The Cowgirl's Forever Family

“You look like you’ve had practice doing that,” she said and stepped into the room.

He met her gaze. “I’ve had some experience. She was restless for a moment.”

Brooke came around the sofa. “Do you come from a big family?”

He ignored her question. “Did you reach your brother?”

“I left a message asking him to call me. I’ll try again in the morning.”

“Thank you,” he said and stood, holding the baby close to his chest. “I should get going. I’ll call you tomorrow to find out if your brother has contacted you.”

“Where are you staying tonight?”

“I have a room at a place called O’Sullivans.”

She nodded as a kind of unease settled in her belly. “It’s the big hotel in town. It’s nice... I’m sure you’ll be comfortable there. Are you...”

His green-eyed gaze narrowed. “Am I, what?”

Brooke straightened her shoulders. “Are you taking Cara with you?”

“Of course,” he replied and took a step away from the sofa. “I’m her legal guardian.”

Brooke’s unease slowly turned into a rising panic. Her guardian? Which meant he was calling all the shots. “So, that means you get to decide what happens to her.”

“It means I get to decide if your brother is a fit and able parent...assuming he returns your call, gets himself back to Cedar River and actually wants to be Cara’s father.”

Her stomach sank. Oh, Matt...please call back.

“And if he doesn’t?”

Tyler Madden glanced down at the baby before he returned to her unsteady gaze. “Then it is my responsibility to find Cara a suitable home.”

“A suitable home?” Brooke echoed, her apprehension growing. “What does that mean?”

“What does it usually mean?” he said. “A home. A family.”

“You mean, she’ll be adopted?”

“Exactly.”

His reply made her blood run cold. Adopted out to strangers? “She’s my brother’s child and therefore my family and I have a right to—”

“This isn’t about your rights,” he said quietly. “This is about doing what is best for Cara. Hopefully, and in accordance to Yelena’s wishes, that is your brother. You need to understand that Ralph has reservations about Matt being a fit parent for Cara. But, he’s willing to do what Yelena wanted if your brother can prove that he is willing to be a father. If he’s not, or if he’s unable to be found, then I’ll consider other options.”

Other options? That’s here, where she belongs...

But Brooke held her tongue. First, she had to get her brother back to Cedar River. Which wasn’t going to be easy. Second, she had to convince Matt that he had to act like a responsible adult and be a parent to the child he’d fathered. That wasn’t going to be easy, either. Matt had been on the run for five years. Since the accident that had killed their parents. He still blamed himself, even though another driver was at fault. Nothing she said eased his grief, his guilt or managed to convince him it was time to come home. But maybe this would, she thought as she gazed at the sleeping child. All she had to do was convince Tyler Madden to give her some time.

Which meant being friendly. Or at least civil.

“I understand you have a job to do and I appreciate that Cara’s welfare is important to you, but please understand that as her aunt and her family, it’s important to me, too. Even if I didn’t know she existed until about half an hour ago, I’m trying to get past the shock and concentrate on doing what’s best for her.”

He stood rigid, looking unmoved by her impassioned speech. She wouldn’t have expected anything else. He was a lawyer doing his job. He had no emotional investment, only duty. She knew enough about lawyers to recognize one that was as cold as a fish.

“Get in contact with your brother,” he said and pulled his car keys from his pocket. “And we’ll see what happens from there.”

Brooke was tempted to snatch the baby from his arms, but quickly ditched that idea. He was big and strong and, despite the civilized suit and tie, she suspected he could handle himself in the courtroom, the bedroom or a street brawl if he needed to, let alone in a tussle with a woman who was barely five feet five inches tall.

She fingered the business card in her hand. “I’ll contact you as soon as I hear from Matt.”

He nodded. “Thank you. Good night.”

Brooke followed him down the hall and watched as he walked through the front door and then down the steps. The dogs sat at heel by the door and she waited while he secured the baby into the backseat of his sedan and drove off, staring at the disappearing taillights. Once she saw the car turn off on the main road Brooke shut the door, took a long breath and pulled the cell phone from her pocket. She dialed Matt’s number again and left another message—this one more urgent than the last.

He had to come home. And until he did, Brooke would do whatever she could to ensure Cara stayed in town. Which meant she’d play whatever game Tyler Madden had planned.

For now.

Chapter Two (#ulink_4ef35462-94f3-5985-adbd-7258bd3c3cb5)

A distraction. That’s what she was. That’s all she was. And Tyler didn’t want or need any distractions. But damn if he didn’t spend the night dreaming about indigo eyes and freckles.

He was in Cedar River for business—that was all. He had a job to do and a child to care for...so dreaming about Brooke Laughton was off-limits.

The O’Sullivan’s hotel was surprisingly well-appointed and much more opulent than he’d expected. The night duty manager had quickly sourced a crib for the baby, so Tyler didn’t have to lug out the portable one he’d stashed in the trunk of the rental car, which was great since the weather had turned worse and the snow was coming down heavier. He didn’t sleep much but was pleased that Cara had slept soundly and awoke in a happy mood. He bathed and changed her and ordered coffee from room service. Once she’d eaten some cereal and had a bottle he placed her back in the crib and took a shower. When he was done he changed into dark chinos and a blue shirt and opened up his laptop.

He’d taken a couple of weeks’ leave from Wall, Hardin & Steele, but he still had two open cases that needed his attention. He’d been with the firm for five years and was up for partner in the next six months. It’s what he wanted. What he’d worked for.

Phil Hardin hadn’t been happy that he had asked for time off to sort out Cara’s situation, but Tyler had insisted. He owed Ralph Jürgens his time and attention.

What I want...what I’ve worked for.

He had to keep remembering that. Nothing was going to distract him.

It was just after ten when the room phone rang. He snatched it up and the clerk at reception informed him that he had a visitor. His stomach immediately tied itself in knots.

Indigo eyes...

He cursed to himself for thinking like a fool but when he opened the door to her a few minutes later, his awareness level almost shot into the red zone. She looked incredible in a bright green, long-sleeved collared T-shirt tucked into the waistband, a sheepskin vest, a wide leather belt and cowboy boots. Well-worn jeans that accentuated her long legs clung to the curves of her hips, and her golden hair hung down over her shoulders. No makeup—just the healthy glow of someone who worked outdoors.

Damn...she stirred him. More than he’d been stirred in a long time. Since...forever.

“Hi,” she said, kind of breathlessly.

“Hi, yourself.”

“I was in town,” she explained quickly. “Getting horse feed and some fencing gear. So I thought I’d drop by and see Cara. Is that okay?”