Finding Joy (Love's Compass Book 5) Read online

  Laurie paused, a spatula in the air. “And if it hadn’t been you or one of the core family members, Rogue would have told me so. That person wouldn’t have a prayer of getting into the house.” Rogue walked around the island in the middle of the kitchen to sit next to his owner’s feet.

  Chelsea moved to place the bottles of blueberry sweet tea and tortilla chips on the counter. “Don’t you ever feed the poor guy?”

  Rogue watched Laurie as she pulled a hot pan out of the oven. “You’d think not. He’s been doing this all day. He follows me everywhere and as soon as I sit down, he’s lying across my feet.” She gently used one foot to slide him over a little. “I’d banish him to the backyard if it weren’t so sweet.”

  Chelsea pulled open the bag of chips and crunched on one. Laurie wore an apron that used to fit her fine. But with that extended belly, the apron was much too small and looked comical. “You’re going to way too much trouble. You know I’d have picked up dinner for you.”

  Laurie shook her head and placed a hand on her belly, rubbing it. “This little one would not settle for anything but enchiladas. Tuck made me promise to save some for him when he got home.” She nodded toward the living room. “Let’s eat in there. My back’s bothering me and lounging on the couch sounds awesome.”

  They worked together to get the drinks and chips into the living room. Then Chelsea insisted that Laurie sit and put her feet up while she filled their plates and brought them out. Chelsea collapsed into an oversized chair, kicked her shoes off, and groaned.

  “Rough day?”

  “I rode a horse.”

  Laurie gaped at her. “You’re kidding. And you survived?” She wrapped a string of cheese around the forkful of chicken enchiladas.

  “Haha. Real funny.” Chelsea licked a drop of red sauce off her knuckle. “I thought I’d finally made a good impression on Tuesday but apparently, I was wrong. I don’t see him all week and then he insists I ride with him to check the fence line.” She huffed and took another bite of her dinner. Yep, her sister definitely got the cooking genes in the family. “I don’t get the guy at all. I never know if he’s going to show me the ropes or give me the cold shoulder. It’s driving me crazy.”

  “You mean you actually rode the same horse with Parker?” Laurie looked amused as she waggled her eyebrows.

  “Way to stay on topic.”

  “I’m sorry, Chels. And I’m sorry the guy’s so back and forth like that. As long as you have things to do, does it really matter?”

  “Yes, it matters.” Chelsea put her fork down on her plate. “I need this job. I’ve got to impress them all enough to be offered a permanent position.”

  “And your job is the only reason why you want to impress Parker?” Laurie tossed her a knowing look.

  “He’s not my type.” Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She’d always been a sucker for tall men with soft brown hair. Throw in those incredible eyes and he was totally her type. Sure, he’d acted the gentleman when it came to opening her door for her. And making her feel safe while riding Eloise. But otherwise, he’d been standoffish. “He’s got issues. I have enough of my own to sink a small ship.”

  She noticed Laurie grimace and sat up straighter. “You okay?”

  “I’m cramping a little tonight. I probably overdid it. Three clients may have been a little much.”

  “I’d say.” Chelsea watched as Laurie rubbed her belly, inhaled slowly, and went back to her food. “You need to slow down. At least a little. Most women who aren’t pregnant can’t keep up with your pace.”

  Laurie shot her a look of annoyance.

  They ate in comfortable silence until Laurie inhaled sharply and tensed. Chelsea stood up and took the plate from her, setting both of theirs on the coffee table. “You need to lie down.”

  That Laurie complied without argument didn’t escape Chelsea’s notice. It put her more on the alert. She checked the clock and noted the time. “Let me go get you a big glass of water. Make sure you get enough to drink. Close your eyes and take a nap. I’ll clean the kitchen up.”

  Laurie nodded and her eyes slid shut.

  Chelsea wasn’t hungry anymore. She put up the leftovers, made sure Rogue had his dog food, and then kept an eye on Laurie. Several times during her twenty-minute nap, her face would change and her brows drew together as though she were in pain. She finally sat up and rested her head in her hands. A minute later, she scrunched forward and cradled her belly with both arms.

