouch. Ouch. Ouch! Susan!”

Quickly, Susan cleared wayward merchandise out of their workspace. “Ben!”

He popped up on aisle four. “What?”

“I need you to get my medical bag out of the front passenger side and the bin labeled towels and blankets on the back seat.” She tossed him her keys, and he caught them midair but hesitated.

“You’re not going to ask me to deliver, are you?” His eyes widened more through his prescription lenses.

This kid! Reynolds stabbed toward the front door. “Ben! I’m a doctor. She’s a midwife. You don’t have to deliver anyone.”

“But you’re helping, Ben.” Susan’s tone left no room for discussion.

Within a minute, the kid returned with everything Susan requested. “Thanks, now get me some paper towels, a boxes of garbage bags and gloves, hand sanitizer, a bottled water, a Gatorade, and a beer.”

Ben paused and Reynolds knew why. “I’ll pay for it.”

“What?” She continued to work.

“Anyone who visits the store knows Ben’s catchphrase.” With his foot, he pushed Susan’s medical bag closer to her.

Snatching the money out of Reynolds’s hand, Ben placed the bills in the register. “On it! But I can’t sell you the beer until after eight. It’s the law.”

As the teen ran around the store, Susan prepared a large area with layers of absorbent pads, garbage bags, and towels before topping with a large homemade blanket.

“Hang tight, Bernie. I’m making a pallet for you to lie on. It’ll be a cleaner place where you can have the baby.”

“We’re not going to the hospital?” Tears stained the girl’s face as she rested her head against Reynolds’s chest and gripped a fistful of his hoodie.

“We don’t have time, and the weather isn’t cooperating. I don’t want to risk us getting stuck in a snowbank somewhere.”

“Keep leaning on me, kid.” Reynolds watched Susan work. “When that’s done, what else do you need?”

“I need a mega-sized coffee with tons of cream. Fold some of those paper towels and dampen them for forehead compresses. Gatorade for a few calories and hydration. Beer for afterward.”

Bernie reached for Susan, who grabbed the girl’s hand, mimicking Bernie’s breathing. “I’ll. Pay. You. Back. After. This.”

Bernie momentarily smirked through her pain. “Hot. Guy. Badass Nurse. You. Should. Ride. Him. Hard.”

Reynolds wasn’t sure whether to laugh or thank the girl for her endorsement.

Susan squeaked on her next exhale but recovered quickly as Bernie wrapped her arms around Susan’s waist.

Holding back a laugh, Reynolds rolled up his sleeves. “What can I do to help?”

Susan’s forehead furrowed as she slowly rocked herself and her patient side to side. “You don’t want to deliver this baby?”

“Nope. You’ve delivered a lot more than I have.”

“That’s true.” When her lips thinned, he understood why.

She fully expected him to pull the I’m the doctor card and disregard her experience. No doubt it happened to her before, but her expertise in this field far exceeded his.

Reynolds’s ego didn’t depend on whether or not he delivered this child. Mom’s and baby’s health were top priorities. “Susan, I’m glad to deliver if you want me to.”

“I’ve got her. In my bag, there are more thick, absorbent pads. Please place several garbage bags down and top with another layer of the pads, all on the blanket.”

“You got it. Ben, come here.” The men worked quickly as Bernie continued her Lamaze breathing. They finished up and Reynolds scooped Bernie up and laid her on the makeshift birthing area, kneeling next to her. “There you go, kiddo.”

She slid down, resting on her side, placing her phone by her belly. “This is lovely. You two are amazing. I’m so tired.”

“Get in whatever position works for you, Bernie. You’ve got room to move.” Susan mouthed Thank you to Reynolds.

A warmth spread across his cheeks as Susan dialed 9-1-1. While she gave a report, Bernie tapped his knee.

“You’re blushing, Dr. June.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.” He appreciated the girl’s candor and quick observation. “Kind of hard not to, meeting her in person. But we’ve got you. Okay?”

“That’s sweet you’re so smitten. She said all you’ve done is talk and text.”

“She mentioned me?” That sent his heart racing.

“When I noticed your calendar.” She grimaced but her tone remained upbeat. “No sexting?”

“Nope. It would complicate things.” Not that he hadn’t been tempted, but hearing Susan planned to relocate to Marietta, and she was his boss’s sister, kept his common sense in check. It didn’t mean she didn’t visit him during his alone time or star in some of his dirty fantasies.

Bernie sighed, “I hope you complicate things soon. Labor hurts like a sonofabitch.”

“That’s my understanding.” He held out his hand for her to take, and Bernie immediately accepted.

Calmly, Susan explained each move as she lifted Bernie’s skirt. “I’m looking first, checking for anything obvious, we’ll see how far along you are, but I’ll need to remove your panties.”

“I’m commando.” Bernie sighed.

“Well, that saves time.”

Bernie whimpered, “Are you staying, Dr. June?”

He planned to step away, give the girl the privacy she deserved, but he simply pivoted so his focus was on her face. “I’ll stay if you want, Bernie.”

“Please.”

“Susan, I’ll take care of the baby when it arrives. Until then, what can I do to help, Wonder Nurse?”

“Unless you can make a huge double mocha with whip on top, I’m good. Everything looks good so far, Bernie.”

“We’ll save a mocha for another day, but I can get you that coffee. Anything else?”

When she began to answer, her eyebrows hit her hairline. “You can take care of him!”