Page 66 of Her Bachelor Cowboy Billionaire

EPILOGUE

Two years later

Jessica padded around the bedroom,getting dressed in the walk-in closet where she could turn on the light and not wake Roark.

She looked down and rubbed a circle on her belly. “I’m ready to meet you, little one. I don’t know who you are yet, but your daddy and I are prepared either way.” She put on a bra and pulled a simple A-line dress over her head. Jessica debated whether she should put on underwear, but decided they’d just have to take them off anyway, so why bother?

After she dressed, she picked up the small weekender she’d prepared to take to the hospital.

Jessica looked at her bump again. “I guess we better wake your father. I’m not prepared to drive myself to the hospital.” She went into the bedroom and to Roark’s side of the bed. He looked so peaceful. His hair was mussed like he’d been doing handstands into his pillow. He still was the most handsome man she’d ever known.

Neither of them would ever sleep like this again once the baby came home. Sleep would be a luxury. But they had talked about this, and Roark insisted he would help. She still didn’t know how he would do that since she’d be nursing, but she supposed she could pump so he could feed the baby and bond with him or her.

She shook his shoulder. “Roark, honey, wake up. It’s time.” She stood back.

Roark popped up like a jack-in-the-box. “Time. It’s time to go. Jessica?”

She turned on the lamp on his nightstand. “Yes, dear. It’s time to go. My water broke, and my contractions are less than five minutes apart.”

“Okay. I’ll dress and get the car.” He rubbed his eyes and then stood and walked to the closet. He returned in a few minutes in jeans, a western shirt and cowboy boots.

It was his standard wardrobe these days. They’d made their home in Montana at the Sullivan ranch. Now they’d head to the hospital, and their baby would be born…a rancher…girl or boy.

They’d chosen not to know the sex of the child, preferring instead to be surprised, just as their parents had been.

Jessica’s mother had traveled to Montana for the birth.

Roark’s parents would fly in after the baby was born.

“Roark, I think you should hurry. Owww.” She grabbed her belly and rubbed it, bending a little at the waist. Anything to relieve the discomfort.

Roark’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “Okay, let’s get you downstairs and into the truck. Or do you need to fly? I can have Mannie here in less than ten minutes.”

She thought about the travel times. Forty-five minutes in the Yukon and fifteen minutes or less in the helicopter. “Yes, fly. Call Mannie. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

When Roark came down, Jessica was on her second circle of the kitchen.

He joined her, helping in the only way he knew how, with his arm around her shoulders as she walked.

Five minutes later, Mannie ran into the kitchen. “Jessica, are you all right?”

She shook her head, as she was in the middle of a contraction. “No.”

Roark turned to Mannie. “Is the ‘copter ready?”

“Yeah, I’ll see you out there.” He ran back out into the morning air.

The sun was just coming up, which pleased Jessica immensely. She didn’t relish the thought of flying in the dark, but she would, if needed. Taking the copter would cut their trip by two-thirds of the time, getting them there in fifteen minutes rather than forty-five. She didn’t believe she had forty-five minutes left before this baby was born.

During the flight, Jessica heard Mannie on the radio.

“Bozeman Deaconess, Sullivan Air here, over.”

“This is Bozeman Deaconess. What’s your emergency? Over.”

“We’re bringing in Mrs. Sullivan, who’s ready to have her baby. Over.”

“Understood, Sullivan Air. We’ll be ready when you arrive. What is your ETA? Over.”