“Ranger, buddy. You’re snarky today.” I pat his back as I move down his leg and hoist it between my thighs. “One inch to the right and you woulda nailed me in the balls. Not sure that’s good for my little men.”
He whines as if he doesn’t give two shits about my ability to reproduce. The cold front has all the horses on edge, not that I can blame them, but it makes doing my job harder.
“You need help, cowboy?” Noah’s boots come into my view before the rest of her does.
When I raise my head, I smile at her cowboy hat and braids. She’s holding what looks like one of our scrapbook albums against her chest. “From a beautiful woman like you? Anytime.”
She pets Ranger with her free hand and tries to comfort him. “Ellie’s comin’ to work with him later. Maybe that’ll relax him.”
“I hope so. Whatcha got there?”
“Just a little surprise I wanted to give ya. But it can wait till you’re done.”
“Well, gimme just a few. This is the last hoof.”
She runs her fingers down his mane and helps him relax as I finish up.
“Good boy, Ranger.” I pat him a few times, then Noah offers to take him back to his stall.
Once she returns, I tilt up her chin and bring my mouth to hers. “You look beautiful today.”
“Well, thank you. Are you ready to see what I made?”
“Absolutely.” I take off my gloves and watch as she flips through the pages of our second-year-together album.
“I made a new page. Ready?”
When she sucks in her lower lip, nerves surface at what I should expect.
“I think so.”
Then she flips it, and all the blood drains from my face.
Our first ultrasound.
My eyes flick to hers, to the page with the empty space inside the frame, then back to hers again.
“You’re…we’re…pregnant?”
“Yeah, I took a test this mornin’ after you left for work.”
“Oh my God.” I engulf her in my arms as a roller coaster of emotions hits me. “Sweetheart, that’s amazin’.”
My heart pounds against hers as the realization soaks in.
Before Noah, I never wanted more children.
Never thought I deserved to be a father again.
Never considered I’d meet someone as perfect as Noah and want to start over.
But she’s changed all of that.
Now, I can’t wait to start a family with the love of my life and watch her become a mother.
“I love you so much, Goldie. Thank you for givin’ me this second chance.”
She buries her face in my chest and fists my shirt as she cries in my arms.
“Baby, why’re you cryin’?”
“I wanna blame it on the hormones, but I’m just so happy. I didn’t even know I wanted this right now until I saw that little plus sign, and suddenly, it was all I imagined for our lives. Then I was overwhelmed with excitement and nervous I’d suck at the same time.”
I pull her back slightly so I can wipe her tearstained cheeks. “You are too incredible to suck at anythin’, and this is no different, my love. I cannot wait to hold our baby in my arms, but before that, I can’t wait to feel their little kicks and hear the heartbeat. Every moment will be an amazin’ one. You’ll see.”
“I know. I’m excited about all of that, too. Just worried I won’t know what to do.”
Leaning down, I kiss her forehead. “You won’t be doin’ it alone, don’t worry.”
“I should warn you. It’s about to be double trouble because Magnolia’s pregnant, too.”
“Wait, what?” My brain crisscrosses in confusion. “I didn’t even know she was datin’ anyone.”
She glances around as if she’s making sure no one’s in earshot, but then Ayden walks out.
“I’ll tell ya later. Oh, by the way, we’re hostin’ a slumber party this weekend.”
I raise a brow. “Your brothers are makin’ me go to the Twisted Bull on Saturday.”
“Again?”
“For my official initiation into the family now that we’re married.”
She barks out a laugh. “I thought they made you do that when we announced we were datin’ last year.”
“That was the datin’ initiation.”
“Why’re you even goin’ along with this? Tell them to fuck off.”
I smirk. “Because as dumb as it may be, it’s fun to show off and prove to them how awesome I still am. They make bets on how long I’ll last on the bull, but by the end of the night, I’m up a hundred bucks, and they’re too drunk to give a shit.”
She sighs with an eye roll. “Better tell them we’re pregnant before then so you can do the knocked up their sister initiation at the same time. Oh, and Gramma Grace knows even though I didn’t tell her.”
Grinning, I pull her closer again. “At this rate, that woman will know the gender of the baby before we do.”
“You’re probably right.”
I cup her cheeks and stare into her soft ocean-blue eyes. “I’m so head over heels in love with you, Noah. Thank you for bein’ with me, marryin’ me, and havin’ my baby. I couldn’t ask for a better life.”
We celebrated that evening by baking peach cobbler and making love. Noah started a list of baby names she likes, and Poppy stands out as my favorite if it’s a girl.
If it’s a boy, I’d like to name him Damien.
That weekend, Noah’s brothers hyped me up as I rode the mechanical bull. I made it twelve seconds before the beer in my stomach threatened to come up if I didn’t get off. When I told them they were all gonna be uncles, they made me pay their tabs.
Jase and I went to Lyla’s gravesite the following week, where I shared the news that they’ll have a new sibling in nine months.
When Jase gave me the biggest hug, I nearly teared up at his support. He didn’t have to give me a second chance in the first place, but the fact that he did, means the world.
Hell, it changed my life.
It brought me to Sugarland Creek.
It made me want to be a better man.
And for the first time in a decade, it made me feel worthy of being a father and husband again.
