“Yeah, well, the feeling is completely mutual,” she admitted, wrapping up the work on the truck. “I’ve always had a bit of a thing for bad boys… Yet I wanted to be with one of the good guys… with you, I get the best of both worlds. It’s perfect!”
“You’re perfect,” he proclaimed as he pulled her into his arms ignoring the grease she was getting on his shirt. “You’re well worth living with this extreme Texas heat for the rest of my life. I love you woman.”
“I love you too,” she whispered. “I’m finished now. I’ll jus t call the truck’s owner, park it outside and leave the keys under the floor mat so we can go.”
They made their way out into the hot Texas air arm in arm; Laurie’s head resting on Travis’s shoulder. It didn’t matter what they had to go through to be together. When her brothers came along and got in their faces about running away to get married without them, she would get her stubborn up. If there was one thing her whole family was good at, it was being stubborn as the day was long. Things would heat up for her and Travis in and outside of the bedroom, in any number of ways.
She could hardly wait to get started.
Epilogue
Two and a half years later, Laurie was sitting in the front seat of Travis’s truck holding his hand as they pulled into the driveway of her new garage after a doctor appointment. “Can you believe how lucky we are?” she asked, sighing happily as she rested her hand over her extended abdomen.
“I can,” he said happily. “I wish you’d take some time off though… The baby could come any day now. I love that you are so dedicated to the garage, but I don’t want our child born in one of the bays beside a car you’re rebuilding any more than I want him or her born out in the barn…”
“Ha ha,” she said, grinning widely at him. He was getting ready to get out to help her out of the cab when they spotted Jeff sitting on the steps leading up to the garage. He had his head hung low, resting in his hands and he looked completely miserable.
Laurie lumbered out of the truck, resting her hand over her belly and groaning at the heavy awkwardness of it as she made her way over to her brother. “Okay… what gives? Did you not last the eight seconds on your latest rodeo ride?”
He looked up at her with a pained look that frightened her and she sat down beside him on the steps as Travis parked the truck. “Talk to me little brother… I’ve never seen you like this.”
“I don’t know what to do, and I know if I go to Eric with this, he’ll just jump down my throat and throw accusations at me that won’t help. I’m stressed beyond all hope. I messed up big time and now it’s come back to haunt me.”
“Okay,” she said, taking his hand in hers, thinking he looked like death warmed over. “This sounds really serious.”
“It is,” he admitted, his voice breaking. “You know about my buckle bunnies… I know you do…”
“Yeah, what’s that got to do with anything?” she asked, surprised that he would actually bring it up. “I had one … I’m g oing to call her a regular. We were together at every stop for a really long time. I started to really look forward to seeing her. I think I came close to being addicted… Then she was just gone and I was miserable. For going on two years now, I have felt as if my heart had been ripped out of my chest and now she’s living here in town taking care of her sister…”
“How is this a problem, Jeff?” “There’s a child… a baby girl. I thought she was Dana’s sister’s kid… but she’s not. She’s mine… ours. I’m a dad, Laurie… and I don’t know what to do about it.”
Travis was at their side now and he wrapped his arm around Laurie and looked at Jeff. “Are you prepared to let your child go?” he asked, searching the other man’s face for some clue as to what advice he was looking for.
“No way. That’s one thing I can’t do, not when her mother is such a mess,” Jeff answered hysterically. “Well then the only thing for it is to give up your playboy lifestyle, because with the way you’re living, you have no leg to stand on where the child is concerned. Unless you settle down with the mother and be a family, she can take your daughter and leave and there would be nothing you can do about it.”
Jeff gave her a nasty glare. “I didn’t come here to listen to you complain or rub my mistakes in my face, Laurie. If that was what I wanted, I would have gone to Eric about this.”
“She’s right you know,” Travis soothed quietly. A look of horror passed over Laurie’s face and he wondered what he’s said wrong. Then her legs began to shake and a puddle formed at her feet. His eyes grew large and he got to his feet.
“Was that your water?” She nodded her head in confirmation and Travis swept her back up into his arms, carrying her to the truck. “You’re on your own, Jeff. You’ll do the right thing, I’m sure.”
Having said that, they sped off towards the hospital. The hot Texas sun beat down on them as they made their way inside. His mother was sitting in the waiting room holding a magazine in her hands. She looked up at them. “I can tell you’re surprised to see me… I sensed it was time. My Grandma senses have been tingling for a week now. I must say… it’s a good thing my diagnoses for the brain tumor was wrong and the cancer went into remission, otherwise I may never have lived to see this day.”
Travis rushed past her and placed Laurie in a wheelchair, watching as the nurses wheeled her towards the labor and delivery room. “You can chew us out for taking too long to get pregnant later… after the baby has arrived. For now, wish me luck… I’m about to become a Daddy. Enjoy the Texas heat… Talk to you later!”
Having said that, he ran down the hall after Laurie. Be it a boy or a girl, he knew that the baby that was about to be born would brighten their lives. They were going to be excellent parents. He could hardly wait.
Texas Heat (Stubborn Texas Siblings Book 2) Page 9
