Page 132 of Lone Star Longing
“They take after their mama,” he said, cupping his hand around the back of her head and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Chapter Thirty
THERE WAS NO DIGNITYafter giving childbirth. Everything hurt. Okay, maybe her little toe—no, that hurt from hitting it against the dresser when she stumbled to get baby Evan out of his bassinet before he woke his sister. She had cold pads everywhere, warm pads, and she tried not to take the over-the-counter medicine since she was nursing.
But she wondered how long it would take for her body to get back to normal. Would she ever? Mostly she just wanted to get enough sleep.
Her dad was staying with Marianne for a few weeks so her mom could stay with her. That just added to the whole surreal aspect of being a mom to twins.
But now she was waiting for Beck to get home. He’d had to go to work on Monday but today was Friday and he was coming home.
Well, here, because his house wasn't done yet, wouldn’t be done for two more months, the contractors said. But he was coming see her and the babies tonight. And he’d work on his house all weekend. But she’d get to see him. She’d missed him, missed his strength, and his smile.
After the babies were born, he’d stayed in her hospital room, dozing in her chair, so that when she woke up, she would just look over and see him there, and he’d give her that sleepy smile, and her happiness was complete.
The rain had made for good napping weather, but she hated that he was driving in it. So far the rain was pretty steady, not too heavy, no storms, but she was still tracking the radar, watching the area between Midland and Broken Wheel, the roads he was taking to get to her. She hated that she still had anxiety about storms.
He was safe. He was in a big truck. He was a good driver. He’d gotten her home in worse weather than this.
But she wanted him here with her, now.
She stretched out on the bed next to her bundled babies, both sleeping on their backs, and really, just more beautiful every day. She had feared she wouldn’t be able to tell them apart, but it was easy. Emily’s face was more narrow, Evan’s face rounder. And Emily was awake more, alert more. Maybe Lacey was projecting personality to her babies, but she was pretty sure they were the smartest babies ever born.
She was happy to have a quiet afternoon. She loved her friends, but even when they texted ahead, they always seemed to arrive at a bad time. Poppy and Ginny had come by to help her organize the gifts she’d received the day the babies were born, as well as the gifts that her brothers had sent, and even Riley Foster, the driver Beck had worked for. Still, she couldn't wait until she could move into Beck’s house and spread out a little.
The later the day got, with no Beck, the more anxious she became, and her nerves transmitted themselves to Emily when she tried to nurse. Both of them were frustrated when the phone rang.
She frowned at Mrs. Conover’s number. “Hey, Mrs. Conover. Everything okay?”
“No, Lacey, it’s not. I don't know what to do.”
“What happened?” Lacey tried to keep her voice calm to counter Mrs. Conover’s panicked tone. Mrs. Conover had been her patient long enough to know the woman could overreact.
“I was on the phone with Beck as he was coming home. Suddenly he shouted, and the phone went dead. I’ve called and called but he hasn’t answered.”
Lacey tried to ignore the pounding of her own heart. “Maybe he dropped the phone.”
