Having The Rancher's Baby

“That must be why she called the meeting. To tell us she’s pregnant.”

“She’s worried she might miscarry—it’s happened before. Three times, back when she was married.” Cole was growing fed up with circling the stables. His brother, however, appeared not to notice. Did people automatically start putting their children first when they became a parent? Would Cole? “Her doctor gave her strict orders to rest every day and not work so hard. Do you suppose the ranch has a policy regarding medical leave?”

“No idea. Gabe will have to answer that. If not, we’ll figure something out. She’s a good employee. I can’t imagine not trying to help her.”

Cole agreed. Vi had told him she’d been just eighteen when she came to Dos Estrellas, the summer after high school. The Dempseys had taken her in, giving her a home as well as a job. Raquel loved her like family, as had Cole’s late father.

Why hadn’t he shown Cole and Josh that kind of love? Was the estrangement really all their mother’s fault? She may have perpetuated it, but their dad hadn’t fought it, either.

“Why do you think Dad hated us?” Cole hadn’t intended to ask the question, it just slipped out.

“He didn’t,” Josh answered, in a somewhat tired voice. “The problem was him and Mom and their inability to get along.”

Cole suspected there’d been much more going on, but let the subject drop. Josh had reconciled his differences with their father a while ago and didn’t hang on like Cole. Perhaps because coming to Dos Estrellas had resulted in a safe, stable home for his children, a woman he loved and a job he’d come to believe was his calling.

Unfortunately, Cole was of a completely different mind. He liked cattle ranching well enough and someday might make it his living, but he still preferred busting broncs, training horses and chasing the sun to the next town.

“Are you remotely ready to be a dad?” Josh asked. “You haven’t ever been the settling down kind.”

“I want to be ready.”

“You’re going to have someone depending on you. Someone who can’t do the simplest of things for him or herself.”

Cole glanced over his shoulder at his niece and nephew and tried to see himself as their parent. It wasn’t easy. He’d been something of a drifter for the past twelve years.

“What if you made Mustang Valley your home base instead of Grandpa and Grandma’s?

Josh’s suggestion was a reasonable one. Except for one problem.

“I’m not sure Vi wants me here. She made it clear she’d rather go it alone than have a part-time dad in the picture.”

“She has a point. I tried that, and it didn’t work. I wound up with an addict for a wife and two children who suffered from neglect. If you’re not willing to fully commit, you might as well leave Violet to raise the baby by herself.”

Cole heard what his brother said, and also what he didn’t say: that if he failed to commit, he’d be just like their father, a man who’d abandoned his children.

Cole didn’t think he could stand another similarity between them. There were already too many.

He kept watch for Vi’s arrival, staying busy in the horse stables after finishing with the afternoon feeding. At last her pickup truck pulled into the driveway leading to the ranch.

He ignored the rush of relief coursing through him, along with the thrill of anticipation, and hurried to catch up. She was on her way to the house for their meeting. Her meeting.

“Hey, not so fast.”

Glancing back, she stopped and waited. Cole took it as a good sign that she didn’t race ahead.

“How are you doing?” He fell into step beside her.

“All right, I guess.”

Her face told a different story. It had a pinched, exhausted look made worse by the dark circles beneath her eyes.

Cole repressed a sudden urge to wrap her in his arms. Or maybe not so sudden. He’d felt the same when she’d told him about her pregnancy. If anything, this protectiveness was becoming a habit.

“Did you get a chance to rest?” he asked.

“Not really.”

“Too keyed up?”

“I’m not nervous.”

He had his doubts. This couldn’t be easy for her; it was a lot for anyone to handle.

“Did you at least put your feet up for a while?”

“I did.” She smiled, though it was difficult to interpret. She might have been pleased Cole cared, or she might be placating him.

He noticed she held a spiral notebook in the crook of her arm. Had she organized her thoughts? He could picture her sitting in her living room recliner, feet up and furiously scribbling away.

“It’s going to be fine,” he assured her. “There’s nothing Gabe won’t do for you.”

“What about you and Josh? Your votes count just as much as Gabe’s.”

“You know how I feel.”

“Do I?”

“You’re a great employee. You deserve time off.”

“I see.” She didn’t mask the disappointment in her voice.

“What do you want me to say, Vi? That I care about you and what happens? I do. I hope you have this baby, and I hope it’s born healthy. I’ll do my best to be a good father and a good provider. Whatever you need from me. But you said yourself, you want to wait.”

“You’re right. That wasn’t fair.” She started to say more, then faltered, seemingly at a loss for words.

“This is new territory for both of us,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, it is.” This time, her smile was genuine. “Two months ago, I wouldn’t have thought I’d be having this conversation with you.”

“Me, either.”

His response might have been a little too strong, for she grew abruptly quiet. Great. Well, too late now. They were at the ranch house.

They entered through the kitchen door, Cole waiting for Vi to go first. Raquel wouldn’t be attending the meeting, but she’d put out an array of refreshments. On the counter were pitchers of iced tea and cold water, along with a basket of warm, fresh-baked sopapillas, and honey to drizzle on them.

Cole picked up a paper plate and lifted the cover keeping the sopapillas warm. Having no shame, he took two.

“Want one?” he asked Vi.