Page 11 of Dead Man's Alibi

“Landon’s going to need to know.”

Nate leaned back in the seat, closed his eyes.He looked as tired as Cal had ever seen him.Which made Cal feel something like worry for his baby brother.

Yeah, moving back home created all sorts of weird.

“Why don’t you let me handle it?”Cal said casually, making sure none of that worry crept into his voice.“I can drop you off at Honor’s Edge, then head up to the ranch and fill them in myself.I’ll lay on the lawyer speak, tone it down so they don’t get too worked up about it.Sound good?”

“None of this sounds good,” Nate muttered, the first little sense of any petulance or fight from him.

Good, he was going to need some of that going for him.

Chapter Five

The Bennet Ranch

Aly Bennet pacedin the bathroom.Of course, the bathroom was small, so she managed two steps one way and two steps back.

It was too early.She knew it was too early, but it was socloseand she was soimpatient.When her phone timer went off, she jumped.Then laughed.

Get a hold of yourself.The results weren’t that big of a deal.If they were negative, they’d try again.If they were positive…

She peered down at the test balanced on the sink, leaned closer.Checked the box, the test, the box, the test.Walked away, came back and checked again.Just to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating.

Positive.

It was positive.

She really couldn’t believe it.After the first month of trying and it hadn’t happened, she’d done a lot of reading, and so many articles and message boards had been about how long it could take, how many complications there could be.

But they’d done it on the second try.

Her laugh echoed in the tiny bathroom.

Pregnant.She was pregnant.

“I’m pregnant.”She laughed again then dashed out of the bathroom and into the hall and down the stairs.Should she text Landon?Wait until he came in for lunch?It should be soon and—

The front door creaked open just as Aly reached the bottom of the stairs.Even though her mind knew Landon didn’t usually come through the front door, she so badly wanted it to be him she rushed forward, heart jumping to her throat.

Then came to a stop as Cal stepped inside.Deflated and unable to hide it, she tried to make herself smile.“Oh.Cal.Hi.”

His eyebrows pulled together as he studied her.No doubt because she didnotsound happy to see him, because she wasn’t, which was rare.When all three of the Bennet brothers were home on the ranch, she felt like all her chicks were in the roost.

But now she wasgrowing her own chick.Instead of worrying over her husband’s brothers.

“I need to talk to you and Landon.”

She deflated even more.No, no more trouble.Please.“That sounds serious.”

“Yeah.”

Great, just great.“He should be in for lunch any minute now.Um, come on back.I’ll fix you some.We’re just doing sandwiches.”

“Al, you know you don’t have to.”

“And you know I like to.”Though her stomach was jittering now.

Both at the prospect of telling Landon—happy jitters—and the prospect of Cal’s news really putting a damper on theirs.