Chapter One

With a screech of tires, Luke McCallister's truck came to an abrupt halt in his driveway. He quickly switched off the headlights and pulled in behind the unfamiliar car that was parked there. Frowning, he grabbed a flashlight from the console and unsnapped the retention button on his holster and removed his weapon, before stepping out of the truck. Carefully approaching the car, he peered inside but couldn't see through the fogged-up windows.

"If some damn kids are using my driveway for... I'll be pissed," he grumbled to himself.

Just as he was about to tap on the window, a woman's terrified scream pierced through the air. Startled, Luke rapped on the rear side window.

"Hello? Is everything okay?"

"Go away," whimpered a frightened female voice from inside.

Realizing that something was definitely not right, Luke replied firmly, "No ma'am, you sound like you need help."

Another loud shriek echoed from within the car. Luke holstered his weapon, opened the back door, and immediately regretted it. A woman lay on the backseat, clearly in labor and looking panicked.

He gaped at her for a moment before asking urgently, "How far apart are your contractions?"

The woman groaned in response, clutching her swollen stomach. "Less than a minute."

"Did you call for an ambulance?" Luke asked, trying to remain calm.

"My phone died." She gasped. "Please, help me."

Luke wasted no time and dialed nine-one-one on his phone. As he gave them his address and explained the situation, he felt a hand grip his tightly. Looking down, he saw that the woman had grabbed onto him in pain as her water broke.

"Shit," Luke muttered under his breath. "Her water just broke. Please hurry."

After disconnecting the call, he turned to the woman.

"Do you have any blankets? We need to make you as comfortable as possible until help arrives."

"In the trunk. I'm so cold," she said, and her teeth chattered.

"It's below thirty. You picked a hell of a time to have a baby in the back seat of a car. Just breathe. I'll grab them." He reached under the dashboard and pushed the button to unlock the trunk.

"Breathe? Easy for you to say," she grumbled.

Luke lifted the trunk lid, saw multiple suitcases, a car seat, and blankets. He grabbed a few of the blankets. What was going on? Moving now would be insane. He returned to the backseat.

"Can you lift up so I can slide this blanket underneath you?"

"Yes," she said, raising her hips as he placed the blanket underneath.

"You'll have to take off your pants."

"I will when you leave me alone."

"You need my help though."

"Have you done this before?"

"I've delivered numerous calves—"

" Calves? Don't you dare compare me to a cow," she spat out.

"That's not what I meant. Do I look crazy enough to call a woman a cow?"

"How do you want me to answer that?"

Luke looked at her in shock. "Listen, lady, I'm the only friend you've got right now. Do not push me."

She clutched her stomach again and groaned.

"The ambulance won't make it in time. The baby is coming now."

"Wait, what? The baby is coming? Now?"

"Yes," she growled as another contraction hit her.

"Holy fuck!"

"No need for that language, Mr...?"

"McCallister. Luke McCallister. And what's your name?"

"Bryce Spencer."

"Where's your husband?"

"I'm not married. Please, just help me."

"I'm doing everything I can, ma'am. We need to take your pants off. The baby can't come with them on."

"I don't know you," she snapped.

"Now isn't the time for modesty. Do you think I haven't seen a woman before—"

"You haven't seen me!"

"That's about to change. Do you want me to help you or not? The ambulance is on its way, but we're far from the hospital."

"Oh no, I need to call my sister. She's expecting me in Seattle tonight."

"Well, you're not going to make it there, and what were you thinking driving in your condition?"

She sat up and glared at him. "I had to leave."

"You couldn't have picked a worse fucking time to do it."

"Stop swearing at me."

"I'm not swearing at you; it's the situation. You shouldn't have been behind the wheel in your state."

"I wasn't due for another two weeks. I thought I had plenty of time."

"Well, that kind of thinking got you into this mess. What's wrong with you?"

"Oh my God! Just leave me alone. I'd rather do this by myself than accept help from someone like you," she snapped, kicking her leg out at him.

Luke jumped back in surprise. What was her problem? He stopped to help her, and now she was treating him like this.

"Someone like me? I just tried to help you. Do you want me to go? Fine, I'll go. But once the ambulance arrives, figure out how to get your car off my property," he growled before storming back to his truck. However, when she screamed, he stopped in his tracks, hung his head, and let out a frustrated sigh. "Damn it," he muttered, turning around and striding back toward her car.

