Verrick's Vixen (Sunset Valley Book 2)
Page 13
Cora burst into tears.
The two sisters met in the middle of the room, laughing and crying all at once. Cora did her best to hug her sister without smooshing the baby, but Shannon proved she’d mastered motherhood by moving the little wrapped bundle off to one side.
“Hello, little one,” Cora cooed down at her niece as Shannon pulled aside the swaddling to reveal a little pink cherubic face with her grandfather’s pale hair and her mother’s blue eyes. The tiny baby blinked seriously up at her aunt, and Cora fell in love immediately.
“She’s beautiful,” she breathed to her sister.
Shannon smiled through her tears. “She really is.” Running one finger down the baby’s cheek, she sighed. “She’s everything I ever thought I wanted in life.”
When the two women’s eyes met, Cora understood. “And now?”
“And now I know she’s only a portion of my happily ever after.”
Knowing exactly what her sister meant, Cora nodded. “I’m so happy for you and Lucas.”
“And I’m happy for you and Verrick. I can’t wait to hear all about your adventures!”
From the doorway, the love of Cora’s life cleared his throat pointedly, and the two women broke apart. The men were staring patiently, but the look in Verrick’s eyes told her he wasn’t going to wait indefinitely.
She knew that look well, actually. Their nights during the last few months had been lovely.
Stepping away slightly, she smiled and held her hand out, welcoming him into their little circle. “Are you ready to meet my niece?”
“No,” Verrick said in his typically stoic manner as he approached. “I’m ready to meet my granddaughter.”
She slapped his arm playfully when he was near. “Don’t call her that! It would mean I’m her grandmother, and I’m too young to be her grandmother.”
“You can be her aunt,” he said, staring down at the little bundle, “but I am her grandfather.”
Lucas interrupted their good-natured arguing by stepping up beside his wife and taking the baby from her. Shannon moved back to her rocker—obviously still recovering from the birth of her daughter only two weeks ago—as Lucas juggled the tiny bundle competently.
Fatherhood suited him as much as motherhood suited Shannon, and Cora felt herself getting weepy again.
Lucas turned to Verrick with a big grin. “Father, this is Hope.”
He held the baby out to Verrick, and for the first time, Cora saw the man she loved hesitate. Verrick glanced at her helplessly, so she took the baby from Lucas, and led the way to the couch.
When Verrick was settled beside her, he held out his hands, and she placed baby Hope into them. The baby looked so fragile, being held by him, and Cora smiled to see how careful Verrick was being. She nudged his knees together, and showed him how to rest the baby on them, his big forearms bracketing the tiny body.
He relaxed slightly. “Hope,” he repeated in a whisper as he trailed one callused finger over the baby’s forehead. “Baby Hope.”
“We thought it appropriate.” Lucas crossed to take his wife’s hand. “She represents our future.”
Shannon smiled. “All of our futures.”
“She’s perfect,” Verrick whispered again, examining one tiny hand with five teeny fingers. “So small.”
“You won’t break her, Father,” Lucas said with a smile, as if he were suddenly an expert. “Babies are resilient.”
Cora nudged Verrick’s hand out of the way and stroked Hope’s palm until the small fingers closed around hers.
“Welcome home, Hope,” she murmured, knowing the name had been a perfect choice.
Verrick, however, frowned as he glanced at her. “This is not our home, Cora Montgomery Verrick.”
Cora Montgomery Verrick.
He’d signed the marriage license “John Verrick”, so she’d taken what she assumed was his last name, although she still signed all of her artwork “Montgomery”. But she loved he called her by her full name when he was irritated with her.
And, thank God, he got irritated with her plenty. And angry, and joyful, and even occasionally smug. It was so much fun to watch him learning to deal with all these emotions, and she was so lucky to be beside him as he did.
“Our home is anywhere you are, my love.” She smiled softly. “But this is her home.”
“A home where you’ll both always be welcome,” Shannon spoke up, her husband nodding in agreement beside her.
Verrick grunted, his attention back on the baby. “We’re staying at least a month this time.”
He wasn’t asking, he was telling.
Cora winked at Lucas. “I brought my sketches, and Verrick’s brought half the law library. We’ll stay out of your way.”
“I will situate myself in the nursery,” Verrick stated, without looking up from his awed examination.
Lucas and Shannon exchanged amused glances. Cora was thankful they understood Verrick’s interest; he hadn’t had a chance to spend time with his own son as a baby, and was anxious to make up for lost time.
Shannon made a point of rolling her eyes. “Aren’t in-laws difficult?”
“They’re my in-laws, dear,” Lucas said with a teasing light in his eyes. “Your sister and her husband.”
“Don’t be silly. They’re your father and step-mother.”
The two of them burst into chuckles, and Verrick just grunted.
“Pay no attention to your parents,” he told the baby, who was studying him just as intently in return. “They’re being irrational.”
Cora nudged him. “They’re in love.”
He finally broke off his study of little Hope and met her eyes. “I love you, but I’m completely rational.”
“Most of the time.”
She loved the way his lips curved up slightly at her teasing.
“Most of the time,” he agreed.
She couldn’t help it; she leaned over and kissed him. And, even though he was holding the precious baby on his lap, he kissed her in return.
After a few moments, Lucas began to laugh and Hope began to cry. He crossed the room to scoop his daughter off Verrick’s lap, propping her against his shoulder skillfully.
And Cora didn’t see any reason to stop him. She wrapped her arms around her husband, reveling in the feel of his arms around her, and smiled against his lips.
Whether they were here at Sunset Valley, in a cozy hotel room in a big city, or out on the range, she was home. As long as she was in his arms.
Coming Soon
Awwwww, poor Blake! He was so loyal to Lucas and Shannon, and look what happened to him… The poor man deserves a Happily Ever After of his own!
If that’s what you’re thinking, I’ve got a surprise for you…
Abigail’s Adventure is now available for pre-order!
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Acknowledgments
As always, a big thank you to Alyssa, Sonya, and Merry Farmer, to my beta readers and Cohort members, and to my editor CM Wright.
About the Author
Caroline Lee has been reading romance for so long that her fourth-grade teacher used to make her cover her books with paper jackets. But it wasn't until she (mostly) grew up that she realized she could write it too. So she did.
Caroline is living her own little Happily Ever After in NC with her husband, sons, and brand-new d
aughter, Princess Wiggles. And while she doesn't so much "suffer" from Pittakionophobia as think that all you people who enjoy touching Band-Aids and stickers are the real weirdos, she does adore rodents, and never met a wine she didn't like. Caroline was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2006 and is really quite funny in person. Promise.
You can find her at www.CarolineLeeRomance.com.