Page 139 of Lone Star Longing
She was going to have to go to him, though, because he didn't have a vehicle.
“I really should wait until I know what we’re doing today,” she demurred.
“Take a change of clothes,” her mother urged. “Just let him see you all dolled up first.”
Weird, Lacey thought again, but went along with it. Maybe if she didn't have baby brain, she would put up more of a fuss.
“You’re going to have to take the babies with you,” her mother said, following her into the bedroom. “I’ll pack a diaper bag.”
“Oh, no, I have to put the car seats in the car,” Lacey groaned. “And then that will leave you here without a car.”
“That’s fine,” Joyce said. “Everything I’d need is within walking distance, and if not, I can ask one of your friends for a ride, can’t I?”
“Of course!” Ginny said, a little too loud, and winced.
Lacey packed a change of clothes for herself, something comfortable and accessible. She didn't know what Beck planned to do today, what he could do with his shoulder hurt. They might need to go to San Angelo to get a vehicle. She didn't want to travel all that way with her babies, but she was his fiancée now.
Her mother helped her carry the babies and the bags to the car, and Lacey stopped short.
“The car seats are already in?”
“Yes, Javi stopped by this morning and I had him put them in, just to make sure they were secure.”
“Javi did? After dealing with that accident last night?”
“He said he wanted to see how you were doing, but you were still sleeping, and I knew you’d want to go see Beck today. He was very happy to do it.”
“Wow, I don’t know what to say.” Beck had brought her home from the hospital in his truck, so the car seats had been sitting in her living room since. She was surprised she hadn’t noticed they were gone this morning.
Together, she and her mother put the twins into their seats. Evan started to fuss a little, but then went right back to sleep.
Still frowning, Lacey got into the driver’s seat, tucking her skirt up under her, since mud still caked the side of her car, and was probably on the floorboards, too.
Her mother waved her off as Poppy and Ginny walked to Poppy’s car.
If driving in the rain made Lacey nervous, driving with her babies made her even more so. She had to pull off to the side of the road twice to let cars pass, because she just couldn't make herself go the speed limit. She had to stop herself from constantly reaching into the back seat to touch them, to make sure they were fine.
The number of cars parked in the yard in front of the house startled her when she turned onto the lane. But maybe he had construction workers out? She knew Beck was in a hurry to get the house finished, but man, she didn't know how all these people could be working in the house.
But wait.
That was her dad’s car. And Con’s truck. And Hailey’s Mini.
What was happening?
She opened the car door and stepped out carefully, not wanting to sink into the mud of the yard.
Behind her, Poppy’s car pulled in, and Poppy, Ginny and her mother emerged, all smiling gleefully. The three of them had changed into dresses as well, and Ginny and Joyce picked their way carefully across the yard to her while Poppy leaned into the car to get something.
“This would have been so much better if it hadn’t rained last night,” Joyce said, opening the back door to lift Evan from his seat. “But at least it’s a beautiful day today.”
“Mom, what—?” Lacey looked around, and turned her attention to the porch of Beck’s house—their house—and saw Beck standing there, his arm in a sling, grinning at her, and surrounded by Javi, Con, Austin, Hailey, Sofia, her dad and Marianne. Mrs. Conover.
Tanya. Leonard. Her brothers Dalton and Luke and Luke’s wife Barbara. Her stepdad Andrew.
Everyone she loved. Everyone she loved was here. Everyone was here and smiling at her.
Poppy appeared beside her and pressed a bouquet of flowers into her hands. Lacey’s vision blurred as she looked from the colorful flowers to her friend’s face. Everything inside of her was haywire, her nerves zinging, her stomach tightening, her head floating.
