The Cowboy's Promise

by Teresa Southwick

  “Okay.”

  He opened his mouth, then shut it again. There must be a million questions in his mind but he didn’t ask. That made her like him even more than she already did. And she already liked him quite a bit.

  Childish laughter floated to them on a light breeze, and Morgan looked at the small animal building. “I better go make sure Amanda doesn’t need help with Robby.”

  “I’m so sorry. I’ve talked your ear off,” she said.

  “Can’t say you’re not a distraction.”

  A good or bad one, she wondered but couldn’t tell from his expression. Now they walked quickly and were just opening the door when, without warning, Robby came running outside, straight into Erica.

  She was a little clumsy these days what with her body being out of proportion, and the unexpected bump knocked her back a couple of steps.

  Morgan instantly caught her arm to steady her. At the same time he said, “Robby, remember what your dad says about watching where you’re going.”

  “Yes, sir.” He looked up and pushed the brown, shaggy hair out of his blue eyes. “Sorry.”

  “That’s okay, kiddo. No harm done.” Erica smiled. “You’re a very handsome young man.”

  “Thank you,” he said courteously.

  “I’m Erica Abernathy.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Apparently that was all the polite a seven-year-old who was quivering with excitement could manage. “I’m gonna look at the horses and cows now.”

  Morgan followed him and called out over his shoulder, “I’m on it.”

  Amanda and Melanie emerged from the building with another woman. Erica recognized Daphne Taylor’s strawberry blond hair and doe-shaped blue eyes. The recognition was mutual and then those blue eyes took in her pregnancy.

  “Oh my God, Erica! Look at you.” Her friend moved closer and hugged her. “You’re back.”

  “I am.” She glanced around. “And you’ve got this place.”

  “I do. It’s my pride and joy. And not without controversy.” Her eyes narrowed. “My father doesn’t approve.”

  “Neither does mine.” Erica put her hands on her pregnant belly.

  They smiled over shared paternal disapproval just as Morgan walked out of the barn carrying Robby and scolding.

  “You’ll get hurt climbing on the stalls like that, buddy. The animals spook and could hurt you without meaning to.”

  The boy did look remorseful as he rubbed a finger beneath his nose leaving a dirty streak. “I didn’t mean to scare ’em.”

  “I know you didn’t.”

  “If I promise not to scare ’em, can I go see the goats, Uncle Morgan?”

  “Yes. But be careful and watch where you are.” Morgan easily lowered the boy and his feet were moving before they even touched the ground.

  “I’ve got it this time, Morgan.” Amanda followed the boy, and the other two women tagged along.

  “He’s a cutie,” Erica said. “Pretty active boy.”

  “That kid just took ten years off my life when he fell into the horse’s stall.” Exasperation laced with fear tightened Morgan’s features as he shook his head. “I don’t know how my brother does it. Kids. It’s one thing to watch him for an afternoon, but I don’t know if I’d want to be responsible for one all the time.”

  Erica’s warm feeling instantly cooled. For reasons she couldn’t understand, she suddenly felt lonelier than at any other point on this solo journey to motherhood. When Morgan had offered to accompany her to the doctor, hope must have taken root. The idea of someone to share the experience.

  But based on his reaction just now, this man didn’t particularly like kids. Her disappointment about that was way out of line. She had no right to be disappointed because that smacked of having expectations of more. Because of the baby, friendship was it for them.

  * * *

  Two days later Erica drove to the Women’s Health Center where her new OB was located in the Bronco Heights medical district. The minute she was fired and realized her only option was to move home, she worked on securing a new doctor. With the help of her Denver OB she’d found this new physician, made an appointment and had all her records forwarded even before packing up her apartment.

  She pulled up to the parking structure entrance, took a ticket and the gate lifted, allowing her to drive in and look for a space. Nerves tied her stomach in knots because she was so sure she had everything figured out when she’d made her decision to use insemination to have a baby. Changing doctors during this pregnancy hadn’t been part of her strategy.

  She’d established a bond and trusted her Denver doctor and would barely get to know this one before her baby was born.

  She found a parking space on the fifth level, then walked to the elevator. After riding it down to the first floor lobby, she checked the building directory and found Grace Turner, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suite 100. Right around the corner.

  Pressing a hand to her belly, she whispered, “Here we go, little one.”

  Sliding the strap of her purse more firmly on her shoulder, Erica took a deep breath and walked into the office. She checked in at the reception desk, and after filling out the forms, she looked around the waiting room. A quick glance told her she was the only expectant mother without a partner. She wished she’d accepted Morgan’s offer to accompany her and would welcome his way of making her laugh.

  The families around her were in different stages of development. The couple by themselves seemed to be expecting their first child and were clearly nervous. A father and mother had a brand-new tiny, adorable baby in a car seat and looked tired. The last couple had a little one running around as they prepared to add another to their growing brood. One by one the expectant moms were called back to see the doctor.

