Page 24 of The Cowboy and the Baby

Thank God for small miracles.

Marsha was nice enough, but her drama queen tendencies made me, Cody, and Wyatt scatter when she visited. Morgan hadn’t been able to handle her for more than a few hours before snapping at her, hurting her feelings, and starting the drama cycle all over again.

Lily fussed as we wrapped up listing the work needed in the unfinished and slightly scary basement.

“It’s Lily’s bottle and bedtime,” Noelle said, poorly hiding a yawn. She opened her arms, and I passed Lily over. Holding a child was a stabilizing thing, especially one so young. Noelle smiled as she accepted her, pressing a kiss to Lily’s nose. Her little wail heightened, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It sounded so fake.

“You get her dinner,” I said, “and I’ll go upstairs and stoke the fire.”

“Oh.” She blinked twice and said, “Thank you. That’s . . . very kind.”

What sort of men have you been around? I wanted to ask. Every task I completed startled her, as if she’d never met a man who could use his hands. She stumbled over my willingness to hold a baby and see to a fire?

I had some work to do.

“Seems like a fair split,” I reasoned, stretching my arms overhead. “You feed Lily, I keep the house warm.”

She accepted my lighthearted response with a smile and started up the stairs. I flicked off the lights, cast a long glance around, and started after her. My immediate draw to Noelle had been rapidly gaining steam since we merged into the same house, and now a whole new level of interest opened up.

Clearly, she’d never known a cowboy.

Time to show her what real masculinity looked like: holding a baby, maintaining a fire, and a willingness to do work alongside her.

10

NOELLE

Lily slept in my arms later that evening when my phone buzzed, which I thankfully remembered to set on vibrate so it didn’t wake her. I slid the accept button over, pressed an ear to it, and whispered, “Just a sec, Marsha! Lily is sleeping.”

“Sure, honey! Take your time.”

Lily shuddered a breath, but remained asleep when I transferred her to the middle of the bed. Cade was listening to a podcast about cattle grazing rights while he assembled a bouncer for Lily in the living room, cursing under his breath as he rustled instructions and searched for parts.

Stepping into the hallway, I spoke again.

“Sorry.”

“No problem! How are things?”

Nerves curled in my stomach. Kinoshi had read the will yesterday, and Marsha was only just returning my call. Probably out on a yacht somewhere in the middle of the sea. Or catamaran, was it?

“Um . . . good. Things at the ranch are good.”

“Well? Did Bart or your father inherit the place? Was there an estimate of value, or something?”

“Ah . . . no.”

I slipped into the kitchen and sat at the table, spotting a teacup, several different sachets of tea, a crock of honey, and a kettle of steaming water on the stovetop. I didn’t need to ask if it was for me; Cade was just that thoughtful.

“No? Sorry, honey. Did you say no? It’s a little scratchy out here. We’re on a private beach. I’m calling from the satellite phone!”

Of course she was. Yet again, I felt a surge of gratitude that I didn’t have to move in with Marsha and Bart.

Grateful to do something with my hands, I grabbed a chamomile sachet.

“Actually, the ranch went to Cade.”

A pause. “I’m sorry, did you say Cade?”