Free Written in the Stars by Luann McLane Page B

GPS on the dash of her car and wanted to weep. She still had nearly thirty minutes to go! God, how she wanted to be at the hospital holding her son’s hand! At the straight stretch of road she gave the accelerator a bit more of a push and watched the red needle of the speedometer hit ninety. “Oh...I should slow down,” Becca whispered, but when the GPS indicated that she had eaten up some of the travel time, she kept going. She wasn’t one to break rules, but out on this country road, surely no one would care. Except for a big green tractor she’d passed a few miles ago, she seemed to be the only one on the road anyway.
    And then she saw blue lights in her rearview mirror.
    â€œYou’ve got to be kidding me.” In a panic, part of Becca had the wild urge to go faster to outrun the cop, but when he put his siren, on she knew she’d better pull over. “Damn the luck!” Letting out a little squeal of frustration, she slowed down and eased the car off to the side of the road. She couldn’t care less about getting a ticket, but just wanted to get to the hospital. Of course, just as the officer was striding her way, she got a text message from Garret saying that they were going to take the baby via cesarean section. Becca inhaled a shaky breath and sent a message back that she would be there soon, and then rolled the window down when the officer reached the side of her car.
    â€œDo you know why I pulled you over, ma’am?”
    â€œYes,” Becca said, “I was speeding, but—”
    â€œSo.” He pushed his mirrored aviator glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Do you know how fast you were going?”
    â€œYes, ninety, I think, but—”
    â€œI need to see your driver’s license, proof of insurance, and registration,” he said in a no-­nonsense tone of voice.
    â€œPlease listen, you don’t understand.”
    â€œI understand that you were speeding.”
    â€œI know, but...” She fumbled around for her purse. “It’s...this isn’t my car,” Becca said, nearly in tears. She handed him her driver’s license with shaking fingers. “I’m so sorry for speeding, but I’ve flown in from London and I desperately want to get to the hospital in Cricket Creek for the birth of my grandchild. My dear Mattie went into early labor. They’re doing a C-­section and my son is worried sick. Please, can you...can you just let me go? I promise to slow down, but I must get there—”
    â€œWait.” The officer abruptly looked up. “Mattie Mayfield?”
    â€œWell, Mattie Ruleman now, but yes.”
    He handed back the license.
    â€œFollow me,” he said in that same don’t-­mess-­with-­me tone.
    â€œAre you taking me to jail?” Becca’s heart thudded. She’d never been in trouble for anything, not even a parking ticket.
    The officer chuckled, but even that sounded stern. “No, I’m giving you a police escort. I know a faster shortcut to the hospital.”
    â€œYou’ll do that for me?” Becca wanted to jump out of the car and hug him.
    â€œI know the Mayfields well. I go way back with Mattie’s father. This is how we do things in a small town. Are you ready?”
    â€œYes, sir.” Becca nodded, and kind of wanted to salute.
    â€œBut listen.” His smile faded. “Be careful. I’ll go as fast as I can.”
    â€œI’ll stick to you like glue,” Becca promised, and a moment later she was flying down the road following the police cruiser. He made a turn down a bumpy back road, but Becca didn’t care that she was kicking up dust like a scene from
The Dukes of Hazzard
. This was the kind of adventure that would terrify Sophia, she thought, but Grace would be holding on tightly and laughing.
    Becca heard her phone ping but didn’t dare look anywhere but at the winding road. When a big barn loomed ahead of