  That was it. Chelsea jumped up. “You’ve been having cramps every five minutes or so. Laurie, I think we need to take you in and make sure you’re not having contractions.”

  Laurie seemed like she wanted to argue. Instead, she nodded. “I need to call Tuck.”

  “We’ll get you in the car first and then you can call him.”

  Chapter Six

  Chelsea kept her eyes on the road ahead. Laurie clutched her cell phone and held it to her ear as she spoke.

  “We’re on our way. Chelsea’s driving. Please, Tuck, just meet us there.” Laurie sucked in a breath. “I’m nervous. It’s too early.”

  It was all Chelsea could do to not watch as Laurie hung up the phone and groaned with the beginning of another contraction. Chelsea looked at the clock. They were still five minutes apart but seemed to be getting stronger. Not a good thing when Laurie was only thirty-three weeks along.

  A traffic light switched to red and Chelsea had to brake behind a line of cars.

  Come on! Come on!

  The contraction must’ve eased because Laurie released her grip on the arm of her seat. “I wish we were in Tuck’s car right now.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” Tuck would turn the squad car lights on and they’d be at the hospital in a fraction of the time. Chelsea took the lull in forward movement to observe Laurie. “You okay?”

  “I don’t want to have this baby in a car.”

  “Yeah. I’m not fond of the idea, either.” Chelsea had seen plenty of movies and prayed this was a case of Braxton Hicks contractions.

  Please, God. Get us to the hospital. Protect the baby.

  The car in front of her inched forward and then gained speed. Chelsea followed, going under the light as it turned red again. She released the breath of air she’d been holding. Barring any other issues, they’d be at the hospital in the next few minutes.

  Tuck was waiting for them when they approached the entrance to the emergency room. Chelsea’s car hadn’t quite come to a complete stop when he pulled Laurie’s door open.

  “They’ve got a wheelchair coming for you.” Tuck put one hand on Laurie’s swollen abdomen. “You two will be okay.”

  Laurie nodded, her copper curls bouncing. She transferred from the car to the wheelchair when it arrived.

  Tuck peered through the cabin of the car to Chelsea. “Thank you.”

  She nodded. “I’m going to park and then I’ll be right there. I’ll bring Laurie’s bag with me.”

  Always the organized one, Laurie had her hospital bag packed a month ago. They’d all teased her about it and now Chelsea was glad. After finding a place to park, she retrieved it from the back seat and hurried across the parking lot, hoping to catch up with them. One lady in admissions told her they’d taken Laurie upstairs to labor and delivery.

  Chelsea’s stomach rolled, and she swallowed against the ache in the back of her throat as she rode the elevator up to the fourth floor. She stepped into Laurie’s room. Seeing her sister lying on a hospital bed with Tuck standing over her gave her some relief. Surely the doctor could do something to stop the contractions now.

  Chelsea set the bag down by one chair and went to stand at the foot of the bed. Laurie reached a hand out for her and Chelsea moved to hold it.

  “Thank you for getting me here, Chels. I appreciate it.”

  “Anytime. Thank you for not putting me in a position where I had to deliver my own nephew.”

  Laurie laughed. A moment later, she closed her eyes against another contraction.
/>   Tuck held his wife’s hand, his eyes brimming with concern. Laurie knew he was skilled at handling anything his job as a police officer threw his way. She imagined being unable to help Laurie was driving him crazy.

  A nurse came in along with the on-call doctor. “We’re going to do an ultrasound and an exam to see where you’re at.”

  That was Chelsea’s cue. She leaned down to give Laurie a hug. “I’ll be out in the waiting room.”

  Laurie nodded. “I’ll send Tuck to get you in a few minutes.”

  Chelsea closed the door behind her and made her way to the waiting room, suddenly feeling lost. Sending silent prayers to heaven, she took a seat and withdrew her phone, only paying half attention to the game she turned on. She didn’t want to contact anyone else. Not until Tuck and Laurie had more details about what was going on.

