Divine Charity(Divine Creek Ranch 18)(64)

Chapter Eleven




Jessica Bright smiled a greeting as she opened the screen door for Lydia and Emma as they came up the steps of the Carlisles’ remote cabin. Tank waved at her from the helicopter as the blades slowed. Her eyes lingered on them long enough to see Tank say something to Troy that made him look directly at her and smile. She’d hoped that perhaps Val and Ransome might visit but noticed no other men were with them.

Heat filled her cheeks and she felt more rotund and hippo-like by the second. It seemed like every guy she’d encountered lately was hunky, gorgeous, and available, and Tank and Troy weren’t even the ones uppermost in her mind lately.

It was the pregnancy hormones, she was sure. Her moods and her cravings and even her dreams seemed to belong to someone else. Not her. She’d never been the oversexed type. And given what she’d been through, she knew a normal reaction would’ve been to swear off men completely. But it was undeniable, she couldn’t think about Val and Ransome without feeling like she was in a heat wave. Lust in the late stages of pregnancy wasn’t uncommon and being unfulfilled probably made it worse.

“You okay?” Lydia asked as she and Emma came in the door.

Jessica still couldn’t believe how fortunate she’d been when she’d asked Val and his equally handsome cousin Ransome for help. That one call had led her to so many wonderful new acquaintances, like Justin and his wife Charity, Grace and her men, and Lydia and her men, and they’d welcomed her into their world with open arms. They’d been instrumental in helping her healing process, both by saving her in the first place but also by helping her find a safe place as she waited for the baby to arrive, and for Trevor Dornan to hopefully be recaptured. She knew she was experiencing a healthy dose of hero worship but just thinking about Val and Ransome made her heart do flips.

“Earth to Jessica?” Emma called softly with a giggle.

Jessica chuckled and put her hand over her bulging middle and shook her head. “Sorry, I’m blaming it on mommy-brain.”

Emma smiled as she put down her bag and said, “That’s understandable. You’ve got a lot on your plate right now. How have you been feeling?”

Jessica went to the divan Emma directed her to. “Fine. I’m staying busy.” That was true enough. She had some projects that had kept her hands busy and plenty of reading materials, as well as a journal she was keeping for her baby. At night the cabin was a little lonely and she’d wished that she was closer to wherever Val and Ransome were, but she understood the necessity of it.

Emma held the stethoscope to her heart and then checked the baby. “Busy worrying? Your heart rate is elevated.”

Jessica chuckled nervously and Lydia sat down beside her. “I’ll bet I know what got her heart going.”

“You do?” Jessica asked nervously.

“It’s those two redheaded hunks out there, isn’t it? I love Chance and Clayton with my whole heart and I’ve never been one to find gingers all that attractive, but those two? Hot holy hell. You should’ve seen how they jumped when I told them we needed to come out here. They dropped everything, both of them, to get the helicopter ready. You’d have thought it was an emergency. I think they like you.”

“Really?” she asked incredulously. “Me? With the swollen ankles and puffy face, and big ol’ pregnant tummy? Puh-lease.”

Emma and Lydia both laughed and Emma said, “I think they see past all that.”

Lydia nodded. “And I don’t think this situation puts them off much.”

Jessica shook her head. “I’m a recipe for disaster. And why would they want to have anything to do with me? I’m going to be a single mom. And the father isn’t an old boyfriend I broke up with. It’s a man who…forced himself on me.” Who in their right mind would want someone with the astronomic amount of baggage I’m dragging around?

Lydia said, “They seemed hopeful, Jessica, when we mentioned the possibility of bringing you back up to the ranch.”

Jessica shook her head. “I need to get through bringing this baby into the world first.” Then my baby needs to be my number-one concern. There won’t be room for much else in my life. Val and Ransome…and even Tank and Troy…they’re just fantasy material. Not for me. I need to accept that.

Lydia nodded, obviously not wanting to upset her and turned to Emma. “What now, doc?”

Emma pulled ten dollars from her bag and handed it to Lydia, who cackled with glee.

“What’s that all about?” Jessica asked.

Lydia’s eyes danced with merriment as she stuffed the bill in her bra.