Page 35 of Promised to the Cowboy

Wanted another little heartbeat in the family. A little girl with mismatched eyes and Caroline's smile.

The thought hits so hard that my knees almost give out.

Evie’s hand finds mine again. I hold on.

“She would’ve,” Daniel says quietly, settling it the way only my eldest brother can. “No doubt about it.”

Silence settles over the room.

I finally look up.

Jacob is still holding the ultrasound picture. His thumb brushes over it once. Then he carefully hands it back to me.

His mouth opens. Closes again. He nods once, a tiny movement, almost a surrender.

Then, without a word, he turns and walks out through the back door.

The screen door eases shut behind him.

Nobody tries to stop him.

Maggie watches the empty doorway for a long moment before quietly wiping at the corner of one eye with the edge of her apron.

Then Daniel clears his throat and gets practical because that’s how we survive the soft parts in this family—we put a fence around them and go check the herd. “Right. Insurance. You’re on the ranch plan, but the dependent rider lapses in—Delaney’ll know. Delaney knows everything.”

He stands and takes his plate to the sink, squeezing my shoulder hard on the way past. The way men in this family say everything. “I’m happy for you, brother,” he says low, just for me. “Real happy.”

The knot in my stomach loosens.

“Right,” Delaney says to Evie, pulling out a chair for her and sitting beside her. The notebook reappears. Delaney always has a notebook. I think she sleeps with one. She’s the most organized human being I have ever encountered. She doesn’t do soft. She does effective. “What do you need? Not what you think you’re allowed to ask for. What do you need?”

Evie blinks. “I... don’t know.”

“Then we’ll find out.” Delaney clicks her pen. “Foods you can stomach. We’ll figure out what stays down.”

Maggie points her wooden spoon at Evie. “Once we know, you won’t have to cook another meal until that baby’s in college.”

Everyone laughs.

Evie looks slightly panicked. “College?”

Maggie shrugs. “We’ll reassess after kindergarten.”

“You have two weeks left in those jeans,” Delaney continues. “You’ll need maternity clothes.”

“We’ll go to Billings,” Maggie says from the stove without missing a beat.

Delaney nods, already writing it down. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Maggie agrees.

Evie looks from one woman to the other, then raises a hand. “Do I get a vote?”

They both look at her.

“No.”

The answer comes in perfect unison.