"I sorry. I am so sorry," she said when she saw him.

"It's alright. We're both under a lot of stress right now. Let's take those pants off. You can feel embarrassed later."

"You have a gun." She pointed to the weapon in his holster.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm a livestock agent." He removed his badge from his belt and showed it to her, then put it in his pocket.

"That makes me feel better," she replied with a small smile.

"I'm going to turn on the headlights in my truck so we can see what's happening, okay? The interior lighting isn't much help."

"Yes, please. And we also need a couple of towels. There should be some in my trunk, but we'll need to warm them up."

"Why do we need towels? Aren't the blankets enough?"

"We need one to rub the baby's back after it's born, to help it cry, and we'll need to clean up the baby."

"Got it. I'll put one on the vent and turn up the heat."

Luke ran to the trunk, found some towels, and then hopped into the driver's seat of her vehicle. He placed the towels on the dashboard, turned up the heat, and then got out. He jogged back to his truck, turned on the high beams, and returned to her vehicle. With better lighting, he could make out her features. To say she was beautiful would be an understatement. Even with sweat streaking down her face, her black hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders. Her pert nose sat above full lips that looked incredibly kissable, and her blue eyes were filled with tears. He knew she was scared, so he reached for her hand.

"Don't worry, Bryce. We'll do this together. You can scream, yell or punch if you need to, just no kicking."

"I'll try to remember that," she promised.

"Please do. If you kick me in the, uh, family jewels, I'll be rendered useless and you'll have to handle things on your own," he joked with a grin.

She chuckled. "Got it." She gasped as another contraction hit her. "I have to push."

"Do what you gotta do. I'll be right here." He quickly removed her pants and underwear, dropping them to the floor.

"Oh, God," she cried out as she sat up, gripping her stomach and bearing down.

Luke watched as the baby's head emerged with a grunt and push. He stepped back, took a deep breath, then moved closer and held out a towel. When the baby was somewhat clean, he rubbed its back with the warm towel and heard it hiccup before crying. Gently holding the newborn in his arms, he wrapped it in a blanket.

"Welcome to the world, little one," he said quietly.

"Is it a boy or girl?" she asked.

"Don't you know?"

"No, I wanted to be surprised."

"It's a girl."

"A baby girl," she whispered with emotion. "Oh no, I have to push again."

"Again?" Luke felt like he was going to pass out if there was another baby coming.

"The afterbirth," she explained as she pushed once more.

"What about the umbilical cord?"

"It's fine for now. It can stay attached until we get to the hospital."

"Is that safe?"

"Yes, sometimes they delay cutting it until later in the delivery room. We'll both be okay. As long as that ambulance gets here soon."

"I can hear the siren so it shouldn't be much longer."

Luke leaned into the car and carefully placed the blanket wrapped baby on her chest, then covered her with another blanket. She smiled at him as she cooed and talked to her daughter, who let out a loud cry.

"Sounds like she's got a powerful set of lungs." Luke chuckled, watching the baby squirm in her arms.

He let out a sigh of relief when he saw an ambulance pull into his driveway, followed by another vehicle. His brother was walking toward him, and he knew he'd never hear the end of this.

"Luke?"

"Everything's alright, Beau. A woman just happened to have her baby in my driveway."

"What?" Beau furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Yeah, I saw her car in the driveway as I was pulling in and went to check on her. She was in labor in the back seat."

"Is she okay?"

"I think so. The paramedics will take care of her."

"Luke!" she called out for him.

He rushed over to where she was lying on a stretcher and took her hand.

"I'm here," he reassured her.

"Thank you for helping me."

"It was no problem," Luke replied sincerely. "If you were on your way to your sister's place in Seattle, where will you stay now?"

She hesitated before responding, "I'll figure something out. I won't be able to travel for a while."

Luke reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and handed her one of his business cards.

"If you need any help, don't hesitate to call. All my contact information is on the card. Let me get your purse and keys." He ran back to her car, retrieved her purse, and took the keys from the ignition, then jogged back to the ambulance and placed them next to her on the stretcher. "How about I keep your keys and get your car to the hospital. You'll need it."

"Yes, please. Thank you so much," she said with tears streaming down her face.

"You're welcome. Take care of yourself and your daughter, okay? Have you chosen a name for her yet?"

"Leah Grace," she replied, her voice trembling.

