Len edged closer. Her hair smelled like Raney’s. They must use the same shampoo. Or maybe it was genetic. “You need to get her out of here, Dalton.”
“She’s worrying too much,” Mama added, hemming him in on his other side. “It’ll sour her on babies altogether.”
“Isn’t there someplace you can take her for a few hours?” Len asked.
He was starting to get a neck ache from all the head swiveling to follow the conversation.
“Didn’t your parents move somewhere around here?”
“Plainview?”
“Perfect!” Mama burst out, patting his arm. She lowered her voice again. “Take your time. No rush. Joss may not have that baby for hours yet. Days, even. Go.” She gave him a push that almost spilled his coffee. Again.
Dalton went.
“What did Mama and Len want?” Raney asked when he returned to his seat.
“I’m not sure. They were either asking me to get you pregnant or take you to Plainview. Maybe both. I’m not sure why.”
“What?”
“I know. Weird. But if we went to Plainview, we could deliver Timmy’s presents. Unless you’d rather I get you preg—”
“Great!” Raney bolted from the chair. “Let’s go.”
“To Plainview?”
“Of course, to Plainview. Hurry. Before Joss starts into labor again.”
When they crossed the main lobby, they ran into Len’s husband, Ryan, on his way in. Raney hadn’t seen him in several months and was surprised at how much he’d aged. Or maybe it was worry that had etched those deep lines in his face.
She introduced him to Dalton, and they chatted for a moment about Joss’s condition and Grady, then they sent him on his way up to maternity. Raney wondered if he knew about Len’s eye surgery. If not, he was in for a surprise.
As they drove out of the hospital parking lot, Dalton called ahead to let his parents know they were coming. Which worked out perfectly, his mom told him, since Timmy was coming for supper that night, and now they could turn it into a party. “He’ll be thrilled. Drive safe.”
“Well, that’s disappointing,” Dalton said as he set his cell phone back in the cradle on the dash. “Guess I won’t be impregnating you tonight.”
“Bummer.”
“Maybe tomorrow. Unless you’re already knocked up. How reliable are those pills you’ve been taking?”
“That’s not funny.”
An hour later, they pulled up to the curb in front of a neat, but modest, house completely shaded by two big pecan trees and a wide front porch. Apparently, Timmy had been watching for them. As soon as they started up the walk, he banged out the front door, wearing a big grin. “Dalton! You came back!”
Raney watched the brothers hug, and thought again how kind Dalton was, and how gently he treated those he loved. He would make a wonderful father someday. Maybe a father to her own children. Although what they were going through with Joss made her a bit apprehensive about the whole motherhood thing.
Supper was a grand affair with all the trimmings—pork chops, green beans, potatoes, and a fresh fruit salad. Conversation throughout the meal centered around Timmy, who talked almost continually and with great enthusiasm about his job washing windows, cleaning gutters, repairing the wood fence, and anything else that needed doing around the group home. “I am a good worker,” he said proudly. “I do repairs at the church, too. And guess what! They pay me lots of money.”
“You like staying in the group home?” Dalton asked.
Timmy nodded. “People there are nice to me. And I have a friend. His name is George. He sleeps by me in the boys’ room. He never wets the bed, but he snores a lot. And guess what! I can read. Maybe I can read to you sometimes, Dalton, like you used to read to me before you went away.”
“I’d like that, buddy. But not tonight. Tonight, we get to open presents.”
“Because it’s my birthday!” Timmy shouted, so happy he could hardly sit still.
After they cleaned up the dishes, they had cake and ice cream, then Timmy opened his gifts. He was thrilled with the belt and toolbox and spent an hour packing and unpacking each several times. But the most treasured gift was the red suspenders, which he insisted on wearing with his jeans. “I look like Dad now,” he announced, hooking his thumbs under the red straps. “I am a hard worker, too. Just like Dalton.”
Raney suspected he’d try to wear the suspenders with his pj’s that night. She smiled, enjoying Dalton’s family more every time she was around them. There was a lot of love in that house. Like Mama said, the Cardwells were good people.
She and Dalton were giving their final good-byes when Mama called, saying Joss had finally gotten busy. “It’s going fast. You’ll probably have a new niece by the time you get here. Visiting hours are over at eight, so you’d best hurry.”
Once they’d cleared town and were heading south on I-27, Raney said, “That was fun. I like your family.”
“They like you, too.” Dalton grinned at her. “Even though my dad thinks you’re too good for me.”
Raney looked at him in surprise. She’d thought she and Mr. Cardwell were on great terms. Granted, he wasn’t particularly talkative with her, but she’d thought that was a natural reticence. Was he really trying to discourage Dalton from pursuing her? “In what way am I too good?”
“Money, position, probably brains, too. And I know for a fact you’re prettier.”
Raney didn’t agree. With any of it. “That’s terrible. Why would he say that? I thought he liked me.”
“He does. It’s me who’s not measuring up. Probably thinks you’ll figure that out before long, and he’s trying to shield me.” He said it with a smile.
Raney wasn’t amused. “Shield you from being hurt again? Like with Karla?”
“Hell,” he muttered. “Why does everybody think our split-up was a big deal?” There was an edge to his voice that surprised Raney. “We both knew it was coming and were okay with it.”
“And yet,” Raney said, watching him carefully, “she’s back and trying to pick up