  And hopefully there’d be nothing to share with the rest of the family except for a silly story about going to the hospital with Braxton Hicks contractions.

  Giving up on her phone, she went to browsing through some old magazines until Tuck finally reappeared. His face was void of emotion, which put Chelsea on edge. She jumped to her feet.

  Tuck pinched the back of his neck with one hand while using the other to escort her toward Laurie’s room. “She’s in early labor. Her cervix is dilated to one centimeter. They’re going to start her on magnesium sulfate to see if they can get the contractions to stop.”

  “Okay. How’s the baby?”

  “He’s doing fine. The heart rate is good. They’ll give Laurie some steroids to help the baby’s lungs just in case. Let’s hope they won’t be needed.”

  “I’ll be praying that’s the case.” They reached Laurie’s room, and Chelsea peeked inside. A nurse was skillfully inserting an IV. She taped the needle in place, set the drip on the bag of fluids, and left.

  Laurie motioned them both closer. “She said it might take a few hours. But hopefully we’ll see results quickly.” She closed her green eyes and let her head rest against the pillow. Moments later, her eyes flew open. “I have a photo session tomorrow morning! Chelsea, can you call them and reschedule? Ugh, I feel horrible. The Davis family’s been on the books for months.”

  Tuck took her free hand and gave her a firm look. “And with seven kids, they’ll understand.”

  “I’ve got it covered.” Chelsea took out her phone and opened her note application. “Reschedule the Davis’s. Check. What else can I help with?”

  Tuck responded. “Go ahead and reschedule all of Laurie’s clients for the rest of the weekend and next week, too.”

  Laurie looked like she might object. But when another contraction hit, its progress monitored by one of the machines, she nodded.

  “Will do.” Chelsea jotted a few more things down. She’d call and cancel, but didn’t plan on rescheduling yet. Not until they knew whether the medication helped. She seriously doubted the doctors would send Laurie home to go back to her old routine. But Chelsea wasn’t about to mention that now. “Is there anything else I can get for either of you?”

  Tuck shook his head. “I’ll call the family. Let them know what’s going on.”

  Chelsea nodded. She sat in the chair next to the hospital bed and focused on Laurie as Tuck made the calls. It was after nine in the evening and there wasn’t a thing she could do to help Laurie now but wait. It might be a long night.

  ~

  Parker flipped through the Sunday morning newspaper until a photo caught his eye. He stopped and something twisted his heart.

  Brenda.

  His ex-girlfriend’s face was the last thing he’d expected to see. The settee dipped when Kara sat beside him. She tapped the engagement photo of Brenda and a man named Walter, according to the text below it.

  “You’re better off without her. She was a gold digger.” Kara’s voice was steady but her face belied her emotion.

  Parker wouldn’t have believed it back then. But the moment his face had been marred, she’d ditched him without so much as an in-person apology. He’d since realized he didn’t love her, but it still stung. Especially given the circumstances.

  “Yeah, I suppose.” He knew she spoke the truth.

  Kara reached for the newspaper, wadded it up, and tossed it at the fireplace. She hit the bricks just to the right. It bounced off the floor and rolled under a chair.

  She chuckled. “I was close. Don’t waste too much time worrying about her. She’s not worth it.”

  That was enough to coax a small smile out of Parker. It widened when his sister leaned into the corner of the settee and stretched her legs across Parker’s knees. She’d been doing that since she was little.

  “I’m surprised you’re not with Mom going over more wedding plans.”

  Kara groaned. “Mom’s busy with a meeting, thank goodness. I don’t think I can take any more of it. If Ben and I could get married tomorrow, I’d totally do it.” She sobered. “I’m glad you’re walking me down the aisle.”

  “Me, too. Thanks for asking me.” When she’d come to him wanting to know if he’d stand in for their dad, Parker agreed immediately. It’d meant more than he could express. “Dad would be proud of you. He’d have been all stoic during the ceremony and then probably cried like a baby later.”

  Kara blinked tears from her own eyes. “Sometimes I have a hard time seeing his face when I close my eyes now. Is that horrible? I had a dream last night that I’d forgotten him.”

