Martina shook her head, her face tightening again with another contraction. "I don't think we're going to have time."
Noah fought panic. "You have to slow down."
She looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "I can't."
She couldn't have the baby in the car, he told himself. She couldn't. "How close are the contractions?"
She grimaced and cried out in pain, digging her nails into his palm.
"Close," he said. "Damn." He looked outside. Visibility was zero. He had never felt more helpless in his life, but he had never been more needed in his life.
Martina stared at him, taking quick short breaths. "I'm scared, Noah. What if something bad happens? What if the Logan curse is at work again?"
Her fears scored his heart. "Nothing bad is going to happen. You're going to have a baby girl and I'm going to be with you every contraction and you and her are going to be fine." He said it as much for himself as for her.
Her contraction passed and she drooped against the door. "I read about this in one of my pregnancy books. Some women have very short labors and get caught off guard. It's rare the first time." Her face contorted in another grimace and she began to breathe rhythmically. She held tightly to his hand. "I wish I had practiced my breathing more. Oh, Noah, it hurts!"
He felt her pain like a knife in his side. "Focus," he said. "Open your eyes and pick a focal point."
She squinted her eyes and stared into his. "Promise me," she managed in a ragged voice.
"Promise you what, Martina? I'll promise you anything," he assured her, still holding her hand, wanting more than anything to take away her pain.
"Promise me that if I die, you will always love and cherish this child."
"Honey, you're not going to die," he told her, his eyes growing wet with emotion. "Dammit, you're not going to die."
"Promise me," she implored him.
"I promise," he said, then made another oath. "I love you, Martina. I'm not going to let you die."
Her eyes rounded at his words. "You-" She moaned. "I want to push."
Noah alternately swore and prayed. "It's not time, is it?"
"I've got to push!" she yelled, and Noah wasn't inclined to argue.
Two contractions of pushing passed and Noah positioned his hands between Martina's legs. A little head crowned. "She's coming," he said in wonder.
"He," Martina cried. "He's going to look like you." She closed her eyes and pushed again, and the baby's head emerged. The tiny red-faced infant screamed.
"Omigod, she's already yelling," Noah said, trembling at the first sight of his child.
Martina gave one more push and the baby slid out in a whoosh.
"Oh, Lord, it's a girl!"
Martina gaped at him. "It's a girl?"
Noah nodded, tears flowing down his cheeks. "We have a girl. We have a baby girl. Damn," he said, holding her. "What do we do with her?"
Martina sank back against the door. "Put her on my stomach while we decide."
Noah looked around the car for a blanket, but there was nothing, so he stripped off his shirt and wrapped the baby in it. "I don't know what to do with the umbilical cord. Damn, I wish I'd read something about this."
"Even though he's a hardheaded jerk sometimes, this is when it would be handy for Tyler to show up," Martina said. She gazed at their child and touched the baby's tiny fingers. "Oh, Noah, she's beautiful. Isn't she beautiful?"
"Almost as beautiful as her mother," he said, staring with wonder at both of them.
Martina pointed out the window. "Look, the wind has died down."
"Figures," Noah said. "I'm getting you to the hospital."
A Jeep and Gideon's truck pulled alongside them and stopped. Brock and Tyler jumped out of the Jeep, and Noah's brothers rushed from the truck.
Noah opened the window. "You're all officially uncles," he said. "You have a niece."
All five men stared at him dumbfounded. The baby started to cry, and they looked at one another.
Gideon cracked a broad grin. "I'm armed for the occasion," he said, and pulled out cigars.
* * *
One week later, on a hot, sunny day, Martina's brother Brock gave her away in marriage to a good-for-nothing Coltrane, who had turned out to be good-for-everything for her. The small gathering included just the two families, who had made peace with the birth of Anna Logan Coltrane. Adam and Brock were discussing cattle, and Tyler expressed an interest in learning to fence with Gideon.
Since last week, Martina had learned a small meteor shower had precipitated the dust storm. That might not have been stars falling over West Texas, but it was close enough to be a sign for her. More importantly, she couldn't imagine not being with Noah Coltrane for the rest of her life. Martina chose a long, ivory, silk empire dress, and Jill had put flowers in her hair. Felicity held the baby while Noah took Martina's hand and said his vows.
"With this ring, I thee wed," he said, his heart in his eyes.
Martina still couldn't believe it. She repeated her vows, then whispered, "Pinch me."
His eyebrows lifted in disbelief. "What?" he whispered back.
"Pinch me," she said. "I can't believe this is happening."
"I can do better than that," he said, then pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
The minister gave a long-suffering sigh, and his lips twitched. "Most people wait, but I can tell you two aren't much on waiting. I now pronounce you husband and wife," he said.
Noah kissed her again, sealing his vows. "I love you," he said.
Her heart turned over. "I'll never get tired of hearing you say that." Noah would never quite understand how his love had healed her of the emptiness she'd felt because her father had been unable to show his love. Martina was determined to spend a lifetime reminding Noah how important he was to her. She glanced around at the happy faces of their families. "I think we've finally done it," she said. "I think we've learned how to beat the Logan curse."
Tyler and Brock nodded in agreement and walked toward her. They kissed her on opposite cheeks. "I think you sealed it," Brock said.
"And buried a grudge at the same time," Tyler added.
It never failed to bring tears to her eyes knowing that the three men she loved most had made amends.
"How's that?" Noah asked.
"You should know. You're the one who taught me," Martina said, lifting a hand to his cheek. "Love hard, always."
"Always," he promised.
And they always did.