Prologue
Ava Donaldson was determined to get a good run in today. She could feel her heart pounding and the blood pumping through her veins. She felt good, she felt alive and still filled with energy.
“Oh God!” Ava yelled as she lost her footing on the dirt running trail and nearly fell. As she dug her heels into the pebbled dirt and nearly hit the tree, she slammed directly into a wall of steel. Ava grunted as her body made contact with something, and she sprang back, looked over her shoulder, and knew when she hit the ground she was toast. Before her body made contact, strong, thick arms wrapped around her midsection and pulled her back up, making her head spin right before her face hit that wall of steel.
“Oh!” She gasped, realizing that she hadn’t hit a wall, but a man, and boy was he big and rock solid.
“I’m so sorry,” he stated in a deep, sexy tone that did a number to her insides. She gripped his arms of muscle until she was able to gain back her equilibrium.
Looking up and up, she locked gazes with one very good-looking man. He had green eyes, crew-cut hair, and wrinkles near his eyes probably caused by the sun and that terrifyingly intimidating look in his eyes. The tight T-shirt, camo shorts, and heavy breathing all turned her on when she should have panicked. She immediately stepped from his embrace and lowered the hat on her head more securely. Keeping her head low, her hair tucked under the cap, she figured the man wouldn’t recognize her from Dixie Chix.
“It’s okay. I’m fine and it’s not your fault really. I slipped on the incline. Thanks for stopping my fall. Have a good day.”
Ava rambled on as she tried to control her breathing. He had to be military. There was no doubt in her mind. Even now, his posture was military straight, his stance respectful and ready, with his hands behind his back, and his long legs showed off an ease, yet also appeared ready to bolt into an action stance. He eyed her, trying to see her face and her eyes. She quickly turned away and pulled the cap lower. She didn’t need some guy hitting on her in the middle of the damn woods. She wondered where he came from anyway. This was her spot to run. No one ever came around here, especially not at six o’clock in the morning.
“Wait. Are you okay? You could have been seriously hurt. What the hell is a young woman like you doing out in the woods alone? Don’t you know there are creeps out there?” He reprimanded her and suddenly he wasn’t so hot anymore. Now he was a chauvinistic jerk.
She placed her hands on her hips and stared up at him.
“Thanks for the advice, but this is my running path. Where the hell did you come from? No, wait, don’t answer that. Better yet, don’t come back here again. Find a new place to run.” She knew she sounded bitchy, but she was already in a cranky mood. Hence the reason for her jog this early.
“Damn,” was all he said as she began to run again, hoping that she’d never see that bossy jerk again. It was too bad because he was quite the eye candy.
As Ava continued to run, she wondered if perhaps she was a bit too bitchesque. It wasn’t his fault that he decided to run on her territory. It wasn’t his fault that she lost her footing and could have been seriously injured if not for his brute strength and quick reflexes. Then it hit her. She should have been thanking him instead of cursing him out.
What the hell was I thinking? He was very good looking. In great physical condition and mature looking. That was the kind of man she needed. Someone with experience and consideration for women.
She slowed her pace, feeling like maybe she should go back and find him. But how would that look? She didn’t know him. She had never seen him before. Ava knew she would have remembered him. She decided that if there were a next time, she would apologize or in the least be a lot more polite. Who was he anyway?
* * * *
“I can’t take it. I am going completely out of my mind here,” Sally complained as she attempted to cross her arms in front of her chest, but her huge belly got in the way. Ava covered her hand, squeezed it, and smiled as she sat on the side of Sally’s bed. She had headed over to Sally’s house to visit her once she showered after her run this morning. Again, the handsome stranger entered her mind. He was good looking and definitely military. Maybe she should ask Mason or Steven about the guy. They would know. Or, maybe BJ. As the sheriff, he knew everyone in the town of Delite.
Sally grunted and Ava released a sigh along with Sally. She was empathetic to how her friend was feeling. Babies were a big deal and women could feel stressed with one baby on the way, never mind two.
“This must be so difficult, Sally. I can certainly understand your frustrations, but the doctor said bed rest for the next few weeks. We want those babies of yours to be perfect and to not come into this world too soon. Won’t it be wonderful to take them home from the hospital only a few days after they are born?” Ava calmly smiled.
