Page 38 of The Cowboy and the Baby

While those thoughts settled, the general darkness of the room at large came to my awareness next. Was it evening already? Had I slept all day?

I opened my eyes without difficulty. The pervasive weakness had flowed out, leaving a tensile strength. I wouldn’t be running laps anytime soon, but I didn’t feel as if moving the blanket would be a burden. The room was quite stuffy.

Tossing the blankets aside, I carefully swung my legs off the bed and pushed to sitting. My head spun for a short time. Eventually, I was able to stand and creep out of the bedroom. When I emerged, my heart almost stopped.

Cade sat on the couch, Lily tucked in his left arm. He had a book propped open in his other hand and read quietly out loud. It was a tattered, old thing, worn along the paper edges and little hairs sprouting from the tops and sides. The pictures reminded me of something from the fifties, and it only took a few passing beats of hesitation for me to remember that book. Grandma’s favorite.

The rush of warmth and memory that flooded me as I heard Cade recite the words to Lily, who cooed and wiggled like a content bunny tucked in her favorite warren, sent a tingling sensation through me. The words that belonged to Grandma, spoken by Cade, to my daughter, worked a particular weakness.

I leaned against the wall, swallowed, and composed my still-a-bit-feverish head. I must have made a noise, because Cade stopped, looked up, and smiled.

“Hey. You alive?”

“Barely. How is she?”

“Happier.”

“Happier?”

He gave a little smile. I might have almost called it shy. “You weren’t the only one with a fever the past two days.”

There was a lot to comprehend in that statement. Only one with a fever and past two days registered with deep gongs. I gripped the first and most presently stressful one first.

“Lily had a fever?”

“Yep.” He stood up, holding her as easily as a quarterback cradled a football. As if he’d known and done this his whole life. He should be Lily’s parent, because he seemed so at ease. As if this massive life and all that it demanded came so easily to him.

With his chin, he motioned to a chair.

“Have a seat. I think she’s missed you.”

I seriously doubted that statement, but appreciated him for saying it. My legs were shaky and weak when I lowered, and I was grateful to sit. Maybe I wasn’t as ready for real life as I thought.

Cade’s jeans caught my attention, and his cowboy boots, as he lowered her into my lap. I almost missed his casual pajamas, but cursed that thought immediately. Nothing worked more in his favor than those jeans. Arm crooked, I accepted sweet Lily with a smile. Her eyes illuminated at the sound of my voice, and she curled toward me.

Cade’s deep chuckle rang through my blood, turning the edges to slush. The fever would return if he kept being so deliciously irresistible with my child.

“See? Told you. She missed you.”

My throat thickened. Truly, Lily had provided her own proof, and that meant . . . everything. In a situation that felt as if it couldn’t get any stranger, every little sign that proved I belonged here meant something.

Cade had left the book open to a page with a little girl chasing a tiny puppy, and her grandma staring on lovingly from the porch. It felt like a brush from heaven. A reminder that I came here for a reason, and Grandma’s meddling yet guiding hand was part of that.

“Thank you.” I lifted my eyes to his. “You took care of her so wonderfully for two days.” Barely able to believe it, I shook my head. “Two days.”

He had a warm tone. “She’s easy to love.”

So many questions occurred to me. What work did he have to give up to take care of us? How did Lily navigate the fevers? Did he guess her schedule? It was beyond impressive to me that he’d picked it up so readily, without a sign of panic.

Were some people truly naturals?

Swallowing, I asked, “Can I do anything to help you catch up? With ranch stuff, I mean. If you were caring for her so much, you must have gotten behind elsewhere.”

He pawed a hand through the air.

“No, we’re good. Cody and Wyatt are hired out here for a reason, and it’s winter. The days are slower, which is a good thing. We’re fine.”

“Well, thanks.”