A Christmas Treasure [The Men of Treasure Cove 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  Deciding to get back on the pill, she made herself an appointment with Doc Jenkins to do just that thing. That was until he told her she was pregnant again for the third time.

  Janie didn’t tell her husbands right away. No, she kept it a secret, subconsciously thinking this pregnancy would end just like the others. When she hit the nine-week mark, she knew she needed to tell Jeff and Caleb.

  They were worried at first, but when Doc placed the heart monitor device on her tummy, all her worries faded. Her baby had a heartbeat. That day, everything changed for her.

  Every milestone she hit with this pregnancy, she celebrated, and today was another milestone. She had made it past her first trimester, and Doc Jenkins had assured her this time, the pregnancy was going to stick. She followed every instruction as if God himself had decreed it.

  She was on permanent bed rest until the birth of this child.

  Janie didn’t care if Doc ordered her into a hospital and hooked her up to every machine man invented, just as long as her little miracle kept growing.

  Jeff and Caleb were wonderful about the whole situation. When Doc told Jeff what needed to be done, he immediately hired a housekeeper and cook. Of course, that took some getting used to, because Janie didn’t like the idea of another woman doing her work and cooking for her men. When Vanessa Sanchez introduced her to her mother, Maria, Janie fell in love with the woman. Maria Sanchez was older, wiser, and had the complete lowdown on everyone and everything in Treasure Cove. Hell, at one point, Janie thought Macie was the gossip queen on Treasure Cove, but Macie didn’t have anything on Maria. Thanks to Maria, Janie already knew all the juicy dirt before Macie could even call her, but Janie never said anything.

  The slamming of the back screen door alerted Janie. Looking up, she smiled as Maria walked in, her arms full of groceries.

  “Hi, Maria!”

  “How’s the little momma this morning?” Maria asked, placing the bags on the counter.

  “I’m good, and you?”

  “Oh, little momma, wait till you hear what I found out.”

  “Ooh! What’s happened?”

  Maria walked into the living room, tucking the blanket around Janie, making sure she stayed warm. Sitting down next to her, Maria began, “Well, I was at the church this morning, lighting a candle for my Edward, when I heard the new reverend yelling. Now, I don’t hold any ill will against anyone when they have something to say, but when the man in question wears the collar of God, he needs to be mindful of his words, and I let him know that, too.”

  Janie tried unsuccessfully to hide her smile. Maria Sanchez was a devout catholic. Every morning, she headed to the Treasure Cove Church and said a little prayer for her departed husband. Since The Treasure Cove Church was the only church in town, Reverend Bram Prescott catered to all denominations. Nobody was left out without a place to worship.

  “Like I was saying, I had just said Amen when I heard the reverend cursing into the phone. Now, you know I don’t abide eavesdroppers, but when someone upsets my preacher, I take dislike quickly. Well, I heard the reverend say ‘You let her go now, and I won’t hunt you down and kill you.’ Now that worried me. I don’t abide anyone being held against his or her will, but then the reverend said, ‘If you don’t let her go, you won’t like what I do next.’”

  “Do you know who he was talking to? That could narrow down this mystery real quick,” Janie asked, intrigued. She’d known Bram Prescott ever since he moved to Treasure Cove. He was a kind, gentle man. A little quiet and reserved, but she figured given his profession, that was to be expected.

  “No, but I did let the reverend know I didn’t take kindly to the language he used in the lord’s house,” Maria said.

  “Well, I am sure Bram won’t do it again, Maria. Maybe I should call him and see if everything is all right.”

  “You do that, Ms. Janie, and if you find the blackguard who upset my priest, you let me know who it is. I’ll make sure that person knows how to treat a man of the cloth,” Maria said with finality as she walked away. Reaching for the phone, Janie made her first call of the day.

  * * * *

  Caleb was sitting on the back porch working on the carburetor for the tractor that clunked out a week ago. He needed to get the tractor up and running, but his mind was on his wife instead of the equipment before him.

