The Cowboy's Bonus Baby

by Tina Leonard

  Diane smiled, shaking her head at the babies Pete and Jackie were trying to get settled in their baby carriers. “I had my babies one at a time and I still felt like it was a lot. I can’t imagine it happening all at once.”

  Jackie smiled. “We couldn’t, either. And then it did.” She got a grin from her proud husband, and Aberdeen’s gaze once again shifted to Creed. He seemed completely unafraid of all the babies crowding in around him—in fact, he seemed happy.

  “It hasn’t been bad,” Pete said. “We’re catching on faster than I thought we would. Jackie’s a quick study.”

  Aberdeen didn’t think she’d be a quick study. She pushed her toast around on her plate, trying to eat, wishing the nausea would pass. She caught Creed looking at her, and he winked at her again, seeming to know that she was plagued by doubts. Cold chills ran across her skin. She didn’t think she’d be radiant sunshine like Jackie if she found herself with three newborn triplets. He’d probably be dismally disappointed if she didn’t take to mothering like a duck to water. “Excuse me,” she said, getting up from the table, feeling slightly wan, “I’m going to find a powder room.”

  “I’ll show you,” Jackie said, quickly getting up to lead her down a hall.

  “Thanks,” Aberdeen said, definitely not feeling like herself.

  “You look a bit peaked. Are you feeling all right?” Jackie asked.

  “I’m fine. Thank you.” Aberdeen tried to smile. But then she wasn’t, and she flew into the powder room, and when she came back out a few moments later, Jackie was waiting, seated on a chair in the wide hallway.

  “Maybe not so fine?” Jackie said.

  “I suppose not.” Embarrassment flashed over her. “I’ve always been a good traveler. I can’t imagine what’s come over me.”

  “Hmm. Let’s sit down and rest for a minute before we go back to the kitchen.”

  Aberdeen sat, gratefully.

  “It can be overwhelming here, at first.”

  “I think you’re right.” Aberdeen nodded. “Johnny and I live a much simpler life. And yet, everyone here is so nice.”

  “Did you know your sister was coming?”

  Aberdeen shook her head.

  “Well, you’ve got a lot going on.” Jackie patted her hand. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

  “You have three newborns.” Aberdeen realized the nausea had passed for the moment. “I should be helping you.”

  “We all help each other.” Jackie looked at her. “Your color is returning. Are you feeling better? You were so pale when you left the kitchen.”

  “I feel much better. I’ve always been very fortunate with my health. I don’t think I’ve had more than a few colds in my life, and I’m never sick. I can’t imagine what’s come over me.” Aberdeen wondered if she was getting cold feet. But she wouldn’t get cold about Creed. He made her feel hotter than a firecracker.

  “Not that’s it’s any of my business,” Jackie said, “but the nurse in me wonders if you might be pregnant?”

  Aberdeen laughed. “Oh, no. Not at all. There’s no way.” Then the smile slipped slowly off her face as she remembered.

  There was a way.

  Jackie grinned at her. Aberdeen shook her head. “I’m pretty certain I’m not.”

  “Okay.” Jackie nodded. “Can you face the breakfast table?”

  Aberdeen wasn’t certain. Her stomach pitched slightly. “I think so.”

  Jackie watched her as she stood. “You don’t have to eat breakfast, you know. It’s a lovely time of the day to take a walk in the fresh air. And I’d be happy to keep an eye on your little ones.”

  “I think…I think I might take your suggestion.” Something about the smell of eggs and coffee was putting her off. She felt that she’d be better off heading outside until her stomach righted itself. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but…would you mind letting Fiona know I’m going to head back to the guest house?”

  “Absolutely.” Jackie showed her to a side door. “Don’t worry about a thing.” Aberdeen was worried, about a lot of things.

  I can’t be pregnant. I was in the safe zone of the month when we—

  She walked outside, the early-morning sunshine kissing her skin, lifting the nausea. “No, I’m not,” she told herself, reassuringly.

  A baby would really complicate matters. As wonderful as Rancho Diablo was, Aberdeen felt as though she was on vacation—not at home. Being here was fairy-tale-ish—complete with a villain or two—and any moment she should wake up.

