Hugo
“See?”
I nudge Tessa Androtti with an elbow.
We’re standing at the edge of the new deck Nate helped me build out here over the summer. It’s a party deck, as Bess calls it.
As it turns out, our house has become the hub for several cookouts already, and Bess loves it. It shouldn’t be a surprise she loves entertaining and feeding friends, she built a business on it, and this place, out of the way of neighbors and busy streets, is perfect for it.
It’s a great spot with lots of options for outdoor activities. In the spring and early summer, when the water was high, you could hop on an inner tube right out back, and float all the way down to town. All year round, there are plenty of trails to hike, and there are always fish in the creek.
Right now, the Chinook salmon are starting to run.
It’s not quite spawning season yet, that won’t start until probably mid-October, but we’ve seen a good number come up the creek already.
Of course, Carson is out there standing ankle-deep in the creek, tossing his line in the deepest part where the water still has some speed to it.
With him are Tatum—she’s rarely far from his side—and both Remi and Linc, Tessa’s boys who have developed an interest in fishing the couple of times they’ve been here.
“Yeah, you told me,” Tessa acknowledges with a grin. “I’d hoped and prayed I was making the right decision, but I was coming in blind.”
“And now?” I probe.
“I’m good. It’s all good. As far as they’ll share with me, the boys seem to like the school—at least, I haven’t heard any complaints on the subject yet—and I’m getting in a groove at work, and we all love our new house.”
Ironically, my old house is Tessa’s new one.
When she first came to town in the spring she was renting an apartment, but that got small in a real hurry with those two boys of hers.
She started looking to buy, and happened upon my house, which had just been listed.
Three bedrooms, open concept, rec room in the basement, a big garage for sports gear, bikes, and stuff, and a driveway that could handle two, even three vehicles in a pinch.
I had no idea she was the buyer until I signed off on the real estate paperwork and caught her name.
“I’m glad,” I tell her truthfully.
Then I catch Clem waving me over to the barrel grill he made for me.
“Looks like I’m needed.”
“Right,” Tessa curtly responds as she tosses an angry glance in Clem’s direction.
Not sure what that’s all about, but I’m not about to wade in. Instead, I offer, “Can I send over another drink? Something stronger maybe?”
“I’m good with this.” She holds up her bottle of iced tea. “Thanks though.”
I flash her a smile and head over to the grill.
“What’s up?” I ask Clem. “Burgers done?”
“Not yet, but you may wanna check on your boss.”
I follow his line of sight to Savvy, who I can just see around the side of the house, leaning with her arm braced under her head against the brick. Her other arm looks to be holding up her substantial stomach.
Oh boy.
I look around to find Nate, only to remember he and his best man, Roy, went out on one of the trails where Carson had found some bear tracks last week to check them out.
Shit.
Ducking under the railing, I drop down from the deck and make my way over, hearing a worrisome groan when I close in on her.
“When did it start?”
She slightly turns her head to look at me.
“When my water broke five minutes ago. They’re…ahhhh…”
She sags through her knees and I quickly take up position behind her, hooking my arms under hers so she doesn’t hit the ground.
When the contraction passes, I ask, “And why are you standing here?”
“Because I look like I pissed my pants and I didn’t want to draw attention. I’m just waiting here for Nate; he’s not answering his phone—probably left it in the damn truck again—but I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Ahhhh…”
She’s immediately hit with another one, and I’m no doctor, but from the sounds she’s making it sure looks like that baby is closer than she might think.
“There you are,” Bess’s voice sounds behind me. “What are you…Savvy? What’s going on? Is she in labor?”
“She doesn’t want to make a fuss,” I quickly share, before Bess alerts a crowd. “Could you quietly alert Dana and then get my truck started? I’ll bring her around the side.”
I give Savvy a chance to field another contraction before I decidedly lift her up in my arms and start carrying her around to the front.
“I can walk, you know,” she grumbles, hanging on to my neck.
“On those shaky legs? You’d drop that baby on the pavers before you even reached the front of the house.”