"That's a beautiful name. I wish you both the best in life, Bryce. And please remember, don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything."

"I will, thank you." She held onto his hand until they lifted the stretcher and placed it into the ambulance. As they closed the doors, she waved goodbye to him.

****

Tears streamed down Bryce's face as she held her baby girl in a tight embrace. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for Luke's assistance but couldn't help feeling unsure if she would ever see him again. She glanced down at the card in her hand bearing the emblem of the Montana Department of Livestock and the name "Luke McCallister." She knew she could never thank him enough.

"Ma'am are you okay?" a paramedic asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes, thank you," Bryce replied.

"We'll take you to the hospital right away. You and your baby girl will be taken care of there."

Bryce nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

At the hospital, she was taken to a room while her baby underwent examinations by doctors. She already missed holding her close.

A young woman entered the room with a laptop on a cart and a warm smile. "Hello, I'm here to gather some information about you and your daughter."

Bryce nodded and provided all necessary details and insurance information. She sure hadn't expected to have her baby in Montana.

"And what is the father's name?"

She hesitated, not wanting to involve him in any way. "I'd rather not say."

"That's fine, we can leave it blank. But it will be noted that ‘mother refused to provide information'."

Bryce agreed, determined to protect herself and her baby from that man.

"I'll have a nurse bring you something for pain, then you should rest," the woman said kindly before leaving the room.

Bryce carefully placed Luke's card on the bedside table.

A nurse entered the room carrying Bryce's newborn baby. Feeling pain throughout her body, Bryce winced as she sat up to hold her child.

The nurse smiled sympathetically at Bryce. "I'm sure you're feeling sore," she said. "The OB/GYN will be here soon. You might need some stitches."

Bryce thanked her and reached for her daughter, marveling at her perfect features.

"She has a lot of hair." The nurse chuckled.

"I did too when I was born."

"Have you chosen a name?"

"Leah Grace."

"That's a beautiful name. Hello Leah Grace, I'm Maria."

"Thank you, Maria. I'm Bryce."

"It's nice to meet you, Bryce. I'll be your nurse during the night shift." Maria walked over to the bedside table. "I'll get you some water and something for your pain." As she poured water from a pitcher, Bryce noticed her pick up the card on the table. "Do you know Luke?"

"He helped me deliver my baby. Do you know him?"

"Not well, but his sister-in-law is my son's teacher."

"He was so helpful." Bryce blinked away tears. "I can't seem to stop crying."

"That's normal. Your body has been through a shock, but you'll be fine. Are you planning to breastfeed?"

"No."

"Okay, I just wanted to check before giving you anything strong for pain. I'll be back in a bit."

"Thanks." Bryce watched her leave the room with a smile. It wasn't long before she returned with a hypodermic needle in hand. Bryce eyed it warily, she hated needles. "I thought I liked you," she joked.

Maria laughed. "Trust me, you'll like me soon enough."

She administered the shot skillfully and turned to leave.

"I barely felt that. You're good."

"See? I told you you'd like me. Rest up now, we'll bring your baby back in later."

"Thank you."

"Yes, ma'am." The nurse picked up the baby and left the room.

Bryce lowered the bed, turned onto her side, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

****

Luke entered the offices of MDOL and headed straight to his desk. He sat down in his chair and turned on his computer. As he reached into the drawer for a pen, something caught his eye, and he froze. It was a baby rattle. He looked around the room, but no one seemed to be paying attention to him.

With a shake of his head, he picked up the rattle and stood, facing his brother Beau's desk.

"Real funny, Beau," Luke said with a grin, prompting laughter from everyone in the room.

Shaking his head again, Luke placed the rattle back in the drawer and took his seat once more. Despite being a pain at times, Beau was still his brother, and they had always been close. Beau had recently gotten married to Brenna Lawrence, and he was finally happy after a messy divorce. Beau's wife cheated on him with Brenna's husband. And though it had devastated both by the affair, Beau and Brenna started seeing each other and fell in love and Luke had never seen him happier.

As Luke began to go over some cases at his desk, his phone started buzzing. Seeing an unfamiliar number on the screen, he answered.

"McCallister."

"Luke? It's... it's Bryce Spencer."

"Bryce, how are you doing? And how's your daughter?"

"We're both doing great thanks to you."

"No need to thank me. You did all the work," Luke replied with a grin.

Bryce's laughter could be heard on the phone before she cleared her throat.

