A Valley Ridge Christmas. Holly Jacobs
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The fact that the stranger at the store was awful didn’t mean she needed to be, as well. “Sorry.”
Boyd nodded. “Being called Red seems to have set you off.”
“Humph.” Maeve remembered when Mrs. Anderson first introduced her to L. M. Montgomery. Anne with an “e” was one of her favorite characters, and Maeve had definitely commiserated with Anne when she broke a slate over Gilbert Blythe’s head because he called her Carrots.
Maeve was pretty sure that being called Red was as bad as being called Carrots. It was lucky for the man who was filling in for Jerry that she didn’t carry a slate around, otherwise she’d have been tempted to follow Anne Shirley’s example.
“If you don’t mind,” Boyd started hesitantly as if talking to anyone other than Josie was a strain, “I thought I’d take your snowblower out and help some of your neighbors. Looks like some of them are slow getting cleared out.”
“A lot of them are elderly,” she told him. “I was going to go out and do that myself.”
He silently studied her a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I can see you doing that. But if you don’t mind, I could do it this once.”
“If you’ll have dinner with me without snapping your spine telling me you don’t need my charity, I’ll graciously accept your offer to help out my neighbors,” she said.
“Snapping my spine?” he asked, and for the first time, Maeve thought she saw a hint of a smile in his expression.
“I think you and I both have our fair doses of pride, but I think for Josie’s sake, you need to put some of yours aside and let me help.”
He mulled her statement over for a moment and nodded. “I’ll try.”
“Then I’ll put some of my pride away and let you help out my neighbors while I go in and check on Josie and Carl. I’ll have some soup on for lunch when you come in.”
“About noon?” he asked.
Maeve nodded. “Sounds good.”
She stomped her boots off before she went back into the house. Carl was sitting at the table, playing with some plastic measuring cups and dry cornmeal.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Josie said quickly. “I’ll clean up any mess he makes.”
“I definitely don’t mind. What’s a bit of cornmeal?”
Josie went to stand, and then grimaced.
Maeve hurried to her side. “Josie?”
Josie was silent and her expression grew more serious. Slowly she relaxed and looked at Maeve. “I had a twinge about an hour ago, and now this one.”
Maeve had been a bookworm her whole life, which meant she knew a little about a lot of things, but other than understanding the basic mechanics of birth, she knew very little about the process. “Could you be in labor?”
“No.” Josie seemed panicked at the thought. “It’s too soon. He has at least another month to go. I’m sure it’s only Braxton Hicks contractions.”
Maeve didn’t know Braxton Hicks from Adam, but she knew that she did not like the situation. And she was equally sure that Boyd wouldn’t like it, either. “Sit down and let me make a call. I have a friend who’s a nurse. I’ll see if she can come over.”
“In this weather?” Josie asked.
“The snow’s stopped and your husband’s out there personally clearing my half of Valley Ridge, as well. Plus, Lily lives close enough to walk if need be.”
Josie shook her head. “I won’t have anyone walking—”
“Shh,” Maeve interrupted. “Don’t argue or I’ll think you’re as stubborn as your husband.”
Josie laughed, which had been Maeve’s intent.
“You tell your friend it’s not an emergency,” Josie warned her. “I don’t want her hurrying over here and inconveniencing herself more than she already will have to.”
“I’ll tell her that we don’t think it’s anything, but want to be sure.” Maeve got her cell phone from the window ledge. Thank goodness it still had a charge. She went out to the front room and dialed Lily’s number.
“Hello?” the almost–Mrs. Bennington answered.
“Getting pre-wedding jitters yet?” Maeve asked by way of a greeting, though she already knew the answer.
“As long as Sophie’s Tori doesn’t speak up at my wedding, there’s nothing to worry about. I have everything planned to the nth degree,” Lily assured her.
Their friend Sophie had been about to marry this summer when a stranger stood up and objected. The entire community was shocked to discover the girl, Tori, was Sophie’s biological daughter.
“How’s Mattie handling everything?” Maeve had listened to Mattie complain about Lily’s bridal ways in the past. The two friends couldn’t be more different. Mattie would have gotten married in jeans if Lily hadn’t pitched a fit. While Lily had definite ideas on what a wedding should entail and jeans weren’t in the picture.
Maeve wished she had friends who were as close as family.
She had friends, but nothing like them.
“Mattie’s calling me Bridezilla now. That’s an upgrade from Bridesmaidzilla.” Lily had been a bridesmaid in Sophie’s wedding, as well as Mattie’s. “And Sophie keeps joking that if the baby gets any bigger, she’s renting a scooter to ride down the aisle.”
“Speaking of pregnant women,” Maeve said, “that’s why I’m calling.”
“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,” Lily said slowly.
Maeve chuckled. “I know it’s the season for immaculate conceptions, but no, not me. I’ve got a pregnant woman in my kitchen. And I hate to ask, but I’m hoping you’ll run over and check on her. She’s got about a month until she’s due. She’s had a couple pains. She had a name for them and tried to tell me they’re nothing to worry about, but I’m worried.”
“Braxton Hicks?” Lily asked.
“Yes, that’s what she said.”
“She’s probably right, but I’ll come over and check her out.”
Maeve released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Thanks, Lily. Her family spent last night camped out in an RV that ran out of propane this morning. I’m worried. Can you get out, because if not, I can come get you.”
“That’s not necessary. I have four-wheel drive for work and you’re only a few blocks away.”
“I hate to make you—”
“You’re not making me do anything. I told Sebastian I’d give him a hand at the diner this morning and I have a few house calls to make this afternoon, so I have to go out, anyway.”
Maeve felt a flood of relief. “Thanks, Lily.”
“See you soon.”
Maeve hung up and walked back into the kitchen. Carl dumped a cup full of cornmeal into a bigger cup, while Josie sat, eyes closed, in the rocker, her hands over her protruding stomach.
Maeve glanced at Mrs. Anderson’s cross-stitch.
No, she couldn’t save the world, but she was going to do her best to help this one small family.
CHAPTER TWO
MAEVE HAD ALWAYS wanted dark, mysterious looks like Lily Paul’s. Lily tended to wear a lot of Bohemian clothes that would be considered suspect by the locals if anyone other than Lily wore them. Lily had a fondness for a lot of clunky jewelry and bold colors.