Cowboy for Keeps

Dallas sat across from her mother, who gave her a he’ll-run-out-of-steam-soon head bobble in reply. Marina could conduct entire conversations without speaking a single word.

“He is.” Hank harrumphed in agreement. “Concerned enough to make an honest woman of you and give his child his name.”

“We’re not getting married.”

The moment Richard had learned about Dallas’s pregnancy, he’d proposed. Or reproposed, in this case. She’d declined. Her parents had married solely because Marina was pregnant with Dallas—not for love.

“You could do worse than Richard.”

Dallas bit down, swallowed her retort. She’d come here for dinner, not to argue with her stepfather.

“Hank cares about you, honey,” Dallas’s mother said in an attempt to smooth things over. “After all, your pregnancy is nothing short of a minor miracle.”

“I was supposed to have trouble conceiving, Mom, not carrying.”

“And yet you did conceive. Without any trouble.” Her face radiated joy. “When you first told us you had PID, I was so sure you were in for a tough road. And then so grateful Richard was willing to brave it with you.”

“He was willing because it meant postponing starting a family. His job came first with him.”

“He wanted to wait until he was financially secure.” Hank helped himself to a serving of chicken. “I think that shows responsibility.”

“And you had your budding photography business to consider,” her mother added.

A bout with appendicitis in college had left Dallas with pelvic inflammatory disease. Because of scarring on her fallopian tubes, she was told she’d likely require the assistance of a fertility doctor in order to conceive. Finding out she was pregnant couldn’t have come as a bigger shock, to her, her family and Richard.

Terminating her pregnancy or giving her child up for adoption weren’t options. Dallas was having the family she wanted, simply a little ahead of schedule. And without a husband. Or a house. Or having become a successful documentary photographer.

A knot formed in her middle.

“You should give him another chance,” Hank said.

Her mother nodded thoughtfully. “Try living together instead of rushing into marriage.”

“We were engaged over a year without ever setting a date. Our instincts were telling us we didn’t have what it takes for a successful marriage. A baby doesn’t change that.”

Dallas was feeling ganged up on. Her mother was fond of Richard and Hank thought there wasn’t a better guy out there.

“But Richard is thrilled about becoming a father,” Marina gushed. “It would be nice for his sake if you could work things out.”

Dallas sighed. It was past time to level with her mother and stepfather.

“I hate to break it to you, but Richard isn’t thrilled.”

“What?” Her mother gasped. “But he... You said—”

“I didn’t want to upset you.” Dallas buttered a piece of bread, but she’d lost her appetite. “He wants to marry me because he believes it’s the right thing to do.”

“He loves you.”

“He did. Once.” Not for a while.

“I’ll talk to him,” Hank interjected.

“You will not! I mean it, Hank.”

“Someone needs to set him straight.”

“That’s not your job.”

He looked hurt, and Dallas instantly regretted the harsh tone she’d used.

“Are you sure he just doesn’t need more time to adjust?” Marina asked, always the mediator.

“I’m asking for you and Hank to respect my wishes and let me handle Richard my own way. Now, please, can we change the subject?”

Awkward silence followed, until Marina chimed in with “How’s the book coming?”

“Great. I got some nice pictures of a mustang family at the sanctuary yesterday. Conner took me.”

“Conner Durham?” Her mother visibly perked up. She and Hank had met Conner before, during various cookouts and holiday gatherings. “Richard’s friend who was laid off?”

“Yeah. He’s working for the Powells and the Duvalls, splitting his time between the two places, from what he told me.”

“They need a systems analyst?” Hank’s brows furrowed.

“Hardly.” Dallas laughed. “He’s teaching riding classes, supervising trail rides, overseeing the rodeo livestock and managing the mustang sanctuary.”

“Such a shame he lost his job,” her mother commiserated.

“Richard felt terrible. It ended their friendship.”

“Not Richard’s fault the economy tanked,” Hank muttered. “Sometimes management has to make tough decisions.”

“It’s not Conner’s fault, either. But he’s the one out of a job and living in an apartment on Powell Ranch.”

“Apartment?” Marina looked perplexed. “What happened to his house?”

“He still owns it. From what Sage Powell told me, he’s renting it out to cover the mortgage payment, except the monthly rent isn’t enough, and he has to make up the difference.”

“That’s terrible. It’s such a beautiful house.”

Dallas remembered visiting it. Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, game room, three-car garage, a pool and a beautifully landscaped backyard. Living in the apartment must be a huge adjustment for Conner.

“He’ll move back into the house as soon as he finds a new job.”

“Positions like the one he had are few and far between,” Hank said. “And the competition is ruthless these days.”

Inspiration sprang suddenly to Dallas’s mind. “Maybe one of your clients has a job opening.”