“They’ll be okay. If Megan lived closer to the hospital, she could have stayed home for a little longer. But the drive into Polson isn’t the easiest and it’s getting late.”
Willow studied the open bag beside him. “Do you need to take anything else with you?”
“Medically, I’ve got everything covered. But if you can find some plastic bags or towels, Megan might appreciate sitting on them if her water breaks.”
“I’ll see what I can find.”
Zac zipped up his bag. “I’ll come with you. I told Megan and William I’d meet them in the foyer.”
Ten minutes, and another set of contractions later, Zac was following William’s truck into Polson. And if everything went to plan, by tomorrow afternoon, Nora would have a new baby brother or sister to cuddle.
Willow peeredthrough the windshield at the truck in front of them. So far, the trip into Polson had been uneventful.
It didn’t look as though William was taking any chances with his wife’s safety. He was driving carefully along the winding road, taking each bend slowly as they made their way closer to the hospital.
She looked at Zac. “If you get tired, let me know. I’m happy to drive.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“You’re lucky you haven’t got jet lag. Whenever I travel overseas, it takes me a couple of days to recover from the time difference.”
Zac glanced across the cab. “I work long hours, so that probably helps.”
“Where did you meet William?”
“At a training session at a hospital in New York City. William was working for the FBI, showing us what to do if we had a hostage situation. I had the following day off work and offered to show him around the city. After that, we kept in contact with each other. When I started working overseas, we only managed to see each other once a year.”
“Are you enjoying being closer to your friends?”
“I haven’t spent much time with them, but I’m looking forward to the next couple of weeks. They like living here.”
Willow smiled. “It’s an easy place to get used to. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Why did you build your home in Sapphire Bay?”
Zac turned down the radio. “When my grandfather was little, he used to visit Flathead Lake with his parents. When he was older, he bought the land where my house sits and built a cabin. After he died, my family sold the property. When it came on the market again, I bought it.”
“What happened to his cabin?”
“The previous owners pulled it down.” Zac glanced across the cab. “While I was in Afghanistan, I asked an architect to design a big family home that made the most of the views. Building the house wasn’t as straightforward as I thought it would be, but we got there in the end.”
“Do you come from a large family?”
“I have one brother, but my dad has six brothers and sisters and my mom has four. What about you? Do you have any siblings?”
“I’m an only child. Mom and Dad—”
Suddenly, the brake lights of William’s truck filled the darkness.
Willow checked her cell phone. Megan had told her she’d send a text if she had more contractions, but there were no new messages.
Zac stopped behind William’s truck. “I hope everything is all right.”
A few seconds later, William got out of his truck and walked toward them. “The road is blocked. A pile of earth and rocks have slipped off the bank.”
“Is this still the only road into Polson?” Zac asked.
“There are some gravel roads,” Willow replied. “But you can only reach them from the northern end of Sapphire Bay.”
“If we use those roads it will take two and a half hours to drive to the hospital.” William pulled out his phone. “I’ll make sure they’re open.”