  Erica was wistful but would rather do it alone than not at all. Her first choice was the traditional way but that hadn’t worked out. Her next thought was a flashback of Morgan the other day, sounding as if he didn’t want any part of fatherhood. Later she’d observed him protecting Robby from overeager baby goats. Tossing the laughing child in the air. Affectionately ruffling the boy’s hair. Sure looked as if he was at least a favorite uncle and enjoying the heck out of it.

  The door to the back office opened and a woman in pink scrubs stood there. “Erica?”

  Immediately she stood and walked over. “That’s me.”

  “Come on back. I’m Scarlett, Dr. Turner’s nurse.” She closed the door and indicated the scale behind her. “I guess you probably know the drill.”

  “Yup.” She set her purse on the chair beside it and stepped on.

  Scarlett made a note, then led the way down a hall and stopped outside the ladies’ room. “I guess you know the drill for this, too.”

  “My favorite thing,” Erica joked.

  After getting a sample and leaving it where instructed, she met the nurse in the hall and followed her to a room. She sat at the end of a paper-covered exam table and had her blood pressure taken.

  “Good.” Scarlet recorded the result, then smiled. “The doctor will be in to see you shortly.”

  “Thank you.”

  In Denver, Erica had felt just fine waiting by herself in the exam room. What was it about being back home that made her feel more alone? Probably the sad disappointment and regret in her mother’s eyes every time she looked at her pregnant belly. Her happy childhood home now wasn’t a happy or accepting place to talk about her baby. It always felt as if she was the elephant in the room.

  Not long after the nurse left, the door opened and a thirtyish woman walked into the room. Holding out her hand she said, “I’m Dr. Turner. It’s nice to meet you, Erica.”

  “Thank you for fitting me in. I had a change in work status and moved home. It’s so late in my pregnancy, and I wasn’t sure how that would all fall into place.”

  “Believe
it or not, women change doctors in the third trimester for a lot of reasons.” She was a very pretty blue-eyed brunette. “I received your medical records from your previous OB and reviewed them. I saw the early ultrasound and there’s a note in your chart that you don’t want to know the baby’s sex?”

  “That’s right.”

  “So you want to be surprised. No gender reveal party?”

  “No.”

  Her close friends were all in Denver. She’d been gone for so long there wasn’t anyone here in Bronco she’d want to invite. Maybe Morgan. But she couldn’t picture him amid a cloud of pink or blue balloons.

  “And this baby was conceived with IUI using donor sperm.”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Is the baby moving a lot?”

  “I think this child is going to be a kickboxer.”

  Dr. Turner grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”

  “It’s reassuring. Although at two in the morning...”

  “That’s Mother Nature’s way of preparing you for those night feedings.” There was a sympathetic look on the doctor’s face. “Go ahead and lie back on the table. I want to do a Doppler and measure your abdomen.”

  After Erica did as instructed, the doctor moved the instrument over her belly. She nodded. “This baby’s heartbeat is strong. Everything looks good. And I think pregnancy agrees with you.”

  “I’ve never felt better,” she said truthfully. “I experienced some morning sickness and was a little tired in the beginning. But now I feel great.”

  “It shows. I know it’s a cliché, but you really are glowing.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Do you have any questions for me?” Dr. Turner asked.

  “Yes, actually. I was enrolled in a childbirth class but had to withdraw when I moved. Is it too late now to do that?”

  “You’ve got a little over a month. And it’s never too late. The more you know, the better. I can give you some information on a class that’s just starting at the Health Center and arrange enrollment if you’d like.”

  “That would be great.”

  “Do you have a birthing coach?” The doctor must have seen something in her face because she quickly added, “It can be anyone—a relative or friend.”

  “What if I don’t have one? Can I still take the class?”

  “Of course. There’s a lot of good information for first-time moms or even a refresher course for women who already have babies. Methods of delivery. How to know when you’re in labor. What to do if your water breaks. Relaxation techniques. Pain management options. Breastfeeding. Caring for a newborn.”

  “Sounds like—pun intended—just what the doctor ordered.”

  The woman smiled. “Okay. I’ll have Scarlett put together the information, and she’ll give it to you when you check out.”

  “I was nervous about this appointment but you’ve really put me at ease, Doctor.”

  “Then I’ve done my job. Just relax and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy,” she advised.

  That was easy for her to say, Erica thought. The woman didn’t have to find a job and a labor coach, not necessarily in that order.

  Chapter Five

  The Ambling A had a herd bull for sale and Dalton’s Grange needed one to improve the calf crop, so Morgan was sitting across a desk from Gabe Abernathy. The main house was pretty impressive and this office kept that theme going. It was filled with rich leather chairs, wood beams overhead and a stone fireplace. The environment smelled of old money and reminded Morgan that until recently his family hadn’t had much to spare.

  The Abernathys’ operation produced superior stock and they’d quickly agreed on a price, making the negotiation smoother than he expected.

  “So, we have a deal?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” Morgan leaned forward and put out his hand, the way gentlemen did to finalize a negotiation. The other man took it.

  “Okay, then.”

  The leather chair creaked as Morgan stood on the other side of the desk. “I guess we’re finished.”

  “One more thing.” Gabe stood up, too, and met his gaze.

  “And that is?”

