The Rancher's Secret Wife. Brenda Minton

later she pulled into the parking lot at the emergency room for the Grove hospital. She sat for a second, telling herself she’d been imagining the pains. But another hit as she sat there. She breathed through it and then got out of her car and headed toward the entrance of the E.R. As she walked through the double doors, a receptionist smiled a greeting. The woman, gray-haired and kind, told Cheyenne to take a seat and she’d get her information.

      Cheyenne pulled out her insurance card and driver’s license. She handed both through the window to the woman who took them, then looked at Cheyenne over wire-framed glasses.

      “You just moved to town?” The woman, her name tag said Alma Standish, asked.

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      “You’ll need to find an obstetrician very soon. We have a couple here in town.” She peered at the insurance card and shook her head before handing it back. “I’ll have our nurse get your vitals, and then we’ll get you right back to the E.R.”

      “Thank you.”

      As if on cue the door to the E.R. opened and a nurse peeked out. “I can take you back. We’ll get your blood pressure and temp.”

      Cheyenne picked up her purse, thanked Mrs. Standish and followed the nurse back to the E.R. The nurse, wearing blue scrubs with teddy bears, pulled a curtain and motioned Cheyenne into the small cubicle.

      “You can sit up here.” The nurse helped Cheyenne onto the exam table. “How many weeks?”

      “Thirty-two.”

      “Okay, has everything been normal up to this point?”

      Cheyenne nodded and held out her arm for the blood pressure cuff. The nurse listened, wrote down information and started to walk out of the room. The curtain slid back, and the doctor walked in, staring at the chart in his hands. He looked up, black wire-framed glasses on a straight nose. His dark hair was a little long.

      “Cheyenne Jones Cooper?” He read the name from the chart and then looked at her, clearly puzzled.

      The nurse shrugged when he looked at her.

      “Yes.” She cleared her throat at the weak answer and tried again. “Yes.”

      “You didn’t list a spouse. Is there someone we can call in case of emergency?”

      She shook her head. “No, not really. I’m fine, though.”

      “I’m the doctor. I’ll decide that.” He helped her lay back on the exam table. “Cheyenne, I think you should know that I’m Jesse Cooper.”

      She moved to sit back up. “I should go.”

      “Not so quick. We have an obstetrician who happens to be in the hospital. I’ve called her down to examine you. And now is there someone I should call?”

      “No, there’s no one.”

      “But you’re married to a Cooper?”

      “It isn’t...” She shook her head and blinked back tears.

      Jesse Alvarez Cooper pulled tissues from a box and handed them to her. “It’s okay.”

      But he didn’t sound as if it was okay. She remembered back all those months ago when Reese had told her about his family. Jesse had been adopted from South America. Reese called him overly serious and said he had no sense of humor.

      He was the last person she needed to run into today. Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to be in the mood to let her leave. And the sudden wave of nausea that hit was a good reason to wait and see the doctor.

      * * *

      Reese lifted the weight one last time and set it on the floor. He stretched and then rolled his shoulders to loosen the overworked muscles.

      “The end. I’m done.”

      He grabbed the towel off the back of the rowing machine and draped it around his neck. The only thing he wanted now was the recliner and a glass of iced tea. Jeff, the physical therapist, a guy from Tulsa, laughed.

      “We’re not done.”

      “Really, I thought we were. My body feels pretty done. You know, I have an idea. Tomorrow let’s go riding.”

      “We’ll definitely try that in the next few weeks. I need you to step on the treadmill now.”

      “Yeah, okay.” He’d never thought he’d be sorry his dad had put a gym in the basement years ago. Tim Cooper had thought a gym would be a way for rowdy teenagers to work off energy and stay in shape.

      The door opened and someone walked down the stairs. He paused before stepping on the treadmill. His parents were in Grove. His brothers Jackson and Travis had hauled a load of cattle to an auction. The footsteps were soft-soled—not boots—and heavy, so it wasn’t one of his sisters. He smelled men’s cologne, not cow manure.

      “Hey, Jesse.” He grinned and really wanted to pat himself on the back. Instead he stepped on the treadmill and waited for Jeff to turn it on.

      “Nice game and you’re right.” Jesse’s voice stopped close by.

      Reese raised his hand for a high-five. Jesse ignored it.

      “What brought you over? Was the sun shining too brightly, acting a little too cheery for you?”

      “Your bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired.” Jesse said it with a hint of humor. “I’m turning this off. We need to talk.”

      “Make it quick. I have a nap calling my name.” The treadmill stopped. He pulled the towel off his neck and wiped his face.

      “Yeah, I don’t see a nap in your future. So how’s physical therapy going?”

      “Great. Two hours today. But that isn’t why you’re here, is it?”

      “No. But first I have to tell you I can’t give you confidential information on a patient.”

      “I didn’t ask you to, and why would I want information on any of your patients?”

      “It isn’t just any patient. Yesterday we had a young woman at the E.R. I called in a consult with our obstetrician.”

      “I see. And this pertains to me why?”

      “Because her last name is Cooper, and rumor has it, she’s paid you a visit. So I thought perhaps you’d want to know because you might want to drop by and check on her.”

      “Jeff, can we end this for today?” Reese reached, touched the table and found his bottle of water. “I promise I’ll work twice as hard next time.”

      “Sure, Reese. Take it easy. And I can let myself out.”

      “Good deal. See you in a few days.” Reese stood in one place and tried to visualize the gym. There was a bench by the stairs. He took a few steps, found it and sat down. Jesse sat next to him. “So you think you’ve connected the dots.”

      “I’ve been told my IQ is pretty high.” Jesse let out a sharp breath. “And it might be because she has our last name and her previous address was Las Vegas—a place you happened to visit some time ago. After that it was careful deduction going through the list of brothers. Lucky is married. So are Travis and Jackson. I’m not and neither is Blake. Who would want Dylan and Gage? Brian is out of the country. That leaves you. And from the look on your face, I’d say you haven’t told anyone that our mystery visitor is your wife.”

      “I’d like for you to keep this between us for the time being.”

      “For the time being, I will. When are you going to tell the family that you’re married?”

      “I don’t know.” He sucked down another drink of water. “We’re not staying married. So maybe the fewer people who know the better.”

      “Why not?”

      “It’s...”