  He was worried.

  As the town was gearing up for time with family and friends, he was worried that he wouldn’t have a family. This pregnancy wasn’t the joyous occasion it should have been. This pregnancy was endangering his wife’s life. He knew he would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t want kids, because he did, but not at the expense of Janie.

  She was his world. He couldn’t function without her.

  Just the thought of not having her in his life made his heart ache. In the time Janie came to be with them, she encompassed everything he ever wanted and more. She was the very air he breathed. Caleb never thought love could be soul-deep, but Janie’s love was more, so much more. He wanted to be happy with the idea of being a father, but after losing the first two, and the having Doc tell him his wife needed complete bed rest, well, things just went downhill after that.

  With his wife bedridden, Janie was unable to attend her house as she wanted. It took him and Jeff two weeks to talk Janie into hiring some help, and even then, she took a blasé approach. However, when Vanessa showed up with her mother, Maria, the older woman didn’t give Janie the option of refusing her. Maria just took over, and Caleb sighed in relief. Since Maria came to work at the Hicks Ranch, life somewhat returned to normal.

  Caleb hated leaving his wife in someone else’s care, but the ranch could not run itself. Jeff was doing everything he could to keep things up, but he needed Caleb’s help. Therefore, Maria came to work for them, and Caleb was able to resume his duties at the ranch, though he never traveled from the main house.

  He had just reached for a screwdriver when Jeff rode up.

  “How’s it coming?”

  “It’s not,” Caleb groaned.

  “Caleb, don’t worry about the carburetor. We can take it to Peter when the snow stops. Besides, we won’t need the tractor until spring. How’s Janie?”

  “She’s on the couch, making her calls,” Caleb muttered.

  “What’s wrong?” Jeff asked.

  “I hate this, Jeff! This ain’t right. I’m afraid to touch her, because she might break. She hates being confined to the house. She can’t see anyone, and though she hasn’t complained one bit, I can see the hurt in her eyes. She’s lonely. This is going to be a longest winter on record unless we figure something out. I hate seeing her this way.”

  “Well, I have an idea, which might put a genuine smile on her face and something to where she can actually be with her friends and family.”

  “Thank god, because I was about to start kidnapping people. This seclusion is killing her, Jeff. I know she won’t say anything, but I can see it. She isn’t happy, and I don’t like seeing my wife like this. It makes me mad, Jeff. You know what happens when I get mad.”

  “Just calm down, Cujo. I have a plan.” Jeff smiled.

  “Have you been talking with Orin?” Caleb asked.

  “No, asshole. It’s not that kind of plan. This one is doable and brilliant.”

  * * * *

  Janie had never laughed so hard in her life. She loved her sister, and just being able to call and talk to her was pure joy. Separated from Charlotte for most of her life, she never thought she would have the pleasure of being with her sister at Christmas. Since their reunion, there hadn’t been a day that had gone by that they didn’t speak. Janie wished she could physically get up and go see her, but with the raging snowstorm, and being confined to bed, it just wasn’t possible. Nevertheless, thanks to her sister’s ingenuity and computer smarts, Charlotte hooked her up with everything they would need to see each other.

  Skyping with Charlotte, Janie could see her sister and technically feel like she was sitting
right next to her.

  “I’m serious, Janie! According to what I have read, the parasite is virtually a computer processor. From the moment it’s born up until age five, its brain can process massive amounts of data. How cool is that? I’ve ordered several languages for it to learn, and I went and got the latest Assassin’s Creed and Halo games, so it can be prepared for the zombie apocalypse. Then I started thinking, it might need to protect itself, so I got it the latest Warhawk for the PSP.”

  “Warhawk?” Janie asked, unsure she wanted to know the answer.

  “Oh, it’s a pilot game. The parasite is going to learn to be a test pilot. Not like the crash test dummies in those funny car commercials, but a real pilot, you know like the ones in the sky?”