  She didn’t know how to tell Creed that as much as she wanted to keep to their bargain, she didn’t know if she could.

  CREED GLANCED UP when Jackie came back into the kitchen, his brows rising. “Where’s Aberdeen?”

  Jackie seated herself, looking at him with a gentle smile. “She’s taking a little walk. Fiona, she said to tell you she’d see you in a bit.” Jackie smiled at her husband, and resumed eating, as though everything was just fine and dandy.

  But Creed knew it wasn’t. Jackie had high marks in this family for her ability to cover things up—look at how skillfully she’d gotten Pete to the altar. So Creed’s instinctive radar snapped on. “Is she all right?”

  “She’s fine.”

  Jackie didn’t meet his eyes as she nibbled on some toast. “Maybe I’ll go join her on that walk,” he said, and Diane said, “Good idea.”

  Jackie waved a hand. “I think she said she was looking forward to some solitude.”

  That was the signal. It just didn’t sound like something Aberdeen would say. Creed got to his feet. “I think I’ll go check on the horses.”

  Diane nodded. “My girls and I are going to sit here and enjoy some more of this delicious breakfast.” She whisked her sister’s abandoned plate to the sink. “Fiona, if I could cook half as well as you do, I might still have a husband.”

  Fiona grinned. “You think?”

  “No.” Diane laughed. “But I would have eaten better.”

  Diane seemed comfortable with Fiona and company, much more so than Aberdeen did. Creed got to his feet. “I’ll be back, Aunt Fiona.”

  “All right.” His aunt beamed at him, and Creed escaped, trying not to run after Aberdeen as he caught sight of her walking toward the guest house. “Hey,” he said. “A girl as pretty as you shouldn’t be walking alone.”

  Aberdeen gave him a slight, barely-there-and-mostly-fakey smile. Creed blinked. “Are you okay, Aberdeen?”

  “I’m fine. Really.”

  “Hey.” He caught her hand, slowing her down. “You trying to run away from me, lady?”

  She shook her head. “I just need a little time to myself.” She took her hands from his, gazing at him with apology in her eyes.

  “Oh.” Creed nodded. “All right.” He didn’t feel good about the sound of that. “Call me if you need anything. Burke keeps the guest house stocked pretty well, but—”

  “I’m fine, Creed. Thank you.”

  And then she turned and hurried off, smiting his ego. Damn. Creed watched her go, unsure of what had just happened. He wanted to head after her, pry some answers out of her, but a man couldn’t do a woman that way. They needed space sometimes.

  He just wished the space she seemed to need didn’t have to be so far away from him.

  ABERDEEN FELT GUILTY about disappearing on Fiona, and Diane—and Creed. She didn’t want to be rude, but she wanted to wash up, change her clothes, shower. Think. Just a few moments to catch her breath and think about what she was doing.

  She felt like she was on the Tilt-A-Whirl at the State Fair, and she couldn’t stop whirling.

  At least I’m not pregnant, she told herself. I’m a planner. Planning makes me feel organized, secure.

  I’ve got to focus.

  “Hey,” Johnny called, spying her. “Wait up.”

  He caught up to her, following her into the guest house. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in days.”

  “That’s because we’re in this suspended twil
ight of Happyville.” Aberdeen went into the bathroom to wash up. When she came out, Johnny was lounging in the common area.

  “That didn’t sound particularly happy, if we’re hanging out in Happyville.” Johnny shot her a worried look. “What’s up?”

  Aberdeen sat on one of the leather sofas opposite Johnny. “I don’t know, exactly.”

  He nodded. “Feel like you’re on vacation and shouldn’t be?”

  “Maybe.” Aberdeen considered that. “I need to wake up.”

  “An engagement, three kids that aren’t yours, a new place…” His voice drifted off as he gazed around the room. “Saying yes to a guy who lives in a mansion would freak me out, I guess, if I was a woman.”

  “Why?” Aberdeen asked, and Johnny grinned.

  “Because your bar was set too low. Re-ride wasn’t much of a comparison, you know?”

  Aberdeen nodded. “I lost my breakfast, and Jackie wanted to know if I was pregnant.”