To my relief, Dana is already waiting, with a medical kit I’m sure she got from her car slung around her shoulder.
I wince when Savvy’s fingers almost pull out the small hairs at the back of my neck when another wave hits her.
Dana’s eyes flash to mine when Savvy makes that low groaning sound.
“That’s close. Bess and I will get in the back seat with her. You drive,” she orders, taking charge immediately.
As soon as we start moving, I make a quick call to Clem, and explain what’s happening.
“Call Carson over, tell him to go look for Nate immediately. Nate’s gonna have to fucking hustle.”
All I get in response is, “On it,” and then the line goes dead.
“He’d better hurry!” Savvy yells from the back seat.
When I glance in my rearview mirror, all I see is Savvy’s legs up in the air, and I quickly snap my eyes to the front, relieved I’m the one driving.
Bess
Hugo jumps to his feet when I walk out into the waiting area.
He reads the wide smile on my face correctly.
“Already?”
I can understand his surprise, it wasn’t half an hour ago he hustled a frantic Nate into the room. Not a minute too soon either, since Savvy had been working hard all the way here to stop this baby from being born before its daddy got here, but had fast been losing the battle.
“Magnus Brant Gaines, eight pounds, four ounces, with all his fingers and toes.”
“Wow, that baby was in a hurry. That’s amazing.”
What was amazing was Savvy begging me to stay, and having the privilege to witness that little miracle being born.
Suddenly overwhelmed with emotions I’d barely been able to keep in check as I watched Nate and Savvy greet their son, I do a face plant in Hugo’s chest.
He rubs my back and kisses the top of my head, giving me a chance to pull myself together.
“Where are the kids?” I ask a few moments later.
Nate mentioned Tate came with him, and Carson had driven them.
“Carson went to pick up something to eat because, of course, he was hungry, and they missed out on the burgers at home, and Tate just went to the bathroom.”
As if on cue, the girl emerges from the hallway on the far side of the lobby where the restrooms are.
“And?” she asks when she reaches us.
“Go look,” I prompt her with a smile. “Someone’s in there waiting to meet you.”
Tate squeals and darts past me.
“What about Brant and Phil?” Hugo inquires.
I’d invited them to the cookout tonight, but Phil mentioned she was planning to surprise Brant with dinner and a drag show in Spokane today. I had to laugh so hard when Phil said she was simply helping him broaden his horizons. I would give anything to see the look on his face.
“Savvy’s going to call them herself. I’m actually surprised the rest of the town isn’t here waiting for news.”
“I talked to Clem just now,” Hugo enlightens me as he pulls me down in the chair beside him.
“Once Nate tore out of there, everyone pretty much clued in to what was going on, so he kept them busy and turned it into a welcome baby party. They’re drinking our booze and eating our food while placing bets on time, weight, and gender, and waiting to get the news. ”
That would explain why it’s just us here.
“They were going to drink our booze and eat our food anyway,” I point out.
“True enough.”
Hugo pulls me closer, his arm around my shoulders as his hand rubs my biceps.
“How are you?”
I hear a touch of concern in his voice and I know what he’s asking.
“I’m good. I’m so grateful I got to witness that. It’s an experience I’ll never forget. I feel blessed.”
“Hmm,” he hums, resting his cheek on top of my head. “I’m glad.”
That’s how Carson finds us five minutes later, when he walks in with three paper bags from the Bread & Butter Diner.
“Geeze, Buddy. How hungry are you?” Hugo scoffs.
“Not just for me, I figured everyone would be hungry.”
What a great kid he is.
He sets the food on the small coffee table and drops down in a chair on the other side, digging up a burger. Only after his first bite, he clues in his girlfriend isn’t here.
“Where’s Tate?”
I can’t hold back a chuckle, it’s so typical.
“In the room to greet her brother,” Hugo informs him matter-of-factly.
“Shit, already? I’m glad it’s a boy, that’s what Tate was hoping for.”
A seriously great kid.
I lean back and glance up at Hugo, who is also looking at his son, that little half smile showing his pride.
Yeah…I’m blessed beyond belief.