  Parker understood. Many of his childhood memories had faded over time, and he was five years older than she had been when Dad passed. “Don’t worry, you’ll never forget him. Tell me about your favorite memory from when you were a kid.”

  “Bedtime. I remember saying my prayers and then he would pray over me, too. It was one of my favorite things.” She let out a little sigh. “I still miss that.” She paused. “Why don’t we pray anymore, Parker?”

  Parker had his own reasons for why he rarely prayed. Most of them in anger over his dad’s death. Then he’d gotten out of the habit, completely consumed with his life on the rodeo circuit. Rarely did any thought of what God might have in mind for his life enter the equation. Then it was just reinforced by his accident. It was hard to believe God cared with all that had happened. At this point in his life, he was so used to leaving God out of his daily decisions, he wasn’t sure how he’d even change that now.

  But that wasn’t the answer Kara needed. “Dad was the spiritual leader in our house. He was the one that prayed — before bed, at the dinner table. I guess, when he died, we missed that and no one wanted to take his place. Instead of carrying on like we should have, we let it go.” The pain twisting in his gut told him it’d been the wrong thing to do. But at this point, opening back up in prayer seemed like such a foreign concept. Did God even want to talk to him anymore? “Do you pray, Kara?”

  “On my own? Yeah.” She shrugged.

  “I never knew that.”

  “I guess I feel closer to Daddy when I do.”

  Parker knew he needed to lighten the mood. “Do you remember the tea parties?”

  Kara’s eyebrows drew together. “Vaguely.”

  Parker grinned. “When you were five or so, you loved tea parties. You’d carry your tiny glass tea set into the sitting room. You liked to draw invitations and give them to Dad, inviting him over for a party. Dad would sit on the floor with you and he’d have to use his fingertips to hold the handles of the cups. You’d pour water, clink your cups together, and sip tea while eating mini cookies on matching plates.” The dreamy expression on Kara’s face inspired Parker to continue. “One time, Dad had a hard time holding onto a teacup and it fell, shattering. You were devastated. He stayed up half the night piecing it together with super glue. When he gave it to you the next day, he said the cracks made it special. And you insisted on drinking from it every time after that.”

  A lone tear rolled down Kara’s cheek and dripped onto her shirt. She swiped at it with her hand. “He was a good dad, wasn’t he?”

/>   “The best.” Parker ran a finger across the bottom of Kara’s foot. She jumped, curling her feet on the settee beneath her. “He’d want you to be happy on your wedding day. Remember that.”

  “Thanks.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “God’s still there, you know.” She raised an eyebrow. “I couldn’t have made it this far without Him. I’ll bet He misses you.”

  The doorbell rang and Kara launched herself off the couch. “That’s Ben! He’s picking me up for lunch.” She hurried from the room to answer the door.

  Parker followed, arriving just in time to witness Ben and Kara share a heated kiss. She blushed as they broke away. The men shook hands. “Good to see you, Ben. You sticking around for dinner tonight?”

  Ben looked to Kara who nodded hopefully. “That’d be great. We should be back later this afternoon.” He kissed the back of her hand. “I thought I’d treat my girl to a picnic in the park.”

  The way Kara was beaming, it was clear her fiancé’s choice was a good one.

  “You two have fun.”

  Kara waved as Ben escorted her to his car. Ben was a good guy, and Parker knew he’d do anything to make Kara happy.

  He shut the door and sat back down in front of the fireplace. He laced his fingers together and leaned his head back into his hands. Kara’s words replayed in his mind: “God’s still there, you know.”

  Parker wasn’t so sure about that. He’d felt alone after his accident. There were many times when he blamed God for the whole thing. But what if God had performed a miracle and saved him? If he was still on God’s radar, why didn’t He prevent the accident in the first place?

  His thoughts flew through the events of the last few days. If it hadn’t been for that accident, he wouldn’t be back on the ranch now, the longhorns would still be a thing of the past, and he wouldn’t even know who Chelsea Blake was.