Page 6

“Brow wiping is over-rated.” The last word came out as a squeak. Another contraction was coming.

“Shit, Zoe. I have to go to the truck and get things settled. I have some things that’ll come in handy, but I need to get them into position before I situate you. I’m going to have to leave you for a few minutes. Can you handle that?”

Her brow was furled, and despite the cold, it was beaded with sweat. She looked up at me with fierce determination. “Go be an Eagle Scout, then come back for me.” She bit her lip and hesitated.

“What?”

“I’m so damn sorry, Adam. I’ve put you in the shittiest situation imaginable, and you are being wonderful.”

She was biting her lip so hard, I thought she might draw blood. I brushed my thumb against her bottom lip, rescuing it. “Don’t worry about me. Because out of the two of us, I think you’re the one who drew the short straw.”

She blew out a breath. “I think you might be right about that. Okay, go build me a nest and don’t forget to come back for me.”

“I won’t.”

I backed out of the Jeep and closed the door, then climbed up out of the gulley and got to my truck. Adam had escaped his car seat and had climbed into the front passenger seat. He knew better than to sit in the driver’s seat.

“Where’s the lady?”

“She’s still in her car. We’ve got to get things ready for her to come over here so she can have her baby, and I’m going to need your help.”

“I can help.”

That was my boy. He always wanted to help. I leaned over and snagged my James’ Bag from the backseat and handed it over to him. “The first thing I need you to do is to find your iPad and pick out a movie you want to watch.”

He frowned up at me. “That doesn’t sound like helping.”

“James, things are going to be really busy for the next few minutes before we get the lady into the truck. Can you trust me that everything I ask you to do is very, very important?”

He gave me that considering look that was all Marie, then nodded. “Okay-doke.”

James started pawing through the bag as I climbed out of the Jeep and opened the back door. I unhooked the car seat and tossed it into the truck bed, then went back to the backseat to assess every damn thing I had in all the storage areas. I knew I had a fully-stocked first aid kit, plenty of water, and some leftover shit from the last time James and I went camping. I had my fingers crossed that I was remembering right about what was left over.

I put my hands on the road flares. They wouldn’t do much in this snowstorm, and I was pulled over on the shoulder pretty well, but the last thing I needed was someone plowing into us as Zoe was having her baby.

“What are those? Are they fireworks?”

“Road flares, kiddo. I’ll be right back.” I stepped out of the truck again and ignited the four flares and placed them forty yards, thirty yards, twenty yards and ten yards behind my truck, hoping that would do the trick.

Fuck, it was cold. I needed to hurry my ass up and get back to Zoe.

Back in the truck I found a grounding tarp from the camping trip, a heavy wool blanket and two pillows with spiderman pillowcases.

Perfect.

I spread everything out, figuring that Zoe could lay across the bench seats and I would kneel on the floor while she did what she could to make me laugh.

“I want to watch the Minions movie.”

“Good choice. Did you find your headphones?”

“You didn’t tell me to look for those.”

“I’m telling you now.”

“Okey-doke.”

“I’m going to go get the lady. Her name is Zoe.”