Page 81 of Nashville Lights

Nate helps me get dressed in a white cotton oversized dress with lace frills on the sleeves.

I almost feel like I’m in a trance, like a piece of me is watching myself from somewhere nearby. Something is changing. “I think I’m getting close, Nate.”

He looks at me alertly. “Should we get you to the hospital? I’ll call the doctor.”

“No. Not yet. Nothing’s happening yet. But I think it’s going to happen soon. Maybe tomorrow.”

He picks me up like I’m made of fine china and carries me down to the truck. “You just say the word, Tuck.”

On the short drive, I figure it’s a good time to tell him. I’m sort of bursting with the news. “You got offered a record deal this morning, Mr. Boone.”

He slides me a glance. “Yeah?”

It’s the kind of reaction I expected. He’s very humble about his outrageous talent.

“It’s the best deal I’ve ever seen, Nate. By far the best offer I’ve ever been a part of. I told them you aren’t willing to tour yet, aside from maybe a few Nashville shows. I said you didn’t want to be obligated to travel because of your family, and they were fine with that. In fact, when I hesitated over that detail, they doubled their offer.”

“Well, shit.”

“Does that mean…you’ll take it?”

“It means I love you.” He takes my hand. “My littledealmaker with the magic touch. I never thought it was something that would actually happen for me, Tuck.”

“Until I showed up and heard you sing, you crazy fool. I wasalwaysgoing to make it happen. Let’s do this, Boone. Let’s show everyone how good you are.”

“Shit.” Nate laughs and shakes his head, but I can see the awe in him. He’s done it. He’s created a life where he can finally pursue this long-buried dream because there’s no longer anything standing in his way. Our gazes catch and he squeezes my hand because it’s not the only one.Bothhis dreams have come true.And all of mine have. “All right, then. Let’s do it.”

I’d kiss him but I’m too big to move that far so I kiss the back of his hand. “Let’s do it.”

Everyone’s at the farmhouse tonight. Like the night I arrived just over nine months ago. Dakota’s been in Montana for a week, Tobias just got back from a friend’s wedding in Nashville and Luke and Leo just finished up their first tour.

We tell them Nate’s news and they couldn’t be more excited.

Dakota tells us about her week in Montana. She’s been dating her rodeo hero for a while now, and she’s glowing. She regales us with stories of stepping onto what felt like the set of Yellowstone, making us laugh. But the long-distance detail is less than ideal. And Dakota was never going to leave Sugar Mountain. Or at least she better not, I tell her.

Tobias tells us all about the wedding he went to.

And Luke and Leo might as well be a comedy duo as they describe the last show of their tour.

Nate is close to me and Aunt Lou fusses over me.

The food is served and I sit back and just take it all in. The beautiful, boisterous Boone clan. My home and my family.

Aunt Lou smooths a curl of my hair. “Roxanne Savannah, you’re quiet tonight. And you’ve barely touched your dinner. You’re looking a bit flushed, dear.”

Ifeelflushed. “I feel like something might be about to happen.”

A slow, deep, rolling pain clenches through me with a violence that takes my breath away. I try to stand, gripping the edge of the table.

A gush of liquid bursts inside me and streams down my legs. “Oh my god.”

“Lord above, her water just broke.”

Everyone springs into action.

Nate’s arms are around me. “Come on, Roxie, let’s get you to the truck. I’m taking you to the hospital. Ma, call the doctor and the midwife and tell them we’re on our way.”

But before I can even take a step, another—much, much stronger—wave of pain rolls through me and I double over, groaning.

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