"I need to find a place to stay. I didn't want to ask the nurses. Is there a hotel or something nearby that I could stay in? I hate to ask, but I don't know anyone else."

"It's not a problem, Bryce. I told you to call me if you needed anything." Luke let out a sigh. "The only issue is that there's only one hotel here and one in Hartland. I can see if they have anything available."

"I see. I don't know what to do. And I can't travel for at least two weeks."

"Let me check for you. Is this your cellphone number?"

"Yes."

"I'll call you back in a few minutes."

"Thank you."

"Of course." Luke hung up the phone.

"What's going on?" Beau asked as he appeared at Luke's desk.

"Bryce needs help finding a place to stay. But with just the two hotels, it's going to be tough. Especially with the snowstorm. People will need to stay somewhere so they don't get trapped on the roads or highway."

Beau sat down in front of the desk. "Yeah, that won't be easy. How long before she can drive again?"

"She said at least two weeks."

"Damn. Well, see what you can do. And if worse comes to worst, she might have to stay with you." Beau grinned mischievously.

"No way. Not happenin'."

Beau chuckled. "What if that's the only option she has?"

Luke shook his head. "I don't know. I value my privacy."

"We all do, but you can't just leave her hanging. You know she can't make that trip to Seattle right now and it's unlikely she could handle such a long journey with a newborn even in two weeks."

"Shit. You're right. I'll try my best to find her a place."

Beau stood up from the chair. "Do you want to grab lunch today?"

"Yeah, sure. Let's meet at the diner around one o'clock."

"Works for me. I have some errands to run anyway. See you then." Beau walked out of the room.

After calling the Dalton hotel, in Clifton, and the motel in Hartland, he placed his phone on the desk, and swore.

He had no idea what he could do to help her, and he had told her he would.

"Damn it," he muttered.

"Something wrong, Luke?"

He looked to see Eli Hawkins taking a seat in the chair across from his desk.

"I'm trying to find a place for Bryce to stay."

"Bryce? Is that the woman you helped deliver her baby?"

"Yes. I told her to contact me if she needed anything. Well, she can't travel for at least two weeks, maybe longer since she wants to travel to Seattle, and there are no vacancies anywhere."

"Not even the Dalton or the motel in Hartland?"

"No. Both are full. People are probably stranded from the storm."

"I'm sorry, I wish I knew how to help."

"It's alright, Eli. I'll figure it out."

"You have plenty of room at your place." Eli stood, grinned, and walked to his desk.

Taking a deep breath, he called Bryce back, but she didn't pick up. She could be busy with the baby or a doctor. He'd call her after he had lunch.

Pushing the chair back, he got to his feet, picked up his hat, and coat, then left the offices to meet Beau at the diner. He had no idea how he was going to help Bryce.

****

Bryce held her daughter close as she fed her while watching TV. A nurse stopped by to check on them and gave Bryce the news that she would likely be discharged tomorrow. While she smiled at the thought of leaving, panic filled her as she realized she had nowhere to go. As soon as the nurse left, Bryce fought back tears. She was stuck in Montana with no friends or family nearby. Thinking about her sister, she grabbed her cellphone and called her.

"Hey, Brenda. I'm in Clifton, Montana."

"What are you doing there?"

"My GPS suggested taking a shortcut through town. Well, turns out I went into labor and now I'm here at the hospital with my baby girl."

"You had the baby? What did you name her?"

"Leah Grace," Bryce replied.

"How did you pick that?"

Bryce sighed. No matter what she did, her sister always had to make some kind of comment.

"I just thought it was pretty."

"When can you travel?"

"Not for another two weeks."

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"Not yet. I'll figure it out once they release me. Luke said he would check around for me."

"Who's Luke?" Brenda asked.

Bryce explained how he helped deliver the baby.

"You let a stranger help you? What is wrong with you, Bryce?"

"I didn't really have a choice. I was in labor in the back of my car in his driveway. I don't know what I would have done without him." She sniffled.

"So, what's your plan now?"

"I honestly don't know. I'll have to see what Luke finds for me."

"Is he married? Maybe his wife would let you stay with them for a bit."

"I have no idea if he is or not. I didn't ask and I didn't look for a wedding ring. I'm just scared I'll end up living in my car, Brenda."

"I wouldn't want you to do that, but I sure don't have room for you and a baby."

"I couldn't get there even if you were kind enough to take us in," Bryce snapped.