  Janie lost it. Laughing uncontrollably, she couldn’t believe what her sister was going to do with this little infant. It was going to be pure pleasure watching her raising her first child. This child wasn’t going to want for anything, especially with the whole community coming together to help raise it. However, the fact that her baby sister was going to be a mother, something she never thought would happen, was a blessing.

  Taking a deep breath, Janie said, “I think that is just precious, Charlotte. You are going to be an amazing mom. Whatever you do, this child will experience things that will make him or her strong and independent. You just keep doing what you’re doing, sweetheart.”

  “Thanks, Janie. I miss you. I wish you could come to town,” Charlotte whispered. Janie heard the inflection in her sister’s voice.

  “So do I, sister, but you have two men who love you and will give you the support you need. It won’t be much longer.”

  “You promise?” Charlotte asked.

  “I promise,” Janie replied.

  “I love you, Janie.”

  “I love you, too, Charlotte,” Janie said and hung up the phone. Sighing, she felt like crying but knew the moment a single tear fell down her cheek, Maria would call Caleb, then Jeff, and all hell would break loose. Her men had been extremely overprotective of her, to the point where they were suffocating her. She loved them dearly, but if they didn’t back off, she was seriously going to get mad.

  The back door slammed, and in walked her husbands. Putting on a pretty smile, she grinned at them. “Hey, guys.”

  “Hey, cupcake,” Jeff said, leaning over, kissing her cheek. “How are you feeling today?”

  “I’m good. You boys home for lunch?” she asked.

  “Amongst other things,” Caleb said mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows and eliciting a giggle from her.

  “Well, I don’t know about that, but I’ll try my best.” She blushed.

  “Oh, baby, if only we could. Sex will come later when you have that baby. Until then, no nookie for you. Besides, we have something else to do,” Caleb said, heading back into the kitchen.

  “Where’s he going?” Janie asked.

  “Caleb’s getting the Christmas decorations out of the basement. There’s six days left until Christmas, and we haven’t set up a single decoration. I think we need to brighten up the place and get you in a festive mood.”

  “Jeff, that’s real sweet, but it’s not necessary,” Janie interjected before Jeff stopped her.

  “Yes it is. You love Christmas, and just because you can’t leave the couch doesn’t mean you can’t get into the holiday spirit. So, get comfy, baby, and just watch the magic happen.”

  Chapter Three

  Friday, December 20th, five days until Christmas

  Jordan stood in the kitchen finishing the evening dishes when Braxton walked in. Smiling, he walked over and kissed the back of his neck. “Hey, baby, how was the little demon today?”

  Huffing, Jordan replied, “She’s alive. That’s all you need to be concerned with.”

  Braxton chuckled as he swatted Jordan’s ass. “Where is she?”

  “She’s in her computer room setting up some zombie game. She said, and I quote, ‘The parasite needs to be prepared for the zombies. I have to make sure it can defend itself for the upcoming apocalypse.’”

  “Okay, and why does the baby need to worry about fighting in the zombie apocalypse?” Braxton asked, unsure.

  “Because according to her, she won’t have the time to look after the parasite, because she will be too busy taking care of us. Braxton, she is going to train our child to fight zombies!” Jordan shouted, and Braxton laughed. Braxton thanked God every damn day for bringing Jordan into his life. Without his love and support, his life would be completely empty. That and Jordan was one of the few people who could control Charlotte.

  The moment he laid eyes on the hell kitten of Treasure Cove, he was smitten. Well, it was more like a fucking atomic bomb went off between the two. Add in Jordan and, well, it was Jordan’s patience, which kept their unique family together. Without him, chaos would ensue and the residents of the town would flee for their lives.

  Charlotte was…well, Charlotte was Charlotte!

  To know her was to fall instantly in love with her. Neither of them knew anything about her medical condition when they first got together. It wasn’t until she literally freaked out at her sister’s house that they learned that Charlotte had what Doc and Kelly called Asperger’s Syndrome. Part of the Autism Spectrum, Charlotte was diagnosed with significant difficulties in social interactions with minor nonverbal communication skills. Alongside her restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests, she was a unique woman who they both loved more than their own lives.

