hospital setting. Something Pia would have appreciated.
“Did I tell you Dakota called?” Montana asked.
Her sister shook her head. “Is she coming?”
“As soon as she gets Hannah to sleep. Finn is going to stay home with Hannah.”
Denise came in with a redheaded boy at her side. Montana stood and walked over to them.
“Peter,” she said, giving him a hug. “You doing okay?”
The boy looked more curious than worried, which was probably a good thing. He’d been through a lot, losing his birth parents in a horrible car accident. He was the only one who’d survived. After a couple of years of foster care, he’d found a home with Pia and Raoul. Now he was about to get a couple of baby brothers or sisters. Or possibly one of each.
He hugged her back. “I wanted to see,” he told her, looking both defiant and a little embarrassed.
“He was concerned that we were all worried,” Denise said, resting her hand on Peter’s shoulder. “And hiding it from him.”
“I love Pia,” he said simply. “I want her to be okay.”
“We all want that,” Montana told him, taking him by the hand and leading him over to the table.
He picked a peanut butter cookie and took a bite. “So she’s okay?”
“We haven’t heard any differently.”
There was no point in discussing the possible complications of childbirth. Statistically Pia was going to be fine. Montana didn’t see the point in worrying a ten-year-old needlessly.
“Do you think Raoul is scared?”
Montana laughed. “I’m sure he’s terrified. You’re an easy kid to have around, but babies are small and helpless and they can’t tell you what’s wrong.”
Peter nodded. “I guess I’ll have to help. You know, be a big brother.”
She wrapped her arm around him. “My parents appreciated my big brothers helping with me and my sisters.”
Dakota arrived a few minutes later. Mayor Marsha claimed Peter and sat chatting with him. Denise shared a sofa with her daughters.
“You’ll be next,” she said, smiling at Dakota.
Dakota touched her still flat stomach. “I’m not due until early March, Mom. We’ve got a ways to go.”
“Still. I’m very excited.”
Nevada sighed. “I’m feeling pressure.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Denise said.
“You didn’t have to.”
Denise looked at Montana. “Do you feel pressure, too? I don’t want you to. While it would be nice to have more grandchildren, if you’re not interested in starting a family or in carrying on the Hendrix tradition, I’m fine with that.” She paused and drew in a deep breath. “My heart will mend eventually.”
Montana looked at Nevada. “Pressure? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
A doctor came into the waiting room. Everyone turned toward her, but she walked to another family.
Dakota heard Mayor Marsha telling Peter, “Pia thought she would get the cat instead.”
The boy laughed. “I’m glad she didn’t. We have a dog now. Dogs are better than cats.” He glanced around the room, then added, “You can play with a dog. Cats like to sleep a lot.”
“So I’ve heard,” Marsha told him.
Montana listened in on other conversations. Moments like these reminded her why she loved living in Fool’s Gold. This was more than a small town—it was a real community. People took care of each other. She knew that when Pia went home, women would bring her all kinds of casseroles. That she wouldn’t have to cook for at least a month.
She knew that mothers and grandmothers would stop by regularly to offer advice and free babysitting so Pia could nap or take a walk. Raoul would find himself drawn into the lives of those around him in ways he didn’t expect. She liked being a part of this—having a place she could depend on. Fool’s Gold wasn’t like other places. Living here meant belonging.
Raoul stumbled into the waiting room. Everyone stopped talking and looked at him.
The normally handsome former football player still wore scrubs. His hair was mussed, his gaze unfocused. He glanced around, as if not sure where he was.
He saw Peter and grinned at the boy.
“Girls,” he said at last. “We have two girls. They’re so beautiful. Perfect. I don’t know how I got so lucky. First you and now these girls—Adelina Crystal and Rosabel Dana, in honor of Keith and Crystal Danes. Our friends will live on in our daughters.”
As one, everyone stood and rushed toward him. There were cheers and hugs and calls of congratulation. Montana made sure her mom was with Peter, then slipped out of the room. It would be a while before anyone could see Pia or the babies. She wanted to check on Simon.
She made her way to surgery and stopped at the nurses’ station. The older woman there glanced up from her computer screen.
“How can I help you?” she asked pleasantly.
“I’m checking on Dr. Bradley. He’s in surgery. Do you know how long he’s going to be?”
The nurse’s smile faded. “He’s not in surgery this evening. Would you like me to page him?”
Montana opened her mouth, then closed it. Not in surgery? But he’d said…
She swallowed. “No, thank you.”
She turned away. Heaviness settled on her chest.
Simon had lied. She couldn’t believe it, except there was no other explanation. Obviously he’d had second thoughts. He’d changed his mind about sleeping with her, but rather than tell her, he’d made up some stupid story.
Her eyes burned, but she refused to cry. It was bad enough that she’d been willing to give herself to him without even the hint of a relationship. She wasn’t going to make it worse by wasting tears on him.
She turned to leave, then shook her head. No. She wasn’t simply going to walk away. Dr. Stick-Up-the-Butt might think his behavior was okay, but she was going to let him know it wasn’t. She might not be sophisticated or elegant or whatever it was he usually went for, but she wasn’t going to let him treat her like this. Not without telling him exactly what she thought of him.
CHAPTER NINE
MONTANA FOUND SIMON on the burn ward. He stood outside of Kalinda’s room, the door slightly open. He didn’t look up as Montana approached.
“Fay went home to shower and get some clean clothes,” he said quietly, studying the sleeping girl. “There will be another surgery in a couple of days. She’s healing well.”
Montana stared at him. “That’s it?” she asked, keeping her voice low so as not to wake the girl.
Kalinda and the other patients were the only reason she wasn’t screaming. And possibly hitting. Ethan and Kent had made sure she and her sisters knew exactly how to punch so that it hurt.
Simon glanced at her, frowning slightly. “What else did you want me to say?” he asked. “She’s—”
He swore under his breath. “You came to check on me.”
“No,” she said, firmly. “I came because a friend is having a baby. Then I decided to check on you.”
“It’s not what you think. I didn’t change my mind. There was a patient—”
She put her hands on her hips and put as much energy into the glare as possible. In a perfect world he would turn to mush and melt right there on the hospital floor.
“I wasn’t in surgery because I didn’t get the chance to operate. He died before I started.”
Montana opened her mouth, then closed it. Her mind went blank, which was probably better than the guilt
