High Country Christmas

“Hopefully.” London gave a little shrug with her shoulders. “But I’m not just going to sit around and wait. I’m going to go into town later on and pick up a couple of those early-response pregnancy tests.”

“I’ll drive you.”

She was glad that he offered. She hadn’t slept well the past couple of weeks and she felt weary from worry. If he wanted to drive her into town, she would accept the help.

“I should be done here by three.”

“Okay. I’ll plan on being done around then, too.” Tyler checked his watch. “Let’s meet at my truck at three-thirty.”

* * *

The ride into Helena was a quiet one. London didn’t have much to say, even about subjects that he knew that she normally liked to talk about. He finally gave up on trying to keep the conversation going and concentrated his attention on the road. Luckily, they both liked listening to country, so he tuned the radio to his favorite station and cranked up the music.

When he pulled the truck into a parking space at the drugstore, London unbuckled her seat belt and said, “You’ll wait here.”

He didn’t know if was a statement or a question, really, but either way, he thought it was best that he wasn’t seen shopping for pregnancy tests with London. There were a lot of people in Helena who knew his family, knew him, and a person could never anticipate who might be shopping in the next aisle.

Tyler watched London walk quickly to the store. She had a no-nonsense walk: confident and determined. Her straight, waist-length hair, wet when she had gotten into the truck, had been dried by the wind on their way to Helena. The blunt-cut blond ends danced enticingly just above her small derriere when she walked. The woman was sexy coming and going, as far as he was concerned. This afternoon, she seemed just a little bit more beautiful than usual to him. Maybe he was imagining it, but she looked as though she was glowing. It didn’t escape him that he could be looking at the mother of his first child. London Davenport might be, at this very moment, pregnant by him. On the night they had made love, he had prayed that she wasn’t pregnant. But today? Right now? His feelings were mixed.

London soon returned carrying a white plastic bag. She climbed into the truck and pulled the door shut. He turned down the radio so they could hear each other talk. Tyler glanced at the full bag.

“How many tests did you buy?”

London opened the bag and pulled out the items one by one. “Two different kinds of pregnancy tests, an economy box of condoms for you...”

London placed the large box of condoms on his leg. He could have protected sex for the next several years without ever running out.

“They were all out of green?” he asked.

“You should take that comedy act on the road,” she retorted, but she smiled a small smile as she inventoried the rest of the bag’s contents. “Prenatal vitamins and caramels.”

“Prenatal vitamins?” Tyler frowned at her. “You didn’t take a test while you were in there, did you?”

“No. I got them just in case.” She gave him a funny look. “What would it matter if I had, anyway?”

“I want to be there when you take the test. If you are pregnant, I want to find out with you.”

London stuffed the items back into the bag. “God help me, you’re a romantic, aren’t you?”

“My parents have been married for a long time. So, yeah...” he said a little bit defensively. “I do believe that some people get to marry their soul mates.”

“Sorry...I can get really cranky when I’m tired. I do think it’s nice that you want to be there.”

Tyler nodded, accepting her apology. After a minute of silence, he asked her pensively, “Do you think you’re pregnant, London?”

“Honestly? My gut says yes. But then again, I’ve been really stressed-out lately about coming up with tuition money for my last semester. Stress could be making me late.”

But, until she took the test, speculation was the best either of them could do. Yet a woman’s intuition wasn’t something to take lightly. Tyler started the engine but didn’t pull out of the parking space. He glanced over at London, who looked back at him curiously.

“We drove all the way into Helena. It seems like a waste for us to just turn right around and head back to the ranch.”

“I don’t have anything else to do here.” London said. “Do you?”

“No. But for the sake of argument...let’s just say that you are pregnant,” he said. “Wouldn’t it be nice if I had taken you out to dinner at least once before we become parents together?”

“All right,” London agreed.

Surprised, Tyler asked, “Have you ever been to the Silver Steak Company downtown?”

“Uh-uh,” she said. “But a steak dinner does seem like an appropriate way to say, ‘I’m sorry I got you pregnant with my expired green novelty condom.’”

Tyler smiled as he shifted into gear. “That was funny.”

“Well...it’s funny now. It might not be so funny after I take the test.”

“No...” Tyler pulled out of the parking space. “I think it was funny either way.”

* * *

Once they were seated in a booth and handed their menus, Tyler took off his cowboy hat.

“Be honest...” Tyler said. “Do I have hat hair?”

London smiled at him. “No. You’re fine.”

Tyler always looked good. He reminded her of a young Robert Redford—tall, rugged, nice shoulders, charming smile and bright blue eyes. And it didn’t matter if he was covered in mud and sweaty from a long day of work or if he was cleaned up, like he was now. He was hands down the best looking man she’d met in Montana. She’d thought that when she first met him a year ago during her junior-year internship at the ranch. And her opinion hadn’t changed now that she had taken a summer job at Bent Tree to earn tuition money for her last semester of classes in the fall. Tyler was everything a cowboy should be.

They both decided on sweet teas and steaks. Tyler ordered the filet mignon with caramelized onions for her and the restaurant’s famous cowboy coffee steak for himself. While they waited for their main course, they shared a plate of baked brie.

“Oh, sweet baby Jesus...” London said after her first bite of the cheese-filled pastry. “The almond butter should be illegal.”

“My mom orders this appetizer every time we come here.”

“I love your mom. She’s such a cool person.” London dipped another piece of baked cheese into a small bowl filled with huckleberry port sauce.

“I know she likes you, too,” Tyler said. “You know... I’m sorry about the circumstances, but I’m not sorry that we’re finally having our first date.”

“I wouldn’t really call this a date,” she objected.

“What would you call it?”

“Two people eating food at the same table.”

“Well...” Tyler took a drink before he continued. “Then I’m happy that you’re eating your food at the same table with me.”

And he was. He was really happy to finally be sitting across the table from her. He was also proud. They had walked in the restaurant and every male eye was immediately on London. She just drew that kind of attention without even trying. Her height, her hair, her naturally pretty face... She stood out. And it was more than just her beauty that made her noticeable. It was also the self-assured way she carried herself. She wasn’t cocky. She was comfortable in her own skin, unpretentious and confident. The looks and the attitude were a potent combination. He could admit to himself that he’d been hooked since the get-go. A lot of women in the area considered him to be a great catch, especially since he was in line to take over Bent Tree Ranch when his father retired. But London had always been able to resist his credentials and his cowboy charm. Would she be here with him tonight if they hadn’t had to come into town on a separate mission? No. Yet it didn’t matter. All that mattered was the fact that she was here. It was a place to start.

Their steaks quickly followed the appetizer. London devoured her filet; she hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she started to eat. Her plate was spotless, not one caramelized onion or piece of steak left behind. She wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin and then covered her plate with it. She leaned back, hands on her stomach, and groaned.