Sally looked so beautiful. Her belly was huge, but she was such a petite little thing, and being pregnant with twins was a lot for someone her size.
Sally released an annoyed sigh.
“I know. I’m sorry I yelled.” She ran her hands over her belly as she leaned back against the headboard. “I’m just frustrated because there is so much to do. I know Tyler and Matt are working on the nursery with Mason, but I wanted to pick some things out, too.”
“Well, look what I brought over,” Ava said as she pulled out her iPad. “I thought that maybe we could do a little shopping online? Anything you like or that one of the others hadn’t given to you at your baby shower last week, we can find online.”
Sally smiled then reached for Ava’s hand.
“I love you, Ava. Your friendship means the world to me.” Sally was silent a moment as she looked down at their hands. Ava felt her throat close up. She loved Sally and the other Dixie Chix with all her heart.
“This must be kind of hard for you. Are you doing okay?” Sally asked and Ava felt herself panic a moment. What was Sally referring to? She had to remind herself that no one knew about her appointments with the doctor. Sally was referring to the pregnancy and whether or not Ava had difficulty because she lost her baby years ago. Sally and Elise were the only two who knew her story about losing her husband, Jonathan, to cancer and then finding out she was pregnant, only to have a miscarriage at four months into the pregnancy. She urged herself to answer Sally and not reveal what was currently going on in her life.
“I’m fine, honey. I’m so happy for you, and of course for Elise, too.”
“Elise is going to stop in tomorrow and visit. Everyone is trying to help make this difficult time less aggravating. Elise looks fantastic. Her pregnancy is going well, too.”
“So, what do you say? Shall we start shopping?” Ava asked and Sally smiled. “That would be great.”
Ava helped Sally look for various items online. Sally, Mason, and Steven didn’t know what the sex of the babies were yet, but they all had their guesses. Ava thought for sure that Sally would have two boys. She spent the next two hours helping Ava shop and also cheering her up. At lunchtime Mason arrived with a tray of food, and his expression was guarded. Ava wondered what was going on as Mason tried to act cheerful but seemed on edge. Sally wasn’t too happy, either. When Mason left to get more water for Sally, Ava pushed to find out more.
“Well, they’re making me crazy, that’s what is going on,” Sally said then took a piece of peach and popped it into her mouth.
“What do you mean?”
“Mason is acting like his touch could break me or the baby, and Steven, God, Steven is in total doctor mode. I swear if he whips out that damn stethoscope one more time to listen to my heartbeat and then the babies’, I am going to strangle him with it.”
Ava had to hide her chuckle. “Oh God, Sally, they’re just being protective of you. Those two love you so much and they’ve been at your beck and call for months now. They’re scared, that’s all.”
“Scared? Hmm, I didn’t consider fear in this at all. I mean, they are both so strong and dominant, but as soon as we heard the babies’ heartbeats, wham! They turned into crazy men. I can walk, you know, without assistance. The doctor said it was fine, but oh no, they’re carrying me into the bathroom and then waiting there. Like, how the hell can a woman do her personal business with her lover watching her? Answer me that question, Ava,” Sally said then popped another piece of fruit into her mouth. She was chewing as hard as she was spewing frustration about her men.
“Oh God, that is kind of crazy. But, they love you and they don’t want to take any chances. You kind of have to laugh it off and just tell them to give you privacy and when you’re done doing ‘your business,’ you’ll call them to help you.”
“That’s a lot easier said than done. I know I’m frustrated and this morning, I was taking a shower and Mason helped me, but then I forgot to get the hair dryer from under the sink, so that I could dry my hair. Well I bent down and holy crap, Mason yelled at me, asking what did I think I was doing, and scared the crap out of me. I jumped up and got a cramp in my side and a baby foot must have pressed somewhere inside of me because I gasped, losing my breath, which is totally normal being how cramped these two suckers are inside of me, and Mason totally went off the handle. He was like, ‘Oh my God, baby, are you okay? Jesus, this is why you’re supposed to be on bed rest…blah, blah, blah.’ I totally went off on him and then I told him to get out. I told him he was making me insane and he should leave before I punched him. ”
Sally growled then shook her head. Ava was trying her hardest not to laugh. It was so typical.