  It took some doing, but when they figured out a schedule that would work best for her, the town watched her thrive. Now, she was a vivacious, outspoken woman, who was determined to live life to the best of her abilities, and she refused to let her condition impede what she wanted to do. That was until she found out she was pregnant. Since then, she had seen to it personally to make their lives a living hell. They never talked about children, but when Doc told her the joyous news, she flew off the handle and ranted like a banshee for days, damning them both to perdition.

  Now, according to Braxton, he felt Charlotte had started to warm up to the idea of being a mother, because instead of calling the baby “the plague,” she now referred to the child as “the parasite.” Figuring a parasite was better than a plague, he took it as good news. However, Braxton wasn’t around her every day, all day, seven days a week, like Jordan.

  It was Jordan’s job to take care of Charlotte while Braxton was at work. Oh, the moment he walked in the door, he jumped in and helped Jordan with what he could. He would tap out Jordan and climb into the ring for three rounds of hell, until she fell asleep. Yep, being the husband to the hell kitten was a full-time job, aside from the one he already had.

  Leaning against the counter, Jordan wanted to talk to Braxton about something that had been on his mind, but was unsure of how to start. He was worried about Charlotte and the baby, but didn’t know how to broach the subject. So when Braxton sighed and said, “Spill it,” Jordan just said what he needed to say.

  “I’m worried about Charlie and the delivery.”

  “You, me, and the whole damn town are, too. I was over at the Buy-N-Bag and ran into Kelly and Daniel. She told me that when it came time for Charlotte to deliver, she wanted one of us to call her. She found some meditative exercises for Charlotte during her delivery.”

  “I still vote for knocking her out,” Jordan said.

  “We are not sedating Charlotte, Jordan. Besides, Doc thinks that she will be just fine delivering the baby.”

  “Has he met the woman!” Jordan exclaimed loudly. “She gets highly volatile during high-stress situations. Childbirth is high stress. Andy is going to be in the room, right? Because there is no way in hell I am delivering this child, or you for that matter.”

  Jordan didn’t stop Braxton when he pulled him in for a hug. He actually needed his lover’s strong arms around him at the moment. Dealing with their hot-tempered wife every day for the last nine months had taken its toll on him. Oh, he loved the
woman to death, and would do absolutely anything for her, but her mood swings and fierce attitude toward the pregnancy had him literally pulling his hair out.

  He needed a vacation from his vacation!

  Ever since Doc Jenkins informed them that Charlotte was pregnant, Jordan put his business on hold to take care of their wife. Though Charlotte was self-sufficient and reasonable most of the time, the instant she found out about her pregnancy, she went bonkers! She blamed the both of them for over a month for infesting her body with the plague. Then, the vomiting started. She blamed them for her inability to hold down food of any kind. When she started showing, she blamed them for her growing body. To make matters worse, Charlotte took it upon herself to research everything she could about pregnancies and child rearing.

  Yeah, that was a fun conversation.

  In Charlotte’s mind, the parasite, as she now called the baby, was a blood-sucking leech that fed off the host until it was strong enough to shoot out of her stomach, leaving the host a weak shadow of its former self. Of course, when Braxton tried to explain that the baby would not shoot out of her stomach but come down the birth canal via her va-jay-jay, Charlotte screamed, closed her legs, and said hell no! She refused to have a coochie the size of wind tunnel!

  Yep, letting Charlotte watch Aliens the night before was a bad idea.

  “Jordan, everything will be just fine. If she gets too crazy, I can always handcuff her to the bed until she gives up the baby.”

  “Ha, ha, very funny,” Jordan replied dryly. “Hey! I’ve got an idea, ropes.”

  “What about ropes?”

  “You know how Charlotte is always calm and relaxed when you bind her, right? Even now, when she sits next to you while you watch television, you bind her. She lets you do it, and while she is bound, she is relaxed, very relaxed.”