  “Oh, wow.” Johnny laughed. “That would be crazy.”

  Aberdeen glared at him.

  “Oh, wait,” Johnny said, “is there a possibility I could be an uncle again?”

  “I don’t think so,” Aberdeen snapped, and Johnny raised a brow.

  “That’s not a ringing endorsement of your birth-control method.”

  Aberdeen sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.” The best thing to do was to concentrate, and right now, she just wanted to concentrate on what was going on with Diane. “Johnny, have you noticed that Diane seems to like her children just fine?”

  “Mmm. She’s just not comfortable with them. She’s like Mom.”

  Aberdeen felt a stab of worry. “I wonder if I’d be like that.”

  Johnny crooked a brow. “You’re not pregnant, so don’t worry about it. Unless you might be pregnant, and then don’t worry about it. You’re nothing like Mom and Diane.”

  “How do you know? How does any mother know?” Aberdeen was scared silly at the very thought that she might bring a child into the world she couldn’t bond with.

  “Because,” Johnny said, “you’re different. You were always different. You cared about people. I love Diane, but she pretty much cares about herself, and whatever’s going on in her world. You had a congregation that loved you, Aberdeen.”

  Aberdeen blinked. “I miss it. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with me.”

  “Well, I don’t think that’s all that’s going on with you, but—” Johnny shrugged. “The pattern of your life has been completely interrupted. The bright side is that you can build a congregation here, if you want. I’m sure there’s always a need for a cowboy preacher.”

  Aberdeen wasn’t certain she wanted a new church. “What if I want my old church? My old way of life?” she asked softly.

  Johnny looked at her. “I think that bridge has been crossed and burned behind us, sis.”

  Creed burst in the door, halting when he saw Johnny and Aberdeen chatting. He was carrying a brown paper bag, which caught Aberdeen’s suspicious gaze.

  “Sorry,” Creed said, “Didn’t realize you two were visiting.”

  “It’s all right,” Johnny said. “I’m just taking a break from ranching. I think I’m getting the hang of this cowboy gig.” He waved a hand at the paper bag. “Did you bring us breakfast or liquor?”

  Creed set the bag on a chair. “Neither.”

  Aberdeen shot her fiancé a guarded look. “Is that what I think it is, Creed Callahan?”

  “I don’t think so,” Creed said. “It’s a…lunch for me. That’s what it is. I packed myself a lunch.”

  “You’re going to go hungry, then,” Johnny observed. “You can’t work on a ranch and eat a lunch the size of an apple.”

  “It’s for me,” Aberdeen guessed.

  “It’s for us,” Creed said, and Johnny got to his feet.

  “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone,” he said, and Aberdeen didn’t tell him to stay.

  “Goodbye,” Johnny said, and went out the door.

  “Creed, that’s a drugstore bag,” Aberdeen said, “and since you just bought a huge box of condoms when we were in Wyoming, I’m betting you bought a pregnancy test.”

  He looked sheepish. “How’d you guess?”

  “Because you looked scared when you ran in here, like your world was on fire. Jackie told you, didn’t she?”

  “Well, everyone was worried. We thought something was really wrong with you. And Fiona started fretting, worrying that you didn’t like her food, and Jackie said it was a girl thing, and she’d tell Fiona later, and then Diane blurted out that maybe you were pregnant, and I—” He looked like a nervous father-to-be. “Could you be?”

  “I don’t think so.” Aberdeen sighed. “I mean, I guess it’s possible. But not likely.”

  “It wasn’t likely for Pete to have triplets, either,” Creed said. “Maybe we’d better find out.”

  “I don’t have to pee,” Aberdeen said, feeling belligerent. She didn’t want everyone at Rancho Diablo discussing her life.

  “I’ll get you a glass of water,” Creed said, jumping to his feet, and Aberdeen said, “No!”

  “Well, I might get a glass of water for me. With ice. It’s hot in here.”

  Aberdeen closed her eyes. Just the thought of being a dad clearly was making him nervous. He’d have four children, Aberdeen realized, all at once.

  “It wouldn’t be what we agreed on,” Aberdeen said, and Creed said, “We’ll make a new agreement. After I drink a tall glass of water.” He went into the kitchen and turned the faucet on full-blast. “Do you hear water running, sweetheart?”

