slipped into the room.
“Sit right here, my dear,” Doc said, gesturing to the chair beside Pete. “We need to go over a few things.”
Pete couldn’t stand the apprehensive look on her face. He reached out and took her hand again. To his surprise, she didn’t protest.
“I’m giving you a prescription for vitamins that you are to take faithfully. Those two babies are going to need a lot of nourishment. Are you throwing up?”
“No.”
“Janie, the other day you threw up,” Pete reminded her.
The glare she sent him told him she didn’t appreciate his help.
“That was because of—of tension, not morning sickness.”
“Hmm,” Doc said, watching her closely, “Okay, we won’t worry about that so far. But if it starts happening, Janie, you let me know. Priddy says you’ve already lost four pounds since last week.”
“She has?” Pete asked, straightening in his chair. “Should she be doing that? I thought women gained weight when they were pregnant.”
“She’ll gain weight, Pete. Some women lose early on, but we’ll monitor Janie’s progress. And you, young lady, I want you to get plenty of rest. Take a nap every afternoon and go to bed early. Once you get beyond the first three months, you won’t be quite so tired, but don’t push yourself.”
“Yes, Doc.”
Pete thought Janie sounded subdued, and he wanted to pull her into his arms, to comfort her. Then he thought of something else he needed to ask.
“What about horse riding, Doc? Shouldn’t she give that up until after—after the babies are born?”
“I told you Doc said it was okay!” Janie said, firing up at his interference.
“You’re right, I did. But I think maybe it’s not such a good idea now, Janie. Twins change things a little.”
A little? Pete thought they changed things a lot.
After a few more last-minute instructions, Pete led Janie to his pickup. He helped her in and then hurried around to the driver’s side. “Shall we go get the prescription filled before we go home, Janie? It will save you a trip tomorrow. And you probably should start the vitamins as soon as possible.”
“Fine.”
Pete headed to the drugstore, but he didn’t give all his attention to his driving. “Are you upset about the twins?” he asked.
“No.”
“Then what’s wrong? You’re not saying much. Did Doc hurt you? I thought he wasn’t as gentle as he could’ve been.”
“No, Pete, he didn’t hurt me. It—it’s just a shock, like you said.”
He parked in front of the drugstore. “Janie, I know you don’t want to marry me, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to abandon you or forget that these babies are mine, too. I’ll do everything I can to help you.” Leaning over, he brushed her lips with his, aching to deepen the kiss, to celebrate the incredible news that they were having twins. But he did neither.
Janie said nothing.
“Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
And he was. There was no one waiting, and the pharmacist filled the vitamin prescription at once, even though he sent several curious looks in Pete’s direction.
Pete hurried back to the truck. “Guess we’d better be on our way and tell your parents before gossip beats us to it,” he suggested with a wry chuckle.
“We have something else to tell them, too.”
“What’s that, sweetheart?” he asked as he backed out of the parking space.
“I’ve decided to marry you—if you still want me after you hear my terms.”
Chapter Eight
Even as she finished speaking, Janie was holding her breath. But when Pete threw on the brakes, practically standing on them, she had to forget her breathing to grab hold of the armrest. Otherwise, she would’ve ended up on the floorboard.
“You’ll marry me?” he demanded.
“Yes,” Janie said, breathing deeply. “But only on one condition, Pete. And you won’t like it.”
She’d given her decision some thought since Doc had told her she was having twins. Suddenly overwhelmed, she’d realized she would
“Sit right here, my dear,” Doc said, gesturing to the chair beside Pete. “We need to go over a few things.”
Pete couldn’t stand the apprehensive look on her face. He reached out and took her hand again. To his surprise, she didn’t protest.
“I’m giving you a prescription for vitamins that you are to take faithfully. Those two babies are going to need a lot of nourishment. Are you throwing up?”
“No.”
“Janie, the other day you threw up,” Pete reminded her.
The glare she sent him told him she didn’t appreciate his help.
“That was because of—of tension, not morning sickness.”
“Hmm,” Doc said, watching her closely, “Okay, we won’t worry about that so far. But if it starts happening, Janie, you let me know. Priddy says you’ve already lost four pounds since last week.”
“She has?” Pete asked, straightening in his chair. “Should she be doing that? I thought women gained weight when they were pregnant.”
“She’ll gain weight, Pete. Some women lose early on, but we’ll monitor Janie’s progress. And you, young lady, I want you to get plenty of rest. Take a nap every afternoon and go to bed early. Once you get beyond the first three months, you won’t be quite so tired, but don’t push yourself.”
“Yes, Doc.”
Pete thought Janie sounded subdued, and he wanted to pull her into his arms, to comfort her. Then he thought of something else he needed to ask.
“What about horse riding, Doc? Shouldn’t she give that up until after—after the babies are born?”
“I told you Doc said it was okay!” Janie said, firing up at his interference.
“You’re right, I did. But I think maybe it’s not such a good idea now, Janie. Twins change things a little.”
A little? Pete thought they changed things a lot.
After a few more last-minute instructions, Pete led Janie to his pickup. He helped her in and then hurried around to the driver’s side. “Shall we go get the prescription filled before we go home, Janie? It will save you a trip tomorrow. And you probably should start the vitamins as soon as possible.”
“Fine.”
Pete headed to the drugstore, but he didn’t give all his attention to his driving. “Are you upset about the twins?” he asked.
“No.”
“Then what’s wrong? You’re not saying much. Did Doc hurt you? I thought he wasn’t as gentle as he could’ve been.”
“No, Pete, he didn’t hurt me. It—it’s just a shock, like you said.”
He parked in front of the drugstore. “Janie, I know you don’t want to marry me, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to abandon you or forget that these babies are mine, too. I’ll do everything I can to help you.” Leaning over, he brushed her lips with his, aching to deepen the kiss, to celebrate the incredible news that they were having twins. But he did neither.
Janie said nothing.
“Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
And he was. There was no one waiting, and the pharmacist filled the vitamin prescription at once, even though he sent several curious looks in Pete’s direction.
Pete hurried back to the truck. “Guess we’d better be on our way and tell your parents before gossip beats us to it,” he suggested with a wry chuckle.
“We have something else to tell them, too.”
“What’s that, sweetheart?” he asked as he backed out of the parking space.
“I’ve decided to marry you—if you still want me after you hear my terms.”
Chapter Eight
Even as she finished speaking, Janie was holding her breath. But when Pete threw on the brakes, practically standing on them, she had to forget her breathing to grab hold of the armrest. Otherwise, she would’ve ended up on the floorboard.
“You’ll marry me?” he demanded.
“Yes,” Janie said, breathing deeply. “But only on one condition, Pete. And you won’t like it.”
She’d given her decision some thought since Doc had told her she was having twins. Suddenly overwhelmed, she’d realized she would
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