The Bronc Rider's Baby

In spite of the air of confidence he’d tried to project when he’d taken the baby home from the hospital, she’d sensed his discomfort and uneasiness. But she didn’t blame him for that. Suddenly being responsible for a newborn could be daunting under the best of circumstances, but it was even more stressful and worrisome when the baby was premature.

She stole another peek at the handsome cowboy, her gaze lingering longer than it should.

“When you wanted to know how ‘things’ were going,” the white-haired foreman said, “I guess you were actually wondering about how Nate was doing.”

She returned her focus to Sam. Normally, she kept her worries to herself, but she didn’t think complete honesty would hurt in this situation. “From what I understand, he just learned about the baby’s existence a couple of months ago. And since... Well, with the mother’s death, he has to deal with this all alone.”

“He’s not alone,” Sam said. “He’s got everyone here to help out.”

That was good. Wasn’t it?

Still, she was pretty astute herself, and something seemed off. She just wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe it was the fact that there were so many people here, including a bunch of old cowboys with who-knew-what kind of backgrounds.

Concern twisted into a bulky knot in her chest. No, something about this setup didn’t feel right.

She hoped Nate was prepared for and even looking forward to being a father, but in spite of what he’d implied at the hospital, she hadn’t been convinced. And she knew from experience what happened when a man didn’t step up and take on a paternal role. Her own father certainly hadn’t wanted to be a daddy. He might have tried to do the right thing and married Anna’s mother when she’d gotten pregnant, but the couple had been young, and their marriage had been in trouble from the start. They’d fought from sunup to sundown, and eventually her dad had run off, abandoning his wife and child.

But this wasn’t about Anna or the man who’d disappointed her. It was about human nature, and that’s what had her worried.

She shook off the unpleasant memory and focused on the case at hand. “I’d better go inside. I’d like to look in on the little ‘peanut.’”

Sam didn’t respond, but then why would he? She’d already started for the house before she’d completed her last sentence.

When she reached the porch, where the two oldsters sat, she offered them a casual “Hello” then opened the screen door and stepped inside. Before she could scan the living room, a long, appreciative whistle sounded from out on the porch.

“Now that’s what I call a pretty little gal,” one of the men said. “You think she’s applying for a job here?”

The other chuckled. “It’d sure be nice if she was. I like living on a ranch, but you can’t beat the pretty feminine scenery.”

Anna probably ought to consider that a compliment, but that was another thing that made her uneasy. She didn’t know anything about these men. Not that she expected them to be doddering old fools, completely oblivious to those around them. But was this really a good place to raise a baby?

She was just about to venture into the house, assuming she’d have to find the kitchen on her own, when she spotted a gray-haired man sitting in a brown vinyl recliner. He was holding a bottle and a small bundle wrapped in pink flannel.

So she approached the elderly resident and asked, “How’s little Jessica doing today?”

He looked up and grinned, his tired eyes sparking with mirth. “She’d probably be a whole lot happier if Joy was feeding her, instead of an old coot like me. But I’m getting the hang of this.”

“I can see that.” Anna offered him a smile of her own then introduced herself and told him why she’d come.

“You probably ought to talk to Joy or to one of the women,” he said. “I’m just a temporary babysitter.”

She’d like to talk to everyone here—the residents, the cook, the nurses. She’d especially like to talk to Nate. But apparently, until he was able to come inside to meet with her, the “temporary sitter” would have to do.

“How about her daddy?” Anna asked. “How’s he adjusting to bottles and diapers?”

“Like most rodeo cowboys, I s’pose. He can handle a wild horse a hell of a lot better than he can a tiny baby.” The old man may as well have waved a big red flag in front of the social worker.

“Is that a fact?” Anna had known that Nate worked on a ranch, but she hadn’t realized he was also involved in the rodeo. But neither of those things had anything to do with him being a good father, one who was devoted to his daughter and eager to spend time with her. “I’m sure he’ll get used to having a baby around before you know it.”

The oldster chuckled. “I sure hope so. When he brought her home a couple of days back, he was as skittish as a colt in a thunderstorm. I’d be just as helpless. So it’s a good thing he’s got Joy and the nurses to help him day and night. ’Course Joy never had any kids of her own, but that don’t matter. Women are just naturally maternal.”

Anna suspected there were a lot of people in the old man’s generation who believed that, but parenting wasn’t just a woman’s job. These days a lot of men quickly settled into their daddy roles and took an active interest in their newborns.

She just hoped that Nate wasn’t skirting his emotional responsibility and letting everyone else take care of the baby. She’d really like him to step up and take part in his daughter’s care.

“You want to feed her?” the gray-haired sitter asked. “I’m doing okay now, but I gotta tell you, when Joy handed her to me and asked me to feed her while she fixed our lunch, my heart started thumping and bumping like the pistons in a beat-up jalopy.”

Anna’s smile deepened. “You look like you’re doing just fine, Mr....?”

“Mayberry,” he said. “But call me Rex.”

When the screen door squeaked open, Anna glanced over her shoulder to see who’d entered the house. The moment she spotted Nate, her heart skipped a couple of beats then sputtered back to life, thumping and bumping like those same pistons in Rex’s jalopy.

Nate removed his battered Stetson, which had left a damp impression mark on his light brown hair, and held it in front of him. “Sam said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Yes, I do. Is now a good time?”

“I guess so.”

But not really? Most new parents were pleased to know someone from the hospital had stopped to check on them, but she suspected he felt threatened by her arrival. And that sent up another red flag, one she’d have to keep in mind while she was here today and during her follow-up visits.

“Maybe I should have called first,” she said.

He shrugged a single shoulder. “I just wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

He glanced at the baby then touched a little foot that peeked out from her blanket. The flicker of a smile crossed his face—a good sign, no?

As if sensing that Anna was watching him, he straightened and caught her eye. They gazed at each other for a beat, long enough for her to realize a little dust and perspiration did very little to lessen his sexy appeal. In fact, it made him even more manly, more...

Oh, wow. It seemed to be getting awfully warm in here.

“Do you want to stay with the baby?” he asked. “Or would you rather go outside and talk to me?”

She glanced at Rex, who was studying them as if they were actors on a stage. Maybe it would be best if they didn’t have an audience.

“Let’s take a walk,” she said, liking the sound of it. She suspected Nate would feel better and be more relaxed outdoors. She certainly would.

“You got this, Rex?” Nate asked. “The baby’s not too much for you? I can ask Joy to come out here and relieve you.”

“Nope.” The elderly man glanced down at the baby and smiled. “We’re doin’ just fine.”

Nate nodded then swung out his arm in a gallant, “after you” manner.

Anna started toward the door, but when she walked past the handsome cowboy and caught a whiff of an alluring scent of leather and musk, she wasn’t so sure being alone with him had been such a good idea after all.

Chapter Two (#u36c4a18e-ae25-5e7e-951f-df91b5723481)

Nate followed Anna outside and onto the porch, where Gilbert Henry and Raul Santiago sat in their rockers. The creaks they were making as they swayed back and forth in their chairs slowed to a stop, their attention undoubtedly captured by the attractive social worker.