  Aberdeen shook her head. “I’m not going to take the test.”

  He shut off the faucet and came back in with a glass of water. “We’ll drink together.”

  “You pee in the cup.” Aberdeen ignored the glass Creed set beside her.

  “I didn’t get a cup,” Creed said cheerfully. “I bought the stick one. It looked more efficient. And it said it could detect a pregnancy five or six days before a skipped—”

  Aberdeen swiped the bag from him. “I’m not going to do it while you’re here.”

  “Why not?” Creed was puzzled.

  “Because,” Aberdeen said. “I need privacy. I have a shy bladder.”

  He grinned at her. “No, you don’t. I happen to know there’s nothing shy about you, my little wildcat.”

  Aberdeen looked at him, her blood pressure rising. “I just want to avoid the topic a little while longer, all right?”

  “Well, I feel like a kid on my birthday trying to decide which present to open first,” Creed told her. “Pregnancy will probably be a very healthy thing for me.”

  “Is this about the ranch?” Aberdeen asked, and Creed looked wounded.

  “No,” he said, “that’s dumb.”

  “Why? You said yourself—”

  “I know.” Creed held up a hand. “I told you getting married was about getting the ranch. I’d have three built-in daughters, and it would get Fiona off my back. I told you all that, it’s true. But it’s not anymore.”

  She looked at him, wanting to kiss him. Maybe he was falling for her as hard as she was falling for him! “What is it, then?”

  “Our agreement?” Creed considered her question. “I don’t know. Grab out the pee stick and we’ll renegotiate based on whether you come up yes or no.” He rubbed his palms together. “It’s almost as much fun as a magic eight ball.”

  Aberdeen closed her eyes for a second, counting to ten. “Did anyone ever tell you you’re a goof?”

  “No. They just call me handsome. And devil-may-care.” He came to sit next to her with his icy glass of water. “Drink, sweetpea?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Twenty minutes later, Creed tapped on the bathroom door. It seemed like Aberdeen had been in there a long time. “Aberdeen? Are you taking a nap in there?”

  “Give me a second,” she said, and he wondered if her voice sounded teary. Was she crying?

 
His heart rate skyrocketed. “Let me in.”

  “No.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  He blinked. That sounded foreboding, he decided. “Do you want your sister?”

  “No, thank you.”

  He pondered his next attack. She couldn’t be in there all day. He was about to relinquish his sentinel position outside her door when it opened.

  Aberdeen walked out, and he saw at once that she had been crying. “Guess we’re having a baby?”

  She nodded.

  He opened his arms, and she walked into them, her body shaking. Creed held her, and she sniffled a second against his chest, and then she pulled away.

  He wanted her back. “I’m really amping up the pressure on my brothers,” he said cheerfully, seeing a whole world of possibilities kaleidoscoping before him. He’d have a son to play ball with, to teach how to rope. Was there anything better than a boy to help him on the ranch?

  Even if they didn’t have a ranch anymore, he’d have a son.

  “Aberdeen, sweetie, this is the best news I’ve had in my entire life. Thank you.”

  She looked at him. “Really?”

  “Oh, hell, yeah.” He sat down, checking his gut and knew every word he was speaking was true. “I feel like a superhero.”

  She wiped at her eyes, then looked at him with a giggle. “I feel strangely like a villainess.”

  “Uh-uh.” He shook his head. “I mean, you’re sexy and all, but there’s nothing evil about you, babe, except maybe what you do to my sense of self-control. I don’t suppose you’d like to have a celebratory quickie?”

  She laughed but shook her head.

  “It was worth a try.” He liked seeing the smile on her face. “Hey, you know what this means, don’t you?”

  “It means a lot of things. Name the topic.”

  He felt about ten feet tall in his boots. “We need to plan a wedding.”

  She looked at him, surprised. “Isn’t that rushing things a bit?”

  “Not for me. I’m an eight-second guy. I’m all about speed and staying on my ride.”

  Aberdeen crossed her arms in a protective gesture, almost hugging herself. “When I met you, you hadn’t stayed on your ride. In fact, you had a concussion. What if—”