  “My fiancée said you were at Happy Hearts the other day when she was there with Erica.”

  “That’s right. My nephew loves going to see the animals.”

  “So it was a coincidence? You being there at the same time?”

  Morgan sensed the other man’s disapproval but he wasn’t going to lie. “Actually, I ran into Erica in town. I mentioned that I’d be at the animal sanctuary with Robby.”

  Gabe nodded. “Mel said you and my sister were talking for a long time.”

  “Yeah.” They’d laughed a lot, too. And Erica was the opposite of hard on the eyes. He’d enjoyed spending time with her more than anything he’d done in a long time. “She’s easy to talk to.”

  “She’s also pregnant, Dalton.” There was a warning tone in his voice.

  “And your point is?”

  “She doesn’t need someone like you complicating her life.”

  “Someone like me?” Morgan felt his temper flare but stopped short of telling this guy to go to hell. Mostly because he was Erica’s brother. Why that should matter, he wasn’t sure. But it did. He blew out a frustrated breath. “Not that I owe you an explanation, but we’re friends.”

  “And that’s all?”

  “What more would I want?” Morgan’s tone gave the man some of his warning back.

  “You tell me.” Gabe’s eyes narrowed.

  On some level Morgan was aware that this man was a big brother looking out for a younger sibling. He got that.

  “I’m the oldest of five. I understand about keeping an eye on the younger ones. I only have brothers so I’m going to cut you some slack for being protective of your sister. I’m guessing that responsibility weighs a little heavier. So, I’ll say this one more time. We’re friends. Nothing more.”

  Gabe’s look said he was going to hold Morgan to that. “Okay.”

  “I’ll see myself out.”

  Morgan turned and headed out of the office, then back through the house to where he’d come in. He was frustrated and angry. How long would he have to live in Bronco Heights before he was good enough to be accepted by these people? It was a lesson, if he needed one, that money didn’t buy everything. And then he saw Erica in the entryway by the front door and his irritation disappeared.

  She looked fresh and pretty and made his heart skip and slide sideways in his chest. In her black leggings, long cream-colored sweater and cowboy boots, she looked beautiful. And when she saw him, she smiled with genuine warmth, which was just what he needed. Except that every time she smiled, he wondered how her lips would feel against his own.

  “Morgan. What are you doing here?”

  “I had some business with your brother.”

  She tipped her head to the side, studying him. “Did something happen?”

  Other than Gabe declaring him off-limits to her? That still rubbed him the wrong way and irritated his sense of fairness. “Yes. I bought a herd bull from him.”

  “You don’t look happy about it.”

  “No. It was a good deal,” he said. Changing the subject, he asked, “What are you up to?”

  “Just going for a walk. I’ve got to keep up my exercise. I used to ride horses but I can’t now. It’s a big no-no because of the risk of falling. That could harm the baby.”

  “Yeah. I can see that.” He was oddly reluctant to say his goodbyes and leave. Glancing over his shoulder toward her brother’s office, he frowned. Also, being warned off really bugged him, made him want to push back. “Would you like some company on your walk?”

  “You don’t need the exercise.” She gave him a once-over and didn’t seem to mind what she saw.

 
“A stroll with a pretty lady sounds like a healthy thing to do.”

  She flushed with pleasure at the compliment. “If you’re sure, I wouldn’t mind someone to talk to.”

  “Let’s go.” He took her jacket out of her hand and held it while she slid her arms into the sleeves. Then he opened the front door and let her precede him outside.

  “Thanks.”

  “My pleasure.” And that was the truth. She smelled really good. The scent of her hair and a certain fragrance that was uniquely her stirred in the air and burrowed inside him. Nice didn’t even begin to describe what he was feeling. “Which way are we going?”

  She pointed to a path that went behind the barn and corrals to a grass area and beyond. “Try and keep up.”

  “Someone’s feeling pretty sassy today.” He grinned.

  “Yeah.” Her smile faded as they headed out.

  “Are you sure you’re up for this? After all, you’re walking for two.”

  “Funny. And I’m fine.” She breathed deeply. “It’s a beautiful day. The sun is out. It’s all good.”

  “Okay.”

  They walked in silence for a while, surrounded by the sounds of nature. The birds singing, the whinny of a horse somewhere out of sight and a breeze that made tree leaves rustle.

  “How’s Robby?” she asked.

  “Good. Rowdy. Healthy. Happy.”

  “Can’t ask for more than that. Where’s his mom? It seems like your brother was raising him alone before Amanda came into his life.” She shrugged. “Women talk.”

  “His mother is in Colorado.” But Morgan had a feeling that’s not what she was asking. “She wasn’t keen on being a mom. She sends presents for Christmas and birthdays but that’s about it. Not hiding but not involved either.”

  “I see.” With the toe of her boot she kicked a rock off the path and into the grass to the side. “He’s a great kid.”

  “You’ll get no argument from me about that.”

  “Can I ask you something?” she said hesitantly.

  “Sure.” But he braced himself.

  “You’re so good with Robby and clearly he loves you.”

  “I love him, too,” Morgan said easily.