"Don't get angry with me. You're the one who put yourself in this position."

Bryce gritted her teeth at her sister's tone. Why she called her, she had no idea. They had never gotten along, but Bryce always tried. Brenda couldn't care less.

"I'll look Clifton up on my phone. Give me a second." Bryce searched for the little town and smiled when she found information about it. "Oh, it looks like it's mostly known for its shopping and ranches for all kinds of activities. But there is a guest ranch in the next town over. The Clifton Bed and Breakfast brings in people from all over the country, and there are some small businesses that sell a lot of products. It sounds like a charming place. I'm looking at photos now. It says the three towns of Clifton, Spring City, and Hartland, get thousands of visitors every summer. So, why aren't there vacancies if it's just the summer months?"

"Are asking me? I sure as hell don't know."

Bryce clenched her jaw to keep from snapping at her.

"Call that guy again. Maybe he'll find something."

"His name is Luke, and no, he said he'd call me and I'm not going to bother him."

"Well, you might not have a choice if you get released."

"I do have to check with Luke about my car. He said he'd get it to the hospital."

"Well, there's a reason to call him now; to find out if he did, but you shouldn't drive at all. Call the father of the baby."

"Not in this lifetime. I have to feed Leah. I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay. Bye." Brenda hung up.

Bryce placed her phone on the bedside table and tried not to cry. She loved Brenda because she was her sister, but as a person, she just didn't care for her at all. What in the world was she going to do?

****

Luke walked into the diner and saw Beau sitting at the counter. He sat down beside him and let out a sigh.

"Any luck?" Beau asked.

"No, both places are full. I don't know what she's going to do."

"Hey there, boys. What can I get for you?" Connie greeted them with a smile.

"Just my usual, please," Luke replied.

"Same here. Thanks, Connie." Beau grinned.

Luke looked around the bustling diner. He sighed again.

"I just don't know how to help her."

"That's a tough situation. I know I teased you about her staying with you, but with a newborn..." Beau trailed off.

"Who has a newborn?" Connie asked as she set their drinks on the counter.

Luke smiled and explained Bryce's situation and how she had nowhere to stay now.

"She's welcome to stay upstairs. The apartment is empty," Connie offered.

Luke stood up and placed his hands on Connie's cheeks, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before sitting back down.

"Connie, you are a godsend," he said with a grin as a blush spread across her cheeks. She playfully swatted at him.

"You, Luke McCallister, are a charmer."

"If you're serious, I'll call her to let her know."

"Of course, I am. Why else would I mention it?"

"You're the best, Connie."

"Of course, I am. I'll be back when your lunches are ready." She winked at them, then walked around the diner filling drinks, and taking orders. The woman never seemed to stop and everyone in Clifton, Spring City, and Hartland loved her and her husband, Owen.

"Beau, I'm going to step outside and call Bryce."

"Sure."

Luke got up, walked out the door, and walked around to the side of the building to get out of the blistering wind. He found Bryce's number in his phone and called her.

"Luke?"

"Hey, how are you doing?"

"Where's my car?"

"It's there at the hospital. I left your keys with a nurse. I had it towed there for you."

"Oh, okay. Uh, I'm being released tomorrow," she said with a catch in her voice.

"I found a place for you."

"Wonderful! Where? No, that doesn't matter. Thank you so much."

"You know, you shouldn't drive, and you have no idea how to get to where I am. Damn." He knew what he had to do. "I'll pick you up. When can you leave?"

"Tomorrow after noon. I'm in room three-twenty. But what about my car?"

"I'll take care of it. Let me tell my brother and we'll be there tomorrow around one."

"Thank you, Luke. You're my hero."

He chuckled and hung up then entered the diner and sat down beside Beau again.

"Did you tell her?"

"Yes, she's happy. I have to go pick her up tomorrow. Can you go with me to drive her car back?"

"Sure."

"Luke? If she has a newborn, she's going to need a crib or bassinet," Connie said, as she handed him the key to the apartment.

"I never thought of that." Luke shook his head.

"I saw an antique bassinet in Dover's Antiques, I mean Timeless Treasures. You really should get it. I know that woman doesn't plan to be here long, but the baby needs a place to sleep, and you never know what could happen and she might need to stay awhile."

"Okay. I'll run down there, Connie."

Beau nodded and Luke headed out the door and walked to the antique shop.