The Rancher's Christmas Baby

Amy gazed quizzically at her sister, Susie. “What do you mean?”

“It was your first night as husband and wife, and one of Teddy’s horses went into labor. That couldn’t have been too great.”

Amy tried not to think about the irony of the situation. She’d only agreed to go home with Teddy to his ranch for appearances’ sake—because she didn’t want to let on to anyone how uncertain she already was about this bargain they’d made with each other.

Oh, she still wanted a baby—his baby.

But as for the rest of it…

A marriage based on friendship was going to be much more complicated than she had figured.

Still, figuring boundaries needed to be set, she had packed an overnight bag with her most unsexy flannel pajamas. Only to end up disappointed that she and Teddy hadn’t even ended up having dinner together.

Never mind how strange it had felt to sleep in his bed—without him—and leave for work this morning, with only a passing goodbye to him, since he was still busy with the new foal.

It wasn’t like this was a real marriage, in the traditional sense. She and Teddy were used to living their own lives, on their own schedules, and having much of their time taken up by the demands of their mutual businesses. More than likely, this was the way it was going to be until a baby came into the picture….

Amy and Susie walked out the back door of the landscape and garden center owned by Susie and headed toward the cargo van Amy used to transport plants.

“You must have felt very let down,” Susie continued. “First, you missed out on the big wedding you always wanted, by eloping.”

Not to mention the thrill of a life-altering romance, Amy thought.

“Then, as if all that wasn’t enough,” Susie said, “your first night as husband and wife was a complete bust.”

Amy opened up the back door of the dark-green truck, emblazoned with the logo for Laurel Valley Ranch.

Deciding changing the subject was a much safer path to take, Amy pointed out, “You were without a husband last night, too.”

The foal had been breech. Susie’s husband—and Teddy’s triplet brother—Tyler McCabe, was a large-animal vet. He had been called out to the Silverado Ranch to help Teddy with the delivery.

“True,” Susie conceded ruefully, watching as Amy set up the loading ramp.

Susie rubbed a hand across her expanding waistline, lovingly protecting the baby inside of her. “But since these days all I want to do is sleep…” Susie walked onto the truck to give a cursory inspection of the red-and-white poinsettia plants and potted baby evergreens Amy was delivering, then signed the clipboard Amy gave her.

“You, on the other hand,” Susie continued with another lift of her brow, “are on what should be your honeymoon.”

Amy tensed. The sounds of heavy machinery reverberated through the chilly late-November air. She knew the source. Several blocks over, a professional tree crew was removing the live oak that had been struck by lightning and crashed through the chapel roof.

The tree was going to be a loss, Amy knew, but the community chapel would be rebuilt. And in some small way, that knowledge filled her with hope.

Amy got out the wheeled flatbed dolly and began loading plants onto it.

Aware her older sister was waiting for an explanation of some sort, Amy shrugged and turned her glance away from Susie’s probing gaze. “My marriage to Teddy isn’t like yours and Rebecca’s.”

Both her sisters were madly in love with the men they had married.

Susie’s expression tightened. She tugged on a pair of leather work gloves and lifted the lightweight poinsettia plants, one by one, being careful not to stress her pregnant body. “So I heard.”

Amy knew the serious illness Susie had suffered as a teenager had left her more appreciative of life than most, and also more sensitive to others’ feelings. Hence, it was no surprise that Susie had picked up on Amy’s anxiety and uncertainty, where her own impulsive actions were concerned.

“And you, too, are worried,” Amy guessed.

“Everyone is—in both families.” Susie watched Amy take the loaded dolly down the ramp to the back door and return with an empty one. “We all know what close friends you and Teddy have been since you were in elementary school together. And we all know how much you both want to be married and have kids.”

Here it comes, Amy thought. “But…?”

Susie loaded plants as carefully and sensibly as she did everything else. Pity shone in her eyes. “I can’t help but think you’re cheating yourselves, not waiting for the love of a lifetime.”

Amy sensed an It’s-Not-Too-Late-To-Chalk-It-All-Up-To-Holiday-Craziness-And-Get-An-Annulment spiel coming on.

So it wasn’t perfect. In fact, far from it. Still, this arrangement she had with Teddy was the key to her getting the family she had always wanted, sooner rather than later.

She and Teddy would work out the details.

Eventually…

That was, if their families would leave them alone to do so!

Amy set her jaw. “If Teddy and I could be sure we’d experience ‘true love’ with others, don’t you think we’d be content to wait? Unfortunately, it would seem the odds are against us finding The One.”

Susie straightened. “So you’re going to settle for a life with each other instead.”

Amy didn’t like the way Susie said “settle.” She made it sound as if she were stealing crumbs off another’s plate, instead of sitting down to a full meal. “It’s going to be fine,” she reiterated with as much patience and faith as she could muster.

Susie stretched and rubbed her lower back. The shift in her posture made her blossoming pregnancy more apparent. Observing, Amy was filled with a mixture of shared joy—and envy. She didn’t like the latter. It made her feel ungrateful somehow. Small and petty.

“If this is so great, then why don’t you look happier?” Susie persisted, appearing as determined as their parents the day before to make Amy and Teddy come to their senses and undo what had been done.

Amy took the filled dolly down the ramp and returned with a third empty cart. Gaze averted, she kept her guard up, knowing it would be far too easy to pour out her heart. “I’m stressed out about the holidays.” Which was true, as far as it went.

Susie’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “You love the holidays.”

Amy grimaced and loaded the remaining greenery, slated for Susie’s store. “Not so far this year,” she said honestly.

“Why? What’s going on?” Susie led the way down the ramp, then held the door for Amy.

Amy pushed all three loaded carts into the storeroom, one after another, then followed Susie to her private office. Because the garden center would not be open to the public for another forty-five minutes, they had time to finish their conversation at leisure.

Amy sat down in the chair Susie indicated while her sister poured them each a mug of decaffeinated coffee. “Sheryl was put on bed rest yesterday for the rest of her pregnancy. Her mother can’t get in from Chicago to help out until next weekend. Until then, I’ve given Ed time off to care for her and make sure she doesn’t go into early labor again.”

“Which leaves you with no help whatsoever.”

“Right.” Amy stirred creamer in her coffee. This, she could talk at length about. “All my part-time college kids are already back on campus, gearing up for exams.”

“And you’ve got some sort of big delivery coming up, don’t you,” Susie recalled, easing into the chair behind her desk.

Amy nodded and rested her mug on her thigh. Warmth transmitted through her jeans. “Two hundred six-to eight-foot Christmas trees have to be delivered to the Wichita Falls Civic Association. The money they earn from the sale is going to provide the Christmas celebration for a local children’s home. I’m supposed to deliver them by noon on December 1—which, as it happens, is next Tuesday.”